The Transition of Russia to Capitalism

Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two

I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good friend?" "It is bitter-bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt during their lonely lives. "Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seeking hope, they found hate"(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want to live as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, we banish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judge who is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who is going to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues to alienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest minds of all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived alone and rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only in his art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least. Just like these great men, Grendel and Frankenstein do not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to the rest of ! mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in a society that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place of society's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of them is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in his own sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated and feared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as to physically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the society that detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is "the brute existent by which [humankind] learns to define itself"(Gardner 73). Hrothgar's thanes continually try to extinguish Grendel's infernal rage, while he s... Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two Free Essays on Grendel & Frankenstein an Analysis of the Two I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, "Is it good friend?" "It is bitter-bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter And because it is my heart." -Stephen Crane This reflects how both Grendel and Frankenstein must have felt during their lonely lives. "Seeking friends, the fiends found enemies; seeking hope, they found hate"(Neilson back page). The monsters simply want to live as the rest of us live. But, in our prejudice of their kind, we banish them from our elite society. Who gave society the right to judge who is acceptable and who is not? A better question might be, who is going to stop them? The answer, no one. Therefore, society continues to alienate the undesirables of our community. Some of the greatest minds of all time have been socially unacceptable. Albert Einstein lived alone and rarely wore the same color socks. Van Gogh found comfort only in his art, and the woman who consistently denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least. Just like these great men, Grendel and Frankenstein do not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, Grendel and Frankenstein are uniquely superior to the rest of ! mankind. Their superiority is seen through their guile to live in a society that ostracizes their kind, their true heroism in place of society's romantic view, and the ignorance on which society's opinion of them is formed. Grendel, though he needs to kill to do so, functions very well in his own sphere. Grendel survives in a hostile climate where he is hated and feared by all. He lives in a cave protected by firesnakes so as to physically, as well as spiritually, separate himself from the society that detests, yet admires, him. Grendel is "the brute existent by which [humankind] learns to define itself"(Gardner 73). Hrothgar's thanes continually try to extinguish Grendel's infernal rage, while he s...

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how Essay

Identify and Explain foreign subsidiary transactions and how determination of functional currency affects group profit for Qantas - Essay Example 2) Maintenance and overhauling cost of each subsidiary is shown in their financial statement as opposed to financial statement of parents. Each subsidiary is likely to incur this cost based on their need for maintenance. This is also based on the underlying principle of matching concept whereby each subsidiary (JETSAR) recognizes the revenue it earns from freight and air passengers it is necessary to match the maintenance cost incurred against the revenue earned. Qantas Ltd cannot undertake the transaction as this would result in bearing expenses for revenue that has not been earned by the parent company. 3) External segment tours and travel revenue of Jetstar would be recorded in the subsidiaries books of account (Qantas, 2010). This is the revenue that does not contain any inter group transaction (that are automatically eliminated in the consolidated statements) but rather pertains to sales made to external customers (Hodge, 2009). This segment is not targeted by Qantas Limited and revenue arises as a result of operations conducted by Jetstar Pacific. The business reason for this transaction not being undertaken by Qantas Ltd is that Jetstar is essentially targeting its flight at different routes in order to maximize cost saving for the entire group such as undertaking the route to New Zealand. The revenue principally arises as a result of operations undertaken by Jetstar and thus are recorded in subsidiaries books. The functional currency is defined as the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (Hodge, 2009). If the functional currency of the subsidiary of Qantas Limited is Australian dollar (AUD) then the subsidiaries financial statements would involve the statement of Assets and liabilities, revenue and income in the Australian dollar only. If the subsidiary has a functional currency other than the Australian dollar for example the American dollar

Design assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Design - Assignment Example Skill-based pay will be introduced in organizations that pay remarkably high wages, provide remarkably high levels of teaching, and make far-reaching use of employee participation practices. These are self-managed groups, open sharing of corporate information pegged with various pay inventions. To design and implement the skill-based pay system, the business ought to first outline the work to be completed, and how it ought to be assigned between individuals and teams. Training must be established that is closely related to the blocks of skill satisfied in the pay system. Activities In a skill-based pay approach, instead of the essential building block of the human-resource management exist as the job, the rudimentary building core block ought to be the individual. The design mission in the organization needs to develop a classical example of what expertise each individual in the organization necessitates. The skill combination is identified in regard to each individual needs. This wi ll enhance to reflect the core capabilities of the organization and the way the business wishes to function from a management style point of understanding. The human-resource subsystems (such as the teaching systems, assortment system, the pay system, the evaluation system and the career progress systems) need to be allied with the development of individuals. This will aid the organization to end up with an accurate skill profile for each individual worker (Piskurich, 2003). A work design is possibly the most fundamental inference that aid in the undertaking of a skill-based tactic to management concerns in relation to area of work design. Personal descriptions ought to be established in relation to comprehensive job descriptions. These personal descriptions have to specify the skills that an individual requires to be effective in their specific work area. It is worth noting that the skill-based approach is most operational in work situations where knowledge work is used. Furthermor e, it is also relevant where individuals can add considerable worth to the product or service. This is because when individuals are self-managing, its efficiency is enhanced. Content As stated earlier, skill-based pay emphasizes on skills and pays individuals in relation to the skills they have. Blocks of skills desirable by the organization, except the job, characterize the basic units of study. In modest skill-based systems, employees may be remunerated for learning what, in principle, multiple jobs are. As a result, skill blocks in skill-based pay systems become equivalent to jobs in job-evaluation systems. Skill assessment, appraisal, authorization, pay rates, and teaching ought to be closely tied to skill blocks. This will allow these systems to work successfully and ensures the organization is being paid value for its investment in salaries, training, and other capitals (Pfeiffer and Ballew, 1998). Testing Methods The principle pay for performance production in any skill-based system relies on how well employees use their skills during a quantified time period. It comprises looking at what individuals add to the performance of their group. Where this is quantifiable, it may make logic to tie part of a person’s benefit to their individual input of their team. It is worth mentioning that the substitute to individual pay for a performance is not to quantify individual performance and to ground pay on organization business unit performance.

Case study of Chipotle Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Of Chipotle - Case Study Example We ought to solidify Chipotle as Mexican-American food. Unlike our competitors, Chipotle does not use many aspects of Mexican culture to advertise its products. This strategy will establish Chipotle as a household name for Mexican-American food, rather than Mexican fast food. No need to create authentic Mexican experience, since our competitors have tried to do the same since our customer value local ingredients more than imported ingredients and enjoy our food because of its taste and is good for them. Thus our strategy for 2014 should be to learn from our competitors and learn from their downfall. We should avoid the idea that we are a fast food restaurant and instead focus on provision of healthy fresh ingredients. This will distinguish us from the likes of Taco bell and others. We should also do massive marketing that shows how we handle our ingredients. Apart from that our clients should know that purchasing Chipotle means contributing to a greener future. Though they may pay dearly for our services, they should not feel the pinch since we are riding on the promise of our mission statement. They will understand that they are paying for local ingredients and a healthier lifestyle. This will keep their bargaining power low and not compromise the quality of our food for greater profit. Last but not least is solidifying Chipotle as Mexican-American food. No need to create an authentic Mexican experience, since this has been created by our competitors. This will make us stand out and be unique in every way, thus endearing us to our

Properties of Dental Plaque Biofilm

Properties of Dental Plaque Biofilm The dental plaque is a complex, metabolically interconnected, highly organized microbial ecosystem. Dental plaque has an open structure due to the presence of channels and voids. It provides Protection from host defenses, desiccation etc. by production of extracellular polymers to form a functional matrix.1 Dental plaque is a microbial biofilm. Biofilms are defined as â€Å"matrix–enclosed bacterial population’s adherent to each other and/or to surface or interfaces†.2Biofilms are surface-associated communities of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular polymeric substance, which upon contact with the host may affect tissue haemostasis and result in disease.3 Periodontitis and caries are infectious diseases of the oral cavity in which oral biofilms play a causative role. The presence of micro-organisms in the oral cavity and their virulence decide the occurrence of a particular disease.4 The three main hypothesis that explain the disease occurrence in oral cavity Specific plaque hypothesis(Loesche 1976): In contrast to the above, this suggests the importance of individual bacterial species within dental plaque as causative of disease5 Non-specific plaque hypothesis (Theilade E 1986): The bacterial dental plaque that accumulates around teeth is a relatively homogenous mass that causes periodontal disease when it accumulates to the point of over whelming the hosts defense mechanism.6 Ecologic plaque hypothesis (PD Marsh 1989): Based on the theory that unique local environment influences the composition of oral micro flora and any disturbance in this balance may lead to increase in pathogenic micro flora over harmless normal oral micro flora.7 Chronic periodontitis is the most common form of periodontitis causing bone loss and attachment loss. This disease has a slow progression and is more prevalent in adults.8,9 Calculus and bacterial plaque are among the etiologic factors; thus, treatment is mainly comprised of removal of supra- and sub-gingival calculus to reduce bacterial content. However, despite this treatment, progressive attachment loss continues in some patients indicating that mechanical treatment is not successful in reducing some periodontal pathogens. Therefore, antibiotic therapy is recommended to reduce the number of these resistant pathogens.8,10 Factors that may contribute to the higher drug resistance in microbial biofilms include Altered metabolism Extracellular polymeric substance Proteomic regulation Genomic regulation Persister cells Stress response Periodontal disease is one of the most common microbial infections in adults. It is an inflammatory disease of bacterial origin that affects the tooth-supporting tissues. There are two major types of periodontal disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis involves a limited inflammation of the unattached gingiva, and is a relatively common and reversible condition. In contrast, periodontitis is characterized by general inflammation of the periodontal tissues, which leads to the apical migration of the junctional epithelium along the root surface and progressive destruction of the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone (11). Periodontitis progresses in cyclical phases of exacerbation, remission and latency, a phenomenon that is closely linked to the effectiveness of the host immune response. Experts now distinguish among generalized and localized chronic periodontitis, generalized and localized aggressive periodontitis (AP), periodontitis associated with systemic diseases, periodontitis associated with endodontic lesions and necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis (12). Of these, chronic periodontitis is the most frequently encountered in the adult population. In addition, certain conditions may be predisposing or aggravating factors for periodontitis, including accumulation of subgingival plaque, smoking and conditions associated with some immune disorder (e.g., diabetes mellitus, AIDS) (13). More than 500 microbial species have been identified in subgingival plaque, which can thus be considered to represent a complex ecological niche (14). Under the influence of local and systemic factors, some of these bacterial species in the subgingival dental biofilm constitute the primary etiologic agents of periodontal disease. Among these species, the most important are Aggregatiba cter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F.n.), Prevotella intermedia (P.i.), Campylobacter rectus (C.r.), and Eikenella corrodens (E.c.) (15,16). Although A. actinomycetemcomitans is associated with localized aggressive periodontitis, P. gingivalis is considered the major etiologic agent of chronic periodontitis (15,17). Although the presence of periodontal pathogens is essential for the onset of periodontitis, these organisms are not sufficient for the disease to progress. In fact, the host immune response modulates progression of the disease toward destruction or healing (18). However, overproduction of certain mediators, such as interleukin-1ÃŽ ², tumor necrosis factor alpha and prostaglandins, lead to the chronic, persistent inflammation which is in the origin of tissue destruction (19,20). In fact, these mediators can activate one or more tissue degradation factors, not ably matrix metalloproteinases, plasminogen and polymorphonuclear serine proteases, which cause bone resorption (21,22). Mechanical debridement of the dental biofilm and elimination of local irritating factors are the basis of initial periodontal therapies. Longitudinal studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, which is based on scaling and root planing, reinforcement of the patient oral hygiene practices and regular follow-up to eliminate new deposits (23,24). The effectiveness of this treatment is reflected by the disappearance of clinical symptoms, reduction or elimination of periodontal pathogens and regeneration of beneficial bacterial flora. Not all patients or all sites respond uniformly and favorably to conventional mechanical therapy. Given the infectious nature of periodontal disease and the limited results that can be achieved with conventional mechanical therapies, the use of antibiotics is warranted for certain forms of periodontitis. RATIONALE FOR THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS The academic argument over the importance of a specific or non-specific bacterial etiology for periodontal diseases may never be totally resolved. However, there is little doubt that certain specific organisms are closely associated with some forms of periodontal disease (6). Unlike the majority of general infections, all the suspected periodontal pathogens are indigenous to the oral flora (25,26). Consequently, the long-term and total elimination of these organisms with antibiotics will be very difficult to achieve as immediate repopulation with the indigenous bacteria will occur when the therapy is completed (27). Nevertheless, in certain forms of periodontitis the loss of connective tissue attachment is rapid. Extremely virulent, gram negative organisms populate the deep pockets, and bacteria can actually invade the connective tissue (28,29). Under these circumstances, antibiotics provide a useful adjunct to root planing, which by itself may not remove all subgingival deposits an d certainly would not affect any invading organisms that had already penetrated the soft tissue. Ideal properties of antibiotic Unique target Narrow spectrum-kills only selective pathogen, not normal microbiota High therapeutic index-ratio of toxic level to therapeutic level No/fewer reactions Various routes of administration- IV, IM, oral Good pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics properties E.g. good absorption, good distribution to the site of infection No resistance/ slower emergence of resistance Common antibiotics for periodontitis Antibiotic Dosage Metronidazole 500 mg/t.i.d/8 days Clindamycin 300 mg//t.i.d./8 days Doxycycline/Minocycline 100-200 mg/q.d./21 days Ciprofloxacin 500 mg/b.i.d/8 days Azithromycin 500 mg/q.d./4-7 days Metronidazole+ amoxicillin 250 mg/t.i.d./8 days (each drug) Metronidazole+ ciprofloxacin 500/b.i.d./8 days (each drug) Antibiotics are classified based on their mechanism of action, as follows:31 Agents that inhibit synthesis of bacterial cell walls (e.g. penicillins and cephalosporins); Agents that interfere with the cell membrane of the microorganism, affecting permeability ( e.g. some antifungal agents); Agents that inhibit protein synthesis by affecting the function of 30S or 50S ribosomal subunits (e.g. tetracyclines, macrolides and clindamycin); Agents that block important metabolic steps of the microorganisms (e.g. sulfonamides and  trimethoprim); Agents that interfere with nucleic acid synthesis (e.g. metronidazole and quinolones). CHOICE OF SYSTEMIC ANTIBIOTIC – WHICH ANTIBIOTIC IS THE BEST TO USE? Therapeutic success of an antimicrobial depends on the activity of the antimicrobial agent against the infecting organisms. Periodontitis is a mixed microbial infection making the choice of antibiotic regimen difficult. Certain antibiotics target specific parts of the subgingival biofilm. For example, metronidazole targets the gram-negative strict anaerobes from the red and orange Socransky complexes 40,41 such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tanerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola, while members of the genera Actinomyces, Streptococcus and Capnocytophaga are minimally affected by metronidazole. Metronidazole also has a limited effect on the species Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which is a facultative anaerobe rather than a strict anaerobe. Amoxicillin has a broader spectrum lowering counts of gram negative anaerobes as well as decreasing the counts and proportions of Actinomyces species during and after antibiotic therapy.40,42 Micro-organisms can be intrinsically resistant to antimicrobials or can develop acquired resistance by emergence of resistant strains of bacteria that would otherwise be considered to be sensitive to the antimicrobial. The literature reports a wide range of antibiotics used in conjunction with non-surgical and surgical mechanical debridement for the treatment of both chronic and aggressive periodontitis. The most commonly used antibiotics include tetracyclines, penicillins (amoxicillin), metronidazole, macrolides (spiramycin, erythromycin, azithromycin), clindamycin and ciprofloxacin. The most common combination antibiotic regimen reported is metronidazole and amoxicillin combined. What is the ideal duration, dosage and timing of the antibiotic? The dosage and duration of the antibiotic prescribed also varies widely among studies and there is no consensus on the ideal regimen. In principle it is important to prescribe an antibiotic in sufficient dose for adequate duration. Another important clinical question is when to start the antibiotics in relation to the mechanical phase of treatment. Indirect evidence suggests that antibiotic intake should start on the day of debridement completion and debridement should be completed within a short period of time ( How critical is patient compliance when using adjunctive antibiotics? The issue of patient compliance has been infrequently addressed in publications evaluating the effects of systemic antibiotics. Some studies have shown that as little as 20 per cent of patients comply with antibiotic regimens prescribed.40,44 One advantage of the antibiotic azithromycin may be that due to its pharmacologic properties and long half life, only one tablet (500 mg) per day during three consecutive days is required as opposed to one tablet three times a day for seven days with other antibiotic regimens.40,45 Compliance in terms of oral hygiene and maintenance care should also be addressed. It should be recognized that in studies where beneficial results following adjunctive antibiotics were reported, patients had received maintenance care and had good plaque control. If a patient was non-compliant with oral hygiene measures and maintenance protocols, then a favourable treatment outcome following adjunctive antibiotics was unlikely. Prescription of antibiotics is no substi tute for adequate debridement, good oral hygiene and regular maintenance care. What are the common side effects following systemic antibiotics? Within the literature there is a general lack of reporting on the presence or absence of adverse events following the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics. Most adverse effects, which have been reported, are minor and related to gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea and nausea. However, serious adverse events such as allergic and anaphlyactic reaction and pseudomembranous colitis, may occur and patients should be informed of the potential for adverse events both minor and major when prescribing systemic antibiotics. Anaphylactic responses to penicillin occur approximately once every 10 000 courses administered, with 10 per cent of these being fatal.40,46 The use of antibiotics should be carefully considered choosing agents that maximize antimicrobial activity and minimize potential drug interactions and adverse reactions. A thorough medical history should be taken prior to antibiotic prescription. An increase in microbial resistance following the use of systemic antibiotics h as been evaluated in few studies. Feres et al.47 identified antibiotic-resistant species in subgingival plaque and saliva samples from chronic periodontitis patients treated by scaling and root planing followed by orally administered amoxicillin or metronidazole. There was an increase in the percentage of resistant subgingival species following antibiotic administration. However, levels returned to baseline after a relatively short period of time (90 days). In Spain, where systemic antibiotics are readily available over the counter without prescription and widely used in the general population, it has been shown that there was an increase in the microbial resistance patterns of oral bacteria to commonly prescribed antibiotics compared to the Netherlands where antibiotics use is more restricted.48 This underlines the importance of development of microbial resistance to antibiotics and the importance of responsible use to prevent the global spread of resistant strains of bacteria. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND UNWANTED EFFECTS Antibiotics are amongst the most widely prescribed pharmaceutical agents in modern medicine. Although only a small number of these drugs have been used in the treatment of periodontal diseases, it is essential that the main contraindications for their use and their possible unwanted effects are known to the periodontist. Generally, the contraindications for use are related to the impaired metabolism and excretion of the drugs. Consequently, disease or impaired function of the hepatic or renal tracts should warrant caution in prescribing systemic antibiotics. When penicillins are prescribed it is vitally important to determine whether or not there is a history of hypersensitivity to the drug. The unwanted effects of penicillin are often mild and characterized by rashes, urticaria, joint pains, and dermatitis, although severe anaphylactic reactions have been reported and can be fatal. David herrera 43 concluded in his systematic review that If systemic antimicrobials are indicated as part of periodontal therapy, they should be adjunctive to mechanical debridement. Lack of data prevents us from making any conclusion regarding the preferred type of adjunctive debridement (non-surgical versus surgical). Furthermore, there is not enough evidence to support the use of adjunctive systemic antimicrobials with periodontal surgery. There is no direct evidence to recommend a specific protocol for the use of adjunctive systemic antimicrobials with non-surgical mechanical debridement. However, indirect evidence suggests that antibiotic intake should start on the day of debridement completion; debridement should be completed within a short time (preferably Antimicrobial resistance in biofilms Antimicrobial resistance can be classified into 3 groups: intrinsic, mutational and acquired resistance.31-33 Intrinsic resistance refers to an inherent resistance to an antibiotic that is a naturally occurring feature of the microorganism. Mutational resistance occurs due to a spontaneous chromosomal mutation that produces a genetically-altered bacterial population that is resistant to the drug. Mutations resulting from the change of a single nucleotide base can result in resistance, as has been well documented for aminoglycosides and for rifampin.31,32 Finally, acquired resistance refers to the horizontal acquisition from another microorganism of a genetic element that encodes antibiotic resistance. This process can occur by transduction, transformation or conjugation. Transduction is a process by which exogenous DNA is transferred from one bacterium to another by the intervention of a bacteriophage, while transformation is the process by which bacteria acquire segments of DNA that are free in the environment. In conjugation the passage of genetic material occurs by direct cell-to-cell contact, through a sex pilus or bridge. This is the most common mechanism of transferring antibiotic resistance genes. 31-33 In general, bacteria use 3 main strategies to become resistant to different antibiotics: (a) preventing the drug from reaching its target 34,35 (b) altering the target 36,37 and (c) inactivating the antibiotic 38,39 Various mechanisms to account for the increased resistances to antimicrobials in biofilms have been postulated. Several of these mechanisms seem to occur in conjunction with the final stages of biofilm maturation .49,50 Reduced penetration into the biofilm may result in antibiotic inactivation because of secretion of certain enzymes, such as ÃŽ ²-lactamases, or binding of the agent by the exopolysaccharide matrix. The exopolysaccharide could inhibit antimicrobial penetration by either binding the antimicrobial 49, 51,52 or serving as a protective coating that prevents or delays diffusion through the biofilm .53,54 The complex heterogeneity within biofilms is evidenced by studies analyzing different microenvironments throughout the biofilm that differ in metabolic activity55, pH , and oxygen distribution56. The ‘biofilm phenotype’ is a collective term used to describe a biologically programmed response to growth on a surface that involves specific physiologies and pattern s of protein and gene expression that are quite different from those of planktonic cells 57,58 and have been linked to aspects of antimicrobial resistance (57,59,60). Increased resistance to antimicrobials is likely a combination of all of these mechanisms and may involve many, if not all, of these factors working together in unison as the biofilm matures.

Infant Immortality Essay example -- essays research papers

Infant Mortality in the United States   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trends in infant mortality are considered to be a barometer of technology and an accurate indicator of the health of a society. Despite technological excellence and numerous social programs offered throughout the country, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the United States continues to be a national concern. For many, â€Å"infant mortality† brings to mind the deprivation and poverty found in third world countries. Yet in the United States, nearly 40,000 children die every year for some of the same reasons that cause infant death in underdeveloped parts of the world (Anderson, 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Infant mortality is prevalent in this country despite a richly developed and technologically advanced society. According to the Census Bureau, the IMR in the United States has dropped almost 66 percent in the past three decades (Eberstadt, 1991). In 1960, out of every thousand babies born, 26 died within their first year of life. By 1991, that number had dropped to less than nine out of every thousand babies (Eberstadt et al., 1991). According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the US infant mortality rate in 1987 was higher than in 23 other countries or territories, including most of Western Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The US infant mortality rate was about 20 percent higher than Norway’s, nearly 50 percent higher than in the Netherlands, and 200 percent higher than Japan’s (Eberstadt et al., 1991). The United States has not always fared so poorly in this international ranking. In the early 1950’s it ranked sixth best (Anderson et al., 1987).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Select Committee on Hunger held a Congressional hearing on infant mortality in the United States on April 29, 1987. Representative Mickey Leland (D., TX), the committee’s chairperson, acknowledged the continued statistical improvements over the prior two decades. But he was very critical of the decline of the United States in the international ranking, expressing dismay that a country as wealthy and powerful as the United States should have an infant mortality rate worse than that of 16 other industrialized nations (Anderson et al., 1987). Through mediums such as this hearing and other forums, the federal government addresses this concern and establish... ...rson must strive to ensure that babies survive. No amount of technological skill can combat the preventative measures of proper prenatal care. The ultimate voice of prevention will only be heard by women who have enough maternal instinct to seek available prenatal and infant care. References   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anderson, G. (December 1987). Dying Young: Infant Mortality in the United States. America Press, Inc., 498-501.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Barnes-Boyd, C., Norr, K., & Nacion, K. (1996). Evaluation of an Interagency Home Visiting Program to Reduce Postneonatal Mortality in Disadvantaged Communities. Public Health Nursing Vol.13 No. 3, 201-208.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eberstadt, N. (Fall 1991). America’s Infant-Mortality Puzzle. The Public Interest, No 105, 111-112.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. (1996). Birth Defects and Infant Mortality: A National and Regional Profile. Petrini, J. (Ed.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strobino, D., O’Campo, P., Schoendorf, K. (December 1995). A Strategic Framework for Infant Mortality Reduction: Implications for â€Å"Healthy Start†. The Milbank Quarterly Vol. 73 No. 4, 27.

History of Management

Without any doubt, the question of work, roles and skills of a manager gets a mixed response. Some believe that these features are the shared by managers all over the world, while others maintain that there are significant differences in management of different countries that have given rise to such a notion and a process as the intercultural management. Which one of the above-stated arguments has an element of truth and could they be both regarded as authentic?First of all it cannot be denied that the science of management has a long history and perhaps all modern mangers employ principles and theories that have been introduced earlier. To start with, it was the Industrial Revolution that established big business and created the need for professional leaders. Furthermore, years of military and church rule added management models and terminology that are widely used today. Let us only recall Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory or that of Frederic Taylor who is commonly regarded th e Father of Scientific Management and proposed some ways of increasing workers’ productivity.On the basis of his research at Bethlehem Steel Company (Pittsburgh) he drew conclusions that the job can be split into minute parts and its performance can be improved by timing performance of each part separately. Furthermore, he suggested rest periods of special interval and duration and a differential pay scale that can be found in the practice of today’s managers (1). The famous method of overlapping tasks during the period of working day in order to avoid workers becoming tired easily was offered by Henry Gantt and displayed in the form of his ‘the Gantt chart’.Though not all of the managers may know the name of inventor of this tenet, but, for sure, most of them are acquainted with its expression and benefits it can provide. Moreover, it was Gantt who stressed the significance of the leadership and management qualities and skills for creating successful indu strial organizations. The man who is dubbed as the Father of Modern Management is Henri Fayol, a French industrialist who developed a framework for studying management and wrote General and Industrial Management (1).He distinguished five functions of managers, such as: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. As we see, all theorists and pioneers of management theory originated from various countries (England, France, United States, etc. ); however this did not impede the principles they have set out from becoming universal. Times are changing and so are doing the people but some essential things and useful hints are immortal and not subject to ageing. Let us take a closer look into the work of a manager disregard of the geographical location of his working place and language he speaks.Nobody would argue that the better we understand the management role; the better it will be performed and more qualitative services will be provided. Some people wrongly consid er managers to be emotionless and cold fish and claim something like: â€Å"managers see work as something that must be done or tolerated,† â€Å"management focuses attention on procedure,† and â€Å"management sees the world as relatively black and white† (2, 2005:25). Yet, from our point of view, such standpoint is biased and far from being impartial.One should keep in mind that managers are also humans but the best among them have that gift for organizing and feel themselves capable of being at the head of other people and controlling not only their work but their lives in a way. Nevertheless, the manager’s work is not restricted to the above-mentioned issues only. Putting it by words of Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, leadership is just one of the numerous facets of management, â€Å"just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess† (3).Therefore, it would be easier to determine the aim of a manager, which can be expressed as maximizing the output of his company with the help of effective administrative measures. This brings us to the definition of management itself that for short can be rendered as â€Å"the process of attaining organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, controlling, and directing organizational resources† (2). Therefore, any manager must undertake the already mentioned above functions:? organizing ? planning ? commanding ? coordinating ? controlling Note, that leadership is covered by the single function of controlling. Planning comprises development of company strategies and goals. To put it differently, on this stage a manager has to define the direction of his business and some milestones to be taken into account. Moreover, planning involves also defining budget and plans of operation, i. e. methods of achieving previously fixed goals.In brief, on the phase of planning a manager proves to be a good forecaster capable of determining the far-r eaching objectives. The following function and stage is organizing, which means right people on the right working places. In other words, this function presupposes that a manager must objectively consider knowledge and skills of his employees and offer them jobs that are most appropriate. Remarkably that some theorists of management call this function as â€Å"staffing† but to our mind, this notion is an element of organizing.Admittedly that â€Å"given the high levels of discretion enjoyed by knowledge workers, managers' decisions over work distribution, content and resources become more critical for commitment and knowledge creation† (4, 2005:383-424). To sum up, organizing function covers establishing superior/subordinate relationships, as well as determining the scope of staff’s obligations and responsibilities. The ‘controlling’ function means checking that work is carried out in a proper way and funds are spent with regard to their purpose. Th e coordinating function covers training, team building, etc.and refers mainly to work with human resources, but not the production process. It should be added that effective managers should be good communicators and analysts. They should â€Å"have guts† to resist constant stress and be able to operate under unfavorable conditions. Furthermore, managers are responsible for friendly environment within a company, which engages problem-combating, settling conflicts, searching for best solutions, etc. What is more they should be assertive enough to bring forward their ideas and convince the opponents to give preference to their views.Still, that does not mean that all managers should be inborn leaders, whatever. Even more, as J. P. Kotter wrote in his 1991 â€Å"The Best of the Harvard Business Review† article, What Leaders Really Do: â€Å"Leadership is different from management, but not for the reason most people think. Leadership isn't mystical and mysterious. It has n othing to do with having charisma or other exotic personality traits. It's not the province of a chosen few. Nor is leadership necessarily better than management or a replacement for it.Rather, leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary activities. Both are necessary for success in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment† (5, 1991:26). However, in spite of the fact that there are some common features of manager work found in different countries and irrespective of borders, such as the key principles of management in a whole and functions of managers, it has been stated above that managers are the same people. Consequently, their cultural and personal peculiarities are reflected on their work.The former has even given rise to the completely new theory – intercultural management. The most significant factors that have enabled the emergence of this theory are the following: continuous globalization of economy and merge of businesses, establishment of joint ventures, foreign representative offices, etc. As a result, people started to pay more attention to the intercultural diversity of managing styles and traditions along with all-nation values and convictions. Should to go, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, but in order to comply with this rule one should know it.Notably, that in her article in the Financial Times by Elisabeth Marx titled ‘Shock of the alien can sink a merger', for example, it was mentioned that â€Å"Research on cross-border acquisitions has shown that differences in management style (particularly in attitudes towards risk) have a negative effect on company performance. Sadly, very few companies consider the softer, cultural factors of mergers, which may be a significant contributor to their subsequent failures. Far too few companies even begin to consider the effects on staff or the human implication of a merger†.Furthermore, the article goes on to manifest that â€Å"it is easy to end up in a situation where the whole is worth less than the sum of its two parts†. Hence, the reasonable solution here may consist in following the statement and credo: â€Å"Managers' first task is to conduct more extensive business analysis before taking the decision to merge. In addition to carrying out traditional financial and commercial due diligence, they should complete a thorough examination of the cultural compatibility of the parties involved† (6, 2005:2).The same can be applied to all spheres where business is conducted and companies in any country. Yert, the most frequent use of intercultural management tenet is observed within such association as, for instance, international markets, by merging with foreign companies, projects involving multi-cultural teams, international negotiations and so on, and so forth. Other supporting the intercultural management view theories are three well-known analyses of intercultural management by Edward Hall, Geert Hofs tede and Philippe d'Iribarne that illustrate the differences between American and French management styles (7).Citing Edward T. Hall, intercultural differences in communication are based on the context, on time and on space: â€Å"Understanding between people results from the combination of information and its context. Some cultures have a rich context (close links between people, high level of the unspoken/unsaid): these cultures are highly † implicit†; other cultures valuing communication only when it is very clear in itself are said to be † explicit † (7).This can be exemplified by the French dislike of clearing procedures or by their creativity and flexibility, American productivity and utilitarianism etc (8, 2003:1333-1349). To sum up, there are common features that can be found among managers all over the world. Managers employ experience of earlier generations as well as coin modern ones. Today, theorists of management clearly define functions and goa ls of managing work and scope of their responsibilities and obligations. However, on the other hand, it remains disputable wither work of a manager is the same in different countries.Quite to the contrary, the intercultural management theory declares that every nation has its own management style that should be taken into account when conducting international negotiations and making business with foreign countries. The majority of businessmen can no longer escape the necessity to purchase, sell or communicate and work with people from different cultures and thus with different traditions and convictions. And we are strongly sure that our future is multinational one! Bibliography 1. History of Management. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://ollie. dcccd.edu/mgmt1374/book_contents/1overview/management_history/mgmt_history. htm 2. MANAGERS; PERSONALITY; ENTERPRISES |AU| Welbourne, TM. ; Cavanaugh, M. A. ; Judge, T. A. |AD| U. S. A. ; Cornell University. Centre for Advanced Huma n Resource Studies, IRL School. Ithaca, NY 14653-3901 3. Leader or Manager? Which Are You? Which Should You Be? The Case for Being Well-Rounded by Dick Mooney. Bradford University Journal. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://www. amputee-coalition. org/communicator/vol3no2pg2. html 4. The difference a manager can make: organizational justice and knowledge worker commitment by Marc Thompson.International Journal of Human Resource Management, Volume 16, Number 3, March, 2005, pp. 383-404 5. The Best of the Harvard Business Review by J. P. Kotter, 1991. 6. Shock of the alien can sink a merger by Elisabeth Marx. Financial Times, 5 April 2001 7. French management style. Retrieved on December 21, 2005 from: http://www. understandfrance. org/France/Intercultural3. html 8. Comparing business ethics in Russia and the US by Rafik I. Beekun, Yvonne Stedham, Jeanne H. Yamamura, Jamal A. Barghouti. International Journal of Human Resource Management. Volume 14, Number 8 / December 2003

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception

Occipital Lobes and Visual Perception The occipital lobes are one of the four main lobes or regions of the cerebral cortex. These lobes are vital for receiving, processing, and interpreting sensory information. The occipital lobes are positioned at the posterior region of the cerebral cortex and are the main centers for visual processing. In addition to the occipital lobes, posterior portions of the parietal lobes and temporal lobes are also involved in visual perception. Location Directionally, the occipital lobes are positioned posterior to the  temporal lobes  and inferior to the  parietal lobes. They are located in the largest  division of the brain  known as the forebrain (prosencephalon). Located within the occipital lobes is the primary visual cortex. This region of the brain receives visual input from the retina. These visual signals are interpreted in the occipital lobes. Function The occipital lobes are involved in several functions of the body including: Visual PerceptionColor RecognitionReadingReading ComprehensionDepth PerceptionRecognition of Object Movement The occipital lobes receive and interpret visual information. Vision is the ability to detect images of visible light. The eyes transmit this information via nerve impulses to the visual cortex. The visual cortex takes this information and processes it so that we are able to determine colors, identify objects, identify shapes, and other aspects of visual perception. The visual information is then sent to the parietal lobes and temporal lobes for further processing. The parietal lobes use this visual information in conjunction with motor processes to perform such tasks as opening a door or brushing your teeth. The temporal lobes help to connect the visual information received with memories. Occipital Lobe Injuries Damage to the occipital lobes may result in a number of vision-related problems. Some of these issues include the inability to discern colors, vision loss, visual hallucinations, inability to identify words, and distorted visual perception.

Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain Case Study

Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain Case Study Analysis Of Starbucks Five Forces And Value Chain – Case Study Example Analysis of Starbucks Five forces and value chain The porters five forces are used, in theory, to analyse the industry and develop a strategy. The effects include competition, consumers, suppliers, substitution of products. Their relationship is explained diagrammatically as below.Starbucks as a global coffee company generated $14.9 billion in revenues in the year 2013. It has a network of over 200,000 partners. Competition: it faces a lot of competition from well-established operators within the industry like McDonalds, Caribou Coffee and Costa. Customer bargaining is very high on its side due to low switching costs. In addition, there is a significant threat to its substitutes from tea, water, soft drinks among many others. Their suppliers also have a very high bargaining power due to the vast demand for coffee while only a few places favor its production. However, there is little threat concerning entrants because of the saturation of the market and massive investments required to establish operations into the market (Lee 2014). Value Chain Analysis allows the firm to know varied aspects of its operation. These include infrastructure, human resources, technology development and procurement. The analysis exists as primary activities and supports roles. Inbound logistics of Starbucks involves establishment and communication of Coffee quality. The company operates in over 50 countries through its licensed stores. Outbound logistics includes sales of the products directly through its stores (Lee 2014). There is little involved in marketing as the quality sells itself. However, the company provides high-level customer service as stipulated in its mission statement.Support services involve infrastructures such as well defined management planning, finance, accounting and legal support. HR is seen by the company as the most valuable asset and accorded the necessary requisite to work. The company uses technology to save on its costs and to bust efficiency and effecti veness. Its procurement wing deals with purchases required in production (Lee 2014).ReferencesLee, H. (2014). Starbucks Building supply chain excellence. New York: Springer.

Business context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Business context - Essay Example The main philosophy of R&D is that the money invested today will fetch higher profits for the company in near future. It is a complex process with a structured framework. The steps of the process consist of â€Å"synthesis and extraction of new helpful molecules, biological screening & pharmacological testing and pharmaceutical dosage formulation with stability testing.† (Pharmaceutical R&D: Costs, Risks, and Rewards, 1993) This process of developing, testing and offering the drug to the market is time consuming and expensive. Due to these factors R&D cost is gradually increasing which is directly affecting the increment of new drug prices. This will be evident if we carefully notice the new drug prices, which are growing more rapidly than the inflation rate, whereas the prices of old drug show decrement. Global pharmaceutical market scenario is extremely complex; here the large public sector investments is in basic biomedical R&D that influences the private sector to intensiv ely fund on new research and development programs. Here the demand for the drugs are also indirectly generated i.e. the doctors and the health insurances act here as mediators to initiate demand for the drugs by prescribing them. Recently apart from the growth in the R&D cost a new crisis also gained prominence in the pharmaceutical world and that is the patentability of drugs and health related innovations. The pharmaceutical companies pour in billions of dollars on the R&D of new products and without the Intellectual Property (IP) protection law the formulations of the drugs are simply being duplicated. These duplicate formulations are synthesized at much low cost and the company, which initially developed the formulation, loses huge amount of revenue. Due to this reason the pharmaceutical companies utilizes the IP Law to monopolize the production and marketing of these innovative drugs. Here this report will make an attempt to focus on the recent scenario of pharmaceutical sector regarding the causes of growing cost in R&D segment and the importance of the intellectual patent tenure alterations for maintaining monopoly of the pharmaceutical companies. (OTA, 1993; Wei, n.d., p.1)     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry Overview on high R&D costs and Patent rights As mentioned earlier, the pharmaceutical companies annually endow billions of dollars in R&D. Recent studies reflect there is a staggering growth of expenses in R&D costs of the global pharmaceutical industry. Though R&D costs are tremendously increasing day-by-day, the pharmaceutical companies think of it as a necessary evil. It is because R&D cost enables the company to synthesize new formulations and helps to open new avenues of opportunity to generate greater profits. R&D costs vary widely between different drugs as this cost depends upon the type of formulation b eing developed. The factors influencing the R&D cost are the probability of success, the molecule base of the new drug or modification of an existing generic drug. Development of innovative drugs cost the most, a rough estimation reveals it generally amounts to more than $800 million (CBO, 2006. p.2); it also includes the cost of failed attempts. This estimate

Ecological Debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ecological Debt - Essay Example Knowing the definition of ecological debt, I've learned three important things that have opened my mind. First, the major cause of ecological debt comes from the excessive, if not abusive use of natural resources. Industrialized countries are the ones running up an ecological debt by too much consumption of resources from marine, land, forests, oil, etc. coming from the Third World countries. Second, the advantages in the economy of developed countries are causing disadvantages to the countries in the South by inconsiderable exportation of products - both raw materials and prepared goods, and even human services/workforce in very low price range. Between the supplier and the consumer, they take advantage of the monetary aspect, thus ending up exploiting the environment. Furthermore, The World Revolution (n. d.) says, "According to United Nations figures, 20% of the population of the world, the majority who live in the North, consume 80% of the planet's natural resources." Third, beca use of this imbalance, we are now suffering from the effects we have caused to the Earth.