South Africa-Segregation Essays - South Africa, Politics

South Africa-Segregation South Africa-Segregation Discrimination against nonwhites was inherent in South African society from the earliest days. Since the British settled in South Africa in 1795 there has been social, economic, and political exclusion, being ruled by whites despite the fact that whites held about 10% of the population. (Msft. Encarta) Segregation and inequality between whites and other races had existed as a matter of custom and practice, but after 1948 these practices were made into laws that would not be changed easily. These new laws marked the start of apartheid as the country's official policy as well as the start of the National Party's reign of power. The National Party stressed white supremacy and promoted separated development. This separated development entitled that the races be segregated, moving nonwhites out of urban areas into the outskirts of city into so-called"home lands" or bantustans with people of their own race. They also implemented more laws; that determined what jobs nonwhites could get, what type of education they could receive, who they could come into contact with, the facilities they could use, what race they could marry, and the positions they could hold in politics; none. The National Party, under the control of Hendrik Verwoerd, further alienated nonwhite citizens by passing a law that made them citizens of their own bantustans, not citizens of South Africa. The National Party rationalized, saying that this law gave blacks an opportunity to participate in a political process within the bantustans. However, their real motives were get out of paying welfare to millions of nonwhites without losing the benefits of an endless supply of cheap labor. The entire ethnic population was in total disagreement with the South African government's attempt to eliminate their rights. While the start of apartheid was not a memorable moment in South Africa's history, it was a major factor in shaping the nation. Many political parties and organizations today, were formed through the protest of apartheid from 1948 to 1990. These groups played a key role in spreading disapproval of apartheid policies to the citizens and officials of South Africa and ultimately lead to its removal. From the induction of apartheid, there has been much resistance to the policy. One group that adamantly opposed the introduction of apartheid was the South African Native Congress, which was formed by a group of black citizens in 1912. They protested the land appropriation laws of that time and were opposed to the British. Later renamed as the African National Congress, the organization increased their following under the leadership of Nelson Mandela during the 1950's when the apartheid laws were being implemented. After decades of receiving no response to their pleas for justice and equality, the group launched a non-violent campaign in 1952 in which apartheid laws were deliberately broken. The African National Congress' goal was not to start a revolution, but to try to change the existing system. In an attempt to do just that, the ANC brought together 3000 delegates and signed the Freedom Charter. This document stated that South Africa belongs to all its citizens and that "every man and woman shall have the right to vote for and stand as candidates for all bodies which make law." However, this document was not recognized by the national government of that time. In 1960, with the increase in the ANC's involvement in protests and a new group called the Pan-Africanist Congress' protests, the South African government feared more deaths so they banned all black African political organizations. Mandela's arrest sparked anger amongst all ethnic citizens and organizations and produced a volatile environment. In an effort to ease tensions, a constitution was drafted in 1984, which allowed Asians and Coloreds (milado) to be in parliament but it still excluded black Africans who made up 70% of the population. This, along with all the other race inequalities and segregation brought the movement against apartheid to a raging climax. Finally, with apartheid being criticized internationally, with nations putting economic sanctions on them, and more riots by African organizations, the government's apartheid policies began to unravel. In a historic and memorable day in 1992, the new president, F. W. de Klerk, announced an official end to apartheid and released Nelson Mandela from prison. This day had been long awaited and much earned. The South African organizations had played a key role in protesting, and eventually the downfall of the apartheid policies. These groups still exist today and are influential in South Africa's politics. With the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as president in 1994, South Africa had experienced a complete turnaround from racial inequality. The end of apartheid

buy custom Realizations of Cyberculture essay

buy custom Realizations of Cyberculture essay In modern times, cyberculture is manifested or realized in instances where human beings interactions are mediated by the established computer networks; thus encompassing games, activities, initiatives, pursuits, places, exchanges, places and applications in which cyberspace users engage in (Levy, 2001). The actualization of activities is in such platforms as websites with specialized domains, web portals with specialist software and user-based web protocols (Abbate, 1999). Today we have blogs, social networks (Face book, Twitter), online and downloadable games that need online or offline participation, chat platforms (instant messaging), Bulletin Board Systems, eCommerce sites, peer-to-peer networks, virtual worlds, UseNet, cybersex platforms and a host of other cyberculture realizations (Abbate, 1999). To qualify as cyberculture, cyberculture must derive aspects of the traditional culture notions of culture (as the root words suggests). That culture must also be composed of numerous subcultures identified by an ethnographical study (Howard Jones, 2003). The identified subcultures based on the technologies they use, their capabilities, the diversityof users, the diverse real-world locations alluded to etc (Howard Jones, 2003). On the overall however, cyberculture is characterized by a community whose interactions are mediated by information communication technology (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). It is the product featured by individuals linked from one computer screen to another by a variety of complex networks. Secondly, cyberculture relies heavily on a concept of knowledge and of information exchange (whichever type of knowledge or information individuals wish to exchange). Thirdly, cyberculture depends on its ability to manipulate technological features to a new level or degree that traditional culture forms lacked as its core attraction. Cyberculture does not insist on the individual but on the interaction of individuals, and thus no requirement of personal identity in most interactions (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). Cyberculture has no place for face-to-face interaction, and persons are represented by usernames, codes and passwords (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). Cyberculture transcends traditional limits to relationships such as physical inabilities, geeographical borders, social stratification and temporal (time elements) constraints. A distinct characteristic of cyberspace that is perhaps one of the most defining of them all is the fact that cyberculture is a cognitive social culture whose only visible traits is on its impact to the physical culture (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). It is an abstract concept realized physically not as a culture itself but as an influence on more physical cultures. When individuals visible spend most of their time online, that is not the cyberculture but a physical ramification of the abstract culture in which the individuals are participating. This actually helps explain the next characteristic of cyberculture as a product borne by like-minded peo ple who find or search for a common ground to interact in, online (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). Finally, cyberculture is the most dynamic, fragile and perishable form of culture known to man. It changes in minutes, trends take different directions by the minute, technology progresses and new capabilities conceived by the day and so too the culture of the people who use these technology (Aronowitz, Martinsons Menser, 1995). Buy custom Realizations of Cyberculture essay

Four similar disease 1topic like COPD,LUNGS CA.ASTHMA,SMOKER Research Paper

Four similar disease 1topic like COPD,LUNGS CA.ASTHMA,SMOKER - Research Paper Example It generates new insight and a novel point of view into the existing treatment procedures and about the disease. Continuous research in the field of nursing practice is very important as through research new data and cures are discovered which help in finding new patterns and subsequently help in developing new procedures to fight the patients’ condition. The development of nursing practice in diseases like COPD, Lung Cancer, Asthma and Smoking exemplifies the importance of the research to nursing practice. These are four similar diseases (affecting the same organ; lungs) with different backgrounds (origin, causes, development, effects, and cure). COPD is a serious lung disease which during the course of time makes it difficult to breathe. It is the fourth main reason for death in the United States and leads to long-term disability.[1] Persons suffering from COPD find it difficult to get the air in and out of their lungs as the airways (tubes which carry the air in and out of the lungs) are partially blocked. There are two prime diseases that cause this blockage- Chronic bronchitis and Emphysema. The main cause of this lung disorder is cigarette smoking which contributes to 80-90% of the disease. [1] Nursing practices go a long way in the cure of the disease. Nurses/ professionals and pulmonary rehabilitation programs help to control the disease through physical activity and training. Nursing is fast emerging as a means to put a check on COPD. The best cure against COPD is to quit smoking. An online COPD community has emerged where different COPD patients and professionals share their experience and methods to fight cure COPD. Lung Cancer refers to cancer of the tissues of the lungs, generally in the cells lining the air passages. It is one of the more lethal diseases. It claims more lives than prostate, colon, breast and lymph cancers combined, per year. Essentially, there are two types of lung cancers: Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non-Small Cell L ung Cancer (NSCLC). Both categories have the capacity to cause life threatening damages to the neuromuscular system. A significant part of the treatment to lung cancer is the way the problem is nursed. Nursing practices play an important role. Advanced nursing practice has been introduced as a practice that includes a variety of roles essential for treating lung cancer and the environments in which they exist. Planning is quite necessary in combating the disease. Many obstacles to realizing the full potential of the roles can be evaded through better efforts and planning to address factors, resources and structures necessary for advanced nursing practice to lung cancer. A recent research conducted on patients with lung cancer suggested that patients often experience multiple symptoms that vary during the course of their disease.[2] Therefore, in conjunction with high quality physical care of the patients, nursing practice is also required to provide frequent interventions with patie nts varying from patient education regarding chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy and symptom management meant for skin changes linked to fatigue, radiation therapy, weight loss and nausea due to changes in appetite. Asthma is chiefly characterized by the shortness of breath, tightness of chest along with coughing. It essentially is the hindrance in the human airflow system. Asthma is a continual inflammatory disease and estimates have shown that over 300 million people were affected with asthma in 2010. Genetic factors along with other

Merits of Joining a Human Resources Professional Association Essay

Merits of Joining a Human Resources Professional Association - Essay Example Keeping in mind that one is in the establishment stage of his/her career with the expectation of acquiring the position of a manager, the membership of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) had been found to be suitable. This is because, in addition to providing professional membership, SHRM provides opportunities to enhance owns knowledge, gain information from fellow members through networking and access to valuable resources pertaining to latest HR issues. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 3 Overview 4 Relative Merits of Joining a Human Resources Professional Association 4 Comparative Analysis of some of the Human Resources Professional Associations 6 Society for Human Resource Management 6 Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 7 Dubai Human Resources Forum 8Â   Arabian Society for HR Management 9 Australian Human Resource Institute 10 Decision of the Selection of a Human Resources Professional Association and its Justification 11 Conclusion 13 References 15 Overview This report discusses the relative merits of joining a Human Resources Professional Association. The report conducts a comparative analysis of some of the renowned Human Resources Professional Associations and then selects a particular association that suits the professional requirements considering the candidate’s career stage. ... Â  As an individual with around 14 years of experience in the Human Resource Department (HRD), the rationale for willingness to join a Professional Association is to develop and enhance the HR skills by means of journals as well as magazines which are comprised with the membership of any Professional Association. Involvement with a Professional Association provides with the opportunity to attend conferences as well as conventions with proficient and professional speakers. Thus, being a member of a Human Resource Professional Association would provide an HR professional with an opportunity to access his/her career proceedings and specific human resource job listings. In addition to this, Professional Associations offer career networking opportunities with other members of the association. Human Resource Professional Association gives an individual admittance to the most beneficial and existing HR networks as a professional (Gatewood & Et. Al., 2010) Furthermore, Human Resource Profes sional Association would augment an individual’s professional development in addition to presenting information about issues pertaining to HRD. Every local or the international Human Resource Professional Association publishes informative newsletters and journals related to issues of Human Resource Management (HRM). Such Professional Associations also update their websites with significant HR issues along with fresh developments in the HR field. Moreover, these Professional Associations regularly coordinate and conduct professional development programs and conferences consisting of industry associated exposures and knowledge for their members.

Compare 2 films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare 2 films - Essay Example An analysis of several scenes will illustrate these points. Ozu’s â€Å"Tokyo Story† tells the journey of an elderly couple to the city of Tokyo where they reunite with their children and grandchildren. Their children, however, don’t have the time to spend with them. A few days later, the elderly couple goes back home. The mother falls ill and eventually dies. After the funeral, the children return to Tokyo leaving their father alone. Kurosawa’s â€Å"Rashomon†, meanwhile, recounts the stories of four different persons about a murder that transpired in the woods. A wife is allegedly raped by a bandit while her husband is murdered. In a dilapidated house that bears the name â€Å"Rashomon†, a priest and a woodcutter relay the story to a commoner. All four stories mutually contradict one another. In the end, an abandoned baby is found at the dilapidated house. 2. Themes Ozu explores the consequences of generational gap in families. Children, on ce grown, will live their own lives and leave their parents behind. Parents, on the other hand, will wish that their children achieve success and live happy lives. As time passes by, parents and children grow emotionally apart. The once warm and caring relationships become cold and neglectful. Neither parents nor children are to be blamed in this situation; it’s just the way things are. ... Kurosawa, meanwhile, explores the subjective nature of reality and the human tendency to embellish one’s positive characteristics and conceal those that are unattractive. Reality, as the film portrays, is a matter of interpretation. One event can be viewed and looked at from different perspectives creating a myriad of meanings out of it. The ultimate and absolute truth of something, therefore, can never be realized. This applies to human beings as well. People choose to believe what they please. Their perception is always influenced by motives both good and bad. 3. Stylistic Analysis Mise-en-scene. This refers to the composition of a scene which include the setting, lighting, costumes, and actor’s gestures, to name a few. Ozu’s mise-en-scene is constructed with utmost control and filled with telling details. The teapots, cups, or slippers are all there for a reason. Each tells a story of its own (eg. slippers lying at the elderly couple’s door at the spa). In â€Å"Rashomon†, the mise-en-scene gives emphasis on nature. Most of the time, the actors are shot beneath the shadows of trees and leaves revealing both their good and bad nature. The sometimes hysterical and animalistic acting of the wife and bandit show how strongly they held to their perception of the event. It seems like they’re trying hard to conceal their bad nature. Cinematography. This refers to the distance and movement of the camera, and the framing and duration of shots. Ozu often utilizes long and medium shots which show entire landscapes, actors in full body or waist up, and the space/background where the actors move around. Close-ups which emphasize facial features and emotions are never used. The camera moves only once

Pharmaceutical Industry Analysis

Pharmaceutical Industry Analysis In this chapter a basic understanding of how the pharmaceutical industry will be defined and which models will be used to analyse it will be given to the reader. 1.1 Definition of Industry The most important definition of industry was given by Michael Porter in 1979: a group of competitors producing substitutes that are close enough that the behaviour of any firm affects each of the others either directly or indirectly. Later, Porter defined the term more precisely as a group of companies offering products or services that are close substitutes for each other, that is, products or services that satisfy the same basic customers needs. This new definition emphasizes the importance of industry borders and industrys role as a market supplier or producer of goods and services, as distinguished from a market, defined as a consumer of goods and services. Furthermore, inside every industry there are groups of companies that follow similar strategies, defined by Michael S. Hunt in his unpublished 1972 Ph.D. dissertation as strategic groups. Between these groups there are differences in entry barriers, bargaining power with buyers and suppliers and skills and resources . Strategic groups compete against each other within the industry as a result of these differences. 1.2 Models to Analyse the Industry and Its Environment The literature agrees that comprehension of the industry structure is essential to developing a firms strategy and has a greater effect on the firms performance than whether it is business-specific or corporate-parent. The comprehension of the structure requires analyses of the industrys life cycle. It also requires step-by-step political, legal, technological, social and economic analyses as well as the five driving forces of business, provided by Michael Porter. By utilizing these analysis techniques, it is also possible to anticipate changes in industry competition and profitability over time. 1.2.1 Industry Life Cycle Analysis There are different phases during the development of an industry. Every phases is characterized by a different environments which make competition assumes different the form. Through studying the life cycle, the industry realizes its stake in the market and its influence on consumers. The industry life cycle model includes four different phases: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. The first phase, called introduction, is characterized by a low demand, whereas prices are high as a consequence of firms inability to realize economies of scale. For this reason profits are low and losses are possible due to high amount of investments in new categories. Barriers to entry are primary based on technologies and competencies. Strategy is focused mainly on RD and production, with the goal of enhancing novelty and quality. Competitors, attracted by the rising demand, attempt to replicate the new product. In the second phase, growth, the use of the product is extended, demand grows, prices decline due to economies of scale, barriers to entry are lower and the threat of new entry is high. At this phase the technology is usually not exclusive property of one or more firms, and the primary reaction to competition is marketing expenditure and initiatives; profits are not very high because prices decline as competitors enter the market. There is a transition period, or shake-out, between the second and the third phases. The shake-out involves finding and using all investment opportunities, because the market is near saturation and demand grows more slowly. In the third phase, maturity, market growth is low or non-existent, and the focus shifts to gaining market share; demand is represented only by the substitution of products, investment in RD decreases and there is little innovation. In this phase firms seek cost reductions, and competition is based primarily on advertising and quality because of the low differentiation between products. Big firms acquire smaller players, while others are forced to exit. As a consequence of high barrier to entry, the threat of new entrants are low. The last phase is decline, so called because of the continued decline in demand. Industries arrive at this stage for a variety of reasons. These include a change in social behaviours, demographic changes, international competition, technological innovations and increased customer knowledge. The buying process is based primarily on price rather than innovation. As a result, profit and revenues decline, and the industry as a whole may be supplanted. 1.2.2 PEST Analysis The word PEST is an acronym of several aspects that influence business activities at any given moment. An industry operates under Political, Economic, Social and Technological conditions. These conditions are identify and analyzed using the PEST Analysis technique. Due to their independent influence on any industry, it is essential that each be considered individually. The political aspect of analysis encompasses various factors that influence business activities in a given country at several levels: national, sub-national and supranational levels. These include trade policies control imports, exports and international business partners, government ownership of industry, attitude toward monopolies and competition and trade policies. Hence, failure to consider these policies may result in loss of revenue due to taxes or penalty fees. Government stability is also very important, because it eradicates the risks associated with wars and conflicts. For an industry to thrive, political stability must be uncompromising; otherwise, sales and business activities will be uncertain, and investors will lose interest. The internal political issues in any country influence the running of industries. Politics based on race or religion may define the course for certain industries, especially if an industry falls short of political expectations. Elections and changes in leadership also influence an industrys strengths and opportunities and thus should be considered during the analysis. In addition to internal issues, international pressures and influences may affect some industries, such as environmental degradation or product safety. Another factor is terrorism. Though uncommon in many countries, poor or unstable governance may attract terrorist activities, vengeful or otherwise, which can have adverse effects on the industries operating in that country. All these issues may influence industry and firm expansion and industry attractiveness from stake holders point of view. The economic aspect of analysis includes many factors. The first factor to consider is the current economic situation and trends in the country in which the industry is based. Companies should note inflation and economic decline so that when it comes to investing, they can avoid being financially affected. Failure to do this results in an economically blind platform that may cause the industrys sudden collapse. Another factor to consider in analysis is taxation rates. When there are high taxation rates in a given country, price-based competition may affect a given industry in the international market. International economic trends are also very important, because they define currency exchange rates, imports and exports. Other factors to consider are consumer expenditure and disposable income and, finally, legal issues, including all trade legislation in a given country and other legal regulations that inhibit or encourage expansion of business activities. Also to be considered are consumer protection laws, employment laws, environmental protection laws and quality standardization regulations. Industrial laws regulating competition, market policies and guidelines also play an important role in influencing industrys stability and future expansion possibilities . When considering the social aspect, factors including demographic changes, shifts in values and culture and changes in lifestyle are important to note so as to strategize on expansion and growth . Certain factors, such as media and communities, influence an industrys growth and returns. Brand name and corporate image are also very important in influencing growth and returns since they shape customer loyalty and shareholder investment. The medias views on certain industrial products should be incorporated into the analysis, as should consumer attitudes and sensibility to green issues, that is, issues that affect the environment, energy consumption and waste and its disposal. A companys information systems and internal and external communications should also be analyzed to ensure that it keeps pace with its competitors. Other factors are the policies regulating education, health and distribution of income, all of which, in the long run, influence consumer use of products . The technological aspect of analysis encompasses a variety of factors. In addition to developing technologies, all associated technologies, along with their innovation potentials, speed of change and adoption of new technology, should be analyzed for a proper evaluation of the industry. Other technological factors are transportation, waste management and online business. The level of expenditure on RD should also be considered in order to secure the industrys competitive position to prevent losses and collapse . 1.2.3 Porters Five Competitive Forces Analysis Porters model, as described by Kay, is an evolution of the Structure-Conduct-Performance paradigm conceived by Edward Mason at Harvard University in the 1930s and detailed by Scherer in the 1980s. , The model aims to determine the intensity of industry competition, major issues in determining strategy and whether an industry is attractive or not. Porter identified five competitive forces that act on an industry and its environment: threat of entry, intensity of rivalry among existing competitors, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers. The first competitive force, threat of entry, refers to the threat of new entrants in an established industry or acquisition to gain market share. Reactions of participants and barriers to entry are the main factors used to establish whether the threat is high or low. Six major entry barriers have been identified: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ capital required to compete in the industry (especially in risky industry, such as advertising or RD) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ switching costs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ access to distribution channels à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ economies of scale à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ cost disadvantages independent of scale, such as patents, access to know-how, access to limited resources, favourable locations, government subsidies or policies and learning or experience curves à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ product differentiation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ expected retaliation from existing firms against the new entrants Strong barriers to the entry of new firms enable a few firms to dominate the market and thereby influence prices. The second force is intensity of rivalry among existing competitors. Rivalry takes place when one or more firms inside an industry try to improve their position using tactics such as price competition, new product introduction or new services. Rivalry depends on several factors: number and size of competitors, industry growth, product characteristics (which determine whether the rivalry is based on price or differentiation), cost structure, exit barriers, diverse competitors, operative capacity and high strategic stakes. If an industry is inhibited, then firms will experience difficulties when trying to expand. The growth of foreign competition and the corporate stakes should also be included in the analysis. Threat of substitutes is the third forces. Substitutes are those products manufactured by other industries but serving the same purposes as the initial product. These substitute products cause the demand to decline. The implications are reduced profits and reduced market command by the original capital investor. This is of particular importance when the buyer has no switching costs and can easily compare products in terms of price and efficiency. Bargaining power of buyers is the fourth force. High bargaining power positions weak firms inside the industry, forcing price down, enhancing competition between industry players and resulting in bargaining for higher quality or services. This power is particularly high under certain conditions, such as few and specific buyers, undifferentiated products, low switching costs, the possibility of backward integration and information about demand and the availability of market price to the buyers. Furthermore, bargaining power is high if product quality is not a crucial factor of decision-making and if what the buyer is acquiring is a modest fraction of his total costs. Bargaining power is even higher when the buyer is a retailer or a wholesaler able to influence the consumers purchasing decision. The fifth and last force is the bargaining power of suppliers. This can act on the industry in several ways: raising prices, lowering quality or privileging some buyers. Supplier power can be divided into several elements. One of these elements is supplier concentration. Suppliers are in a stronger position when there are few suppliers, switching costs are high, the industry they are serving account for a small fraction of their business or their products are an important part of the buyers business. The bargaining power of suppliers is low or non-existent when there are substitute products. Lastly, purchase volume and the suppliers influence on cost are very important. 2. Pharmaceutical Industry Analysis A general overview of the pharmaceutical industry is the primary objective of this chapter. First, this chapter will define the industry in order to identify the main players in the pharmaceutical market. Second, using the instruments and models described in the first section, it will highlight the main characteristics of the industry and the factors that influence it. 2.1 Definition of Pharmaceutical Industry The pharmaceutical industry is composed of companies developing, manufacturing and marketing products licensed for use as medications. Their goal is to prevent, diagnose or treat diseases. A medicinal product, also called a pharmaceutical, according to the EU, is an exogenous substance or a combination of exogenous substances that can be organic or inorganic, natural or synthetic, and able, once inside the human or animal body, to modify physiological functions or to make a medical diagnosis through physical, chemical or physicochemical action. This industry is subdivided into two sub-industries characterized by different business models and players: prescription and OTC pharmaceuticals. Prescription pharmaceuticals, also referred to as Rx, are medicines that are available to the consumers for purchase in a pharmacy or drug store only with a prescription from a physician or administered only in hospitals. These medicines target specific diseases and, therefore, are prescribed for and used by one person only. OTC pharmaceuticals are instead used by more than one person which present the same symptoms in the same or in different time. These medicines are available to the consumer at every time and the consumer dont need any prescription from a physician for purchase. Furthermore, inside this industry there are two types of firms: Big Pharma and Biotech. These two types, despite being in the same business, vary in several ways: IP, drug methodology, expenditure and productivity of RD . The primary drug RD techniques used by Big Pharma firms are chemoinformatics and in silico screenings. Biotech firms are companies that use biotechnology in RD . Biotechnology, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or nonliving materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services. Generally, Biotech firms tend to have a strong academic culture, are more risk treatment and spend less than half what Big Pharma spends on R&D; in 2004, Biotech firms spent $20 billion, versus $50 billion spent by Big Pharma. Generally, a Biotech product has multiple IP covering manufacture, formulation and stability, as opposed to Big Pharma IP, which covers only the product, allowing generics to be produced quickly. While they may appear to have the same phenotype, their genotypes are distinct, so much so that they can be considered two industries, as stated by Arthur D. Levinson, Chairman and CEO of Genentech. Nevertheless, this distinction is not always clear, as many Biotech and Big Pharma firms are hybrids to varying degrees. The focus of this thesis are Big Pharma involved in the development of prescription pharmaceuticals to treat and prevent human diseases in the EU market. 2.2 Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry The purpose of this chapter is to provide a brief overview of the pharmaceutical industry lifecycle and investigate the major force acting inside it . 2.2.1 Industry Lifecycle Analysis People over the years have always tried to discover diseases causes and to find remedies against it. The most complete medical test, the Ebers Papyrus, is dated 1550 BC and it was written by Egyptians . However, the industrial production of drugs dates back to the year 1827 when Heinrich E Merck in Germany founded the first company for the production of cocaine and morphine . This event started the introduction phase of the pharmaceutical industry in Europe. In Europe, this industry was born in different way, reflecting the different strategic groups inside it. In the German-speaking countries, pharmaceutical companies were born as a branch of the chemical industry, with firms like Bayer and Hoechst in 1863, BASF in 1865 and Schering in 1871 in Germany, and CIBA in 1884 and Sandoz in 1886. Only Hoffman-La Roche in 1894 in Switzerland was originally a drug firm. On the other hand, in Italy, France and the UK companies were born from small shop pharmacies, such as Glaxo which traces its origins to a pharmacy in Plough Court in 1715 . During the 1800s many compounds were already being isolated, but none was being synthetically produced. The first synthetic drug was Phenacetin, produced by Bayer and commercialized in 1888 . Ten years later Bayer commercialized Aspirin, which marked a milestone in the pharmaceutical industry. Many firms rose to prominence in the 1920s-30s with these kinds of pharmaceuticals, but also with a new class of pharmaceuticals: vaccines and serums . During the Second World War II the demand for drugs increased and mass production started, primarily with drugs such as antibiotics (penicillin, streptomycin and neomycin) and sulphonamide . The availability of these drugs dramatically changed the quality and the average life-span of people. In this period the German pharmaceutical industry, a leader along with the Swiss in pre-war times, was taken over by American firms who came to Europe to taking advantage of the condition of the continent after the war. The period 1950-60 was the start of the industrys growth phase , and this saw a proliferation of new drugs and high return to drug discovery. New drugs included tranquilizers such as MAO inhibitors in 1952, anti-tuberculosis drugs such as Isoniazid in 1952 and oral contraceptives in 1956. Other discoveries included Librium in 1960 and Valium in 1960. The latter was sold from 1963 and later became one of the most prescribed medicines in history before controversy emerged over its link to habituation and dependency. In the 1950s, legislation was put in place to regulate the industry, mainly touching on labelling and approval by health authorities as well as drawing distinctions between non-prescription and prescription medicines. In this apparently unstoppable process of pharmaceutical progression and optimism the industry was stalled by a drama concerning one drug sold in Europe and Japan, Thalidomide. This drug, synthesized in Germany in 1954, was introduced to the market to treat the symptoms of morning sickness and nausea in pregnant women. Between 1954 and 1960, it caused around 5,000 and 10,000 severe deformities in infants. In fact, the drug had not been sufficiently tested on animals to assess its safety, and after this revelation, in an attempt to better regulate the industry, drug oversight authorities were established to exercise control over the industry. The World Medical Association met in Finland and issued the Declaration of Helsinki, setting the standards for clinical research. Among other things, the declaration stated that pharmaceutical companies must prove the efficacy of a new drug in clinical trials before releasing it to the market, and subjects must consent to experiments done to test the efficacy of drugs in clinical studies. The industry remained small up to the late 1970s . Two events characterized the 1970s. First, chemical production for raw materials and early intermediates shifted out of Europe to low cost destinations such as India and China which later began producing active pharmaceutical ingredients and finally non-patented pharmaceuticals . Second, there was the birth of biotechnology. This new science had its roots many years before with the discovery of the double helix in 1953 by Watson and Crick, which followed the advances in molecular genetics, recombinant DNA technology, and molecular biology. Until then, drugs in commerce were produced by extraction from natural substances or chemical synthesis. These new techniques of molecular biology marked the birth of a new industry which became a competitor to and a substitute of the pharmaceutical industry. This new industry was pioneered by firms like Genentech and Amgen which introduced revolutionary drugs such as Epogen and recombinant human insulin. In the 1980s, legislation was passed in most European countries requiring adherence to strong patents for both the pharmaceutical products and their production processes. There were also new regulations such as the introduction of the Good Clinical Practices, which were guidelines regulating ethics and the reliability of clinical studies. In Europe, several states also initiated health maintenance organizations and managed care in an effort to limit rising medical costs, and a preference for preventive rather that curative medication took root. As the industry entered the 1990s, new discoveries and projects, such as the Human Genome Project 1990, changed the business environment. Also, there was a huge wave of MA to build on synergies. This included Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz forming Novartis, Hoechst and Roussel-Rhone Poulenc-Rorer forming Aventis and Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline forming GlaxoSmithKline. In this way, the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals came to be concentrated in Western Europe and North America, with dominant firms and a few small companies that produced drugs in each country. The major European companies are still the dominant players not only in Europe but also in the global market. They include Novartis of Switzerland, Bayer of Germany, GlaxoSmithKline of the UK, Hoffman-la Roche of Switzerland and AstraZeneca of UK/Sweden. As the European pharmaceutical industry entered the 21st century, signs of the growth phase have become even more evident. This has been characterized by intense marketing to physicians and internet commerce. This, in part, has been facilitated by the liberalization of marketing rules requiring presentation of risks as well as the advertising message. Internet has enabled the direct purchase of raw materials by the manufacturers. The development of drugs has moved from the hit-and-miss approach to research and informed discovery. Alternative medicines and lifestyle medicines have presented new challenges and opportunities and have raised the level of competition in the industry. The ageing population in western European economies has increased opportunities for raising revenues. In fact, because of the ageing population in the developed economies, drug consumption will increase since the aged have a higher frequency of contracting diseases than younger people. New epidemics, such as the recent H1N1 flu outbreak, continue to batter the world population, and increased globalization makes them spread more quickly than ever. As the industry advances through the growth phase, companies are undertaking research and development initiatives both to develop new drugs and improve production processes. Further, the increased role of state-supported medical schemes across Europe, as well as other state-managed health programs around the world will greatly increase the reach of healthcare, extending it to more of the middle class and the poor who constitute the larger part of the population in most countries. As the medical programs continue to gain efficacy, the sales of pharmaceutical firms are expected to grow. In addition, the emerging economies like Brazil, Russia, India, China, Turkey, Mexico, and South Korea will add to potential consumer numbers in the industry for European manufacturers. Together, these countries constitute a huge percentuage of the worlds population, meaning that their entry into the high income category will no doubt present an enormous potential market for pharmaceutical products. In fact, the growth in these markets is expected to reach 14-17% by 2014, compared with only 3-6% growth in the developed markets. Thanks to agreements signed by the Asia-Pacific and Europe governments concerning liberalization of the Asia-Pacific pharmaceuticals and investments market, many companies have already started to establish relationships with emerging markets. An example is GlaxoSmithKline, who partnered in 2009 with Indias Dr. Reddy Laboratories. GlaxoSmithKline will distribute the drugs manufactured and supplied by Dr. Reddy in Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Even with these last considerations, the European pharmaceutical industry has only a limited chance of entering the maturity phase of the cycle. The barriers to entry are so great that they choke any new entrant in almost every facet of operation: in research and development, in product distribution, and in compliance with rules and regulations. In fact, this industry has complex manufacturing capabilities which are hard to replicate, and are protected by way of patent, as well as huge consumer attachment to preferred brands from specific companies, often informed by experience. Furthermore Europe generic penetration is very low (less than 10% in total). Thus the industry might remain in the growth phase for a considerable time.

The British Empire Essay -- British History, Industrialization, Politi

The British Empire is the largest empire ever seen on the face of this planet. The empire was divided into two. The first part of the empire revolved around the British colonies in America that were popularly known as the thirteen colonies. These gained independence from Britain in 1783. The second part of the empire, which developed from the first empire, came later. It started during the Napoleonic wars and survived throughout the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. In fact, the British withdrew from its last colony, Hong Kong, in 1997; indeed the empire lasted for a long time. It developed from India and spun to regions of Africa and Australia. The influence and the power of the empire spun around the world shaping it in different ways. This influence is still evident in many places that fell under its control (Ferguson, 2004). To many people the world is the way it is due to the effects of the British Empire. Certainly, this empire just like other nu merous empires before it and after it had triumphs and humiliations; however, the fact that this empire had numerous good effects cannot be overemphasized. The empire impacted positively on Britain and the colonies. The first notable positive effect of the empire is industrialization. The British having been ahead in industrial evolution helped spread technology to new places around the world. Particularly, the British Empire was responsible for the development of early industries in their colonies (Balasubramanyam & Wei, 79). They built industries in the colonies such as sugar factories, cotton factories and tobacco industries. Certainly, this was a new development in these colonies that later led to the colonies mechanizing their cottage industri... ...ver, as a result of the demands of abolitionists, the British parliament enacted laws such as the Slave Trade Act 1807, which resulted in abolishing trade. Certainly, this was a remarkable contribution to the respect of human rights. Clearly, the vast empire also left a vast influence. The numerous positive affects are still evident today in most of the former colonies. Indeed, as most people believed the â€Å"sun never sets† on the British Empire. Most people believe that the current state of the world is a product of the empire. Numerous things including educational systems, farming, judicial, governance systems and others around the world are a product of the empire. The empire left a permanent mutual relationship among former colonies, which still enjoy trade and diplomatic ties. It is, therefore, beyond doubt that the empire had numerous positive effects.

Conducting Buinsess Overseas

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business 11/12/12 Phase 5 Individual Project Professor Ivy When conducting business overseas it is important to know the legal regulations (N/A, N/A) which should be considered as the first part of the business plan. One should do their research about how business is handled to avoid illegal activities that one may not be aware of. Some of the regulations are permits, licenses, requirements, documentation, and laws that apply in that country.There are laws for importing merchandise into another country so therefore one must check with someone who specialize in that area of laws. As an importer one must give customs a complete report on the delivery of goods. On December 8, 1993 the Customs Modernization Act was put into place in order to â€Å"shift legal responsibility (N/A, N/A) from Customs to the importer for declaring, among other things, the value, classification, and rate of duty applicable to entered merchandise†. Importers should u se reasonable care when complying with Customs requirements in order to fulfill their duties as importers.As part of Customs they strongly enforce requirements from other agencies which include Environmental Protection Agency, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration. All of these agencies are included to make sure goods passes safety requirements before any goods are imported into another country. If it is determined that an importer fail to use reasonable care they could face monetary penalties for not following laws. Any company that has large import activity should have satisfactory procedures in place in order to make sure they’re in compliance with Custom laws.Many importers use Customs Broker (N/A, N/A) to handle their files for them. These agencies are licensed by Customs to deal with files for importers. As an importer there is specific documentation requirements needed before any goods can be imported into another country. So therefore, impo rters use Custom Brokers to gather and file all of the necessary documents for importing the goods. Importers are still responsible for following all rules under the Mod Act. If these laws are broken they can be held liable for criminal or civil penalties under the Mod Act.Criminal Penalties can be defined as anyone who gives false information to Customs officers. Anyone who is in violation of this statue could face two years imprisonment, fines, or possible both for all violation that were related to importation. Civil penalties can be defined as anyone who provide fraud through the use of gross negligence or transmit false data which relates to any fraudulent activities. As part of Customs authority they can seize merchandise to get payment for the violation. As part of doing business oversees one will deal with exporters.Exporter duties (N/A, N/A) include making sure that it is legal to export merchandise from United States to another country. They are also responsible to make su re that all required documentation are in order and filed to proper agency. Before exporting any product one should be sure to check for licenses and other documentation needed to export products. There are certain laws that apply to exporters which include laws such as anti-boycott laws, the Export Administration Regulations, and Economic sanctions.When determining whether or not a license is needed for export the appropriate authority checks for the product’s classification, end-user, and end-use. It is also important that one should know about Free Trade Agreements. Free Trade Agreements (N/A, 2010) is known to be one of the best opportunities to expand the foreign market to the United States. Part of the Free Trade Agreement is to reduce barriers to United States exports which protect the United States interests. This law makes it easier and less expensive for U. S. ompanies to export their goods to trading market partners. So therefore, we could use this to our advantage as a company to export goods to from and to other countries. The ethical code of conduct (N/A, Sigue Corp. , 2012) for employees and vendors is to ensure strong ethical principles govern prevent conflicts that might occur between the employees and vendors. All employees and vendors must abide by the company’s ethical code of conduct. In order for the code of conduct to be enforced each employee or vendor must report any conflicts that relates to the company’s welfare.As part of the company’s policy we are responsible for keeping customers, employees, and vendors satisfied with the services provided from this company. So therefore, we required our employees to maintain a high level professional standard while conducting business in our company. Employees should keep all information confidential about Company, customers, employees, agents, and vendors. If any employee has an issue we encourage them to consult with someone such supervisor, management, or anyone el se in a higher position about any problems they may encounter.If employees or vendor are found to be in violation of Code of conduct will be investigated and immediately terminated. As part of the Company’s policies we report any unlawful behavior to the appropriate agency. This company doesn’t tolerate fraudulent behavior, dishonest, theft, embezzlement, threats, or any other inappropriate behavior. Legal and ethical guidelines (Phillips, 2012) are important in all businesses because they are part of laws that shall be followed. All businesses should have ethical guidelines that they should abide by in order to maintain laws which are enforceable by the state and government.If a business fails to follow guidelines and laws they could be punish or penalized by local laws that weren’t followed. Ethical guidelines is used to protect employees from being unpaid by enforcing laws for wages and hours worked. These laws are put in place to avoid businesses from not tr eating employees fairly such as not paying them for the hours worked or overtime. When distinguishing between right and wrong in business dealings (Merchant, 2006-2012) one must consider is the action true and how it will affect the business.They should also take into consideration whether or not the decision is fair to all parties involved. Another question one should ask is will the decision benefit the outcome of people that have invested in this dealing. After thinking about the outcome of all decision it is important that you chose the action that is legal in order to avoid illegal behavior that will lead to punishment of some type. The punishment could result in termination, fines, or imprisonment depending on what type of wrong doings one has committed.So therefore, when hiring employees one should make sure they are capable of making the right decision that will have a positive outcome for the company. As part of ethical conduct one must be capable of deciding what is right and what is wrong in order to have a good foundation in ethics. Making the right choices in a company could result in the company being successful and kept out of the public eye for unethical behavior. This type of behavior has prompted such an increase in these types of legal and ethical violations (Richard Mauer & Anna M. Tinsley, 2010) because they aren’t being handled appropriate.Many companies aren’t punished to the full extent because they have power and money to get them out of that situation. When other companies see that another company has gotten away breaking the law they think that they can away with it too. Ethical violations are increasing because many companies forget about them and want to get the job done in a short time with a low cost. Many companies in today’s society don’t have morals and good values so this makes it difficult to practice ethical guidelines for companies. If all companies enforced good ethical behavioral some of the u nethical violation could be reduced.This could lead to a more successful reliable business that more people will feel comfortable with. My opinion regarding the impact of the ethical implications (N/A, 2005-2012) and violations on the business itself from the perspective of the consumer is that this company follows rules and regulation to avoid illegal behavior. Some companies seem to think that they can get away with doing things that are not legal and that they won’t be caught. If the court keeps ordering them to pay fines and put them on probation they may not recognize what the consequences are.So I think they should lose money in order to realize that this type of behavior is unacceptable. So therefore, the company should be shut down until everything is corrected. I feel by them paying isn’t enough because they have billions of dollars and money isn’t a problem. Investors may feel that this company is reliable for their actions and may not want to do busin ess with them. The reason why investors may not want to do business with them is because they have a history of illegal and unethical behavior that may cause investors to lose money.

Sir Marcus Laurence Oliphant essays

Sir Marcus Laurence Oliphant essays Marcus Laurence Elwin Oliphant, was the eldest of five sons, and was born in 1901 in Kent Town, near Adelaide, South Australia. His father was a civil servant and his mother was an artist. Oliphant was interested in a career in medicine or chemistry, and in 1919 started studying at the University of Adelaide. However, his physics teacher, Dr Roy Burdon, helped him discover the lovely feeling when there is a discovery in the field of physics, and Oliphant began studying Physics more closely. In 1925, Oliphant was further inspired in the field of physics after attending a lecture by Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand physicist. An expert in the field of nuclear physics, Rutherford had made discoveries about radioactivity and the atomic nucleus. In 1927 Oliphant gained the opportunity to live his dream of becoming a physicist. He won an '1851 Exhibitioner' scholarship that allowed him to study under the supervision of Rutherford at the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University in England. Oliphant made his most significant works in science during his stay at the Cavendish Laboratory. He researched nuclear physics, and worked on the artificial disintegration of the atomic nucleus, and positive ions. During this period many discoveries were made at the Cavendish Laboratory, and the field of nuclear physics was rapidly expanding. Rutherford later asked Oliphant to work with him to further investigate Cockcroft and Walton's work. During this time, Oliphant discovered new types of hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) and helium (helium 3). He also designed and built particle accelerators, the most famous of these was a positive ion accelerator. All this work paved the way for the creation of nuclear weapons. Sir John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton made the first major breakthrough in 1932 when they split the atom for the first time, using their revolutionary high-powered par ...

Interracial Relationships In Film and Story essays

Interracial Relationships In Film and Story essays Kate Chopin depicts miscegenation in her story, but this is concept is introduced differently in the film based upon it. The main character Chopin wrote about, Armand, she describes as being half- black and half-white, and this lineage is plausible considering, as Chopin establishes, his parents met in France, and in France at the time, there was not the problem of segregation. When he came to America to become a slave owner, he marries a woman who does not know her original roots, and so this seems perfect for him. This enables him to blame her for the problems he has because of his color in America. Instead of his white wife being the dominate member of the relationship, as prejudice would assume, Armand, instead, is the aggressive, dominating spouse. When she has his baby, the baby is born black. He accuses her of sleeping with a slave. The movie version shows that the dysfunction came from the white couples who were having marital issues in the film because Warren Maxwell seem ed to have more feeling for the black women that he slept with than for his white partner. The status of white women in both the film and the story compared to that of black women is that white women could not be allowed to do anything, and if they did something that their husbands did not approve of, the would be punished for it. For example, the white women were like puppets, and their husbands the ones pulling the strings. As for black women in the book and in the film, they did not have any choice either, and they had to do what their masters asked for because if they did not, they would be punished worse then these men punished their white wives. In the story of Desirees Baby, the white woman maintained more control over her husband than in the the movie. She did exactly what her husband told her to do in the movie. For example, when she had her baby and her baby was black, in the movie, her husband told her that to go to the s...

East Religion (Daoism, Bushido, Confucianism, Shintoism) Essay

East Religion (Daoism, Bushido, Confucianism, Shintoism) - Essay Example I also do not think that this principle of Daoism is consistent with the teachings of other religions. Accordingly, it can not fit in other religions. For example, Islam tells its believers to slaughter Halal animals. That is essentially controlling those animals. Bushido is a term that describes a Japanese code of conduct that the samurai have been complying with since the feudal medieval era. The term was first introduced in the last years of the 19th century. Bushido places emphasis on such measures of nobility as obedience, loyalty, self-sacrifice and honor. Bushido is essentially Japanese samurai’s traditional code (Ellis-Christensen) that stresses upon self discipline and promotes simple living. Japanese were taught to follow the teachings of Bushido. Japanese were required to show full respect and dedication to their family and the ruler. Yes, Bushido fundamentally promotes the principles of ethics. Simplicity in every matter of life is indeed, the ultimate solution of the worries of the present age. So, it makes sense. However, on some aspects, Bushido favors extremism and loses sense. For example, if someone does something wrong, he should commit suicide according to Bushido to save the name of the family he belongs to. This is wrong!

The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World - Essay Example When they laid him on the floor they said he'd been taller than all other men because there was barely enough room for him in the house, but they thought that maybe the ability to keep on growing after death was part of the nature of certain drowned men. He had the smell of the sea about him and only his shape gave one to suppose that it was the corpse of a human being, because the skin was covered with a crust of mud and scales. They did not even have to clean off his face to know that the dead man was a stranger. The village was made up of only twenty-odd wooden houses that had stone courtyards with no flowers and which were spread about on the end of a desertlike cape. There was so little land that mothers always went about with the fear that the wind would carry off their children and the few dead that the years had caused among them had to be thrown off the cliffs. But the sea was calm and bountiful and all the men fitted into seven boats. So when they found the drowned man they simply had to look at one another to see that they were all there. That night they did not go out to work at sea. ... ed that the vegetation on him came from faraway oceans and deep water and that his clothes were in tatters, as if he had sailed through labyrinths of coral. They noticed too that he bore his death with pride, for he did not have the lonely look of other drowned men who came out of the sea or that haggard, needy look of men who drowned in rivers. But only when they finished cleaning him off did they become aware of the kind of man he was and it left them breathless. Not only was he the tallest, strongest, most virile, and best built man they had ever seen, but even though they were looking at him there was no room for him in their imagination. They could not find a bed in the village large enough to lay him on nor was there a table solid enough to use for his wake. The tallest men's holiday pants would not fit him, nor the fattest ones' Sunday shirts, nor the shoes of the one with the biggest feet. Fascinated by his huge size and his beauty, the women then decided to make him some pants from a large piece of sail and a shirt from some bridal linen so that he could continue through his death with dignity. As they sewed, sitting in a circle and gazing at the corpse between stitches, it seemed to them that the wind had never been so steady nor the sea so restless as on that night and they supposed that the change had something to do with the dead man. They thought that if that magnificent man had lived in the village, his house would have had the widest doors, the highest ceiling, and the strongest floor, his bedstead would have been made from a midship frame held together by iron bolts, and his wife would have been the happi est woman. They thought that he would have had so much authority that he could have drawn fish out of the sea simply by calling their names and that