Human Trafficking Is Wrong And Irrational - 1125 Words

A girl named Jessi was walking down the streets of Reno City, homeless after being discharged from the army. Soon, she began using drugs, and her drug dealer told her to prostitute to make money. This is a problem today around the world. Women think it’s okay to be a prostitute because it earns them money. Well, it’s the total opposite of that, according to victims of this terrible wrongdoing. Human trafficking is wrong and irrational, because it publicly embarrasses women, causes problems in their life, and can end up killing the females if it is continued. Prostitution is a lot more than it seems to be. Prostitution is known as the â€Å"world’s oldest profession† and involves the sexual exploitation of women or children. Many victims of the horrible business are forced to â€Å"sell† their bodies to men and women for sexual relations. Over a hundred years ago, sex trade was tolerated and was allowed on the streets of American cities. Today, this practice is done throughout the U.S., despite it being illegal in forty-nine states. However, many violators of this law are never arrested for the crimes they committed. They kidnap or recruit women and adolescents for this industry, because these are the most vulnerable. There are different reasons why these individuals are pressured into morbid acts like this. Some factors that affect the decision to make people prostitutes can be as simple as unemployment and wanting money. Most women go into sex trafficking because of drugs, shelter,Show MoreRelatedIs Violence ever justified1043 Words   |  5 PagesViolence, the act of causing physical harm to another person willingly, has often been categorized as being an uncivilized, unjustified act. It is mostly known, and commonsensical knowledge that attacking or inflicting harm upon another person is â€Å"wrong†. Most of us frown upon people who resort to such violent acts, and they are punishable by law. However, as we progres s into the 21st century, the line of when the use of violence can ever be â€Å"right† or justified is getting increasingly blurred. TheRead MoreHuman Trafficking Throughout the U.S Essay1763 Words   |  8 Pages The trafficking of human beings has evolved and become more universal and serious over the years. Trafficking of people is equivalent to modern day slavery. The duties and expectations of these people are outrageously irrational. The victims are forced to do unthinkable tasks for people they may or may not know. Anyone can be a leader or a victim of human trafficking. Victims of trafficking programs span from an extensive variety of women, children, and men ranging widely in age. There are two veryRead MoreCriminals Are Rational Decision Makers1541 Words   |  7 Pagesdoing this; their situational factors is where. As for the criminals that are motivated by uncontrollable urges, some of them developed those urges based on the onset of crime. Some emotional drives are irrational, such as violence in the heat of the moment; some psychological drives are irrational such as a mania (e.g. kleptomania, pyromania). I would not live in a society where crime rates are low because of extreme punishments. Punishment should fit the crime. Punishment doesn’t always deter criminalsRead MoreImmigration Reform and Illegal Immigrants Essay1559 Words   |  7 Pagesdemeaning job or a labored extensive place of employment. For example, the construction business is on the rise without enough workers to give a much-needed service. Yet some americans dont have the skill to do such jobs in construction. Although this irrational thought of job heist are untrue, when in comparison some Americans would refuse to work at underpaid or minimum wage job. Instead they would rather not but rather stay home compared to work at and meat factory plant or fast food restaurant. TheRead MoreA Male Dominant Society1816 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to a recent survey (Human rights group 2009): †¢ there are around 40 million prostitutes at work around the globe †¢ in 22 countries around the world the ‘profession of prostitution is not only legal but is also regulated. †¢ 1 in 10 men around the world have purchased a prostitute †¢ In Thailand the sex industry is estimated to be around $35 billion †¢ In US around 80,000 individuals are arrested due to charges of soliciting sex †¢ There is a $58 billion sex trafficking industry around the globeRead MoreThe Death Penalty Research Paper2122 Words   |  9 Pagescrimes. However the death penalty is inhumane and should be abolished in the United States. The death penalty has been around since the beginning of civilization. â€Å"Capital Punishment has been practiced in most known societies over the course of humans history† (Garland 30). The website Introduction to the Death Penalty states that the death was first established for 25 different crimes, however, over the years the laws have changed. Fortunately, only one-third of the world still uses this typeRead MoreMoral Studies3796 Words   |  16 Pages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 5. References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦... 14 What is moral value? Moral Value is an understanding of how, why, and to what extent humans should value things, whether it is a person, idea, object, or anything else. Moral value emphasizes philosophy of â€Å"good†, â€Å"accurate† and â€Å"wise† responsibility of a human in current society. Peoples nowadays view moral values as part of obligations in life; because people believe that high moral value will earned them respect and trustRead MoreA Moral Evaluation of Child Labor in the Philippines in the Perspective of Immanuel Kant4746 Words   |  19 Pagescontribute for the betterment of the many. They are indeed really important in everybody’s life not only of their own family but also of their fellow human persons. Every person including the child must be respected and valued in virtue of his/her being a human person. Thus, children must and necessarily be treasured by valuing their own dignity as human persons capable of rationalizing for the betterment of the f uture. However, in the Philippines; most of the children in the past and even untilRead MoreWhy Guns Should Be Banned9306 Words   |  38 Pagesvery dangerous to keep around children. I’ve heard that Adam Lanza’s mother didn’t keep her gun locked up. If she would’ve locked it up safely, she and the Sandy Hook Elementary School kids and staff wouldn’t be murdered. Make gun owning and gun trafficking a felony, is my proposal. Like I’ve mentioned before, during the gun ban, that lasted 10 years, there were less mass shootings. I’m not saying this would prevent all shootings from happening, but it would be a step in the right direction. AnotherRead MoreWhy Guns Should Be Banned9315 Words   |  38 Pagesvery dangerous to keep around children. I’ve heard that Adam Lanza’s mother didn’t keep her gun locked up. If she would’ve locked it up safely, she and the Sandy Hook Elementary School kids and staff wouldn’t be murdered. Make gun owning and gun trafficking a felony, is my proposal. Like I’ve mentioned before, during the gun ban, that lasted 10 years, there were less mass shootings. I’m not saying this would prevent all shootings from happening, but it would be a step in the right direction. Another

Chronic Mental Illness - 719 Words

Jeanne is a social worker employed by a community behavioral health center where she provides clinical services to the persons who are suffering from chronic mental illness. Two days prior, one of her clients, Jessica, committed suicide. According to the social worker, for many years Jessica had been struggled with depression and cocaine addiction. Right after the suicide, Jessica’s parents who had participated in her treatment at numerous times, in the context of family counseling contacted Jeanne, the social worker to tell her about the tragic situation. The social worker met with Jessicas parents, to talk about Jessicas lifelong challenges. Jessicas parents spoke for a long time with the social worker about how much they appreciated her effort on helping Jessica during the challenging period of her mental illness. The parents also talked to the social worker about how painful it is for them to bury Jessica. At the end of the meeting, Jessicas parents tell the social worker that they would like for her to deliver the eulogy in the funeral, because they consider her as an important person of the family. The social worker was very touched by the parents’ sentiments and their poignant request. She felt close to the family and wanted to be supportive. At the same time, however, the social worker quickly recognized the ethical dilemma facing her. She was especially concerned about violating Jessica’s privacy, and confidentiality†(Social Work Today Magazine). The mainShow MoreRelatedSchizophrenia: A Chronic Mental Illness2452 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction Stress serves as a major risk and complicating factor for any illness, regardless of presenting symptoms (Elliott and Einsdorfer 1982; Hatfield and Lefley 2007; Nicholson and Neufeld 2002). For a chronic mental illness as complex as schizophrenia, the impact of environmental stress is particularly important to consider. The Stress-Diathesis Model (or Vulnerability Stress Model) places schizophrenia in the context of both biological and environmental (psychosocial) risk factors (ZubinRead MorePrevention versus Treatment of Chronic Illnesses and Childhood Mental Illness665 Words   |  3 PagesPrevention’s role is to alleviate factors that lead to the need for treatment. Treatment refers to the interventions that occur to cure or lessen/manage the symptoms of a disease, illness or injury once it presents. Prevention is intuitively the best strategy in mitigating social determinants of poor health that lead to high treatment costs. In an ideal world, financial resources would be skewed toward prevention as an investment in future health/wellness and to avoid the need for treatment wheneverRead MoreFamily And Community Resource Project : Super Aweosme Title1592 Words   |  7 PagesProject: Super Aweosme Title Chronic illness sucks. Many families in Canada and around the world live with a person who has one or more chronic condition. Chrionic conditions can range from heart disease, injury, cancer, and mental illness. Chronic conditions are â€Å"impairments in function, development, or disease states that are irreversible . Chronic illness Over the course of three interviews This paper will explore the effects of chronicity on families living with chronic condiditons through researchRead MoreMedical Conditions on Adolescents1414 Words   |  6 PagesChronic illness has a large effect on everyone, no matter what the age. In adolescents, they are still dependent on their parents as their caregivers, and are old enough to understand and make decisions for themselves. Chronic illness has been defined  as â€Å"an illness that is prolonged in duration, does not often resolve spontaneously, and is rarely cured completely.† (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing). A dolescence is â€Å"a period of rapid physical, psychological, emotional and socialRead MoreTheory of Chronic Sorrow and Nursing Application1200 Words   |  5 Pages â€Æ' Theory of Chronic Sorrow and Nursing Application The theory of chronic sorrow is a middle range nursing theory explored largely by Georgene Gaskill Eakes, Mary Lermnann Burke and Maragret A. Hainsworth. The theory provides framework for understanding and working with individuals who have experienced a significant loss of a loved one. As stated by Eakes et al. (1998, p. 179), Chronic sorrow is described as â€Å"†¦the periodic recurrence of permanent, pervasive sadness or other grief related feelingsRead MoreCauses And Treatment Of Chronic Illness1491 Words   |  6 Pagesrates of chronic illness. Chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease are the leading causes of disability throughout the United States. â€Å"As of 2012, about half of all adults—117 million people—had one or more chronic health conditions† (CDC 2016). People with a chronic illness essentially have a disease or disorder that requires a lifetime of coping. It is not uncommon for people to often become so ill that they are unable to work. Frequently chronic illness patientsRead MoreEssay On 12 Ways Spoonies Cope With Chronic Illness979 Words   |  4 Pages12 Ways Spoonies Cope With the Stress of Chronic Illness As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, Instagram has become an absolute treasure trove of practical information for people living with chronic illness. Here are 12 ways spoonies just like you cope with the stress of living with an invisible illness while having fun at the same time! Being Stubborn When living with a chronic illness, stubbornness can be both your best and your worst asset. On the one hand, you’re incredibly determined to notRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Breast Cancer Essay1361 Words   |  6 Pageschallenges due to chronic illnesses and mental health issues that can greatly affect their quality of life. The leading causes of death in people over the age of 65 are heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease (CDC, 2016). Roughly 92% of older adults suffer from at least one chronic illness, and 77% experience at least two (NCOA, n.d.). Chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and strokes, account for two thirds of all deaths each year (NCOA, n.d.). Mental health isRead MorePositive Psychology And Chronic Illness2102 Words   |  9 Pagesand Chronic Illness A chronic illness is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured. It is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, accounting for 70% of all deaths in the U.S., which is around 1.7 million each year. With statistics like that, being diagnosed with a chronic illness could obviously have severely negative effects to a person’s body. Not only is a chronic illness physically stressful, it also has the ability to affect a person’s mental stateRead MoreTypes And Implementation Of Care Coordination1315 Words   |  6 Pagescare coordination is more significant for patients with chronic illnesses, especially those with multiple illnesses. As of 2012 approximately 117 million people (50% of all adults) had one or more chronic health conditions. Of four adults, at least one had two or more conditions classified as chronic.1 In the U.S. the 10 leading causes of death in 2010 included seven chronic conditions.2 These conditions were: †¢ Heart Disease †¢ Cancer †¢ Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease †¢ Stroke (cardiovascular disease)

Walvis Bay Yacht Club

Question: Write a Case Study on Walvis Bay Yacht Club? Answer: Introduction: Walvis Bay Yacht Club (WBYC) is a private yacht club which has a school for sailing and seamanship. Mainly the Navy used it to train its personnel. WBYC is privately owned and administered which provides services to the Namibian and Angolan navies as well as to civilian club members. It is managed by an executive board which has roles like Commodore (chief executive), Finance Director, Education Director and Training Director, there are also two representatives from the Navy. The services which are provided by WBYC are full range of maritime education with sports facilities, hostels, canteen and restaurant, facilities manageress and a sick bay. Thus, WBYC has various departments like HOD (Head Of the Department), teachers, a nurse, cleaners, catering, crew and maintenance staff for boats. Systems of interest within the internal boundary of WBYC The three possible systems that should be digitalized and be supported by proper information technology solutions are: The Membership Management System The Walvis Bay Yacht Club essentially requires a system that would be helpful in maintaining the details of the memberships of the card. The system should be able to maintain all personal records of those people who hold memberships of the club. The details of the membership should also be available on the system, along with the details of the access that the members have, to the various facilities offered by the club. The club members should also be able to access all the details of their club membership using this system. The system should be able to generate automated text messages and/ or electronic mails directed towards the club members so as to provide them information regarding the renewal of their club membership. Using this very same system, the club members should be able to book those facilities that the club makes available to them. The information regarding all these bookings should also be recorded by the system and should be made readily available such that they can be used for further retrieval of information. In case the club members would want to take admissions in any course provided by the sailing school and/ or the seamanship school, they can use this particular system for the admission process. The course fees would directly be added to their club membership fees via the membership system. The Admission Management System The various record containing details of the students who are taking admission to the schools of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club need to be maintained using a software system. The system should be able to hold record from of both the schools in separate sections, which should contain the various personal record of the students and the detail of the nearest family member who should be contacted in case of any accident and/ or mishaps Since the club runs two schools for seamanship and that of sailing, it should be considered that frequent minor accidents can occur in both of the schools, the treatment process of which would require detailed health records like that of blood group of the students, records of chronic health conditions that the students might have, the medications taken for treating those conditions and so on. The paramedic associated with the club should be able to have an access of all these records using the proposed system. The system should be able to record the fact that whether a student has taken admission in either of the two schools or at both of them. In case a student takes admission in both the courses offered by the school, the system should be able to provide guidance regarding the management of the class schedules such that he or she is able to attend both the schools. Detailed records of all the achievements made by each student of the schools should be available on the system. The system should also be able to recognize any student who holds a membership of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club, that is, the admissions system should be linked with the system that maintains the records of membership of the club. The software system being used to maintain the procedure of admissions should also be able to maintain the records of those students who used to attend the schools of seamanship and sailing in the previous sessions. The Employee Management System The employee management system is maintained in any organization so as to record and manage the details of all the details of the employees and/ or staff that are associated with any organization. The employee management system maintained at the Walvis Bay Yacht Club should record all the personal details of the employees, besides maintaining all the records of their job responsibilities, their positions, their job accomplishments and the compensations that they are about to receive from the organization. Using the employee management system, the staff should be able to register their daily attendance at office. The employee management system should also be utilized to maintain the record of the allocations of daily duties and/ or shifts of the employees. The functionality that records the attendance of the employees could also be used to keep a track on the number of leaves that are available to the employees. System components The Membership Management System This particular system manages the detailed records of club members: their name, address, type of membership and the details of their family members. The data being put into the system is recorded into the tables of the data base management system maintained by the organization. The operations management system maintained by the Walvis Bay Yacht Club is the environment of the membership management system. Figure: Use case diagram: Membership management system The employee management system This particular system manages the detailed records of employees: their name, address, positions held, salary package, job responsibilities, contact details and the details of their family members. The data being put into the system is recorded into the tables of the data base management system maintained by the organization. The operations management system maintained by the Walvis Bay Yacht Club is the environment of the employee management system. Figure: Use case diagram: Employee management system The CATWOE model of root definition is a process that defines the following aspects of any system: CATWOE MODEL C = CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS A = ACTORS OR AGENTS T = TRANSFORMATION PROCESS W =WELTANSCHAUUNG or WORLD VIEW O = OWNERS E = ENVIRONMENT Root definition of the admission management system: The admission management system will be used to facilitate the activities associated with the admission of students, both club members and non-members, in the courses provided by the sailing school and the seamanship school run by the Walvis Bay Yacht Club. Using this particular system, the WBYC will be able to manage and record all the details of the students who are taking admissions in the courses offered by the club, the details of their achievements at the schools and the fees paid by them CATWOE Model of the admission management system: C = CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS: The students and/ or club members taking admissions in various courses offered by the sailing school and the seamanship school run by Walvis Bay Yacht Club. A = ACTORS OR AGENTS: The actors taking part in this management system are- The students taking admission in the courses offered by the club. The employees who record the details of the students in the system. T = TRANSFORMATION PROCESS: The data being recorded in the system are then maintained in the tables of the data system management system which store all the data being recorded by the operations management system of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club. When the admission management system is searched for any data associated with any student, the system searches the required set of data from the database system and retrieves them, if found. W =WELTANSCHAUUNG or WORLD VIEW: The proposed system is a part of the operations management system of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club, failure of which will negatively affect the record maintenance system of the club. O = OWNERS: The higher management of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club is the owner of this system; they are the ones who had made the decision of incorporating this system in their organization, and they are the ones who have the sole ownership over the system. E = ENVIRONMENT: The environmental constraints of the system: The system has the ability to collect only those personal details of the students that are essential for the system to operate. These records are not made available to any third party concerns without the consent of the students. The admission system essentially provides first come first services. The admission system is able to provide services to only those members or students who have already taken admissions to the courses. Stakeholder Analysis: The stake holders of the system are: The management of the Walvis Bay Yacht Club: They have the sole ownership over the system and have the responsibility of taking decisions regarding the management of the system. The employees of the club: The employees of the club are the opens who operate all the functionalities of the system. The users of the system: The club members and the students who take admissions in the various courses offered by the club are the people who exploit the facilities provided by the club. A Basden A Wood-Harper, 'A philosophical discussion of the root definition in soft systems thinking: an enrichment of CATWOE', inSyst. Res., vol. 23, 2006, 61-87. B Bergvall-Kreborn, A Mirijamdotter A Basden, 'Basic Principles of SSM Modeling: An Examination of CATWOE from a Soft Perspective', inSystemic Practice and Action Research, vol. 17, 2004, 55-73. E Gelenbe I Mitrani,Analysis and synthesis of computer systems, in , London, UK, Imperial College Press, 2010. E Antonacopoulou J Mric, 'A critique of stakeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ holder theory: management science or a sophisticated ideology of control?', inCorporate Governance: The international journal of business in society, vol. 5, 2005, 22-33. Figure: The influence and frequency use of the stake holders of the system. A system can be defined as the orderly and/ or appropriates grouping of various components that depend on each other to perform a certain set of functionalities. The components are linked together to perform the basic utilities of a system. A system is incorporated in any organization according to some plan so as to achieve a specific set of objectives that are essential to that organization. The essential characteristics that any system, should posses are: a proper organization of the system itself, an ability to interact with other system that exist within the same environment or outside, the interdependence of the components of the system, and an integration of the system towards fulfilling a common objective. The following can be considered as the elements of any system: The inputs to the system. The processors of the system. The functionalities used for controlling the system. The feedback paths of the system. The environment of the system. The interfaces of the system used for the purpose of interaction with other systems present within the environment or outside it. The boundaries of the system The various types of computer system that are generally incorporated in business organizations are: Physical systems: tangible entities that might operate either in a static way or in a dynamic way. Abstract Systems: System that are more of conceptual entities and do not have any physical existence are known as abstract system. Open Systems: A system that has the ability to interact with the other systems in its environment and possess many interfaces for such communication purposes are known as open systems. Such systems allow interaction with other systems at their boundaries: in order to receive inputs or feedbacks from other systems and/or to provide outputs or feed backs to those systems. Closed system: A closed system remains in isolation from the other systems in its environment and has no provision for any interaction with any other system. The system that is being incorporated in the Walvis Bay Yacht Club should be an abstract one. The system should be designed in such a way that it would be able to interact with the other systems in its environment: that is an open system should be implemented by the WBYC. The interaction of all the systems within the environment is necessary since all the sub systems of the operation management system need access data stored and processed by other subsystems. As for example, the admissions management system needs to access data stored by the membership management system so as to access the details of the club members who are taking admission in the courses offered by the sailing school and the seamanship school. Soft systems methodologyor SSM can be thought of as an approach towards the modeling of various organizational processes, otherwise known as business process modeling. The soft system methodology can be applied for designing solution general problems and to those problems that aim at finding management solutions to any change that have been incorporated in any system. The most common uses of SSM are found in those systems which aim at analyzing various complex situations which consist of divergent views associated with the definition of a particular problem, otherwise known as "soft problems". In situations associated with soft problems, the problem for which the solution is being generated might not be properly pointed out: thus the solution primarily involves an interrogative devise that aims at finding out the problem which will be solved, using a debate among the various concerned topics. The soft systems methodology has seven primary steps involved that are used to solve the entire problem: starting from the process of primary appreciation of the problem up to providing a modular solution to the problem being considered. The steps are: Recognizing the situation that should be considered as problematical. In-detailed analysis of the problem that has been recognized Formulating the root definitions associated with the relevant systems that will be necessary in fulfilling the purposes of the activity. Building conceptual models of those sub systems that have been identified by the root definition of the entire system. Comparative study of the designed models with those situations that occur in the real world. Define those changes the introduction of which in the systems would be both feasible and possible. Taking necessary actions so as to improve the condition of the problem being solved. The transportation problem that has been discussed in the article titled as Soft systems methodology as learning and management tool has certain properties that should be solved systematically using a soft system methodology. Generally the solution to such engineering problems are provided using the hard system methodology that aims at providing solutions based on objectives that has been set up previously. However , when the social and human activities of any system are to be considered, it is essential to follow a soft system methodology. The system being considered in this report is as data hungry as the transportation problem described in the article: the process of designing a functional solution to the system would require the analysis of a huge range of data that is used, generated and processed by the manual system currently in use, such that the product development team is able to get clear picture of the data flow of the system being designed. The operations management system can be decomposed into various functional sub systems which aim to depict various human activities: such systems generally consist of various ill-structured and problematic situation that are found in the real world, and thus the application of soft system methodologies in their designing phase are not only relevant but are essential. The soft system methodology involves techniques using which complex problems can be defined, and the procedure does not require the definition of the system before analyzing it, rather it involves the process of analysis of the existing system in order to design a model that could be used to replace it. The Soft system methodology was implemented in the transportation system planning as it served the following purposes: The methodology provided an inquiring system that would be helpful in recognizing the true characteristics of the ill defined problems that exist in the system. The system provides facilities to its users such that they can slowly adapt to the new system being incorporated and provide new strategies which can be used so as to improve it. The background of the problem is always considered with importance. The methodology applies two methods of analysis: the logic driven method which considers the operational activities of the system and the culture driven analysis which takes into consideration the social, cultural, political and the human activity based context of the problem being considered. However, the final interaction of these two analysis methodologies is inevitable: as both the analysis methodologies have been developed with the aim of providing support and information to each other. A comparative analysis of the model being developed and that of the physical models that are actually present in the real world is conducted: the aim of the analysis being the recognition of those changes that can possibly be implemented in the system. Last, but not the least, the methodology provides activities that can facilitate the improvement of the of the problem situation. Thus it can be said that the main reason behind the application of the soft system methodology in the development of the transportation project was that the methodology accounts for all the elements of subjectivity that might exist in any human activity system. The very same reasons are applicable for the application of the soft system methodology in the project being considered in this assignment. Conclusion: The various technological aspects associated with the installation of an operation management system have been described in this assignment paper. The sub systems of the operation s management project have been discussed, besides providing a root definition of the system. A CATWOE model has also been used to analyze the root definition. The stake holder analysis of the system provides a clear insight into the roles played by various groups of people who are associated with the system. Finally, through extensive research, it has been finalized that the soft system methodology will be used to design and develop the project. References: Antonacopoulou, E, J Mric, 'A critique of stakeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ holder theory: management science or a sophisticated ideology of control?'. inCorporate Governance: The international journal of business in society, 5, 2005, 22-33. Basden, A, A Wood-Harper, 'A philosophical discussion of the root definition in soft systems thinking: an enrichment of CATWOE'. inSyst. Res., 23, 2006, 61-87. Bergvall-Kreborn, B, A Mirijamdotter, A Basden, 'Basic Principles of SSM Modeling: An Examination of CATWOE from a Soft Perspective'. inSystemic Practice and Action Research, 17, 2004, 55-73. Dargan, P,Open systems and standards for software product development. in , Boston, MA, Artech House, 2005. Finkelstein, A. incs.ucl.ac.u, , 2015, https://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/A.Finkelstein/advmsc/6.pdf [accessed 23 June 2015]. Gelenbe, E, I Mitrani,Analysis and synthesis of computer systems. in , London, UK, Imperial College Press, 2010. Hannola, L, K Elfvengren, M Tuominen, 'A group support system process for the definition of software requirements'. inIJIL, 7, 2010, 171. Hassan, S, 'Soft Systems Methodology in Environment-Aware Case-Based Reasoning System Analysis'. inInformation Technology J., 9, 2010, 467-473. Jianmei, Y, 'An approach applying SSM to problem situations of interests conflicts: Interests-coordination SSM'. inSyst. Res., 27, 2010, 171-189. Rodriguez-Ulloa, R, A Paucar-Caceres, 'Soft System Dynamics Methodology (SSDM): Combining Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and System Dynamics (SD)'. inSyst Pract Act Res, 18, 2005, 303-334. L Hannola, K Elfvengren M Tuominen, 'A group support system process for the definition of software requirements', inIJIL, vol. 7, 2010, 171. P Dargan,Open systems and standards for software product development, in , Boston, MA, Artech House, 2005. A Finkelstein, incs.ucl.ac.u, , 2015, https://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/A.Finkelstein/advmsc/6.pdf [accessed 23 June 2015].

Scarlet Letter Essays (203 words) - English-language Films

Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the heroine is admired because of her strong will, and disregard for other's views of her. Hester Pryne displays her best qualities when she stands up to Governor Bellingham and his gang, when they confront her about her daughter Pearl. Hester is a woman that is well ahead of her time, she is vocal, proud, head-strong, and confident, in an age where women were to be seen and not heard. She was deeply admired by all the townspeople, despite her adulterous past, and public shame of wearing a scarlet "A" upon her breast. Hester is a victim of a crime which was severely punished despite the fact that she could only be accountable for half of the incident. She was forced into the marriage of a man she did not love, and after being separated for a long amount of time, she became attracted to another man. Hester is much stronger then her partner in adultery, Dimmesdale, who bottles up his guilt inside, and eventually dies due to the suffering he endures, at keeping the event a secret. Hester endures her punishment without a word against it, and grows from it, making her stronger and a woman to be admired from her puritan counterparts, and women today.

Inexpressibility - Definition and Examples in Rhetoric

Inexpressibility s in Rhetoric Definition In rhetoric, inexpressibility refers to a speakers inability to find or use the appropriate words to describe a situation or relate an experience. Also called the inexpressibility trope or inexpressibility topos. Inexpressibility may be regarded as one of the tropes of silence or as adynatona type of hyperbole that emphasizes a subject by stating the impossibility of describing it. Examples and Observations Shakespeare himself couldn’t come up with the right words to describe the scene at the Staples Center Thursday night. It was a disaster moviefor the Los Angeles Lakersplaying out before our eyes on TNT. A proud franchise falling in epic fashion at the hands of the former doormat franchise that has existed in the Lakers’ shadow all these years.(Sekou Smith, Twitter Reacts: The Lakers Worst Loss Ever . . . and the Clips Biggest Win Ever. Sekou Smiths Hang Time Blog, March 7, 2014)Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter.(Goneril in Act One, scene one of The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare)I do not err in conceiving that you are interested in details of all that is majestic or beautiful in nature; but how shall I describe to you the scenes by which I am now surrounded? To exhaust the epithets which express the astonishment and the admirationthe very excess of satisfied astonishment, where expectation scarcely acknowledged any boundary, is this, to i mpress upon your mind the images which fill mine now, even till it overflow?(Percy Bysshe Shelley in a letter to Thomas Love Peacock, Mont Blanc, July 22, 1816) Dantes Use of the Inexpressibility Trope If I had words grating and crude enough that really could describe this horrid hole supporting the converging weight of Hell, I could squeeze out the juice of my memories to the last drop. But I dont have these words, and so I am reluctant to begin. (Dante Alighieri, Canto 32 of The Divine Comedy: Inferno, trans. by Mark Musa. Indiana University Press, 1971) But if my verse would have a defect When entering into the praise of her, For that is to blame the weak intellect And our speech, that does not have the power Of spelling out all that Love says. (Dante Alighieri, Convivio [The Banquet], c. 1307, trans. by Albert Spaulding Cook in The Reach of Poetry. Purdue University Press, 1995) Inexpressibility in the Lyrics of Cat Stevens How can I tell you that I love you, I love you But I cant think of right words to say. I long to tell you that Im always thinking of you, Im always thinking of you, but my words Just blow away, just blow away. (Cat Stevens, How Can I Tell You. Teaser and the Firecat, 1971) There are no words I can use Because the meaning still leaves for you to choose, And I couldnt stand to let them be abused, by you. (Cat Stevens, The Foreigner Suite. Foreigner, 1973) Inexpressibility From Homer to Wes Anderson You might say The Grand Budapest Hotel is one big example of the device that rhetoricians call the inexpressibility trope. The Greeks knew this figure of speech through Homer: I could not relate the multitude [of the Achaeans] nor name them, not if I had ten tongues and ten mouths. The Jews know it, too, through an ancient part of their liturgy: Were our mouths as full of song as the sea, and the joy of our tongues as countless as the waves . . . we still could not give thanks enough. And, needless to say, Shakespeare knew it, or at least Bottom did: The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive nor his heart to report what my dream was.† Anderson’s goofy dream is of course closest to Bottom’s version of inexpressibility. With great panache and an almost imperceptible wink, he serves up witty confections of sets, costumes and acting that are as deliberately mismatched to the terrors of this history as is Zero to Gustave. This is the film’s ultimate incongruity, meant to amuse and touch you while keeping Anderson honest about his firsthand ignorance of fascism, war and a half-century of Soviet dreadfulness. (Stuart Klawans, Missing Pictures. The Nation, March 31, 2014) Inexpressibility Topoi The root of the topoi to which I have given the above name is emphasis upon inability to cope with the subject. From the time of Homer onwards, there are examples in all ages. In panegyric, the orator finds no words which can fitly praise the person celebrated. This is a standard topos in the eulogy of rulers (basilikos logos). From this beginning the topos already ramifies in Antiquity: Homer and Orpheus and others too would fail, did they attempt to praise him. The Middle Ages, in turn, multiplies the names of famous authors who would be unequal to the subject. Included among the inexpressibility topoi is the authors assurance that he sets down only a small part of what he has to say (pauca e multis). (Ernst Robert Curtius, Poetry and Rhetoric. European Literature and the Latin Middle Ages, trans. by Willard Trask. Princeton University Press, 1953) Also See Apophasis  and  Paralepsis AposiopesisEmphasisFigures, Tropes, and Other Rhetorical TermsOccultatioTopoiVerbal Irony

Why Should You Hire a Writer Online Why Its Better than in Person

Why Should You Hire a Writer Online Why Its Better than in Person Why Should You Hire a Writer Online: Why It’s Better than in Person Should you hire a writer online, or find a writer nearby who you can meet in person? If you’re considering different options, choose to hire a writer online. Here are the reasons why: More Choice There are many companies online that offer the convenience and anonymity of ordering online. There are literally hundreds of these companies who source writers from all over the world to write papers. If you hire a writer from a local agency, it is likely that you did not have many options. You may only have one or two brick and mortar agencies nearby to get help with a paper. Cost-Effectiveness Aside from spending money on gas to drive to an agency, hiring online is more economical because the Internet is a global marketplace and as such, it is more competitive then your local marketplace. You have the advantage of currency exchange which works in your favor and helps stretch the dollar. Everyone likes an option that is easy on the wallet, especially cash strapped students. From Home Opportunities Working online means no time and effort spent travelling. Not to mention you will need no appointment, will not need to sit in any waiting room, or wait for anyone else. You simply communicate via email, when it is a convenient time for you. Updates Any Time Hiring online allows you to be updated wherever you are. Since business is managed via email you can check the status or receive a notification instantly, from wherever you are. No waiting for phone calls or checking messages. Â  Communicate online, from wherever you happen to be. You can even communicate while on vacation, or during the weekend. More Control A local agent acts as a middleman between you and the writer. Instead of dealing with the writer directly, you communicate with the agency. A lot of communication and meaning can be lost in the interchange, and you will not be able to assess the writer’s understanding or clarify misunderstandings right away. Why not cut out the middle man and deal directly to you maintain control of the project and save time? Being a student means having many tasks, assignments and responsibilities simultaneously. It can be impossible to find the time to get everything done. Spending extra time contacting a local writing agency, making an appointment, traveling to the location, and meeting with someone is just not worth it. It is easy to see why the best choice is to hire a writer online. The benefits are numerous and the convenience can not be beaten.

What are the factors driving the growth of township and village Essay

What are the factors driving the growth of township and village enterprises (TVES) in China What barriers to continued growth do they face - Essay Example The presence of TVE’s has contributed a lot in he state-run market. In the community side, the TVE’s contributed greatly to countryside improvement both in cost-effective and societal fields (Yueh, 2010:75). This reduced greatly the country side unemployment pressure the government had to deal with. This paper will endeavor to examine the inclusive factors driving the growth of TVE’s and the barriers in their continuous growth. First, the TVE’s have been integrated into the world economy. The location of these enterprises sits deep in the rural town of china. In such areas as the coastal l province of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangsu were majority are concentrated, the areas have a rich historical background. They possess prominent historical archives and are closely linked to Chinese capitals such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia (Yueh, 2010:142). The close ties between the TVE’s have created the requirement of international division of labor and this forms an added advantage to rural china. They thus attract overseas Chinese investors. This has in consequence pumped a lot of money and real development and expansion plans have been initiated leading to their uncontrollable growth. The growth and [potential avenues of exploitation is the reason these TVE’s have emerged so strong. These rural setting have again contributed to importance of TVE’s growth. In these loc ations, the locals have provided well- disciplined and affordable Chinese work force (Tsui et al., 2006:201). This contributes to the successful operation the industries. The output per the TVE’s considerably keeps on going up as a result of dedicated work force. The provisions of tax exemption, currency conversion, and other open door policy as preferential treatment have attracted other international investors. This brings in more developments of these local TVE’s

Implications of Economics and Policy for Healthcare Professionals Research Paper

Implications of Economics and Policy for Healthcare Professionals - Research Paper Example follows from the ability of the principles to indicate whether the right investments are being made, leading to the creation of more health benefits. The principles also alert individuals, and other stakeholders of any available alternatives that can be used to meet health care needs in a better way. Considering the complex nature of health and health care is important when examining the economic principles related to health care delivery. It allows individuals and institutions to make informed decisions (â€Å"NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, 2013). Profitable projects get to be implemented at the expense of unprofitable ventures. More to these, the process ensures improved allocation of resources, hence reaping maximum benefits. Learning about health policy leads to numerous benefits. Health policy enlightens on the various ways that the government uses to help its citizens in accessing health care. The government, for example, extends medical services to people who can hardly afford medical care. These include those living below the poverty line, the elderly, and even the disabled. Such knowledge enables health professionals to serve as educators in the society (Harrington & Estes, 2008). This ensures that more people access better health care, thus highlighting the importance of being conversant with the health policy of any government. Being conversant with the health policy also increases the ability to participate in the policy making process of the government, thus making important changes in health care (Bryant, 2002). This can be done through giving suggestions that can help improve the health conditions in a given country. Such participation ensures that critical issues, which the government cannot address in isolation, get to be solved, leading to a healthier society. My major question relates to the actions being taken by the government, given the ever increasing cost of health care. Health care becomes expensive on a daily basis, thus making it

Personnel to Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Personnel to Human Resource Management Essay Personnel management refers to a set of functions or activities including recruitment, training, pay and industrial relations performed effectively but often in isolation from each other or with overall organisation objectives. In 1991, Hilmer noted that the Australian tradition of many sub-specialities or functions (industrial relations, compensation, training and pay) was out of date. The early 1990s was an are of great speculation on the future of the functions in managing people. The concept Human Resource Management (HRM) began to influence the practice of integrating functions with each other and organisation objectives. Coppleston (1991) explained the HR function within any enterprise must first of all serve the organisation†¦ an investment area rather than a cost to the organisation. Reinforced by other writers, human resources should be viewed as human capital, and that HR managers should strive to use them as investment creating an environment where the appropriate strategy is likely to emerge. (Williams, 1991) Alternate perspectives of HRM emphasise either the effective management of employees through greater accountability and control, the greater involvement in decision making processes, or both of these. (Nankervis, Compton McCarthy, 1993) In countries such as Australia, the personnel management function arrived more slowly than its USA counterparts and came from a number of avenues. The orientation of personnel management was not entirely managerial. In the UK, its origins were traced to welfare officers where it became evident that there was an inherent conflict between their activities and those of line managers. There were not seen to have a philosophy compatible with the view of senior managers. The welfare officer orientation placed personnel management as a buffer between the business and the employees. In terms of organisational politics this was not a viable position for those wishing to further their careers, increase their status, earn high salaries or influence organisation performance. Industrial relations further compounded the distinction through their intermediary role between unions and line management. (Price, 2005) However, during the 1970s, many Australian organisations found themselves in turbulent business and economic climates with major competition from the USA, Europe and Asian markets. Concurrently, the Institute for Personnel Management (IPMA) and training institutions such as TAFE and universities were becoming more sophisticated in their approaches incorporating more  recent approaches such as Excellence and Total Quality Management. During this period the IPMA held national and international conferences, initiated relationships with the Asia-Pacific region, developed an accreditation process and the now titled Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. (Nankervis et al, 1993)By the 1980s, personnel had become a well-defined but low status area of management. Traditional personnel managers were accused of having a narrow, functional outlook. Storey (1989) comment that personnel management †¦has long been dogged by problems of credibility, marginality, ambiguity and a trash-can labelling which has relegated it to a relatively disconnected set of duties many of them tainted with a low status welfare connotation. In practice, the background and training of many personnel managers left them speaking a different language from other managers and unable to comprehend wider business issues such as business strategy, market competition, labour economics and the role of other organisational functions. (Price, 2005) This set the scene to integrate personnel management with wider trends in management thinking. In 1999 (cited in Gollan 2005), Hunt suggested, the key link to the success of the function lies in the struggle to acquire more influence, something that is being carried out in a climate of downsizing and outsourcing. Even the change of name from personnel to HR is indicative that the way people view and perform this role is changing with the new name communicating a desire to break with the past and to throw off an image that was limp and limiting†¦ The future of the HR function may be far from certain †¦ [however] †¦ In situations of uncertainty, it is the confident who win through †¦ I know of no organisation whose senior managers believe their company will operate, in the future, without any human beings. Whether ensuring the supply of those human beings resides in a function called HR or not is rather irrelevant. Such themes included human capital theory and human resource accounting, however, HRM gained further ground and prominence once introduced to the Harvard Business School MBA course in 1981. The four main approaches founded during the 1980s were: The strategic matching theories from the Michigan and  New York Schools; Multiple Stakeholders theory from the Harvard School; Political and Change Process Theory from the Warwick School and a Behavioural Transformation Theory from the Schuler School. (Price, 2005) Each theory expressed models that stress people as human resources which are a resource different to any other the organisation may have and therefore require to be managed differently. This could be conceived as rather confusing, however Townley (1994) argued that much of the confusion over the role of human resource managers is due to two factors: 1. The conflict between the welfare tradition of personnel management and the strategic orientation of more modern HRM and; 2. A gender divide between female or soft personnel management at lower management and administrative levels and male, hard nosed human resource managers within upper management. Benchmarking and best practice have become widely used terms in the past decade. HRM benchmarking is a process which provides knowledge of the key HR levers which are important to business outcomes; comparison with other businesses with better performance and ways of using that information to improve HR processes. This allows HR processes and outcomes to be quantified so that objectives can be set meaningfully and realistically. This was a revolutionary approach for many HR professionals who were used to subjective job descriptions and values with a focus on process rather than outcome which did not gain much credibility with other business units who were used to objective and quantifiable measures of performance. (Nankervis et al, 1993; Price, 2005) Vilinas and Harper (2005) explored the impact of performance management on staff, the organisation and the business. Performance management was found to be useful in improving role clarity, identifying and standardising performance objectives,, increasing performance feedback and assisting in the development of more useful and meaningful performance measures. The authors found that how performance management was viewed depended on the performance of the team. That is, if the team were performing well, it was viewed positively, if the team were not performing well, it was viewed negatively. Furthermore, Vilinas and Harper (2005), found difficulty in evaluating the impact of performance management systems in organisations. There fore it is difficult to determine the impact this human resource strategy on organisation performance in a  quantitative sense. Royal and ODonnell (2005), argue that qualitative human capital analysis would assist in predicting organisation sustainability and future financial performance by providing substantial evidence indicating the link between particular HR practices and organisation performance. These practices included learning and development, flexible work policies and performance management. The focus on long term relationships between the organisation and staff was the impact on organisation performance rather than an economic exchange. Exploring the impacts of downsizing on organisation performance, Farrell and Mavondo (2005) reported on the contradictory evidence in the literature about this relationship and surveyed manufacturing companies in order to test the impact. The findings concluded that when redesign of organisations drive downsizing the impact on the business is positive, but it is negative when the organisation redesign is driven by downsizing. This indicated that good HR practice linking with the organisation strategic plan is more likely to provide a positive business outcome. According to McGrath-Champ and Baird (2005), HRM practices and the role of HR and employee relations practitioners have been undergoing major changes since the 1980s. Particular changes include the shift to enterprise bargaining. The authors used data from numerous surveys aimed at exploring the changing role of HR practitioners and the implications on the skills required in order to fulfil the changed role. This, in turn, impacts on the capability of the HR area in its ability to support and influence organisational performance. Given that small business is a significant employer in Australia, Bartram (2005) found they are not as likely to use participative management techniques, invest in training in the area of employee relations or develop organisation strategy. However, without the use of HRM practices, small business can be effected detrimentally particularly in a global economic climate. The evidence suggests that organisation performance will usually benefit from the integration of human resource management and product and market strategies, improved understanding of the needs of employees at the workplace, and better use of their skill and ingenuity. Strategies designed to achieve a more comprehensive use of employees human potential, desire to learn, flexibility and personal responsibility would appear capable of delivering higher levels of performance (Gollan Davis, 1998). This is at the heart of the argument for more attention to HRM. Other things being equal, it will assist improve profitability through changing employee attitudes, overcoming resistance to change. (Gollan Davis, 1998) Moreover, there will be experience of mutual advantage. Management can benefit from improved performance and reduced levels of turnover and absenteeism and being an employer of choice in the current labour tight market. As a result employees may enjoy more job security, development opportunities, autonomy and incentives to take ownership and responsibility for quality outcomes. (West Patterson, 1998) While HRM approaches are worthwhile in terms of improving organisation performance, it can be difficult to measure the link between the improvement and the HR practice. The length of time can be fraught with problems when considering the impact of HRM on organisation performance. A short term consultation with staff could pay off years ahead in performance. The most difficult obstacle is in the change of organisation culture for both managers and employees in terms of leadership skills, strategy and resources for development. Based on research statistics of over 30 000 HR professionals, Brockbank (2005), stated the HR field is outstanding at doing what it says it will do, in terms of delivering the basic HR infrastructure activity †¦is an intersection of HR competencies and agendas that have to do with managing the culture, contributing to strategic decision making, managing change and creating process of information flows that continually integrate the organisation†¦ HR professionals are mediocre at this set of activities†¦ the logic of HRs role in bringing critical information about the external business world into the firm, disseminating it and using that information on  a broad scale within the organisation as the basis for integration, unity and ultimately organisational responsiveness. Brockbank (2005) further identified that HRs market driven connectivity rates at 17 per cent of strategic contributions impact on organisation performance. The direct impact of HR on business performance has increased about 300 per cent since 1992. This is factored around the shift from focusing on traditional personnel functions and moving towards strategic input into the organisations development coupled with technological change and a global economy. In other words, this indicates that in order to make an impact, HR needs to understand the business their organisation is in including the customers, shareholders and stakeholders. To surmise, the evidence suggests there is a great deal of participation taking place in Australia, (Morehead, Steele, Alexander, Stephen Duffin, 1997) however, findings from the research highlight the quality of many HRM practices need to be appropriate measured and reported in order to continue to develop the link between HR practices and organisation performance. From the research synthesised in this paper, it is evident that some human resource practices can contribute to high levels of organisational performance. Explored from a range of perspectives, the problems in demonstrating this relationship are highlighted. The number of dimensions to the problems making study comparisons difficult include: definitions used as a basis for the research; the ability to draw a relationship between human resource practices and organisational performance; methodological issues and; differences and variable measurement. There is further interest in identifying and demonstrating the impact HRM has on organisation performance none more highlighted than through the importance of people in the knowledge economy and organisation sustainability in a global market. References: Bartram, Timothy 2005, Small firms, big ideas: The adoption of human resource management in Australian small firms, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43Brockbank, Wayne 2005, Turning Inside Out, HR Monthly, April. Coppleston Peter 1991, Present issues and future trends, HR Monthly, April p8-9Farrell, Mark A., Mavondo, Felix 2005, The effect of downsizing-redesign strategies on business performance: Evidence from Australia, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43Gollan, Paul 2005, High involvement management and human resource sustainability: The challenges and opportunities, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43Gollan, P. Davis, E. 1998, High involvement management and organisational change: Beyond rhetoric. Macquarie Graduate School of ManagementHilmer F 1991, Hilmer discusses the future for Australians at work, HR Monthly, August p9. McGrath-Champ, Susan Baird, Marian 2005, The mercurial nature of Australian HRM under enterprise bargaining, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43Morehead, A., Steele, M., Alexander, M., Stephen, K. Duffin, L. 1997, Change at Work: The 1995 Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey. Melbourne: LongmanNankervis, Alan R., Compton, Robert L. McCarthy, Terence E. 1993, Strategic Human Resource Management, Thomson Nelson Australia. Price Alan 2005, Human Resource Management in a Business Context, 2nd ednRoyal, Carol ODonnell, Loretta 2005, Embedding human capital analysis in the investment process: A human resources challenge, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43Storey, J. 1989, Human Resource Management: A Critical Text. Thomson Learning, 2nd ednTownley B. 1994, Reframing Human Resource Management: Power, Ethics and the Subject of Work, Sage. West, M. Patterson, M 1998. People Power: The link between job satisfaction and productivity. Centrepiece, Autumn, p2-5Williams Ross 1991, Transformation or chaos? HR in the 1990s, HR Monthly, November, p10. Vilinas, Tricia Harper, Sarah (2005), Determining the impact of an organisations performance management system, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, vol 43

The Convention on the Rights of Children Essay -- Essays Papers

The Convention on the Rights of Children Growing up, I could not possibly count the number of times my parents told me how hard it was to raise a child in this world. I can, however, remember how hard it was being one. Luckily, I was blessed with two loving parents who always had my best interests in mind and eventually as I passed through the innocence of my youth and the awkwardness of adolescence to where I am today, I got to fully understand the sacrifices that they made on my behalf. I also realize that not everyone has guardians who are able or willing to make such sacrifices, and as a result children can often suffer. As a society, we must investigate potential dangers to children that could hurt their upbringing both physically and mentally, and come to terms with certain solutions that would help underprivileged children. According to UNICEF, an estimated 12 million children under the age of five die every year of easily preventable causes, and about 160 million children are severely or moderately malnourished. Th ese figures only describe the tip of the iceberg in terms of physical barriers that children around the world face, and we cannot ever truly know the amount of emotional abuses that coincides with this figure. Clearly, something is not right and needs to be addressed in order to protect children on a global level. In order to determine the manner in which to protect children, we have to examine the nature of their rights. Do children have the need for special rights aside from established adult human rights? I would think so, and many would agree with that conclusion. Issues such as infant mortality, child labor, and child abuse extend beyond the scope of adult human rights. For instance, whereas an adu... ... to be addressed in addition to the human rights afforded to adults. Children are more vulnerable than adults and face several different issues that currently are not addressed in world affairs. The Convention on the Rights of the Child attempts to address these matters, but the lack of support from the United States gives the document a lack of esteem in terms of world respect. Obviously, there is something wrong with the picture that the U.S. and Somalia (which only does not sign because it does not have an official government) are the only countries to hold out from the process. The United States has the obligation as a world leader to not only participate in human rights issues, but to be an active leader in such matters. The U.S. has failed in both respects, and owes it to the children of the world to be a signatory on the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ranbaxy Laboratories

| Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. | | â€Å"Personally, I feel that companies who constantly innovate to provide better products and services and who can offer superior value propositions to the consumer are the ones likely to command more respect globally than others† Malvinder Mohan Singh, former CEO and MD, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd Table of Contents Executive Summary5 The Company5 Hybrid Business Model6 Porter’s Five Force Analysis7 Bargaining Power of Buyers8 Bargaining Power of Suppliers9 Threat of New Entrants10 Threat of Substitutes11 Threat of Rivalry12 Value chain analysis13Inbound logistics13 Operations13 Outbound logistics13 Sales and marketing13 Service14 Procurement14 Technological Development14 Human Resource Management14 Firm Infrastructure14 VRIO Analysis16 Internal Analysis- A Resource Based View16 Factors Leading to Growth18 Strategy18 Business-level Strategy18 Focus on Differentiated Products18 Corporate-level Strategy20 R&D in Ranbaxy20 NDDR – A sep arate Entity Decentralization20 First Mover Advantage20 Information Security and Information Synergy21 Acquisitions21 Agreements and Collaboration22 Recommendations22Medium term Strategy (5-7 years)23 Long term Strategy (10-15 years)25 References26 Exhibit27 I. Market Share27 II. Market Structure & Herfindahl-Hirshman index27 IV. Market Forecast31 V. Competitor Analysis31 VI. Ranbaxy Financials32 VII. Pharmaceutical Industry Future33 VIII. Conservation of energy and its impact37 Executive Summary Product patent regime implemented in India from Jan 2005 compelled Indian pharma companies to relook in to their marketing strategies so as to become competitive & strongly withstand in the competition with MNC’s & big giants in domestic markets.Product patent regime posed Indian pharmaceutical companies to change their strategies. If the Indian companies wanted to withstand in competition & survive, they have to invest more in the R&D for development of New Chemical Entities (NCEâ⠂¬â„¢s). Before patent regime, with the help of reverse engineering & process patent companies were enjoying copying MNC’s molecules & introducing their own brands & investing less in NCE’s. The rapid growth of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry was sponsored by the non-recognition of product patents for drugs under the Indian Patent Act, 1970.However, the case reversed with the advent of signing of the TRIPs agreement. This change ensured that firms should reorient themselves for R&D-based innovation to survive. This would enable them to compete in regulated and open market. Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. adopted a â€Å"High-Risk-High-Returns† strategy to respond to the challenging business environment brought about by the introduction of the new patent regime. But the financial health of the firm was affected severely by the increasing expenditures on risky R&D and patent challenges with inadequate returns.High cost acquisitions in foreign markets and setting own manufacturing & selling facilities abroad in order to increase its geographical presence added further to the problem. Eventually, Ranbaxy had to redefine its business model. In 2008, a strategic combination of an innovator and generic powerhouse was brought in by Ranbaxy by selling its 63. 92% shares to Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd. The study reveals how Ranbaxy adopted a new strategy every time the company confronted a new challenge in the ever so changing scenario of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry.From pioneering the art of reverse engineering and becoming a cost-effective firm globally, the firm went on to become the first Indian Pharmaceutical firm to launch the first original drug developed by an Indian entity, Synriam, and reaping profits by way of para IV filings for the star-drug Lipitor. Ranbaxy made a way out through its strategies to claim its top position in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry and globally. The Company Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited is one of the India's lar gest pharmaceutical companies. It is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company.It produces a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, that are trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. Ranbaxy is ranked 8th amongst the global generic pharmaceutical companies, and has a presence in 23 of the top 25 pharmaceutical markets of the world. The global presence of the firm encompasses 49 countries, and it has world-class manufacturing facilities in 11 countries to serve customers in over 125 countries. Ranbaxy entered into an alliance in June 2008 with Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd. The combined entity now ranks among the top 15 harmaceutical companies, globally. The strategic deal will place Ranbaxy in a higher growth trajectory and it will emerge stronger in terms of its global reach and in its capabilities in drug development and manufacturing. A detailed portfolio of company’s financial positioning and market structure is provided in the exhibits. (Exhibit I, II and VI) Hybrid Business Model Ranbaxy is working very closely with Daiichi Sankyo to extract synergies in various geographies. Ranbaxy markets Daiichi Sankyo’s brands in countries such as Romania and Malaysia.Additional resources and capabilities are also being directed towards this region. These capabilities will result in improved business performance in other markets also, like Africa, Middle East and Asia. Branded business is the core factor that differentiates Ranbaxy from most other Indian generic companies. Ranbaxy has its own teams in more than 40 countries, while many Indian companies elect to sell their products through distributors. The ‘Global Hybrid Business’ team took several initiatives during the year to leverage synergies between Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo, individually and collectively.Their collaboration is maturing with time and the synergies now extend beyond marketing and cover a significant part of the pharmaceutical value chain. A manufacturing and supply framework was established between Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo Espha Co. Ltd. during the year and they are working together to develop products for the Japanese market. Porter’s Five Force Analysis The analysis is done from the perspective of an average incumbent player in the industry. Overall attractiveness of industry is moderate at 3. 1 points. The key buyers are hospitals and pharmacies.The key suppliers are active pharmaceutical ingredients and clinical trial services providers. The pharmaceutical market witnesses fairly strong buyer power. Oligopsony status strengthens buyer power. The price control policies of state and private sector institutions also add to buying power, as they are the ultimate purchasers of drugs. The business of pharmaceutical companies depends vitally on obtaining high quality equipment, materials, personnel, and third-party clinical testing services. The regulators must be satisfied th at the products of new entrants are safe and effective.Pharmaceutical industry also experiences substitutes in terms of non-drug therapies and like. In addition, cheaper generic copies are substituting research based drugs as they are no longer protected by patents. Bargaining Power of Buyers Pharmaceutical manufacturers sell to drug wholesalers. These then sell on to pharmacies, or to healthcare institutions as hospitals. Most pharmaceutical products require prescription except for OTC and similar drugs. Marketing of prescription drugs is therefore heavily directed at medical practitioners.Medical condition may entail several different drug treatments leading to product differentiation and weakening buyer power. Differentiation includes efficacy, side effects, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. The reverse happens when generic copies are available. The buyer power is also increased because the ultimate source of funds for most drug purchases is a public or private-sector health in surer or similar body. Such large purchasers exert monopsony market power ad it is very common for them to use one or more specific price control strategies. In some scenarios governments may directly set drug prices, making any departures illegal.In case of reimbursements governments may set a very low price for new or existing drugs. Under reference price regimes reimbursement levels are determined by contrasting the price of a drug in therapeutic category and/or peer group countries. If therapeutic category contains generics the reference price is pushed down for on-patent drugs in the same category. If peer group countries have lower per capita incomes, a similar effect occurs. Price-volume or profit control may also exist. Beyond the stipulated amount manufacturers have to offer either price reductions or compensatory disbursement to government.Overall, industry attractiveness due to buyer’s bargaining power is moderate at 3 points. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Manufact urers of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are major suppliers to the pharmaceutical market. This forms a sub-sector of the chemical industry. Many leading pharmaceutical companies enjoy less bargaining power of suppliers due to major investments in fine chemicals manufacturing which provides a high degree of self-sufficiency. APIs are provided on a contractual basis and so pharmaceutical companies risk elevated switching costs if they think about moving their business to a different place.Sequentially, pharmaceutical companies make use of sourcing managers to diminish costs and to lessen supplier power. However chemical manufacturers can demand higher prices in case of development of new therapeutic agents as it requires sourcing of newer APIs. Most companies purchase raw materials from many suppliers thereby lessening their reliance on any one company. In general, suppliers have little differentiation as laboratory equipment and chemicals are mostly uniform. Thus companies have a many options to acquire the best quality and cost relationship, diminishing supplier power.But, there are cases requiring specialized facilities or raw materials, such as sterile processing of biological materials. These cases increase supplier power. Forward integration by suppliers is highly unlikely; however due to chemical synthesis capabilities they are ideal candidates for production of generic drugs. Recent years have seen a trend of large pharmaceutical companies producing their own chemicals to enhance profits, however smaller companies lacking the resources necessary to do this have relied on API manufacturers.Pharmaceutical companies outsource their drug testing and clinical trials to third-parties. As these trials are very important for regulatory approvals, these service providers constitute important suppliers. Overall, the industry attractiveness due to supplier’s bargaining power is moderate at 3. 28 points. Threat of New Entrants Market entry is affect ed by regulation and legal frameworks in quite a few ways. A company that wants to market its products is obliged to show that its drugs are safe and effective, to a national regulator. The Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) plays this role in India.A start-up company needs significant up-front investment which must be accessible for the time it takes to develop and test the product. It is time-consuming to meet these regulatory requirements; it may take 10-15 years to get a drug to market. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), out of 5,000 to 10,000 screened compounds, only 250 enter preclinical testing, of which only 5 enter human clinical trials, and finally just 1 will be approved. Another regulatory barrier to entry is the use of restrictive formularies: only certain drugs may be listed as preferred for a specific therapeutic category.This means that non formulary alternatives can only be prescribed under special circumstances an d with prior consent from the appropriate authority, or with more sizeable co-pays from the patient. Thus the potential market for non-formulary drugs is smaller than the size of the therapeutic class market. New entrants to the market are also slowed by the strength of intellectual property protection. Overall, industry attractiveness is moderate at 3. 44 points. Threat of Substitutes As far as substitutes are concerned patients may prefer traditional remedies.Physicians may decide on non-drug treatments if they deem them more apt. Switching costs for patients are moderately low. Though, they may be more important for the final buyers, the healthcare providers. For example, presume a healthcare system reviewed the clinical data and determined that a chronic condition that is treated by drugs taken for the patient’s lifetime can be treated by a simple surgical procedure. This would be a valuable and inexpensive alternative. However, it may need more surgical teams to be train ed and more availability of operating theatres, requiring funding from the healthcare system.The attractiveness of industry due to threat of substitutes is moderate at 2. 75 points. Threat of Rivalry The general structure of the industry is reflected as near perfect competition (Exhibit II). Industry has also witnessed high growth over the years (Exhibit III) Several multinational corporations dominate the Indian research-based pharmaceutical industry, beside smaller firms as biotech players fixed on a small quantity of new products. There is some proof of consolidation, which reduces rivalry as players increase their product portfolio or geographical spread.Certain specific therapy areas may have more effective concentration. Therefore products can be highly differentiated based on their clinical effectiveness. Generic companies can be profitable by selling the same molecule at lesser price than the original. This shows that setting up good-quality manufacturing processes is not ve ry expensive. A resulting effect of this is that it is comparatively trouble-free for research-based companies to increase output, for example by licensing agreements with other companies, eliminating the need to expand their own production facilities.This tends to increase rivalry. Exiting the market is moderately easy. Many assets can be classified as ‘weightless’. For example trademarks, patents, synthetic methods, and others. These can be sold comparatively easily. Many of the production facilities and equipment and R;D will find uses outside pharmaceutical industry. Overall, industry attractiveness due to the degree of rivalry is moderate at 3 points. Value chain analysis Inbound logistics Ranbaxy has implemented various ERP solutions to minimise cost of inbound logistics. Operations CMC- Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control – Trial manufacturing of small scale API and intermediates of some of Daiichi Sankyo’s pipeline products is ongoing at Ranbaxyâ €™s manufacturing facilities. The result is huge cost savings and efficiencies for Daiichi Sakyo. * PDR- Product Development Research – Daichii Sankyo’s knowhow is being used to reduce deviation rate of products. Transfer of new drug research to Daichii Sankyo has enabled Ranbaxy to focus on generic research. * Ranbaxy achieved a total of 230 filings across markets. * Rationalization of potable water supply by operating one system instead of earlier practice of two systems. Measures for Conservation of Energy resulting in savings of 11. 71 million rupees. (Exhibit VIII) Source: Ranbaxy Files Outbound logistics The company has also focussed on cost cutting at this level to strive towards its goal of cost leadership. Sales and marketing * Ranbaxy used its strong distribution network to introduce Daiichi Sankyo’s innovator products in Singapore, Malaysia and Italy. * Marketing synergies are rolled out in India and Romania. Source: Ranbaxy Files Service * Ranbax y ensures high levels of service to distributers. Procurement To gain advantage a project related to supply chain of API and drug product is ongoing. The intent is to promote rationisation and increase price efficiency to mitigate risk. Technological Development * Anti counterfeiting system to reduce pilferage. * Flexible multipurpose manufacturing to de-risk business and utilise production capacities optimally. Human Resource Management * Daiichi Sankyo talent exchange programme to ensure cultural synergies and skill enhancement. * Rotated employees through international assignments to create global leaders. * Additional features added in PMS. Introduction of whistle blower policy. * Long term ESOPs applicable to people in 43 countries and multiple nationalities. Firm Infrastructure * Upgradation of global manufacturing capabilities to enhance capacities, efficiencies and strengthen processes and compliance. * Dosage form facility in US has been upgraded and manufacturing capacity increased. * Investment in Greenfield facility in Africa. * Plan of a Greenfield facility in Malaysia. * Setup of a dedicated facility at Paonta Sahib. * Quality compliance, quality improvement and signing of consent decree with FDA. Implemented 22 global quality standards. * Implemented enterprise wide quality management system (TrackWise, Documentum, LMS etc). The company has inculcated sufficient changes in the value chain to be in line with its hybrid policy. As the company strives to be a global leader it has made huge investments in firm infrastructure. Also human resource management has been suitably enhanced to create a culture that assists in growth. VRIO Analysis Under the hybrid business model Ranbaxy has transferred new drug discovery to Daiichi Sankyo, while Ranbaxy will take care of generic drugs.Utilising these synergies Ranbaxy has also implemented flexible manufacturing at many facilities. Resource| Valuable| Rare| Costly to imitate| Used by organisation| | Daiichi Sankyo’s R;D| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Sustained competitive advantage| Flexible manufacturing capabilities| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Sustained competitive advantage| Expertise in acquiring Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs)| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| Temporary competitive advantage| SYNRIAM a breakthrough molecule for Malaria| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Sustained competitive advantage|Internal Analysis- A Resource Based View The purpose of this section is to utilize the concept of resource based approach to determine the resources and the interactions that exist among these resources leading to differential performance of Ranbaxy in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The internal analysis could be thought of as strengths and weaknesses of the SWOT framework applied to a firm. The RBV focuses on idiosyncratic and costly to copy resources, the exploitation of which may give a firm a competitive advantage. I.Assets: These refer to the ‘resource possession’. They are the factors of production that the firm may draw upon to provide valuable goods and services to the customers. They are both, tangible as well as intangible in nature. As a part of this project, these assets were identified in case of Ranbaxy, which are as follows: 1. R;D Expenditure: Firms that invest heavily in R;D are more likely trying to compete on the basis of innovativeness and technology breakthrough although high investment does not necessarily guarantee generation of successful innovation.Ranbaxy has been investing heavily in the R;D of new drugs. The ration of R;D expenses to Sales stands at 11% for Ranbaxy (2009-10) compared to the 5% industry average. 2. Marketing Expenditure: Morgan et al. (2009) find that marketing excellence do lead to superior performance. Marketing as a resource has been considered in itself to have huge potential in making a difference to the firm’s performance. Due to the venture into OTC products (Volini, Revital etc), the marketing expenditure has inc reased by 18% over 2010’s expenditure, when compared with the industry average. . Tacit Knowledge (Company’s Age): As a firm grows, with age, it develops a network of relationships with various institutional actors like government, suppliers, customers, banks and other institutions (Makhija, 2003). The stock of tacit knowledge can be only built over time as the individual learns a particular skill or as member of a group or as a team learns to interact with each other. Thus, as the company ages, the interactions build, networks build, resources build and relationships build. The company is over 50 years old and was incorporated in 1961. . Culture: Ranbaxy firmly believes in providing autonomy to their employees and in letting the employees discover their potential while working for them. Individuals are given fair bit of responsibility quite early in their careers and hence, their actions impact the business. This has resulted in a culture of entrepreneurship within th e organization. The spirit of innovation and creativity supports this entrepreneurial culture. An employee should not be part of R;D to bring about innovations. Creativity is promoted in all the parts of the organization.Genuine mistakes are considered as a part of learning and calculated risk taking behavior is encouraged. II. Capabilities: This is better understood in terms of ‘resource utilization’. Capabilities are those constituents of the firm which help exploit the resources in implementation of the firm’s strategies. 1. MD Experience: Ranbaxy is flourishing under the able guidance of Mr. Arun Sawhney who joined Ranbaxy in May 2008 and was elevated to the position of President-Global Pharmaceutical Business in January 2010. Since August 2011, he is CEO ; Managing Director.Mr. Sawhney is a veteran in industry, with international experience of three decades in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical industry. He has held senior functional and management positions pr eviously in global pharmaceutical companies like Max-Gb, Bayer India Limited and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited. Factors Leading to Growth The key to Ranbaxy’s growth lay in the strategic decisions taken by its management from time to time. These strategies – specific patterns of decisions and actions – helped them achieve a competitive advantage.It exemplifies how symbiotic interdependencies can be managed and harassed for the organisation’s benefit, by manipulating the specific and general environmental forces. Ranbaxy’s main strategy to manage its environmental forces seems to be through forming strategic alliances for the various products and markets. The company has followed an r-strategy i. e. the strategy of entering a new environment early, and has thus reaped the benefits of being an early entrant in new market. Strategy Ranbaxy is focused on increasing the momentum in the generics business in its key markets through organic and i norganic growth routes.It is the company's constant endeavour to provide a wide basket of generic and innovator products, leveraging its unique Hybrid Business Model with Daiichi Sankyo. As part of the Hybrid Business Model, Daiichi Sankyo will utilise Ranbaxy's strong manufacturing capabilities and expertise in developing generic medicines for the Japan and market them through Daiichi Sankyo Espha Co. , Ltd. The company will also increasingly focus in high growth potential segments like Vaccines and Biosimilars. These new areas will add significant depth to the existing product pipeline.Business-level Strategy Focus on Differentiated Products The company realized the importance of having a versatile product portfolio and thus is focusing on offering differentiated/value-added new products to the Indian masses. Ranbaxy has accelerated its pace to bring in new differentiated products in the Indian market to consolidate its leadership position. Ranbaxy is building upon the practice of related Diversification – entry into a new domain that is related in some way to an organization’s domain- to gain a competitive advantage Examples:- 1. Rank in Therapy SegmentsOver the last few years, Ranbaxy has realigned its domestic operations to the needs of its target customer groups to have a more focused relationship with the doctors. This is aimed at providing customer specific quality services surpassing expectations. By forming relationship with doctors, demonstrates that Ranbaxy manages symbiotic resource interdependencies by the way of co-optation to manage its specific environment better. 2. Entering into the Oncology Segment Since Ranbaxy did not have a significant presence in the Oncology segment, it entered into a strategic alliance with Zenotech Laboratories Ltd.Of Hyderabad, India, a company with a strong hold in this segment. 3. Strengthening presence in Asthma Segment In- Licensing agreement demonstrates that Ranbaxy makes use of the informal stra tegy of long term contracts to manage its resource interdependencies. Ranbaxy has entered into ‘In- Licensing’ agreement with Euro drug laboratories, the Netherlands-based pharma company for the Asthma product Doxophylline – a Novel Xanthine Bronchodilator. It is a strategic step in the direction of expanding the product portfolio through differentiated products for the Indian Market, in the post patent era. 4. NCE Products – India FocusRecently a licensing agreement with a swissbio- pharmaceutical company, Debiopharm, was signed for the New Chemical Entity (NCE) Drug in the Gastroenotlogy segment. 5. Strengthening Product Basket in New Markets In Canada, soon after the launch of its products in 2005, Ranbaxy is further expanding its product portfolio through in- licensing and has already emerged as a pioneer in this area. In mid 2006, Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc (RPCI) and Janssen – Ortho Inc (JOI) entered into a licensing and supply agreeme nt for a generic version of Risperidone compressed tablets, sold under Ranbaxy’s label, Ran Risperidone.Corporate-level Strategy R;D in Ranbaxy NDDR – A separate Entity Decentralization Ranbaxy received an in- principle approval from the Board of Directors to De- merge its Drug Discovery Research (DDR) operation. This is a significant step in creating an independent pathway for DDR with dedicated resources and enhanced focus for long term value building. Ranbaxy’s state-of-the-art research infrastructure and scientific talent pool can be more effectively leveraged through an independent vehicle that better aligns assets with priorities to accelerate the company’s drug discovery programs.The resulting operational freedom and flexibility will also help to open up new growth opportunities, while providing a platform for increased collaboration. By the way of Decentralization of NDDR, Ranbaxy has promoted flexibility and responsiveness by allowing the researc h department to make on the spot decisions. Ranbaxy practices division if labour and specialization by allocating dedicated resources and creating scientific talent pool to DDR. The core competency of DDR is to discover new drugs First Mover Advantage Ranbaxy saw a great business opportunity in Japan, and hence entered the market in the year 2002 through a strategic alliance with a midsized research pharmaceutical company, Nippon Chemiphar Co, Ltd (NC) of Japan. Ranbaxy owned 10% equity * The company further consolidated its presence in Japan by increasing its equity stake in the NPI, from 10% to 50% in 2006 and NPI thus became a 50:50 joint venture between Ranbaxy and NC. Information Security and Information Synergy * Information security has been a priority at Ranbaxy since 2006. ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ was initiated to protect the company’s information assets. The program is focussed on bringing behavioural change in people, sensitizing them to the importance of Information Security. By using Information Security, Ranbaxy has demonstrated that it uses IT * To make critical information accessible to employees. * To facilitate beliefs norms and values of Ranbaxy. * To enhance motivational effects of cultural values. Acquisitions * June 2005 Efarmes in Spain * March 2006 Senetek in the US * March 2006 Allen in Italy * March 2006 Terapia in Romania * March 2006 Ethimed in Belgium July 2006 Mundogen in Spain * Sep 2006 Cardinal Drugs in India * Dec 2006 Be-Tabs in South Africa In the year of 2007 alone, Ranbaxy made and acquisition of 13 established and well recognized brands of the dermatology segment from Bristol- Myers Squibb in the US. Thus Ranbaxy has aggressively adopted merger and takeover strategy for growth in newer markets. Agreements and Collaboration Agreements and Collaborations 1. Agreement with GSK Extended * Strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) helped Ranbaxy expand its drug development responsibilities and further fi nancial opportunities. Ranbaxy was to conduct stages till clinical proof is established. GSK thereafter will conduct further clinical development and take resulting products through the regulatory approval process to final commercialization. By forming strategic alliance with its competitor, GSK, Ranbaxy has demonstrated that it uses strategic alliance to manage its competitive interdependencies. . 2. Collaborating with DST * Under this collaboration, Department of Science ; Technology (DST) will provide financial support by way of soft loans to Ranbaxy. * The funding will enable Ranbaxy to conduct the pre clinical toxicity tudies/safety studies and take the molecules up to human phase-1 clinical trials. Recommendations Since its inception, Ranbaxy has been innovating on way to conquer the market. The strategies the company would adopt would be highly influenced by the external stimulus of the pharmaceutical industry. Following are the expectations from the Pharmaceutical Industry i n the times to come and how Ranbaxy should strategise to reap in the opportunities of the changing times. Medium term Strategy (5-7 years) Focus on increasing the scale of generic operations 1.Indian market to be at USD 55 billion with potential for more With market diversity on the rise, the drivers of the growth have proliferated and become more nuanced. Among the various drivers of the growth epidemiology factors, increasing affordability, enhanced accessibility, and rising acceptability are the most prominent (Exhibit VI). This opportunity can be fully utilized by Ranbaxy if it continues to ace its present strategy of capitalizing on generic drugs. This has to be accompanied by heavy investments in R;D for securing the leadership position in the times to come.But the cost strategy can made effective only by focussing on generics. 2. Mass therapies will remain important even though speciality therapies will increase share Mass therapies have evolved to comprise two differing oppo rtunity areas. The first which makes up the majority of the opportunity is acute indications within therapeutic areas such as respiratory and gastro-intestinal that have been traditionally treated by general practitioners (GPs) and consulting physicians (CPs). The second segment comprises older therapies in chronic indications such as diabetes, hypertension, and epilepsy.With the growing cases of both the types in India, Ranbaxy can actually look forward to organic or inorganic growth so as to be able to serve the particular area. The venture can be through differentiation or entering the market jointly by some other player. 3. Metro and Tier I Markets will drive growth while rural market will increase its share Metro and Tier I markets each account for about 30% of the Indian pharmaceuticals market. Mass therapies constitute a majority of this market. During the last 5 yrs, Metro and Tier I markets have grown at an estimated rate of 14 to 15 percent, in line with the overall market .The expectation is that the current momentum will continue and this segment will become a USD 33 billion market by 2020. This calls for a very strong distribution so as to penetrate in the rural sectors of the country. This is very important particularly in case of India wherein more than 70% of the population resides in rural areas. Low cost strategy will help the firm to gain success in the particular area. Apart from the distribution network, Ranbaxy can take the leverage of the Govt’s initiatives to expand healthcare in the rural areas. 4.Hospital channel will increase significantly in influence, though retail will stay important. Currently, as much as 80 to 85% of the market is being accounted for by the retail segment. Even in 2020, the expectation is that the retail segment will remain the mainstay of the market. However, consumption in hospital settings will rise to a considerable 20 to 30% share of the market. India will continue to witness a remarkable rise in medi cal infrastructure throughout the next decade. Not only will there be a dramatic rise in infrastructure, the nature and mix of hospitals and care delivery centres will undergo major shifts.As a result, the expectations are that the hospital segment of the pharmaceuticals market to grow at well above 20% and reach a size of USD 14 billion by 2020. The firm can leverage the opportunity by attaining the corporate-level strategy wherein the firm can get into strategic alliance so as to become the sole strategic partner to supply medicines to the hospital. More so, the firm can also get into ventures of laboratory partnerships. The laboratory collection centres needs comprehensive chain of branches across the country. The same infrastructure can be utilized to expand the retail chain of pharmacy. . Drugs worth more than 45 billion USD going off patent by 2015 Indian pharma companies have depended heavily on drugs coming off patent in the US to fuel their growth. But with the patent cliff nearing its end, they are now widening their horizon to include new growth areas. In 2012, drugs worth $ 35,514 million went off patent in the US. In contrast, in 2013, only 30 medicines worth $16,966 million are expected to come off patent and the value would fall to $ 2,952 million by 2020. Ranbaxy has won several ANDAs in the recent history, the prominent one being the ANDA of the star-drug â€Å"Lipitor†.The marketing exclusivity obtained by the company by the ANDA can help boost the profitability. Ranbaxy must continue doing to sought for more acquisitions of ANDAs so that the company can harp in the profits and at the same time build the reputation of a reliable manufacturer worldwide. Long term Strategy (10-15 years) The organisation should diversify into other revenue streams Contract Research Bio-Pharma Contract Manufacturing New Drug Development The three major segments – domestic formulations, formulation exports and bulk drug exports – have traditio nally been the backbone of the Indian pharmaceutical industry.With the generics market set to become extremely competitive in the long term (next 10 years), Ranbaxy should look to make the most of the current generic opportunity and achieve a substantial scale of operations. (Refer to Exhibit VII for Indian Pharmaceutical future forecasts. ) However, going forward, with more MNCs foraying into India and a shrinking generic market, Ranbaxy will have to increase their reach in segments such as contract research, biopharmaceuticals and new drug development (NDD). Global challenges will force the organisation to offer a whole gamut of products and services to ensure stable revenues and margins.The company can leverage its hybrid structure to achieve this long term diversification need. References 1. Barney, J. B. (1986), â€Å"Strategic factor markets: expectations, luck, and business strategy†, Management Science, Vol. 32 No. 10, pp. 1231-41. 2. Amit, R. and Schoemaker, P. J. H. (1993), â€Å"Strategic assets and organizational rent†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 33-46. 3. Morgan, N. A. , Vorhies, D. W. and Mason, C. H. (2009), â€Å"Market orientation, marketing capabilities, and firm performance†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 909-20. 4. Makhija, M. 2003), â€Å"Comparing the resource-based and market-based views of the firm: empirical evidence from Czech privatization†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, pp. 433-51. 5. Cappelli, P. , Singh, H. , Singh, J. V. and Useem, M. (2010), â€Å"How the best Indian companies drive performance by investing in people†, Harvard Business Review, March, pp. 91-7. 6. http://www. moneycontrol. com/stocks/top-companies-in-india/market-capitalisation-bse/pharmaceuticals. html 7. http://www. ranbaxy. com/news/newsdisp. aspx? cp=993;flag=LN 8. http://www. crisilresearch. com 9. Marketline reports 10. Ranbaxy. com Exhibits I.Market Share Ranbaxy has a mar ket share of 4. 78 % in Indian industry. Also Company has its considerable earnings from the global markets. Region| Sales in US$ in Million| % Share| USA| 791| 41. 5| India| 412| 21. 62| Europe| 297| 15. 59| CIS| 108| 5. 67| Africa| 189| 9. 92| Asia Pacific| 108| 5. 67| Thus, Ranbaxy needs to develop their global strategy as more than 75% of its revenue is generated from their global business. II. Market Structure ; Herfindahl-Hirshman index | Company Name| Market Cap (Rs. Crore)| s (% of market Cap)| s2| 1| Sun Pharma| 84,736. 49| 23. 76| 564. 55| 2| Cipla| 31,418. 31| 8. 81| 77. 61| | Dr Reddys Labs| 30,889. 01| 8. 66| 75. 02| 4| Lupin| 27,046. 65| 7. 58| 57. 52| 5| Wockhardt| 22,623. 49| 6. 34| 40. 24| 6| GlaxoSmithKline| 17,896. 05| 5. 02| 25. 18| 7| Ranbaxy Labs| 17,042. 95| 4. 78| 22. 84| 8| Cadila Health| 15,200. 53| 4. 26| 18. 17| 9| Divis Labs| 13,754. 59| 3. 86| 14. 88| 10| Glenmark| 13,726. 38| 3. 85| 14. 81| 11| Piramal Enter| 9,951. 71| 2. 79| 7. 79| 12| Ipca Labs| 6,3 95. 77| 1. 79| 3. 22| 13| Torrent Pharma| 5,839. 88| 1. 64| 2. 68| 14| Biocon| 5,439. 00| 1. 53| 2. 33| 15| Strides Arcolab| 5,409. 10| 1. 52| 2. 30| 16| Sanofi India| 5,345. 52| 1. 50| 2. 25| 17| Aurobindo Pharm| 4,796. 25| 1. 4| 1. 81| 18| Pfizer| 3,150. 36| 0. 88| 0. 78| 19| Abbott India| 2,953. 23| 0. 83| 0. 69| 20| Jubilant Life| 2,942. 72| 0. 83| 0. 68| 21| Sun Pharma Adv| 2,655. 82| 0. 74| 0. 55| 22| Unichem Labs| 2,115. 98| 0. 59| 0. 35| 23| Wyeth| 1,914. 96| 0. 54| 0. 29| 24| Novartis India| 1,885. 05| 0. 53| 0. 28| 25| AstraZeneca| 1,884. 75| 0. 53| 0. 28| 26| Alembic Pharma| 1,869. 14| 0. 52| 0. 27| 27| Fresenius Kabi| 1,863. 13| 0. 52| 0. 27| 28| FDC| 1,690. 56| 0. 47| 0. 22| 29| Ajanta Pharma| 1,558. 75| 0. 44| 0. 19| 30| Natco Pharma| 1,358. 77| 0. 38| 0. 15| 31| Claris Life| 1,198. 18| 0. 34| 0. 11| 32| Merck| 1,048. 25| 0. 29| 0. 09| 3| Panacea Biotec| 907. 74| 0. 25| 0. 06| 34| JB Chemicals| 703. 92| 0. 20| 0. 04| 35| Elder Pharma| 676. 49| 0. 19| 0. 04| 36| Hikal| 628. 01| 0. 18| 0. 03| 37| Shilpa| 625| 0. 18| 0. 03| 38| Dishman Pharma| 599. 98| 0. 17| 0. 03| 39| Indoco Remedies| 576. 4| 0. 16| 0. 03| 40| Orchid Chemical| 566. 79| 0. 16| 0. 03| 41| Plethico Pharma| 453. 26| 0. 13| 0. 02| 42| Shasun Pharma| 444. 3| 0. 12| 0. 02| 43| Vivimed Labs| 416. 49| 0. 12| 0. 01| 44| Nectar Life| 386. 85| 0. 11| 0. 01| 45| TTK Healthcare| 375. 52| 0. 11| 0. 01| 46| Sequent Scienti| 373. 44| 0. 10| 0. 01| 47| Sharon Bio Medi| 369. 76| 0. 10| 0. 01| 48| Aanjaneya Life| 357. 1| 0. 10| 0. 01| 49| Fulford| 288. 62| 0. 08| 0. 01| 50| Parenteral Drug| 279. 62| 0. 08| 0. 01| |   | 3,56,630. 63|   | 938. 78| The above data indicated the Market Capitalization of the top 50 pharmaceuticals companies. The Herfindahl index 938. 78 indicates that the pharmaceutical industry in India is low concentration and thus highly competitive industry. The high number of companies represent monopolistic environment, but market represents an Oligopolistic nature with top 8 fir ms having a market share of nearly 70% (69. 21%, Eight firm concentration ratio). Sun Pharma is the largest firm in the Indian industry with 23. 6% followed by all others with market share less than 10%. Thus we can conclude that Indian pharmaceutical industry is highly competitive and fragmented at the bottom. III. Market analysis The Indian pharmaceuticals market has achieved strong, double digit growth for the 2007 – 2011 periods. The market is expected to maintain this level of robust growth from 2012 through to the end of the forecast period in 2016. The Indian pharmaceuticals market had total revenues of $12. 3 billion in 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17. 6% between 2007 and 2011. The performance of the market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 17. % for the five-year period 2011 – 2016, which is expected to drive the market to a value of $27. 3 billion by the end of 2016. Year| $ billion| % Growth| 2011| 12. 3| 15. 3| 2010| 10. 7| 1 7. 6| 2009| 9. 1| 18. 9| 2008| 7. 6| 18. 9| 2007| 6. 4| | | | | India pharmaceuticals market value: $ billion, 2007–11 Market Share Company| Market Share (%)| Cipla Ltd. | 4. 1| Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. | 3. 6| Lupin| 2. 7| Dr. Reddy’s | 2. 3| Others| 87. 3| India pharmaceuticals market share: % share, by value, 2011 IV. Market Forecast In 2016, the Indian pharmaceuticals market is forecast to have a value of $27. billion, an increase of 122% since 2011. The compound annual growth rate of the market in the period 2011–16 is predicted to be 17. 2%. Year| $ billion| % Growth| 2011| 12. 3| 15. 3| 2012| 14. 2| 15. 4| 2013| 16. 7| 17. 6| 2014| 19. 7| 17. 8| 2015| 23. 1| 17. 7| 2016| 27. 3| 17. 8| V. Competitor Analysis Dr. Reddy’s $ million | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| 2012| Revenues | 1,067. 40| 1,482. 30| 1,500. 20| 1,594. 40| 2,065. 00| Net income (loss) | 82. 1| -110. 3| 22. 8| 235. 7| 304. 4| Total assets | 1,828. 00| 1,788. 60| 1,714. 70| 2,028. 00| 2,550. 40| Total liabilities | 817. 2| 891. 1| 798. 7| 1,046. 30| 1,324. 20|Key Ratios Ratio | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Profit margin | 7. 7% | (7. 4%) | 1. 5% | 14. 8% | 14. 7%| Revenue growth | (22. 2%) | 38. 9% | 1. 2% | 6. 3% | 29. 5%| Debt/asset ratio | 44. 7% | 49. 8% | 46. 6% | 51. 6% | 51. 9%| Return on assets | 4. 5% | (6. 1%) | 1. 3% | 12. 6% | 13. 3%| Cipla Limited $ million | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Revenues | 926. 0 | 1,134. 7 | 1,219. 6 | 1,371. 0 | 1,521. 1| Net income (loss) | 149. 7 | 165. 8 | 230. 9 | 205. 0 | 239. 9| Total assets | 1,223. 7 | 1,422. 0 | 1,560. 2 | 1,835. 1 | 1,995. 9| Total liabilities | 422. 1 | 493. 9 | 298. 5 | 412. 1 | 365. 3|Key Ratios Ratio | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Profit margin | 16. 2% | 14. 6% | 18. 9% | 15. 0% | 15. 8%| Revenue growth | 15. 3% | 22. 5% | 7. 5% | 12. 4% | 10. 9%| Debt/asset ratio | 34. 5% | 34. 7% | 19. 1% | 22. 5% | 18. 3%| Return on assets | 13. 8% | 12. 5% | 15. 5% | 12. 1% | 12. 5%| Lupin Limit ed $ million | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Revenues | 612. 8 | 822. 0 | 1,031. 4 | 1,242. 1 | 1,511. 9| Net income (loss) | 87. 2 | 107. 1 | 145. 5 | 184. 1| 185. 2| Total assets | 718. 0 | 857. 5 | 1,085. 6 | 1,307. 3 | 1,693. 6| Total liabilities | 444. 9 | 550. 3 | 532. 0 | 595. 9 | 821. 6| Key RatiosRatio | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Profit margin | 14. 2% | 13. 0% | 14. 1% | 14. 8% | 12. 2%| Revenue growth | 40. 4% | 34. 1% | 25. 5% | 20. 4% | 21. 7%| Debt/asset ratio | 62. 0% | 64. 2% | 49. 0% | 45. 6% | 48. 5%| Return on assets | 14. 5% | 13. 6% | 15. 0% | 15. 4% | 12. 3%| VI. Ranbaxy Financials $ million | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Revenues | 1,585. 1 | 1,582. 6 | 1,621. 7 | 1,912. 8 | 2,169. 1| Net income (loss) | 125. 1 | (203. 0) | 63. 3 | 319. 5 | (619. 0)| Total assets | 2,008. 2 | 2,830. 8 | 2,594. 3 | 3,022. 9 | 3,605. 6| Total liabilities | 1,410. 0 | 1,899. 4 | 1,655. 8 | 1,812. | 2,726. 8| Key Ratios Ratio | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012| Pr ofit margin | 7. 9% | (12. 8%) | 3. 9% | 16. 7% | (28. 5%)| Revenue growth | 23. 2% | (0. 2%) | 2. 5% | 18. 0% | 13. 4%| Debt/asset ratio | 70. 2% | 67. 1% | 63. 8% | 60. 0% | 75. 6%| Return on assets | 6. 5% | (8. 4%) | 2. 3% | 11. 4% | (18. 7%)| During the year 2011, the Company resolved its legacy issues with U. S. Food and Drug Administration (â€Å"FDA†) and signed a Consent Decree with FDA in which the Company committed to further strengthen its procedures and policies to ensure data integrity and to comply with current good manufacturing practices.This is considered to be a positive development for the Company as it will provide greater clarity around the outlook for the business in the U. S. The Company has made a provision of Rs. 26,480 million ($500 million) for settlement with the U. S. Department of Justice, which the Company believes will be sufficient to resolve all potential civil and criminal liability. Further, due to sharp depreciation of rupee foreign excha nge charge of Rs. 16,584. 08 million was made during the year. The combined impact of these two exceptional items on the performance of the Company was Rs. 43,064. 08 million.Due to the above exceptional items, the Company incurred a loss (after tax) of Rs. 28,834. 16 million in the year. * The debt to equity ratio for Ranbaxy is the highest among the big 4 pharmaceutical companies in India (refer to appendix for competitor figures). * The company’s average return on asset has been considerably lower than that of the other top players in the industry (refer to exhibit V for competitor figures). * While the company’s sales have picked up the constant less than expected return on asset will be a cause for concern for the investors. VII. Pharmaceutical Industry Future Medium termManufacturing opportunities for Indian players to remain upbeat * Increasing no. of drugs going off patent and decline in R;D productivity among the large global players provides an immense potent ial for Indian formulation and bulk drug players. * According to research the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is set to grow at CAGR of about 17%. * Healthy growth momentum in formulation export to continue. * Rising ANDA approvals are a testimony to India’s capability in this area, coupled with strong pipeline of ANDA approvals in the medium term. * Bulk exports are expected to witness robust growthLong term Growth in generic market to slow down over the next decade Over the last 40 years, since its inception, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has thrived on the generic model by leveraging on its process chemistry skills and low-cost manufacturing advantage. This has enabled players to tap the huge generic opportunity abroad. However, the R;D productivity of large global pharmaceutical players (innovators) has considerably slowed down over the past few years which is underscored by the declining number of new molecules (New Molecular Entities – NMEs) being approved by the US FDA each year.Taking this trend forward, the lack of new drug launches between 2010 and 2015 onwards will mean that the generic opportunity set to open up in the next decade (post 2020) is likely to be significantly lower. (assuming average age of 8-10 years of patent exclusivity) These changes in the global pharmaceutical landscape could cause a slowdown in the generics segment and hence, the Indian pharma industry will be forced to look at newer avenues for growth. * Large global players suffering from low R;D productivity.Over the past few years, R;D activities by large global players have resulted in the innovation of only a handful of new and significant molecules. Meanwhile drug development costs have escalated. The cost for developing a new molecular entity (NME) has more than doubled to $1. 5 billion over the past 5 years. During the same period, the number of NMEs approved by the US FDA continued to hover around 15-20 with an occasional rise to over 20 as seen in 20 04 and 2008. * Higher risks and lower returns: New drugs over the last two years fail to deliver.In addition to low R;D productivity, innovators' returns from novel molecules have substantially declined over the last few years. None of the new drugs approved over the past 2-3 years have been blockbusters (with sales over $1 billion) or even sales greater than $750 million. This decline in sales is primarily due to the availability of substitutes (generic as well as patented) for existing diseases. Rising emphasis on usage of generics has also steadily reduced the prescription of patented molecules. Over the past few years, off-patent drugs have been the key growth drivers in the generic market.According to research post 2020, growth in the generic market is likely to slow down to 3-5 per cent. Fewer drugs going off-patent coupled with lower prices of the patented drugs (as a result of the availability of substitutes) will be the key reasons that will result in a significantly lower incremental generic opportunity. VIII. Conservation of energy and its impact Measures for conservation of energy | Impact resulting into saving (in rs Million)| * Increase in steam to fuel ratio from 10. 2 to 11. 4 by increasing the condensate recovery| 3. 0| * Rationalization of potable water supply by operating one system instead of earlier practice of two systems| 2. 04| * Operational optimization of process air compressor by supplying air from instrument air compressor| 1. 55| * Fuel emulsification system for furnace oil to improve the combustion efficiency in boiler by 3%| 1. 40| * Installation of Solar Heating system for boiler feed water| 1. 20| * Modifications in cooling tower by replacing the fans and pumps with low energy consuming & efficient fans and pupms in old utilities for pilot plant and Lovastatin plant| 0. 9| * Flexiblity was built into the system to facilitate operation of a single chiller unit at night time| 0. 63| * Reconditioning of cooling towers resulting in bringing down the cooling water temperature by 4’C thereby improving the chiller efficiency| 0. 47| * Re-engineering of air flow in AHU’s in two production blocks thus saving energy| 0. 26| * Replacement of old window ACs with energy efficient split ACs, and installing new ACs in 2 Conference Rooms thereby avoiding operation of centralized cooling during weekend meetings| 0. 17|