Economic Features of Beer Industry Essay

The beer industry is incredibly large industry that has an enormous effect on the country, contributing greatly to the society. Two of its main contributions include tax dollars and jobs. The beer industry serves the country through its taxes, jobs, and purchases from other suppliers, its contribution to agriculture and more. The market growth rate of the beer industry is perplexing which is evident through following production statistics of top brewing companies (in millions hectaliters) In 2000In 2005 1. Annheuser-Busch-1211. InBev-233. 5. 2. Heineken-742. Anneheuser-Busch-152 3. Ambev-633. SABMiller-135 4. Miller Brewing 534. Hieinken-107 5. SAB (South Africa Breweries)-435. Carlsberg-78 6. Interbrew-876. Scottish &Newcastle-52 The national market consists of few major competitors as mentioned above. After 1990’s some of the leaders started expanding abroad, using progressive consolidation and leading to a small number of global players in the industry by 2004-2007. Which created high level of competition amongst the leading brands and a fight to gain the most market share. The Scope of competitive rivalry is also one the best way to identify the economic characteristics of any industry; with the beer industry the scope entails the global geographic area over which most of the leading brewing leaders compete. Penetration in the foreign market arena is becoming a key success indicator for most of the competitors in the beer industry. Use of high-speed packaging line helps in processing thousands of cases of beer per day, and with modern computerized control, the inventory can be tracked throughout the distribution network. These inventions are setting a faster pace of technological change in the industry, where by companies are delving into extensive research, and employing highly qualified personnel in order to beat the competition. To comprehensively examine the brewing industry we must also consider the factors of social ramifications to the product, the political climate, and the arena of technological advances within the business environment of the beer industry. Over the years in order to gain economies of scale some leaders have tried to increase the size of their plants, improve packaging and introduce automated breweries, thus reflecting few of the business characteristics dominant in the industry. Grupo Modelo for example tried to expand into the American beer market by the use of competitive distribution channels. Therefore indicating an economical ripple effect experienced through the effective use of technology and distribution channels in hand.

Black Poems Essay

In the past during apartheid being black meant you lost out in many privileges it also showed how black people where oppressed. In this poem we see that Mbongeni Khumalo uses the word black in connection to all the bad things. He highlights that there is this darkness associated with the colour black and that in the 1960’s when someone called you a black person it showed nothing good and that no one should be proud of being black. He also looks at all the words that start with â€Å"black† and if one looks deep into them then we see that there’s a deeper meaning to that particular word and that it has got something to do with wrong doing or bad happenings. The first line of the poem reads â€Å"you don’t need a BLACK-BELT to write blackpoems†, if one looks at this line and critique it then we see that he says that one doesn’t need a black belt to write black poem and the way it is written from the small letter at the beginning of the sentence to the to the black belt in a big font and black poems as one word this shows that as a black person no one really paid attention to the diction of the poem. â€Å"B/LACK† when one looks at this word and the way it has been written then you can interpret it as be lack, as if he’s trying to point out that when you are black you lack in something. He further one uses the word â€Å"prac-teasing† and instead of writing practising he uses the teasing showing that he was isolated for mocking black art but in his own right one can argue that he was not mocking it but just highlighting the points that were true and that there was a time when anything that was done by a black person was just done and not taken seriously, a black person could only go so far with their art. â€Å"Trampling my so(u)l/e/† the way he has chosen to break down the word soul in a way that one can say he is trampling the word himself and he also adds an â€Å"e† at the end which shows that he can do anything to this poem since it is a black poem. â€Å"Served sausages made from minced pork and call(ed) it BLACK PUDDING† one can say that it was called black pudding because in the black culture the only time that the families ever ate pudding which consisted of custard and fruit was during Christmas otherwise black people always feasted with meat he could also have been referring to himself as the black sheep because he did not eat meat and in that case being black and not eating meat meant that you were a different type of black person and therefore you were out casted and you were a black sheep. â€Å"I suffered a BLACK DEATH at the hands of a BLACK GUARD†, what the writer brings out in this line is how black people still killed each other regardless of the fact that they were all oppressed by the same people for the same reason. The guards were also said to be puppies for the oppressors so that the hit on them could be lighter and that they could spare them their lives. So it shows that black people were also turned against each other and killed each other just so that they can hold their own end. The language that he has chosen to use is simple but the was in which he has broken down his words and placed them in way that one could clearly see the point he is trying to make about black poems. As one carries on to read this poem you could say that this is not a black poem but a poem about black people. He uses a playful tone but at the same time the way he stresses some words to show his point and the double meanings behind them. He also used the words to show what was happening in that time to black people trying to pass on the torch of awareness so that people could stop being naive and actually know how things were done in that time. He attracts the reader by his title which is â€Å"BLAK POWEMS† which shows the way he wrote it as if he were a actually saying it in a Bantu accent, so he chose to write it the way he would say it because no one really paid close attention to the diction and the style of the way black poets wrote their poems because it always ended up being black people reading each others poems. The way this poem has been written it shows well that it is protest poem in such a sense as when one looks at the diction used in this poem and the style of writing that the poet has chosen to use. He plays with associations surrounding blackness to put his point across of how blackness is associated with bas things and in this case particularly back in the 1960’s during times of black oppression and apartheid. The tone of this poem is in a playful but honest manner, not harsh but it keeps one intrigued that there could be so many things associated with the colour black that represent a darker side of life and the poet does a good job of bringing them out and also highlighting them. This poem makes the reader see the problems that the past could add on to a simple phrase or word. The word black in this poem has been separated and put on a spectrum whereby we can all see the negatives that could and that are surrounding this one word in particular. The poet has also made us think of how history played out and he did this not by writing that in the 1960’s this is what happened but he used words that show or highlight the main events of the 60’s.

Space Shuttle Columbia

On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry resulting in the loss of the seven crewmembers and the shuttle. For the next several months an extensive investigation of the accident was performed by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). The board published their final report in August, 2003 and concluded that the cause of the loss of Columbia and its crew was a breach in the left wing leading edge Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Thermal Protection System initiated by the impact of thermal insulating foam that had separated from the orbiters external fuel tank 81 seconds into the missions launch. During re-entry, this breach allowed hot gas to enter the wing’s leading edge and support structure which ultimately led to the breakup of the orbiter. The CAIB also discovered multiple flaws within the shuttle safety program, the hazard analysis techniques, communication and leadership between management and engineering, and an obstructive organizational culture. NASA responded to the Columbia accident by grounding all space shuttle missions for a total of 905 days while they complied with all the recommendations made by the CAIB as well as restructuring their system safety and communication procedures. Space Shuttle Columbia The Columbia STS-107 mission lifted off on January 16, 2003, for a 16-day science mission featuring numerous microgravity experiments. Upon reentering the atmosphere on February 1, 2003, the Columbia orbiter suffered a catastrophic failure due to a breach that occurred 81 seconds into the launch when falling thermal insulating foam from the left bipod area of the External Tank struck the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the underside of the left wing. The orbiter and its seven crewmembers were lost approximately 16 minutes before Columbia was scheduled to touch down at Kennedy Space Center. Within this paper I will discuss the history, mission, and anatomy of Space Shuttle Columbia, the incident and the breakdown in communication and safety practices, as well as information found during the formal investigation by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). History of Space Shuttle Columbia The Space Shuttle Columbia was built in the years leading up to 1981 when it was the first space shuttle to fly into earth orbit on April 12th. There were four sister ships in the fleet over the next ten years: the Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and the Enterprise. The Endeavour was built to replace the Challenger that was destroyed in 1986. Columbia was the first on-line orbiter to undergo the scheduled inspection and retrofit program. It was transported August 10, 1991, after its completion of mission STS-40, to prime space shuttle contractor Rockwell International's Palmdale, California assembly plant. The oldest orbiter in the fleet underwent approximately 50 modifications, including the addition of carbon brakes, drag chute, improved nose wheel steering, removal of development flight instrumentation and an enhancement of its thermal protection system. The orbiter returned to Kennedy Space Center February 9, 1992 to begin processing for mission STS-50 in June of that year. Primary Mission The primary objectives of this mission was to research in physical, life, and space sciences, conducted in approximately 80 separate experiments, comprised of hundreds of samples and test points. The crew was divided into two alternating shifts to achieve the most productive use of time for each 24 hour period. The crew’s payload consisted of the following: first flight of SPACEHAB Research Double Module; Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR); First Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) mission since STS-90 (Wilson, 2006). The expected duration of the STS-107 mission was 16 long days. Anatomy of the Space Shuttle The space shuttle is made up of over two million moving parts and 150 miles of internal wiring, making it the most complex machine ever created. Empty the space shuttle weighs in at 158,289 lbs and with the main engines installed it tips the scales at over 178,000 lbs. Once all the fuel and cargo are added, the space shuttle weighs an astounding 4. 5 million lbs. There are three main parts to every space shuttle, the orbiter, solid rocket boosters, and the external fuel tank. The solid rocket boosters and the external fuel tank are ejected from the orbiter while the space shuttle is leaving the atmosphere. The orbiter has enough crew space for eight crew members and a cargo capacity of 50,000 lbs. The Incident On January 16, 2003 the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched from Cape Canaveral, FL. 81 seconds into the launch a small piece of thermal insulating foam, the size of a small briefcase, impacted the leading edge of the left wing, damaging the Shuttle's Thermal Protection System (TPS), which protects it from heat generated from the atmosphere during re-entry. The foam had a total weight of 1. 67 lbs which is equal to the weight of 100 marshmallows and originated from the left bipod area of the External Tank. At the time of the impact the Columbia was traveling at 2300 fps through an altitude of 65,900 feet. The impact velocity of the foam was 775 fps. While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage as early as day two of the mission, but NASA managers limited the investigation, on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found and therefore, never informed the crew of any possible damage. The damage to the left wing’s Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panel provided a pathway for hot gas to enter the wing’s leading edge and support structure upon the attempted re-entry. This resulted in major structural and skin damage causing the loss of control and all vehicle data at 207, 135 ft above the Earth while traveling at 12,500 mph. The Columbia Space Shuttle broke up over north-central Texas just 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The Investigation Soon after the space shuttle disaster NASA created the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) with the objective to determine the cause of the Columbia accident and to recommend ways to improve the safety programs and communication procedures within NASA. The Board published a working scenario along with several preliminary recommendations in advance of the final report which was published on August 26, 2003. Preliminary Recommendations The first of five recommendations the CAIB made was for NASA to develop an inspection plan for the examination of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) system components since the current inspection techniques were not adequate in assessing the structural integrity, its supporting structure, and the attached hardware. The RCC system is used on the leading edges of the wings, the area aft of the nose cap, and the area around the forward orbiter/external tank attachment structure due to the fact that these are the parts of the orbiter that are subjected to the greatest amount of heat during re-entry. At the time the CAIB conducted their investigation, they discovered and published that NASA did not fully understand the mechanisms that have caused foam loss on almost every space shuttle flight to date. They also found that the original and present day operating design specifications required the RCC components to have essentially no impact resistance. In order to mitigate future risk to the space shuttles and crew, the CAIB believed that NASA should look into the advanced non-destructive inspection technology and take advantage of it. The second recommendation made to NASA stated that they should amend their existing Memorandum of Agreement with the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) to make it a standard requirement for every space shuttle flight to have on-orbit imaging available. The foam strike was first seen during the standard review of the launch video and high-speed photography, by the Intercenter Photo Working Group (IPWG) on the morning of Flight Day Two. The IPWG was concerned about possible damage to the Orbiter since this foam strike was larger than any seen in the past. No conclusive images of the foam strike could be found so the Chair of the IPWG asked management to begin the process of getting outside imagery from the Department of Defense (DOD) to help in damage assessment. This request, the first of three, along with the IPWG’s first report, including a digitized video clip and initial assessment of the strike, was distributed on Flight Day Two and began its journey through the management hierarchy. Even though the IPWG routed its request through the proper channels used during a mission, the management hierarchy yielded no direction, progress, or results. Therefore, the IPWG then routed its second and third requests for external DOD imagery through institutional, not mission-related, channels which diluted the urgency of the requests and the management viewed the requests as non-critical desires rather than critical operational needs. Communication did not flow effectively up to or down from the management hierarchy which lead to the three independent requests for imagery being subsequently denied. It was determined by the CAIB that the United States government along with NASA did not utilize every imaging resource it had in order to assess the damage of the Columbia while still in orbit. Recommendation three examined the repair capability of the space shuttle. The CAIB suggested that for all future missions to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA develop a method to inspect and conduct emergency repairs to the Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles and RCC while docked at the ISS and recommended that a â€Å"comprehensive autonomous [†¦] inspection and repair capability† be developed for Shuttle missions that do not dock at the ISS. The end goal is to develop a â€Å"fully autonomous capability for all missions†, in the event â€Å"that an ISS mission does not achieve the necessary orbit, fails to dock successfully, or suffers damage during or after docking† (Troxell, 2009). The last two recommendations addressed the space shuttles imaging systems. The fourth recommendation recommended upgrading the imaging system to provide at least three useful views of the space shuttles from liftoff to at least Solid Rocket Booster separation, and further recommended exploring the possibility of taking additional pictures and observations of the space shuttle during launch using ships and aircraft. Recommendation five pertained specifically to the External Tank (ET) and the Thermal Protection System (TPS) imaging systems examination. The CAIB recommended modifying one of the two on-board umbilical cameras in order to â€Å"downlink high-resolution images of the ET after separation,† and further recommended that a similar system be put into place to â€Å"downlink high-resolution images of the underside of the orbiter’s leading edge system and the forward section of the TPS† (Troxell, 2009). Organizational Culture Communications procedures between managers and engineers at NASA were also investigated by the CAIB. The need to communicate effectively and efficiently between the individuals and organizations involved in the space shuttle program were found to be paramount, given the complex and high level of technology along with the extensive risks involved. The CAIB found that the original damage assessments contained substantial uncertainties for a variety of reasons, including management failures, communication breakdowns, inappropriate use of assessment tools, and flawed engineering judgments. The CAIB also determined that there were lapses in leadership and communication that made it very difficult for engineers and management to raise concerns and understand decisions. Management failed to actively engage and analyze the potential damage caused by the foam strike. Before the accident, flight managers had been under extreme pressure from Congress and the public to maintain launch schedules, and they had not followed established procedures for clearing unresolved problems. Based on these and other observations, the CAIB concluded that NASA was not a learning organization. Organizational learning is not one but several processes by which organizations seek to improve their performance by searching out the causes behind what they judge to be unacceptable results (Mahler & Casamayou, 2009). The CAIB concluded that the organizational causes to the accident included deficiencies in the command structure and safety monitoring systems, an inability to cope with strong external political and budgetary pressures, and an obstructive organizational culture. System Safety The CAIB found that NASA’s safety program was inadequate of achieving the level of safety necessary for the space shuttle program. As a result, the CAIB recommended that the safety system at NASA be restructured to include the system safety fundamentals. System safety is the name given to the effort to make things as safe as is practical by systematically using engineering and management tools to identify, analyze, and control hazards (Stephans, 2004) throughout all phases of the life cycle. At the time of the investigation, NASA’s definition of system safety was as follows: The optimum degree of risk management within the constraints of operational effectiveness, time, and cost attained through the application of management and engineering principles throughout all phases of a program. It was a great definition but NASA did not follow or operate under these fundamentals which were proven by the CAIB time and time again. They found that the system safety engineering and management was not vigorous enough to have an impact on system design, and it was hidden in the other safety disciplines and separated from mainstream engineering which proved extremely ineffective in regards to safety. They also found that the space shuttle safety program had conflicting roles, responsibilities, and guidance. Hazard Analysis The hazard analysis techniques used by NASA at the time of the accident were the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FEMA) and the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). The CAIB found that the risk information and data from the hazard analyses were not communicated effectively nor could they find adequate application of a process, database, or metric analysis tool that took an integrated, systemic view of the entire space shuttle system. Post Columbia Procedures at NASA Once the investigation into Space Shuttle Columbia’s accident was finished, NASA shut down all space shuttle missions until they felt their system safety and communication procedures where brought up to par. This space shuttle grounding lasted 905 days and finally ended on July 26th, 2005 when the Space Shuttle Discovery successfully flew the STS-114 mission. System Safety NASA took the recommendation of the CAIB and restructured their system safety program. The purpose of the new system safety program within NASA is to ensure that the optimum degree of safety is achieved through management and engineering practices that minimize the number and magnitude of hazards in NASA systems. This is coupled with the application of system safety engineering analyses to detect and assess the nature and magnitude of risks so that they may be eliminated, reduced, or accepted depending on project requirements, schedule, and cost. This purpose is reached through the application of management, scientific, and engineering principles during all phases of a system life cycle. The ultimate goal is to avoid loss of life or injury to personnel, damage to or loss of equipment or facilities, project or test failures, and undue exposure to risk and adverse environmental effects. To date NASA has flown 19 separate space shuttle missions with no incidents under their new system safety program. NASA’s space shuttle fleet is set to retire after just two final missions. Space Shuttle Discovery is expected to launch on November 1st, 2010 and Space Shuttle Endeavour will launch no earlier than February 26th, 2011. Post Columbia Improvements NASA spent $1. 4 billion in an effort to improve the space shuttle after the Columbia incident. The most notable area of improvement was the External Tank. The bipod foam that caused the Columbia disaster was replaced with an electrical heater to prevent ice from forming. Another notable area of improvement was too the Foreign Object Debris (FOD) procedures which improved safety. They also added over 100 tracking cameras to view launches as well as cameras mounted on the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters. NASA also has two aircraft equipped with high-definition cameras which offer the unique perspective of a shuttle flying toward the viewer (Chien, 2006). All of NASA’s improvements seem to have worked so far. In the years following Space Shuttle Columbia’s accident, NASA reinvented their company from the ground up and is now used as a model company that others look to for advice and operational information. Conclusion The Space Shuttle Columbia accident may or may not have been preventable. There are numerous things that could have gone differently that might have given the crew a different fate, however, the accident happened in the least bad manner possible. The astronauts were able to enjoy themselves the entire mission, complete essential mission experiments, and reach a goal many of them had worked toward their entire lives. They had no knowledge that the shuttle was damaged and their deaths were mercifully swift. Columbia’s re-entry path over the U. S. made debris recovery far easier than if it had fallen over the ocean. Because so much debris and information was recovered it was possible to determine exactly what happened without any shadow of a doubt. It will certainly always be regrettable that the accident happened, but the fate of the Columbia crew could have been far worse. They will always been remembered as heroes.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

INTERNATIONAL TRADE - Essay Example China’s trade growth virtually exploded during the recent years. (Brainard, 1990, 327 & 328)   Ã‚  There are different factors propelling world’s merchandise trade to this level over the years. Four most significant factors may be mentioned here. Firstly, the recent Information Technology Industry boom has really worked as a major push towards achieving this kind of extraordinary trade growth. Throughout the 1990s, the office and the telecommunication equipments were considered under the most dynamic product category traded. Although the industry was not successful in exceeding its previous export level in 2000, a rise of 10 percent was realized amounting to nearly 770 billion US$. (WTO NEWS: PRESS RELEASES, 2000; WTO NEWS: PRESS RELEASES, 2004). The tremendous rate was accentuated by the sales of mobile phones and semi-conductors. The second factor that aided prospective trade growth rate is Reduction in Tariff. In October 2002, Chairman of the NAM Board of Directors Trade and Technology Policy, Harold Wiens stated that over 70 percent of the merchandise trade con sisted of manufactured goods. Multilateral trade negotiations have been significantly effective in bringing about reductions in tariff in most of the industrial nations, but the policies of many of the LDCs regarding the tariff and non-tariff trade barriers are yet to be revised. Since 1950, the import tariffs in U.S. dropped from 6 percent to 1.5 percent, with the average rate slumping from 8.6 percent to 3.2 percent from1960 to 1995 worldwide. Thirdly, transportation cost, as a result of the tariff reductions, forms a substantial part of the total trade costs. â€Å"In 2000, aggregate transportation expenditures for major Latin America countries were two to four times higher than for the United States. (source: author’s calculations based on US Imports of Merchandise; ECLAC BTI data)† (Hummels, n.d., 7). The ad-valorem duties are based on the distance of the goods to be

China diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

China diabetes - Essay Example Some studies indicated an economic standard correlation to the incidence rate of diabetes. The incidence rate in China is 3.21% in 1996 quite higher in developing countries, it significantly increased in the following years. Diabetes study of Singapore is quite revealing. In 1975 the incidence rate of diabetes in Singapore was 1.19%; it gradually increased and reached to 4%, in 1992. In 17 years, the incidence rate of diabetes in Singapore increased to 8 times. The case studies from Singapore and Korea clearly indicate that if the rapid economic and social development of countries is directly related to rate of incidence of diabetes. The more country develops, the higher prevalence of diabetes occurs. In the same way, China is rapidly growing during the past two decades. This rapid growth has resulted in increase in the rate of modernization and urbanization. The incidence of prevalence of diabetes in Chinese adult increased three-fold from approximately 1% in 1980 to 3.2% in 1996. T he incidence of diabetes is increasing equally with increase in economic growth of the country. With increase of prevalence of diabetes in Asian Countries China and India are major contributors because of their large populations and growing economies. China is the second largest prevalence of diabetes in the region as greater urbanization, industrialization, and lifestyle changes, because of economic prosperity and increasing rates of obesity. Growth in economy has resulted in change in the life style and eating habits of Chinese people. Availability of fast foods and a inactive lifestyle, along with lack of physical activities and play, increase in use of television and computers, and mechanization have rapidly changed the behavior patterns of the urbanized young in many of Asia's large cities. Similar situation is prevalent in China. The epidemiological transition can be observed in its most complete form in developed countries and at it is at its earliest stages in developing countries. RESULTS OF VARIOUS SURVEYS/STUDIES First systematic and organized survey was conducted in the late 1970s in China in Shanghai City. It was recorded that incidence of diabetes is 1.07% in 1979 but it was doubled in 1989. Available data shows that the prevalence of diabetes in Shanghai has reached to 2.123% in 1989 while Chengdu was 1.354% in 1992. But in 1982, Chengdu City demonstrated its prevalence of diabetes as 1.29%, which was the highest rate. Another diabetes survey of 14 major cities was conducted by nationwide cooperative group in 1980, it shows the average of prevalence of diabetes was 0.67%. A study conducted in 1993 shows that, the prevalence of diabetes was 2.5% in China but its mortality has become the third largest disease cause death in China after cancer and cardiovascular disease. In 1997, the 11 cities diabetes survey shows the average of prevalence of diabetes was 3.21% that is 3 times double the rate in 1979. A study was carried out in 1996, under the WHO criteria and epidemiology method, a updated 11 major cities survey shows that the prevalence of diabetes was 3.21% in China, which increased almost 5 times compared to the first survey in 1980. It is estimated that the prevalen

Write a critical reflction and evaluation of your performance as a Essay

Write a critical reflction and evaluation of your performance as a mentor in workplace learning and assessing - Essay Example Gillespie (2005) asserts that a connected student-teacher relationship is characterized by the teacher nursing with students so that students â€Å"experience self-confirmation of their existing capacities and, prompted by the example of the clinical teacher, become aware of potential capacities† (Gillespie, 2005, p. 215). When investigating student perceptions of effective and ineffective clinical instructors, Tang, Chou, and Chiang (2005) found that students perceived that the most effective clinical instructors were those having strong interpersonal relationships with students and rated â€Å"solves problems with students† as the highest rated item within that category (p. 190). This would suggest that working together with students and role modeling professional behaviors are powerful determinants of effective teaching (Tang, Chou, & Chiang, 2005, 187-192). The term mentor is used to denote the role of a nurse, midwife, or even a health visitor who facilitates learning and assess students in the practice setting. According to Department of Health, the mentor role is to facilitate learning across pre and post registration programmes. In order to do that, the mentor must supervise, support, and guide students in institutional practice where learning happens in a clinical environment. One of the main roles is assessment where implementation of approved procedures for assessment is to be executed by the mentors. They would thus be facilitators of learning in the practice setting, where they would manage and contribute to the experience of the student nurses (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008, 1-17). The Nursing and Midwifery Council has developed a framework to support learning and assessment in practice. This framework also defines and describes the requisite knowledge and skills that are needed to be applied in practice when they support and assess students undertaking

The Role of the RN In Medical Surgical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of the RN In Medical Surgical - Essay Example Surgical nurses play a fundamental role in provision of health care services to patients before, during and after surgical operations. Their work consists of both outside and inside the sterile field where they deal with direct patient care as well as offering the necessary support to the surgical team (Workman, 2009). Under the surveillance of a surgical physician, surgical nurses offer services in the operation room in addition to pre-surgical departments in the hospital. Their services facilitate smooth operating procedures by preparing patients for a surgery, helping the surgeon during an operation and further attending to the patients after the surgery until they fully recover. However, even though the working environment for surgical nurses can be considered to be good, sometimes they turn out to be both emotionally and physically stressful since they are required to be alert for most of their shifts and sometimes they are forced to work beyond their scheduled shifts (Maclise, 2008). Recovery surgical nurses are registered nurses who offer their services to patients before and after a surgery, their major role is to prepare patients for surgical procedures by administering pre-surgical services like intravenous injections, observation of the medical history of the patient, conducting a complete blood test and other preliminary surgical requirements such as shaving (Workman, 2009). RNs who work in the recovery sector monitor the reaction of the patient as he or she recovers from the effects of the anesthesia administered before the surgery. They basically observe for patient’s vital recuperation indicators, clean and dress the wounds as well as administer the recommended medication in addition to assisting the patient with pain management strategies. Further, they assist with provision of post-surgery health care education to both the patient and his/her family (Ignatavicius, 2007). Surgical nurses also offer sterility services to the surgeon by ens uring that each and every surgical instrument is sterilized to the required standard in an effort to guarantee that there are reduced chances of contamination and infection. The nurses are treated with antimicrobial soap and equipped with a sterilized suit; this ensures that microbes which can infect the patient during the operation are kept at bay (Maclise, 2008). These nurses prepare the required surgical instruments and other essential supplies that are needed during the operation procedure. There are also some nurses who play a fundamental role during the surgery even though they are not involved in the sterile field. Their duties include securing any additional instruments that may be required during the surgery, preparing samples for lab tests and also ensuring that bio-hazardous wastes are well disposed (Workman, 2009). It is the duty of a surgical nurse to treat patients who are under acute health conditions after undergoing a surgery since most of the patients will be in ne ed of pain management medication (Ackley & Ladwig, 2010). The surgical RN has the responsibility of ensuring that the patient takes the exact medication which has been prescribed by a surgeon or a doctor as some of the prescriptions can be harmful if taken incorrectly and thus, they call for the proper dosage at the appropriate time. A surgical nurse is also required to talk to the patient at least more than 10 times a day so as to realize

Observation of community Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Observation of community - Assignment Example Facebook seems to be the most popular site when it comes to making friends and Social networking. People are free to advertise themselves as well as their skills, books and professions etc. and try to better their existing prospects. The people at Facebook have come to realize that even companies are interested in engaging themselves with other stakeholders in a more dynamic and informal manner and hence have gone that extra mile in creating a potent platform for them to associate with each other. Many big Corporate Companies and artistes have joined the Facebook Community in order to further enhance their prospects. The language used by this particular group of people is slightly more formal than the other groups. This is because professions are involved. Informal language such as â€Å"Oh c’mon yaar’, ‘yeah of course’, ‘no probs’, ‘catch you later then’ ‘bring along your resume and catch me at ma office tom. @ lunch time etc. are some of the informal phrases used in the language spoken here. Other common phrases used between associates are ‘give me a buzz’ or ‘give me a tinkle before comin’ pal’, IMHO (in my humble opinion) This is the most informal and exciting platform on Facebook because it is here that friends meet and exchange fun and ideas across the globe. The world becomes a smaller place when people interact and associate with each other between continents and across the world. The language used on this platform is filled with fun and laughter punctuated with a lot of jokes and funny ideas. People who associate with each other as friends on a surface level exchange a lot of information, thoughts and ideas which prove to be very useful and encouraging. The majority of users, take their friendship to a far more deeper level and engage in sharing their innermost and deepest feelings and emotions in exchange for solace, understanding and

Research Paper on Native Son by Richard wright

On Native Son by Richard wright - Research Paper Example The novel is a brilliant example of this disambiguated phenomenon. The consequences stemming from the hypocrisy of whites supremacy are converted into an evil, with regards to the misfortune. An accidental event starts the trail of continual deprival of control of consent actions by a black man. A high degree of misfortune is presented in the initiating of the plot of this novel, while the racism in the US background has fueled this misfortune; a murder of a girl by black man. The lead role is the black man, in this novel, presented in an autobiographic genre. This misfortune turned into a tragedy, when the panic added fuel to the flare for the continued criminal actions of the Bigger, till the end of his role. This panic was the ultimate byproduct of the ambiance where he used to live. An approach to the error of the system has been presented in this novel as the root cause and the motive of the tragic criminal deeds was caused by the general environment, the circumstances, in which the Bigger had to live. Background America has had racism issues for long time. In the era of 1930s the class difference among different class was stronger. The blacks were not treated equally. The novel is actually a gentle protest on this situation. This novel was also a start of the silent revolution. The novel became the best seller in few days. The intensity of the racism presently is not of that extent as it was used to be in older days. Though presently the country with prolonged previous racism has a black president, and this novel was an alarm of the upcoming situation at that time: solve the issue today which may destroy tomorrow (Schneider, 2007). Economical perspective The protagonist and his family at large had not had good economic status. For the livelihood, they had to rely on the employments given by the whites. Although the help for the blacks was there as the employment was being provided to the blacks, but on the other hands, his family was being charged the hig h rent by the same employer. Mr. Dalton was a real estate tycoon, which was providing both the employment and the high rents to his family, and the other black community. There was no any generous thing to them as this had no effective benefit to the black and his family who was surging for the economic sustainability. The security and family needs The main character of the Novel, Bigger and his fellows plan to watch a movie, and for watching movie he needed money. For this reason he and his pals decide for the robbery at a shop. The shop/ Delicatessen which they plan to rob belong to the white and they all are afraid of doing any criminal act against the whites. According to them they could get the money, but if they were caught, the law would be different, and they have to bear a lot bitter consequences. They used to rob blacks but this time they had a change in their plan. One of his fellow stepped down for the robbery, and Bigger beat him. Although Bigger’s mother is reli gious and keeps on teaching him: he has no temptations for the religion. When he thinks there is no way to get money by robbing that white, he chooses the legitimate way of earning money by deciding to go for the job. And he is appointed as a chauffeur for Mr. Dalton who is a very rich man. He is afraid of losing his job as he is not aware of the etiquettes of the rich families and thinks himself as a misfit in that environment. This inferior complex has been rooted from the circumstances he has come from and he has a denial state for his

Discuss whether the European Monetary Union would benefit from British Essay

Discuss whether the European Monetary Union would benefit from British membership - Essay Example This would also assist in promoting reforms of the supply-side in the EU which would in turn encourage further exploitation and specialization of comparative advantage In the UK’s several sectors in the economy in the long run. Boost price transparency Any country’s membership to the EMU makes it possible for consumers to compare relative price levels across a number of member states. Britain’s membership would increase price transparency in the EU. This is more so because Britain is a big economy on its own with a wide range of markets. This would in turn encourage cross border trade and competition across a number of different markets. Allocative efficiency would be greatly improved thus improving consumers’ welfare within the EU. This is would be a great benefit to the EMU as it would encourage more and more states to join the Euro Zone. The price transparency theory can be explained; prices of different goods differ in different countries as a result o f different currencies and different Value added taxes. Although it is hard vto eliminate the differences brought about by VAT, the currency born price differences can be completely eliminated by forming a single currency. This increases transparency as there are no currency exchanges in the transactions. Common currency also increased competition kicking out of the markets firms that have inefficient production methods. If Britain joins the EU, currency differences will be a matter of past tense and price transparency will ensue. Increase in foreign investment flows Britain, being a major recipient of foreign direct investment especially in the recent periods would greatly increase the inflow of foreign investments into the Euro Zone. This would greatly facilitate the development of Multi-nationals enterprises within the EMU. Scholars have argued that apart from these foreign investment inflows benefiting the EMU if Britain joined, they would also help the economy of the Great Brit ain through the development of its multinational enterprises. Actually, it has been suggested that if Britain continues to say outside the system, these foreign investment flows may be threatened in the near future. High employment rates and wages for workers in the EU zone. A sustainable convergence between the euro zone countries and the UK would bring about potential employment benefit to all member countries. This would include potentially reduced prices and relatively higher wages. This is simply because UK has a big economy that EU would use to bring these long- term household benefits. Reduced transaction costs; If UK joins the European Monetary Union, there will be a single currency in use between the country and the countries already in the Euro zone; this means that there will be no conversion costs emanating from currency conversions. This will reduce the total transaction costs in trade. This is especially significant in Britain’s case because majority of transact ions in the EU zone are done with Britain. Therefore, by Britain joining the EU, these transaction costs will be eliminated. This is a benefit to both Britain and the European monetary union. Rival to the ‘Big Two’ The Japanese yen and the American dollar are the two strong currencies in the world today. These two countries have millions of inhabitants and strong economies. A new currency in Europe through

We are passively scripted by our parents Essay Example for Free

We are passively scripted by our parents Essay One question that almost every individual ponders upon at least once in his or her life is whether the life that we have been handed down is an open book which we can write in any way we feel like or is it a pre-written script that we are simply enacting? Are our behavior patterns, emotions, responses our very own, determined by our own selves or are they pre-programmed into us genetically, by our parents, teachers etc? Before directly looking at any possible answer, let us discuss some interesting aspects about life. Firstly, for any external circumstance or event, the responses of different individuals are usually different. As an example if a boy leaves his girlfriend for someone else, the resulting response in the girl can vary from mild anger to temporary sadness, to even acute depression. These differences in emotive behavior are rooted in the belief patterns, concepts and ideas that are ingrained in every individual. The A-B-C theory of personality by Albert Ellis, elaborates this point by saying that in any life situation, the activating event (A) does not lead to the emotional consequence (C). Rather, the emotional consequence is triggered by the beliefs (B) of the individual. A healthy and rational set of beliefs can make a healthy, strong individual while a person with irrational beliefs is much more likely to endure pain and suffering from the same set of cards that life deals out. So of what is responsible for forming these beliefs in any individual? I think a lot of aspects in our life are pre-programmed, genetically into our system. Many other beliefs become a part of us during our childhood and depend on the social, cultural and economic environment of the child, on the parents and teachers and some of these beliefs are created by us on our own. To elucidate on the first point let us look at the simple example of gender. We all know or have seen how men and women intrinsically differ in interpreting different situations and in their reactions to them. In any difficult or crisis situation men are usually more level headed while women more emotional. Similarly, in human relationships, women are more intuitive than men and therefore perform better. Though this varies widely and we have level headed women as much as we have intuitive men, we can understand that gender often does play a role in determining behavior patterns and this is something scripted into us from our birth. For such patterns that are pre-programmed by birth itself, I think while it is very difficult or almost impossible to change these patterns, recognizing them can help us deal with them and subdue the control they have on us. I would say the second set of beliefs that is rooted in our childhood is the most significant one in the determination of our personality. A child picks up a huge amount of stuff, both directly and indirectly, from his or her environment, parents, teachers and friends. Unknowingly it is often the parents who pass on their fears and phobia’s to a child. Let us take the example of an adult who is afraid of darkness. When the activating event (A) is a sudden power disruption in the house, consequence (C) is fear. Now for another adult for the same event, the consequence (C) will perhaps be mild irritation. Now this person who is scared of the dark was not born with this fear. In fact a toddler, he would fearlessly walk into dark corners and places. However, his mother had this fear of darkness which she passes on to her child through her behavior. A child learns from his mother. Walking down a dark alley, the mother suddenly grips her son’s hand very firmly and hisses, â€Å"Don’t leave my hand, it is dark! † The child learns – darkness is something very dangerous; I should be afraid of it. In this way knowingly or unknowingly, the child’s parents, teachers, environment etc instill in him concepts and behavior patterns that play a big role in determining his or her attitude to life in the years to come. However, I do feel that some of the concepts are self-created and whether to continue believing in something that has been a part of one’s belief system since childhood is also up to oneself. By recognizing unhealthy patterns in ourselves we can train ourselves to not behave like mere programmed objects but actively choose to respond in an intelligent manner. As human beings we can strive to throw out every irrational belief in our system and instill rational thoughts to counter them. Though an uphill task, I think it is certainly one that can be done and if every undesirable belief cannot be thrown out of us completely, the strength of their control on us can surely be minimized.? Works Cited 1. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Individual Counseling Theory and Practice, James J. Messina (www. coping. org/write/C6436counselther/lectures/C6436-9th-CBT. ppt

Blood Donation Essay Essay Example for Free

Blood Donation Essay Essay As you are listening to me, you might not think that today is the day that you will save a life. It is quite easy to save a life any day and it only takes a little bit of your time. I’m not talking about being a paramedic or fireman; I am talking about the simple act of donating blood. Almost anybody can donate blood but in order to do so, you must be fit and healthy. In other words; you’re not suffering from a cold, the flu, or any other illnesses. Also, it is extremely critical that you meet the ideal weight which would be anything above 45 KG. You must be between the ages 16-70 if you wish to donate your blood. Make sure that you eat a healthy meal before your donation and that you are drinking an ample amount of liquids preferably juice or water (and absolutely no alcohol) 3 hours prior to donating. [1] There are four key tips in order to have a successful blood donation. Make sure to keep yourself hydrated, wear something comfortable, bring a list of medication that you are taking (as it is important for the doctors to know about any prescription and/or over the counter medications that may be in your system) and lastly, make sure you maintain a healthy level of iron in your diet before donating your blood. Most importantly, you have to relax and feel at ease! Blood donation is an extremely safe procedure and there should be absolutely nothing to be concerned about. [2] Why should you donate blood? The answer is rather quite simple; safe blood saves lives and improves health. Your bloods main components: plasma, red cells, and platelets are vital for plenty of different uses. Plasma provides the body with plenty of nutrients and protein. Red blood cells are used predominantly in treatments for blood diseases along with cancer. They also help in the making of treating anemia. Platelets contribute to helping repair any signs of damaged body tissue. [3] The donation process from the time you arrive until the time you leave takes about an hour maximum. The donation itself is only about 8-10 minutes on average. The nurse will be sure to cleanse an area on your arm and then insert a sterile needle into it for the blood draw. This shot feels like a  quick pinch and is over in a matter of seconds. Certain donation types such as red cells, platelets or plasma can take up to 2 hours. The nurse draws approximately a pint of blood from you during every donation period. [4] So that now you know how easy it is to donate blood, it’s time to take action. After all, you have plenty of blood, so why not share? When you do, you will feel good about yourself and you will save a life. By giving blood, every donor is contributing to a nation-wide challenge to provide life-saving products whenever and wherever they are needed. Citation: [1] Australian Red Cross Blood Service â€Å"Am I eligible to donate blood?† http://www.donateblood.com.au/who-can-give/am-i-eligible Web. 2014. [2] The American Red Cross â€Å"Donation Process† http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/tips-successful-donation Web. 2015. [3] â€Å"Why give blood?† http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/why-give-blood/ Web. [4] The American Red Cross â€Å"Donation Process† http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/donation-process Web. 2015.

Examining the Business Plan of Blue CNG station

Examining the Business Plan of Blue CNG station This report is about the business plan of a CNG station which is located in Peshawar Pakistan and is prepared by Syed Behram Bin Nasir. In this ill try to do the industrial, production plan, operational plan, organizational plan and marketing plan Industry Analysis: In the beginning ill start with the industrial analysis in which ill explain the current situation of the CNG industry how it is making an impact in the petroleum sector and future of the this specific industry how new trends will effect it, what strategies to make that will ensure us to be competitive with the market we are in and how can we make it different from other competition. After that an over view on how to we can utilize our resources and make out business more efficient and then to come up with proper marketing strategies to forecast the demand of CNG in the true market. NATURE OF BUSINESS Products Size of business Equipment Personal Services PRODUCTION PLAN Manufacturing Operations Plans Supplier OPERATIONAL PLAN Head offices and Regional plant Goods and services Utilization of technology ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN Partnership business Private limited Employees responsibility Mission and vision MARKETING PLAN It is one of the most important part of the business plan in which we decide which marketing plans to implement and what strategies to make, how the business can be run efficiently. The main purpose of the marketing plan is how the product or the service be distributed, priced and promoted. Environmental analysis Pest analysis Swot analysis Porters five forces Matketing goals Marketing strategies Marketing mix Budget decisions FINANCIAL PLAN Sources of finance Income statement Balance sheet Funds Ratios RISK ASSESSMENT In this we identify the threats to a business which are mainly the potential threats and making a strategies how to minimize the risk of threats and making the business to a progressive and profitable road. INDUSTRIAL ANALYSIS CNG is one of those resources which are abundantly available in our country. The country is using petroleum products for a very long because they before they didnt had any alternative and also the country spending a lot of its foreign exchange of buying the petroleum products, so it was important for the government to come up with a substitute which can help the people and also help them decrease the large amount of foreign exchange they are spending on buying the petroleum products. Due to this step by the govt already almost 600,000 cars are already on CNG. Due to a large difference in the prices of CNG and petroleum products a lot of people are converting their cars on to CNG. From an analysis made already there are 2500 hundred CNG stations currently working in the country and already the demand is more then CNG pumps has to offer. The total amount for setting up a CNG pump station is about 30.22 million which includes the land, building, equipment and machinery, along with the p reliminary expenses and working capital. CNG POLICY The Government of Pakistan has offered number of incentives for encouraging the use of CNG in the country. Some of these are summarized below: Strong Government commitment to promote CNG use Liberal policy to provide license for CNG retailing Deregulated market consumer price of CNG Natural gas tariff for CNG linked to petrol Priority of natural gas connection to CNG stations Exemption of import duty and sales tax. Federal cabinet also proved a package of incentives and recommendations for replacement of diesel oil with CNG. This has provided a boost to the industry and so far, more than 2.5 million vehicles have been converted to CNG and more than 3100 CNG stations are operational in different parts of the country (As on May, 2010). With these developments  Pakistan  has become the leading CNG using country in the world.  HDIP is promoting and offering consultancy services to the private sector which include the whole range of activities like formation of company, selection of sites, legal formalities, design of stations, specifications and sizing of equipment, selection of equipment, selection of contractor, training of manpower, commissioning and supervision, etc., depending upon the clients needs. HDIP with approval of the Ministry has developed the following procedure for establishment of CNG Stations. http://202.83.164.26/wps/portal/Mopnr/!ut/p/c0/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os_hQN68AZ3dnIwMD3wAXAyNTPxc_E1NjINdYvyDbUREALPdBpw!!/?PC_7_OFLO9FH20GDHE02DCQKDP72HM7_WCM_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/MopnrCL/ministry/sageneral/hdipifuel MARKET DEMAND Keeping in mind the current situation of Pakistan we know how important transport has become and its only travelling that people can travel from one to another transport has become the main source of transporting goods. In a survey 2006 2007 it was told that the population of Pakistan is increasing 2.0% per anum which means almost 3.2 million people, with this increase every year the number of vehicles also increased which increased the demand of petroleum throughout the country. According to GOP analysis the consumption of CNG and petroleum products are almost to a sky high 70% where electricity is 15% LPG is 8% and coal is also 8% and the other used in other areas including residential areas. http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/11-81d0c282bc/000.jpg In the 1990s the demand for petroleum increased by 7% per anum and the came down to 2.5% by the end of the 1990 and then again by the end of the 2008 2009 it increased again to a sky high 9.7%. http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/12-e24e59ea45/000.jpg ANALYSIS OF COMPETITORS In pakistan major portion of the CNG sector is taken by the PSO and its around 60 tp 65 % and the rest of the portion has other companies like Shell, Attock, Caltex and Total. http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/13-dc7de4ac1c/000.png BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Products Services CNG LPG Size Of Business A CNG business has less number of people mainly from 8 to 12 as compared with capital invested. http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/14-f2b642991a/000.png Office Equipment Office Control room Cylinder storage room Shed for dispenser Washroom Under ground piping Power cables Flooring Construction Cost http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/15-996ef3ad4b/000.png EQUIPMENT Equipment needed for a CNG station Gas compressor Electric control panel Storage cascade CNG dispenser PERSONNEL REQUIREMENT By personnel we mean people who will work in a CNG pump which includes cashier, manager, operator, accountant, watchman and sweeper. A total of 12 to 15 people are needed for the two shifts for a CNG station and a brief idea how their salaries would be are below: http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/16-fff5287002/001.jpg BACK GROUND OF CNG IN PAKISTAN The word CNG means compressed natural gas, one of the first environmental clean. This gas is majorly used in homes as fuel also in industries and factories. Basically when we compress gas to a level of 250 bar it becomes CNG. According to a survey in 2006 2007 CNG industries invested a handsome amount of 70 million because of the encouraging policies of the government so make CNG more and more accessible for the people of Pakistan. Now a days almost 2700 CNG stations are working in different cities of Pakistan and its not stopping in a span of 3 to 4 years another 1000 stations will be installed and because of this rapid growth around 30000 people got employed across the country. According to a survey conducted by the international gas association Pakistan is the third largest consumer of CNG after Brazil and Argentina and in Asia Pakistan largest consumer of CNG with over just in 2009 approximately 2 million people converted there cars on to CNG. PRODUCTION PLAN For opening a CNG station need to go through few essential steps which should fulfill the criteria of the oil marketing company Application A person who is interested in opening a CNG station has to submit an application to the oil marketing company to take in notice that he wants to use his land as a supplier of CNG and needs the permission of the government to help him install the station and use it to sell oil products and services Feasibility Study Oil marketing company after excepting the application then checks credibility of the applicant both social, financial and skills and then a feasibility report is conducted by the oil marketing companys expert checks the viability of applicants land with respect to the location. After fulfilling the feasibility criteria of the project, the oil marketing company signs a retailer ship agreement with the applicants takes the applicants land and acquires it on rental lease base for a minimum time period of 15 years. The rent is a normal amount based on the location of the land. NOC (No Objection Certificate) After signing an agreement with the oil marketing company an expert draws a map for the sight representing the structure of the sight and then the application is submitted to the district coordinator officer which then issues a no objection certificate after talking to the concern department who after few meeting decide if the NOC should be issued or not. The following departments are as follows: Concerned district authority Planning authority Traffic police Department of civil Defense National high way authorities Central board of revenue Civil administration Irrigation officer Forest department CONSTRUCTION PHASE After the permission the infra structure has to be started according to the approved map made by the expert earlier. The cost is only shared by the applicant and oil marketing company. The cost of the machinery and equipment is paid by the company and rest of the civil work cost is on the business owner. After completion the sight is visited by an expert from the oil marketing company to check if its made according to the standards of health and safety issues. PROCESS FLOW CHART http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/19-1a7ddf4525/000.jpg NATURAL GAS PROCESSING http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/20-b4956e05fd/000.png Name Of Suppliers The central board of revenue also known as CBR has made a list of suppliers who provide cylinders, compressors, CNG vehicle cylinders, CNG machinery and conversion kits. http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/21-ac6394650f/000.png OPERATIONAL PLAN Compressors It is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of the gas by decreasing its volume, a compressor is same as a pump both decrease the volume and both can travel through a pipe. Pressure regulator Regulates pressure of CNG to the engine and has different stages through which the engine can be tuned according to consumption of the engine and give a steady performance. Filling valve Multi valve with quick closing device that keeps the CNG stored in the cylinder. Through this valve the vehicle is refueled. Mixer This is a device used to control the amount of CNG inside the engine , setting the ideal gas pressure for smooth running of the engine. Electronic Unit Helps in enabling the correct pressure of gas, it controls sensors to improve the mixture. Ventilation system A safety equipment which helps in the ventilation of the system Connection Tubes CNG cylinder is connected to strong and hard pipes and also connects to the engine. Filling Valve A device which helps the CNG to be stored in the cylinder and the vehicle is also refueled through this valve. ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN Form of Owner Ship It could be proprietorship or partnership depending on the amount of cash or investment involved in the business Name of The Business The nature of the business is private limited so there is no need of the government to come in and issue a name. Identification of the Ownership Ownership is only in the hand of the person who will start the business or in the hands of the partners in case the business is a partnership based. Responsibilities of Employees Fueling the vehicles Selling the lubricants Counting and accepting the cash Operating the machinery Cash management Book keeping MARKETING PLAN Mission vision Vision To make 10 more stations in the next 10 to 15 years all across the country mainly in the larger cities of Pakistan. Mission High quality compressed gas for transportation which should be environmental friendly, gives economical advantages and support the government to help give good services to the people of the country Situation Analysis This analysis is usually done to find out which environmental forces are effecting or which factors are effecting the business and then coming up with a strategy to minimize the effect of these strategies. General Overview Natural Gas is one of the most valuable natural resources abundantly available in our country. The people of Pakistan have been using the petroleum products as a fuel in their automobiles, thus spending a huge amount of foreign exchange on import of petroleum products. Moreover, the Government of Pakistan has taken certain concrete steps in order to promote the use of natural gas as a fuel substitute in the automobiles. Due to the efforts made by the Government and comparatively low prices of gas, more than60 0 ,00 0* vehicles have already been converted to operate on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling system all over Pakistan. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is produced when the natural gas is compressed into cylinders to be used as a fuel in the automobiles. The compressed natural gas has been used as an automobile fuel since 1940, and over the years, the technology has been modified and refined. In the recent years, the usage of CNG as an automobile fuel has significantly increased because of its low cost and environment friendly nature. Pollution and Waste Management Recent studies have identified pollution caused by hazardous gas emissions and solid waste as a key environmental issue confronting Pakistan, with significant health implications. A substantial increase in the number of vehicles on urban roads continues to drive up levels of urban air pollution. Common gases emitted by vehicles include carbon mon-oxide, nitrous oxides, and ozone, and are dangerous to human health beyond certain levels of concentration. Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons released by diesel-powered vehicles are known carcinogens, while smoke from diesel engines has aggravated already elevated levels of airborne soot. Nitrous oxides are emerging air pollutants with the highest concentrations recorded in Karachi, followed by Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, and Islamabad (Figure 3). Industries located in urban areas are the main source of sulfur dioxide (dangerous to human, animal, and plant life) while brick kilns powered by low-grade coal are notable sources of soot. Pest analysis A helpful way to understand the big picture of Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological environment. By making good use of PEST analysis, it is ensured that what is going to be done is aligned positively with powerful forces of change. It helps in operating in a new country or region and helps in understanding the realities of that environment. It helps in strategy formation in a sense that these factors (Uncontrollable environmental forces) must be kept in view, which may lead to failure if ignored. The position of PEST analysis in understanding the overall picture of environment can be described by the following diagram: http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/29-ad08c88882/000.png Situation analysis  in which political-legal (government stability, spending,  taxation, etc.),  economic  (inflation, interest,  unemployment, etc.), socio-cultural (demographics,  education,  income distribution, etc.), and technological (knowledge  generation,  conversion  ofdiscoveries  into  products,  rates  of  obsolescence, etc.)factors  are examined to  chart  an  organizations  term plans. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/PEST-analysis.html. Political Government agencies and pressure groups have a strong effect upon the activities of any organization in a society. Political environment strongly affects the marketing decisions. The political stability of a country has its impact on the consistency of policies of local government. Importance of public interest groups and business regulations can be found from the political environment. Nations vary greatly in their political and legal environment. Sometimes, a government can decide violently to respond a popular feeling even without a change. Any new policy can be introduced regarding tax and trade and tariff control etc. This may give benefits to the organization but the thing matters is that how they handle business and financial matters in such unexpected and sudden changes? Political trends may not be of as much importance in stable governments as they are in weak ones, although they can have a significant impact on business. For example, in the United States, the companies in the business of providing social services can have more opportunities when Democrats are in power. Political decisions like awarding of subsidies to any sector either directly in the form of grants or through tax incentives can impact the industry circumstance. Economic Economic environment is usually analyzed by keeping in view the following economic indicators: employment, consumer price index, housing starts, personal income, saving rate, industrial production, capacity utilization and productivity etc. Although the gap between living standards of well-developed Western and developing Asian countries is lessening, yet the uncertain economic climate in the Asian economies has important implications for international marketers. Organizations determine that how these changing incomes affect purchasing power and how they adopt it for the firms profitability. Social Each country has its own set of values and traditions. The companies must know that how consumers in different countries think and use different products before planning a marketing program. All the positive and negative impacts which a culture may cause must be identified. There might be different dimensions of culture like the social organization of society, religion, literacy levels, political systems and language. Social factors also influence behavior of consumers. A persons family, friends and social organizations strongly affect product and brand choices. The persons position within each group can be defined in terms of role and status. A buyer chooses products and brands that reflect his or her role and status. Technological Market is changing radically as a result of technology. There are three different aspects of technology: type of technology, its process, and the impetus for its development. Type of technology preferred by a company is dedicated by its interest. Technological environment may be the most dramatic force in changing the working style and destiny of the firms. Technology is changing rapidly and every new technology replaces an older one. New markets and opportunities are created by new technologies the marketers should watch these trends in technology in order to compete. Companies which fail to anticipate and keep up with technological change find their products outdated soon. Firms must track technological trends and determine that whether their product is fulfilling the customers demands still or not. Some major factors of the technical environment are automation, rate of change of technology, internet and communication costs. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths One of the major strengths that a business can have is mainly its location because a CNG station is all about its location how accessible it is for the consumers. Choice of equipment used by a CNG station is also an important factor which can help the business achieve more profits, the more user friendly it is the more it will be trusted by the staff and people coming to the station to fill up their cars. Weakness Lacking experience Supply of gas Skilled workers Opportunities Cheaper than petroleum products for the consumers Imposition of sales tax and customs Threats Saturated market due to large number of stations made every year. Increase in gas prices by government. PORTERS 5 FORCES http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/35-b6cf4245b4/000.png Ten year plan http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/36-8f8a3b8fec/000.png Market demand At present there are more than 3000000  vehicles, which have been converted to CNG fuel, and a large number of vehicles are further being converted. Due to the increasing prices of petroleum products, the trend of converting cars to CNG fueling system has been on a rise. However, there exist a large number of people who were reluctant to convert their vehicles from petrol to gas due to safety concerns. recently, many car manufacturers have started manufacturing the cars with built-in CNG fueling system. This change has led to enhancing the confidence in the minds of the general public regarding the safety concerns, and now, more people are inclined towards purchasing these factory-fitted CNG fueling system cars. Market Supply: Total number of CNG stations in Pakistan is only over 2700, which is quite low for meeting the growing demand of CNG. Apart from these 2700 CNG stations, many new CNG stations are being setup across the country. Price Mechanism http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/37-476443a5f3/001.jpg Promotion strategy Advertising through cable tv ads. Pump flits and banners Loyal customers Giving visiting cards to every customer who fills up Workers as medium of advertisement Organize seminars Financial Plan http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/38-63016812a5/000.jpg Projected Balance Sheet http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/40-d42fa66c4f/000.jpg Projected Cash Flow Statement http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/41-1bf688a251/000.jpg Cost of Sales http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/43-9f50728424/000.png Working Capital http://htmlimg4.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/44-4747eda23d/000.png Risk Assessment Inflation Rate: 10% inflation rate has been considered while making the projections for cost of sales, operational expenses and salaries. The prices for gas, electricity, operational expenses and staff salaries are increased by 10% every year as a result of inflation. The selling price of gas has been increased by 5% every year. This shows that revenue will increase by less percentage than expenses in the earlier years. High Depreciation Rate: High depreciation rate of different assets will also be a risk for the venture that may ultimately decrease the returns of the venture. http://htmlimg1.scribdassets.com/hqj2a15kb1weukg/images/47-daa535877f/000.png

Ex †Basketball Player Essay -- Literary Analysis, John Updike

In the poem, â€Å"Ex – Basketball Player† by john Updike, (which is a narrative poem) illustrates the nature of life on how life is potentially is seen has a mirror to other people’s life, especially people who play sports. Life is the physical and mental experience of an individual. An in the poem the main character Flick, supply the poem with a good example of how life is potentially a mirror for other people. This poem is formally organized, even though it locks some qualities, it still haves the qualifications of a good poem. The â€Å"Ex Basket Player† is an interested poem because it has a good theme, tone and lots of figurative languages. The theme of this poem is about a high school basketball star that has become less successful in the future. The theme focuses on the point that if one doesn’t work hard on their goals, they will never reach their dreams. Also, if you do not reach your goals you can end up living a disappointing life. In the poem, the theme evidently shows that Flick is not necessarily despondent, but out-of-place which carries throughout the poem. The poem stated that, â€Å"the ball loved Flick (16)† and â€Å"he was the best (14),† and this allows everyone to see that it is not just Flick who looks upon his past with a sort of admiration and pride. It is everyone in the city, and he is the local hero. The boy who didn’t exactly make it big, but he made it big enough that he’s remembered. In the poem the main character Flick is a mirror or allusion for people who was successful in sports, in the past and become a loser in the future. For example Flick was once a high-school basketball star, but now his glorious past is behind him. The ideal image of his character presents a vivid image of most people in that plat sports ... ...rpose. The tone of this poem was very neutral by not saying that the life Flick was living is good or bad. With the author not putting his opinion into the poem, it can be interpreted in many ways. The tone also brings life in to the poem and helps to understand Flick’s personality more. But even though the tone was neutral by not stating whether or not the life Flick was living is good or bad, it still Bissasor 4 enable us to understand the moral of the poem. Which is work hard and you will receive you goals and never give up. To conclude, the poem â€Å"Ex-Basketball play,† is a poem that shows the reality of life. It reflects the nature of life in the real world and it helps people who have a dream and want to pursue their goals to go for it. The poem was formally organized and provides a number of figurative languages that helps to bring out tone of the poem.

Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty Not Consistent with Democracy

Death Penalty Not Consistent with Democracy    Many laws consider a premeditated crime more serious than a crime of pure violence. But what then is capital punishment but the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal's deed, however calculated it may be, can be compared? For there to be equivalence, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date at which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for years.    The Council of Europe declares, "The death penalty can no longer be regarded as an acceptable form of punishment from a human rights perspective. It is an arbitrary, discriminatory and irreversible sanction when judicial errors, which can never be entirely ruled out, cannot be reversed."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In fact, the Council went so far as to create a Protocol No. 6 in 1983, which abolished capital punishment in peacetime. All new member states must ratify this legislation and, so far, 39 of the 41 member states of the council have done so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nonetheless, 17 years after the Council of Europe adopted Protocol No. 6, the United States remains one of the few staunch Western defenders of capital punishment. Both mainstream Presidential candidates in the United States firmly supported the death penalty, and one candidate, George W. Bush, personally signed off on 35 executions in 1999 while governor of Texas. Why has capital punishment, which has been condemned by most Western democracies, continued to have such strong support in the United States?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obviously, Europe and the United States are very different places, but it is ... ...ms cited by the Council as justification for the abolition of capital punishment remain unaddressed in the United States today. Capital punishment is still arbitrary, discriminatory, and irreversible in America. Yet, despite these, and other, compelling reasons to abolish capital punishment, our nation still defends this barbaric, uncivilized and cruel practice.    To many Americans, capital punishment is a quick fix to a national crime problem. We have been willing to overlook the gross injustices of the practice because we have convinced ourselves that it is making America a safer community. Acceptance of this myth must stop. The United States should follow Europe's lead and acknowledge that the administration of capital punishment in this country is an inherently unfair judicial practice. We must demand a moratorium on the death penalty in America now.   

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning Essay -- Last Duchess Robert Browni

My Last Duchess by Robert Browning In his poem â€Å"My Last Duchess†, Robert Browning gives his readers a complex picture of his two main characters. The Duke, who narrates the poem, is the most immediately present but Browning sets him up to ultimately lose the reader’s trust. The Duchess becomes the sympathetic character, a victim of foul play. It is through the various representations of the Duchess within the poem that we come to know both characters. The representations of the Duchess, which focus on her ever-present smile and easily satisfied nature, come in sharp contrast with the desperate, sputtering language of the Duke as he tries to tell their story on his own terms. This contrast is a manifestation of the Duke's frustration with his inability to control the Duchess and her nonchalant but near-total control over him. The Duchess is first introduced as a painting hanging in the Duke’s gallery. The very form in which we meet her gives us an indication of both her passivity and her ability to persist, unchanged, in one mode of behavior. A painting has very little living communicative power, relying on the expressiveness of its subject at the time of painting. It is notable that no mention is made of any background or accompanying objects in the painting—often in portraiture these elements are relied upon to convey key ideas about the subject. It seems that the Duchess relied solely upon herself and the painter to tell her own story. Even if other objects are in the painting, they are unremarkable enough that neither Duke nor poet feels compelled to mention them. From a literary standpoint, this means that the poet felt that we needed no other initial information about the Duchess. Even at the level of chara... ...haunts him, and by placing it both first and last he drives it home very strongly. He can’t help but repeat that phrase when confronted with the Duchess who is both still smiling and â€Å"as if alive†Ã¢â‚¬â€he is driven mad by the idea that he couldn’t even succeed in killing her. His actions, too, are driven by the Duchess. Since she is still smiling and life-like, despite his best efforts to the contrary, he is driven to the irrational extreme of covering the painting and ensuring that â€Å"none puts by the curtain†¦but [himself]† (9-10) His extraordinary desire to control the Duchess leave him vulnerable to her imperviousness. By remaining unaffected by the Duke’s strenuous efforts to alter her behavior, the Duchess forces the Duke to take more and more drastic measures—like killing her and hiding her painting—and eats away at his ability to even keep control of himself.

Marketing and Cleopatra Soap

Colgate-Palmolive: Cleopatra (1)Evaluate the results of the market survey carried out in advance of the release of â€Å"Cleopatra† after analysing the Canadian soap market. If you believe the market survey was not appropriate, explain specifically how you would have modified it. The results of the market survey carried out in advance of the release of â€Å"Cleopatra† were less significant in confirming that there was a real strong demand for Cleopatra in the target Quebec market.This is mainly because of the following reasons:(1) Inappropriate Target Sampling The idea of introducing Cleopatra soap to Canada, especially Quebec Province with French background, came because of the grand success in France and the expectation that the cultural similarities between those two places would produce similar results. Though the basis of considering the Quebec Province was their French influence, the market survey was conducted in Toronto, a city in Quebec’s neighbouring p rovince Ontario that has British influence.So at the first place, the researchers got the target sampling completely wrong and the market survey results for the British-influenced market cannot be used to assess the demand in the French-influenced market. (2) Inappropriate Research Study Method. The first research study was conducted with a â€Å"super group† of articulate professional women who were introduced to the product, its price and advertising, followed by open discussion on likes and dislikes. This study showed positive and receptive results for Cleopatra.As Cleopatra was intended to be premium-quality, premium-priced soap, this study definitely validated the premium quality but there was still a question mark on the reception of premium price as the â€Å"super group† in this case are mainly concerned with the benefits of the soap and are less sensitive to the price. The second research study was conducted with more typical general consumers who were exposed to the advertising for Cleopatra and then asked if they were willing to buy the product. Also they were given a bar of soap for trial and were phoned a week later for their reactions.This study showed that 50% were willing to buy the product after exposure to the advertising and 64% would buy it when it is available at the stores. Though this study shows that the people are willing to buy the product, it does not validate the reception of the premium price or the willingness-to-pay of the consumers as the price was not exposed to this study group. Since the typical general consumers were more price-sensitive, their willingness-to-buy the product definitely does not mean their willingness-to-pay the premium price for the product. Because of the above reasons, I believe that the market survey was not appropriate.If I was in charge of the market survey, I would like to modify it as follows:STEP1: Clarify the objectives of the market survey as below:(a) Assess the acceptance (willingne ss-to-buy) of Cleopatra soap by consumers in Quebec(b) Assess the factors influencing the buying decision of the potential consumers(c) Assess the willingness-to-pay the premium price of Cleopatra soap(d) Assess the effectiveness of the proposed advertising commercial for Cleopatra soap(e) Assess the response of consumers on Cleopatra soap for planning future promotionsSTEP2: Collect the information for determining the above objectives by doing the following:(1) Conduct the survey in the target market, Quebec instead of Toronto to assess the demand in the French-influenced market. Start survey with mass consumers and then based on the results, survey further on specific target consumers. (2) Ask question like below to assess the key buying factors of the potential consumers.? Quebec. What are the things that you consider while buying a? skin care soap? Possible choices would be:(a) Price, (b) Quality, (c) Fragrance, (d) Mildness, (e) Soft for skin, (f) Other ( ___ )(3) Ask questions like below to assess the willingness-to-pay of the potential consumers.? Would you like to pay the premium price of $1. 29 for Cleopatra soap How much would you like to pay for Cleopatra soap?Possible choices would be:(a) below $0. 5, (b) $0. 5 to $0. 8, (c) $0. 8 to $1. 1, (d) $1. 1 to $1. 4, (e) above $1. 4(4) Get feedback (like/dislike/opinion) on the advertising commercial from typical general consumers to assess if the commercial is really effective. Typical questions could be:Q.? What did you like about the advertising commercial? What did you dislike about the advertising commercial? Q. Is the advertising commercial better than other advertising commercials for soaps? (5) Get feedback (like/dislike/opinion) on the Cleopatra soap from typical general consumers after trial use for planning future promotions. Typical questions could be:Q.What did you like about Cleopatra soap? Q. Why would you want to buy Cleopatra soap? Q. What did you dislike about Cleopatra soap? Q. Why woul d you not want to buy Cleopatra soap? Q. Is Cleopatra soap superior to other skin care soaps? (2) What was made clear by the additional survey conducted in January 1987? The additional survey conducted in January 1987 made the following clear. (1) Low trial% but high acceptance% and high brand loyalty of Cleopatra soap. (2) Superiority of Cleopatra soap brand over other skin care soap brands. (3) High price as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap. (4) Less availability as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap. 5) Advertising less effective in compelling people to try Cleopatra soap. (1) Low trial% but high acceptance% and high brand loyalty of Cleopatra soap. On calculating conversion rates based on data in exhibit 9, the trial% or the conversion rate from Brand Awareness to Ever Tried of Cleopatra is only 19. 3%, which is very low compared to 83. 9% and 87. 6% of Dove and Camay respectively. However, the acceptance% or the conversion rate from Ever Tried to Brand In-home of Cleopatra is48. 6%, which is high compared to 28. 6% and 17. 6% of Dove and Camay respectively. This means that 48. 6% of people who try Cleopatra make it as their brand in home.Calculations(a) Trial% or Conversion rate from Brand Awareness to Ever Tried (%) =( Ever Tried (%) / Brand Awareness (%) ) * 100%(b) Acceptance% or Conversion rate from Ever Tried to Brand In-Home (%) =( Brand In-home (%) / Ever Tried (%) ) * 100%(c) Conversion rate from Brand Awareness to Brand in-Home (%) =( Brand In-Home (%) / Brand Awareness (%) ) * 100% . Also on calculating the % of Brand Used with relative to Ever Tried, we find that Cleopatra has a higher % of using the brand â€Å"All of the Time†, â€Å"Most of the Time† and â€Å"Occasionally †compared to other brands in the skin care segment, while a lower % of â€Å"Stopped Using† than the other brands. This means that most of the people who try Cleopatra are loyal to it, confirming the high brand loyalty of Cleopatra soap.Calculations% of â€Å"All of the Time† relative to Ever Tried = ( All of the Time (%) / Ever Tried (%) ) * 100%% of â€Å"Most of the Time† relative to Ever Tried = ( Most of the Time (%) / Ever Tried (%) ) * 100%% of â€Å"Occasionally† relative to Ever Tried = ( Occasionally (%) / Ever Tried (%) ) * 100%% of â€Å"Stopped Using† relative to Ever Tried = ( Stopped Using (%) / Ever Tried (%) ) * 100%The calculated values are shown in the table below. (2) Superiority of Cleopatra soap brand over other skin care soap brands. From exhibit 10, Cleopatra soap has the maximum number of respondents out of 99Cleo Triers for all the attributes, showing that the Cleopatra soap brand is superior to the other skin care soap brands. This also shows that most people who have tried Cleopatra soap prefer to have it to other brands. 3) High price as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap From consumer research on likes/dislikes of Cleopatra soap (exhibit 11), 20% of 99Cleo Triers dislike Cleopatra soap because its price is too high. Also from consumer research on trial (exhibit 14), 19% of 204 respondents have given the reason for not trying Cleopatra soap as being too expensive. Thus, these results show that high price is a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap. (4) Less availability as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap From consumer research on trial (exhibit 14), 29% of 204 respondents have given the reason for not trying Cleopatra soap as being not available where they shop.Even though the people wanted to try Cleopatra soap, they could not buy it at their regular shopping stores. Thus, this result shows that less availability is a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap. (Note: In 1987, Cleopatra soap was available only in 70% of stores in Quebec. )(5) Advertising less effective in compelling people to try Cleopatra soap From consumer research on advertising (exhibit 13), only 37% of respondents have shown their intention to try Cleopatra soap after seeing the advertising, while 63% of respondents have no intention to try Cleopatra soap after seeing the advertising. Thus, this result shows that the advertising is less effective in compelling people to try Cleopatra soap.So the additional survey done in 1987 made clear that though the Cleopatra soap brand is superior to other soap brands, it has low trial% due to factors such as high price and less availability and the advertising not much effective in compelling people to try the soap. (3) From the perspective of Steve Boyd, evaluate both the qualitative and quantitative data to decide whether achieving the target market share of 4. 5% is feasible or not. Break down the strategic options available . In my opinion, achieving the target market share of 4. 5% is feasible. However, this would require modifications in the current marketing strategy along with more time and support from the sales and promotion activities. (1) Qualitative Analysis(1. ) Canadian B ar Soap Market Analysis For market analysis, I would like to use the 5 Forces framework on the Canadian bar soap market as below: The Key Success Factors (KSFs) of the company are(1) Good Relationship with Retailers, (2) Competitive Price, (3) High Availability. Threat of new entrants is medium. (Barriers to entry are medium. )- Difficult to differentiate- Tough price competition with the existing brands Suppliers' bar gaining power is weak. – Raw materials suppliers- General raw materials required for soap- Many suppliers of similar products Buyers' bar gaining power is strong. – End consumers- Lot of brand choices(35 to 40) available- Few perceivable differences among brands- Only 3 or 4â€Å"acceptable brands†- Price sensitive Competition in the industry is very tough (strong internal rivalry). $105 mil market to manufacturers- Revenue growth by 4-5% but Volume growth by 1. 0-1. 5% per year – Many new and existing brands- Lack of differentiation among brands- Retailers all-powerful- Price competition for gaining market share Threat of substitutes is low. – Substitute: liquid soaps- 8% market share- Maximum share not expected to grow beyond 10% in the future Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Strategy for Cleopatra Colgate-Palmolive used the differentiation strategy and positioned Cleopatra as the premium quality, premium priced skin care soap to avoid the price war. They bypassed retailers to avoid paying large sums of money to get the product listed and offering large trade allowances and discounts.Instead they tried to use electronic media and consumer promotions (Free Bar Coupons, Cleopatra Gold Collection, Sweep stakes) to create demand from the consumers and thus force retailers to keep the brand. Though the advertising commercial and the consumer promotions created the brand awareness among consumers, demand was not created as expected and so the retailers were pulling the Cleopatra brand off the shelves. In addition, Cleop atra was sold in single packs despite the developing trend towards larger bundle packs and twin packs becoming the norm in the skin care segment. Current Marketing Mix (4P)Product- Premium quality skin care soap, Cleopatra- Single pack Price- Premium price ($1. 29 / bar)Place- Retail stores- Maximum shelf presence andProper shelf positioning Promotion- Advertising commercial (15% Share Of Voice)- Consumer promotions(Free Bar Coupons, Cleopatra Gold Collection, Sweepstakes)- Bypassing retailers (no trade allowances and discounts for retailers)(1. 3) Cleopatra Shelf Position in 1987From exhibit 8, it can be seen that the shelf positioning of Cleopatra is deteriorated. It received less shelf space than other brands and was placed in the bottom shelf between Woodbury and Generic brands, not in the eye level of the consumers. Quantitative Analysis(2. 1) Cleopatra Soap Distribution Ratio and Market Share in 1987At the end of 1986, Cleopatra soap distribution ratio was 69%, well short of i ts target distribution ratio of 100% and its market share was 0. 9%, again well short of its target market share of 4. 5%. (2. ) Correlation between market share and distribution ratio On drawing the scatter plot for market share and distribution ratio data in exhibit 6 and drawing the linear trend line, we have R2of 0. 69581, which is a good fit. So we see that the market share seems to be correlated to the distribution ration. (2. 3) 1987 Survey Findings From exercise 2, we have the following findings from the 1987 Survey. (Please refer to exercise 2 for details. )(1) Low trial% but high acceptance% and high brand loyalty of Cleopatra soap(2) Superiority of Cleopatra soap brand over other skin care soap brands(3) High price as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap(4) Less availability as a factor of low trial% of Cleopatra soap(5) Advertising less effective in compelling people to try Cleopatra soapBased on the qualitative analysis and the quantitative analysis, the following p ros and cons/issues of the current marketing mix (4P) can be listed out: Current Marketing Mix (4P)Pros Cons/Issues Product- Premium quality skin care soap- Cleopatra triers consider Cleopatra soap brand superior over other skin care soap brands- High acceptance% (48. 6%) and High brand loyalty compared to other skin care brands- Low trial% (only 19. 3%)- No large bundle packs available Price- High margin due to premium price and no trade discounts- High price, compared to Dove($1. 19 / bar) (one of the factors of low trial%)- Not competitive price (failure to meet the KSF of â€Å"Competitive Price†)Place- Good correlation between market share and distribution ratio (increasing distribution ratio would contribute into ncreasing the market share)- Less availability – distribution ratio of only 69% in 1986 (failure to meet the KSF of â€Å"High Availability†)- Deteriorating shelf positioning and space Promotion- Effective in creating high brand awareness- Adopted Demand Pull strategy and bypassing the all powerful retailers resulting into:(a) Failure to get proper shelf space(b) Conflict of interest for retailers(c) Non availability due to retailer indifference(failure to meet the KSF of â€Å"Good Relationship with Retailers†)- Less effective in compelling people to try Cleopatra soap(Low contribution to increasing trial%)So we see that though Cleopatra has high acceptance% and high brand loyalty and is considered superior to other brands, it has a low trial% mainly due to high price, less availability or distribution ratio with no proper shelf space and ineffectiveness of promotional activities to make people try the soap. Despite the high Brand Awareness% and Acceptance%, we have low Brand In-Home% due to low Trial%. As a result, our sales are low and we have a low market share of 0. 9% only. (Note: Brand In-Home% = Brand Awareness% x Trial% x Acceptance%)Hence, if we could modify the current marketing strategy to achieve high Tri al%, it should be feasible to achieve the target market share of 4. 5%. We need to address the following issues to increase the Trial% of Cleopatra soap:(1) High price ? not competitive,(2) Less Availability or Low distribution ratio,(3) Deteriorating shelf positioning and space, and(4) Ineffectiveness of promotional activities to create the required pull to ensure the trial . I would like to propose the marketing mix below to address these issues to ensure increase in Trial%, thus resulting into increase of our market share%. Proposed Marketing Mix (4P)Product- Premium quality skin care soap, Cleopatra- Single pack + introduce Twin pack to follow the norm Price- Price same or slightly below Dove ($1. 9 / bar or slightly below),become more competitive in price, make it compelling to try Place- Increase contract with main retailers (for high availability or distribution ratio)- Negotiate with retailers for proper shelf positioning and space Promotion- Change advertising concept to fi t the Quebec market (try to create the pull to ensure the trial)- Consumer promotions compelling people to try Cleopatra soap such as distributing free soap bars instead of free bar coupons- Provide trade allowances and discounts for retailers (try to build good relationship with all powerful retailers)Although lowering the price, distributing free soap bars and providing trade allowances and discounts for retailers will result into a low contribution margin but with increase in sales, we should still end up with a healthy contribution margin. Modeling to estimate the Revenues for Cleopatra soap Revenues ($) =(Quebec Soap Market Volume (# of cases) x Cleopatra Market Share (%)) x Case Price ($)In order to increase the revenues, Cleopatra Market Share needs to be increased.Modeling to estimate the Market Share for Cleopatra soap Market Share (%) =[ (Brand Awareness % * Trial % * Acceptance %) * # of households in Quebec *Avg. # of Cases consumed per household ] / Quebec Soap Market V olume (# of cases)Since we have a high Brand Awareness % and Acceptance %, increasing the Trial% would lead to increase in the market share of Cleopatra soap. Calculation of Trial % required for achieving Target Market Share of 4. 5%Item Value Source Brand Awareness % 73. 5% Exhibit 9Acceptance % 48. 6% Calculated value using data in Exhibit 9((Brand In-Home% / Ever Tried %) * 100%)# of households in Quebec 2. 3 million Page 6Avg. # of Cases consumed per household0. 25 Assumption (0. 5 case per year)= 0. 25 * 48 soaps per year = 12 soaps per year = 1 soap per month Quebec Soap Market Volume(# of cases)2. 0 million Calculated value using Forecast data in Exhibit 6 which is based on target market share of 4. 5%Total Forecast from 1986 Feb to Dec / 0. 045= 90,500 / 0. 045 = 2,011,111= Approx. 2. 0 million cases From modelling to estimate the market share for Cleopatra soap, we have Market Share (%) =[ (Brand Awareness % * Trial % * Acceptance %) * # of households in Quebec *Avg. # of C ases consumed per household ] / Quebec Soap Market Volume (# of cases)That is,0. 045 = [ (0. 735 * Trial % * 0. 486) * 2. 3 million * 0. 25 ] / 2. million On solving for Trial %, we get Trial % = 43. 8%At present, we have a Trial % of 19. 3% with the Brand Awareness % of 73. 5%. So if we could increase the Trial % to 43. 8% (assuming that Acceptance% remains at 48. 6%), we should be able to achieve the target market share of 4. 5%. Available Strategic Options Steve Boyd, Group Product Manager, had the following three options available:(1) Admit defeat and discontinue the brand,(2) Continue the strategy with minor modifications, if necessary, and try to get a 4. 5%market share by giving it more time and support(3) Alter the strategy or even the product itself Recommended Strategic Option .I would like to recommend Option (2) to the management of Colgate-Palmolive based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis done in exercise 3. As we have seen that Cleopatra soap has been accept ed as a high quality soap and is considered superior brand to other brands in the skin care segment, but due to various factors, the trial% is very low resulting into less market share. So if minor modifications can be done in the marketing strategy (such as the proposed marketing mix in exercise 3) to try to address the existing issues resulting into low trial%, it should be possible to increase the trial% and finally achieve the target market share of 4. 5% in some time.Option (1) has the benefit of not losing any more money if Cleopatra continues to be afailure, but it also has the risk of losing the opportunity of making more money if Cleopatra could succeed by making minor modifications in the marketing strategy. Also it would be too early and unfair to discontinue a brand that is highly evaluated and accepted by the consumers after a short period of about a year. Option (3) has the benefit of altering the strategy or even the product and start up all again to try and make cons umers buy the product, but this is not required as the 1987 survey results show that Cleopatra has a high acceptance% of 48. 6% and a high brand loyalty.It would be wise to review the current marketing strategy and make minor modifications to address the existing issues resulting into low trial%. Option (2), however, has the risk of losing even more money if Cleopatra continues to be a failure but considering the fact that the product was so successful in a similar market in France and the 1987 market survey results that validated the acceptance of Cleopatra brand by the consumers, it should be a good risk to try and give the product more time and support. Making the price competitive, building good relationships with the retailers to get proper shelf positioning and space and making effective promotions to create a pull to ensure the trial are the key factors to the future of the Cleopatra brand.