3m Optical

3M Optical Systems: Managing Corporate Entrepreneurship MST550 – Capstone Professor Jack Raiton HBSP Case #395-017 Discussion Questions 1. What practices make 3M such an innovative company? 2. What is Any Wong’s role as the OS Unit’s general manager? How effective has he been? 3. What is Paul Guehler’s role as division vicepresident? How effective has he been? 4. What should Andy Wong do with the computer screen AFE? If he gets the AFE, should Guehler fund it? Case Outline †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The Situation Background of 3M Corporation Internal Context at 3M Corporation Background of Optical Systems (OS) The Product is Born The Product is Reborn Wong’s Options Guehler’s Options Wong’s Role/Effectiveness Guehler’s Role/Effectiveness Desimone’s Role The Situation The 3M Corporation’s Optical Systems (OS) business unit needs to decide if they should proceed wi th the deployment of a new computer privacy screen despite two previous marketing failures. Background of 3M Corporation 100 Years of Innovation Highly Diversified Global Company †¢ â€Å"High-Tech†: Spends twice the U. S. Industry Average on R&D (6-7% of sales) †¢ Strong emphasis on new products and technologies †¢ Fosters individual’s innovation within the workforce (â€Å"15% rule†) Internal Context at 3M Corporation †¢ Respect for the individual – â€Å"Stimulate ordinary people to produce extraordinary performance† †¢ Supportive policies/practices – 15% bootleg rule – â€Å"Make a little, sell a little† †¢ High standards, stretch objectives – 10% sales growth, 20% PBT, 27% ROCE – 30% sales from new products Internal Context at 3M Corporation†¦cont. †¢ Acceptance of â€Å"well-intentioned failure† †¢ Share/leverage resources – â€Å"Technology belongs to company† Background of Optical Systems (OS) †¢ OS Track Record (1979-1990) – Formed in 1979 through consolidation of several 3M optical technologies – Experienced 11 year microlouver development effort with minimal products – Lost between 3 to 5 million dollars per year – â€Å"Technology in Search of a Market† †¢ OS Changes Focus (1991-1992) – In 1990 new top management appointed – Focus on applications for technology The Product is Born †¢ In late 1990, the OS Team launched the computer privacy screen †¢ Product used â€Å"microlouver† technology to offer privacy of screen information †¢ By early 1991 the OS Team saw poor market reaction due to the large number of sizes needed and high purchase price †¢ Product was modified and re-launched in late 1991 with minor changes, but to no avail The Product is Re-Born †¢ Through prior-product analysis, market research, and harnessing some of 3Ms other technologies, a 3rd generation was created and readied for market in 1992. It combined features of competitor’s such as anti-glare, anti-static and anti-radiation †¢ Was ready for decision on â€Å"Authority to Proceed† Wong’s Options Go †¢Learning from two previous launches †¢Met rigorous threephase process †¢Team closest to market, competition, technology (trust them, don’t second-guess) †¢Committed team (motivational imp act) †¢Last chance for OS †¢Wong must be the champion Postpone/Cancel †¢Poor market research †¢Poor product concept †¢Price too high †¢Unrealistic market share forecasts †¢Unrealistic risk assessment †¢Needs more data, further study Other Options †¢Self fund †¢Mentor’s support †¢Outsource Guehler’s Options Approve †¢ Project passed three-phase review – Shouldn’t second-guess now Reject/Send Back †¢ Recognize as â€Å"well intentional failure† †¢ Has other high-profile â€Å"Pacing Projects† †¢ Problems with product, price, marketing strategy †¢ Lacks internal support †¢ Cost relatively low ($750K) †¢ OS unit believes, committed †¢ Don’t want to kill OS unit – Big project in pipeline (Needs 30% new products) Wong’s Role/Effectiveness †¢ Attracting good people – Noirjean, Melby Developing/motivating his team, building unit’s capabilities †¢ Creating, pursuing growth opportunities †¢ Keeping management â€Å"in the boat† Guehler’s Role/Effectiveness †¢ Empower frontline manager to find/develop attractive opportunities †¢ Coach/nurture/support fron tline managers to develop confidence and capabilities †¢ Set standards/goals for and develop selfdiscipline among frontline †¢ Balance between discipline and support Desimone’s Role †¢ Sets, communicates, monitors standards and objectives †¢ Protects, reinforces norms and values – Respect for individual Primary focus on organizational context more than strategic content

A Different History – Essay

Commentary – A Different History (by Sujata Bhatt) ‘A different history’ by Sujata Bhatt is a poem written about the social and political concern of the lost of cultural identical renouciation of Indian identity. The poet has used sentence pattern, motifs, symbolisms and imagery predominantly in this poem to emphasize the problem of younger generations losing their roots and identities. The poem begins with the use of the motif â€Å"Great Pan† who is the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, nature of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music, and companion of the nymphs. Great Pan† in the poem is a symbolism of the native culture and identity in the European countries. This motif plays a huge role in the poem as the first three lines in the first stanza shows us the richness of Indian culture and the need for all Indians to appreciate their culture. The great pan leaving Europe to India portrays the intensity loss in Europe but more important highli ghts the attraction of the land, rich, harmony between environment and human society coexisting that India can offer. The human nature and human wisdom is what attracts even the god of culture to leave Europe and â€Å"emigrated to India†.The poet highlights through this use of personification that every Indian should be proud of the great culture root that Indian can provide. The sentence patterns along with other techniques used by the poet are significant in terms of the allowing the readers to understand the theme and the concerns of the poet. The run on lines in the first stanza implies that Indian culture will never fade or end and that it will be eternal, passing on through generations and generations. It is also effective in the sense that the run on lines emphasizes the effectives of the repetitions used in the poem.The repetition of â€Å" It is a sin† ultimately shows the readers that it is a sin to discard the Indian culture and it is a sin to forget where one is from and what one should value culture-wise. The constant use of cultural icons such as â€Å"snakes†, â€Å"monkey† and â€Å"trees† further stresses the rich native culture in India and how important it is that conserve this culture. An imperative is also used in the poem â€Å" You must learn†¦wood the paper was made† gives off a cautious tone, warning the readers what would happen if the culture is not respected and treasured.The first stanza of the poem, although linked closely with each other have very contrasting moods. In the first stanza, the poet idolizes the uniqueness of Indian culture and how important it is to sustain this culture. The mood that the readers get is hopeful and respectful. However, in the second stanza, the reader uses many techniques, principally rhetorical questions to express her thoughts of the English colonization and the English language influences. The tone in the second stanza is bitterness and sad with a s ense of fear.The rhetorical questions â€Å"Which language has not been the oppressor’s tongue? † and â€Å" Which language truly meant to murder someone? † contradictory with each other. The first question implies that the English imposes foreign language on native Indians when they first conquered India. She explores the enigma whereby the language of the conqueror is cherished by later generations. â€Å"The unborn grandchildren grow to love that strange language†. The second question is a metaphor the poet had used to point out the neutrality of language.Language is not meant to murder anyone and is major component of history. She is merely confused why Indian people of today’s generation would love a language that came from people, which has caused death and agony for hundreds of years in India. It is ironic to see how young people today forget about their heritage to love the English language. The two stanzas link with each other to show the confusion of the poet not understanding how people could neglect their own rich culture (described in stanza one) to loving a language that has caused them so much pain in the past (stanza two)The pre-dominant imagery used in the second stanza is imagery of the English colonization. The use of the metaphor â€Å"after the torture, with†¦ of the conqueror’s face† contains many destructive diction that provokes a negative feeling for the readers but more importantly to build up to the irony. The fact that after all the people in India have gone through in the colonization by England, generations today would still love and speak English. The sense of pain and sorrow of the poet is undeniable.After the colonization of India, English was brought in as an official language and was referred to as the â€Å"strange language† that younger generations love. The loss of identity in younger generations is clear in the second stanza and younger people do not know the hi story of India and don’t seem to understand and appreciate the importance of this wonderful culture. The poem ‘ A different culture’ by Sujata Bhatt emphasizes the loss of identity for younger generations in India. The poet used a number of techniques effectively to show the sense of irony and bitterness towards this significant social issue in today’s society.

Human Trafficking In Our Wallets Essay

The exploitation and trafficking of women, men, and children is a humanitarian problem on a global scale in which â€Å"worldwide, there are between 12 million and 27 million trafficking victims†¦ the International Labor Organization estimates that more than 20 million men, women, and children are victimized by forced labor and sex trafficking worldwide, including the United States.† (Zurita) The United Nations Office of Drug and Crime defines human trafficking as: The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs. There are two different types of exploitation: Consensual and nonconsensual. The next section, section 2, will inaugurate a communal vocabulary and define exactly what human trafficking is, consensual exploitation, and nonconsensual exploitation. Section 2: Origin of the Problem For thousands of years, human trafficking and exploitation has been  occurring throughout the world. Since the beginning of time with the ancient Greeks and Romans to the medieval times occurring into today’s society, people have been forced to into sexual and physical slavery. The 1400s manifested the start of European slave trading in Africa with the Portuguese people transporting people from Africa to Portugal as slaves. In 1562, Britain joined in on the slave trade and helped develop the colonies full of plantations. â€Å"Later in the 1600s Spain, North America, Holland, France, Sweden, and Denmark all became involved in human trafficking.† (Kangaspunta). Skipping forward to 1904, â€Å"the International Agreement for the Suppression of â€Å"White Slave Traffic† was signed and put into action. The purpose of this agreement was to protect women from being involved in white slave traffic. White slavery referred to forcing or deceiving a white woman or girl into prostitution.† (Kangaspunta). In 1927, after World War 1 the League of Nations focused on major international issues such as human trafficking. The Suppression of White Slave Traffic was changed to â€Å"traffic in women and children†. This was also the era when studies were conducted to find out the actual number of people trafficked. â€Å"Factors that were measured included the number of women engaged in prostitution, the demand, and the surrounding environment of the women who were trafficked as well as the traffickers† (Kangaspunta). In 1995, there was a immense accomplishment for women, children, and men everywhere. The United Nations recognized that trafficking was in fact an act of violence against women and the concept of trafficking was defined. (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women). During the fourth world conference they addressed issues such as enforcing international conventions on trafficking and human slavery, address the factors that encourage trafficking, set up laws and organizations who would help eliminate trafficking nationally and internationally. Finally in October of 2000, â€Å"the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 made human trafficking a federal crime and intact was to methods to prevent human trafficking overseas, to protect victims and help them rebuild their lives in the United States, and to prosecute traffickers of humans under Federal penalties.† (State). Section 2.1: What is Human Trafficking? Until 2000, no country, state, or city could settle on exactly the meaning  of trafficking. Originally, in 1927 trafficking was defined as white women and girls sold or forced into prostitution. Just like history; however, the definition of trafficking evolved to include types of force, fraud, or coercion beyond sexual exploitation. In 2000, the Fourth World Conference agreed to a definition for trafficking in people that can be found in the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children: The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs. (Europol) Human trafficking has three elements that give the basis of the definition stated above: The Act (What is Done), The Means (How it is done), and The Purpose (Why is it done). Shown below is a chart from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that explains exactly what each section does and how it contributes to the definition of human trafficking. Along with the definition that was decided to be used internationally, Congress decided to define and classify trafficking into two different categories: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Sex trafficking is: The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coerci on, or in which the person forced to perform such an act is younger than age 18. A commercial sex act means any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person. Types of sex trafficking include prostitution, pornography, stripping, live-sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution, and sex tourism. (Clawson). Labor trafficking is defined as: â€Å"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery† (Resettlement). Just like sex trafficking, labor trafficking has several forms of practices  such as bonded labor, forced labor, and child labor. Bonded labor: Better known as debt bondage and is the least known form of trafficking; however, it has the highest and widest method of enslaving people. Victims become bonded laborers when their labor is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan or service in which its terms and conditions have not been defined or in which the value of the victims’ services as reasonably assessed is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt. (Resettlement) Forced labor is â€Å"a situation in which victims are forced to work against their own will, under the threat of violence or some other form of punishment, their freedom is restricted and a degree of ownership is exerted. Forced labor can include domestic servitude, agricultural labor, sweatshop factory labor, janitorial, food service and other service industry labor, and begging. (Resettlement) Child labor is a form of work that is likely to be hazardous to the health, physical, mental, spiritual, moral, or social development of children and often interferes with their education. Section 2.2: What is exploitation? Exploitation is defined as â€Å"the action or fact of treats someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work† (editors). Exploitation is broken down into two different forms just like sexual trafficking. The two forms of exploitations are: nonconsensual and consensual. â€Å"Nonconsensual forms of exploitation involve an element of coercion, fraud, or deception, whereas consensual exploitation typically results from a lack of other economic opportunities and leads to the unfair treatment of the exploited.† (Koettl) The other form of exploitation is consensual form which allows victims to exploit their self because they have no other options. This can be the case in lower income families and also causes these cases to often turn into nonconsensual cases. Section 3: Problem Statement The availability of data on human trafficking and how it affects the economy on the Gulf Coast is quite limited. Due to limited amount of data I believe proving that the economy on the Gulf Coast is indeed affected by humans being trafficked along our major roadways and through our waters. However, I do have some data and information that pertain to human trafficking and the economy as it correlates around the United States and around the rest of the world. Victims of human trafficking correlate by their economic social  status and lack of family support or work opportunities. Section 4: Who are the Victims? Most of the victims are in such poverty that they will do whatever it takes to help their family survive. Victims are lured by false promises of a job, stability, education, or a loving stable family. Human trafficking is a never ending cycle with an economic crisis surfacing; the demand for cheap fast labor is quickly on the rise. Due to the economy plummeting people are look for jobs farther away from their homes to support their families. Due to this people are becoming homeless and unemployed with no one looking for them which gives traffickers the perfect victim. The perfect victim is someone who no one is going to miss, illiterate most times, completely poor, and often live under very serious health violations and do not have enough food to feed their self. As these people become poor and poor, human traffickers are going to be able to start connecting more supply of labor to areas where labor is demanded. Most importantly to remember about these victims is that anyone can be a victim. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender have reported that they are more likely and more vulnerable to traffickers who prey on the desperation of those wanting to escape social alienation and maltreatment. Section 4.1: Who are the Traffickers? Human traffickers typically involve an organized crime group who specialize in this area. They generate a huge profit for their criminal organization or for individuals they make a huge profit for their own personal gain. In a recent study conducted by Advocates for Freedom, 52% of those recruiting victims were men, 42% were women, and 6% was a male and a female working together. While 54% of the cases the recruiter was a stranger to the victim and the other 46% the victim knew their recruiter. One of the incentives for trafficking is going to be the vast profit that these traffickers, buyers, and criminal societies that keep the companies going strictly for this reason. In all honesty, human trafficking brings in billions of billions of dollars in profit. In the United States, traffickers are making $67, 200 annually per victim. However, it is the distribution of the money  that continues to spark poverty and unemployment and allows traffickers to always have new â€Å"workersâ⠂¬ . Section 4.2: Economic Impacts Poverty, unemployment, and a lack of opportunity in the workforce makes millions of people look for a better life by leaving places they love and call home. This big business brings the United States $32 billion annually and every year traffickers alone make $4,000 to $50,000 per person trafficked depending on the victim’s place of origin and destination. Every time a person is trafficked that country’s economy takes a significant loss of human and social capital. It also effects the economy due to the hindrance in the educational process and the victims’ psychological health sometimes makes the person exclude themselves from society due to their trauma. When victims exclude their self from society, the economy in that particular area is no longer gaining the revenue that could have been earned from this victim from something as minor as buying a new dress for a company dinner. The cost of trafficking incorporates many elements that effect the economic impact such as â€Å"the resources devoted to its prevention, the treatment and support of victims and the apprehension and prosecution of offenders.† (Nations) Trafficking also results in a significant loss of human resources and tax revenue reductions. Furthermore, trafficking redirects the benefits of migration from the migrant, family, community, and government to strictly the trafficker and their associates. Many countries, the United States included, suffer from the economic effects of human trafficking which include: lack of law enforcement, decrease in human productivity due to health conditions, and circulation of money throughout the criminal organization. Section 5: What does this have to do with Mississippi? Mississippi does in fact have human trafficking that has turned into a heinous system operation here in our backyards. Even though law enforcement and even Mississippi Attorney General’s Office have put together a task force that specializes in trafficking, more than 350,000 people are still sliding by undetected and unreported. Here in Mississippi traffickers are using the Gulf of Mexico, Highway 90, and Interstate 10 as the most popular  outlets out of the state. If we continue to allow trafficking to happen right here on the Gulf Coast, we are going to see a huge change in the labor mark and economic dislocation. The Gulf Coast is slowly going to see people compelled to leave their homes in search of a better living and as a result of this the people of the Gulf Coast are going to become involved in human trafficking. Another side effect of allowing trafficking to continue is due to the Gulf Coast being right against the Gulf of Mexico, we are going to begin seeing a huge flood of humans from less developed regions pull into our docks. Traffickers are increasingly utilizing the Gulf of Mexico as an entry point which allows traffickers to sell their victims to local business owner. In return, local business owners are going to â€Å"hire† these victims and not hire local people to do a job because they can pay less to the victims and save their self-money. If this was to continue to occur, the people of the Gulf Coast are going to have to migrate away for a better life and thus start the train of trafficking all over again. Section 6: Literary Review Reported estimates of human trafficking worldwide, in the United States, and specifically in Mississippi were reviewed to gain statistical information and other pertinent details. The research was conducted by Web sites of Federal agencies, legal cases that involve acts of human trafficking, different databases such as Europol, and three books. The first book: The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today written by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter talks about the heinous and disturbing cases of human trafficking through different voices such as slaves, traffickers, counselors, and law enforcement. The second book is The Red Market written by Scott Carney and it describes illegal trading and trafficking especially of humans and their body parts. Lastly, the third book: Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy by Moises Naim and it talks about investigations that prove the economy is changing due to traffickers. Section 7: Methodology The data was gathered over a multitude of months by using the internet, books, and interviews with people inside the FBI, police forces locally, WXXV Alyssa Meisner, and Advocates for Freedom Mrs. Harvill. For the past  couple of months I have analyzed each piece of evidence presented to me and came to the conclusion that human trafficking does indeed affect the economy in Mississippi. However, there was some limitations that I found during my research. The primary limitation of this paper is the lack of data for Mississippi, particularly data for trafficking on the Gulf Coast. For example, there were plenty of news articles about human trafficking happening on the Gulf Coast, but there was no statistical information pertaining to the Gulf Coast. Section 8: Conclusion In conclusion, the exploitation and trafficking of men, women, and children is a humanitarian problem that affects the economy in a multitude of ways. Through this paper, the definition of human trafficking has become clearer to the audience as well as the economic affects human trafficking has not only in the United States but also right here on the Gulf Coast. Works Cited Agatucci, Cora. African Slave Trade and European Imperialism. 1 January 2010. 27 October 2014. . Anderson, Rebbecca. Human Trafficking in Schools Kimberly Anderson. 6 February 2015. Recorded. Bank, Inter- American Development. Human trafficking’s dirty profits and huge costs. 2 November 2006. 12 October 2014. . Center, Northeastern University Education Technology. Human Trafficking: Data Collection and Reporting Problems. 2011. 12 October 2014. . Clawson, Heather. Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States. August 2009. 21 November 2014. . Crime, United Nations Office on Drugs and. Human Trafficking. 2014. 14 November 2014. . editors, Merriam Webster. Merriam Webster Dictionary. 1803. 15 October 2014. .

Math Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Math Literacy - Essay Example Literacy is a highly complex notion. Traditionally literacy has referred to a comprehension of language elements. Increasingly, however, literacy has come to refer to an understanding and proficiency with an endless array of subjects. For instance, today there is media literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy. A number of researchers and agencies have proposed spectrums of literacy. In this way the National Institute for Literacy indicates that major aspects of literacy include, â€Å"decoding/phonemic awareness and phonics, morphology, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension† (National Institute of Literacy 2007, p. 3). For the purpose of this research literacy is considered in terms of language fluency. There are a number of aspects of literacy that exist in my subject area of mathematics. Perhaps the most overarching consideration is the notion of content literacy. Conley refers to content literacy as students’ comprehension of specific reading and fl uency knowledge that contributes to their understanding of the specific subject (Conley 2008). As my subject is mathematics there are a variety of ways that content literacy is important. In a sense, students’ actual fluency with solving mathematic problems can be regarded as a sort of literacy. Still, specific language fluency in terms of phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and text comprehension is required in much math content. ... that, â€Å"Mathematical literacy is attained only when students can decipher the numbers, apply abstract symbols, and use words to construct mathematical meaning.† This is a more comprehensive recognition of literacy as encompassing numbers as forms of literate expression. There are a variety of ways that literacy within mathematics exists. In solving math equations one recognizes that, â€Å"Although understanding the mathematics involved†¦is certainly essential, being able to read, understand, and respond in writing to the item in specialized ways is also crucial. Content area literacy involves showing students how to adjust their reading and writing to the specific demands of different kinds of knowledge and tasks† (Conley 2008, p. 22). In this way literacy within mathematics occurs in particular situations that aid the solving of mathematics equations. For instance, mathematics often has terminology such as box plot, quartile 1 and interquartile, or minimum an d maximum. Students must recognize these concepts in order to advance to the problem-solving portion of the mathematics. One considers that in science students more thoroughly focus on words and patterns. In the language arts students must develop thorough reading comprehension skills. The notable recognition in these regards is that literacy in mathematics, as contrasted with most other subject areas, functions to aid the direct comprehension of the subject rather than being the subject itself. Other theorists have additionally considered that oftentimes literacy in mathematics, in terms of specific vocabulary, oftentimes takes on a different meaning than in outside contexts. For instance, it’s noted that the word ‘functions’ takes on a different meaning in terms of math than in other contexts (Franz

Is Iran a threat to the U.S Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is Iran a threat to the U.S - Research Paper Example Iran’s military also plans for a three-stage missile capable to hit targets some 3700 km away4. Despite Iran’s repeated assurances that its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes, the West and Israel believe that the Islamic Republic is striving to obtain a nuclear weapon, which is more or less substantiated by the latest IAEA’s report on the issue5. Alternatively, Iran doesn’t pose any serious threat to the United States because of the reasons below: Iran’s economy is suffering heavy blows with the country’s oil revenues being dramatically slashed and other trade disrupted due to the international sanctions6. This would eventually hamper both the country’s geopolitical ambitions and military programs; The expansion of the Iranian ballistic missile arsenal, along with both space and nuclear programs, will drain the country’s resources sooner or later; The military capabilities of United States overwhelmingly exceed even the most unbridled wishes of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; Iran has recently declared that welcomes a US offer of bilateral nuclear talks. With all the ambiguity of the possible outcome, such talks have the potential for a certain reconciliation7; The so-called Arab spring, or its after effects, whatever the case might be, would eventually reach the Islamic Republic. Weighing the Pros and Cons The US-Iran relations have gone from bad to worse ever since the Shah’s fall from power in 19798. The hostage crisis, which lasted for 444 days, along with the American support for Saddam Hussein and the number of armed incidents involving US and Iranian air and naval units during the Iran-Iraq war, brought about a deep crisis in the bilateral relations9. The first Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had demonized the US as the â€Å"Great Satan† in 1979, which image was projected across the Middle East and beyond, as well as deeply embedded in anti-American rhetoric10. Not surprisingly therefore, Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah stated in 2002 - one year after 9/11 – that â€Å"our hostility to the Great Satan is absolute†11. Accordingly, Iran was placed on the list of rogue states, alongside Cuba, Burma, North Korea, etc., and was designated by the President George W. Bush as one of the countries that constitute the â€Å"Axis of Evil†12. The current Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, is renowned for his animosity to the US13, and if his power and the survival of the Islamic theocracy are in danger, he would not hesitate to order strikes against US targets within the operational range of the Iranian ballistic missiles, including military and civilian installations, as well as against key American allies, most notably Israel. The anti-Semitic and anti-American rhetoric of the incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also implies such a possibility, although the real clout in Iran belongs to Ayatollah Khamenei and the circle around him. What makes the situation particularly precarious, however, is the fact that

HCM307-0704A-01 The Health Care Industry - Phase 3 Discussion Board 2 Essay

HCM307-0704A-01 The Health Care Industry - Phase 3 Discussion Board 2 - Essay Example They found that the heavy costs of creating duplicate paperwork and sending it in several directions caused lost records, lost cost control and missed patient appointments. It’s a time-waster: Physicians have less and less time for patients. Is it going to take longer to work with these records than jotting down a few notes? While it still takes some learning, modern systems using PDA’s (hand-held devices), electronic pens and voice recognition (for some practices, like radiology) are well sorted-out and ready for prime time. Think about the time we’re wasting today: how long does it take to get a patient’s radiology films, his or her records from previous visits, and labs? How many times have you had to reach for the prescription pad and look up drug interactions? All of that can be handled from the PDA, including electronic transmission of the prescription to the pharmacy. It’s difficult to implement: It certainly requires changes on everyone’s part. A few years ago, implementing EMR with physicians meant installing PC’s on every desk, and requiring the physician to be tied to a chair while he/she laboriously put in all the needed patient data. Some physicians complained at having to learn new terms and change their workflow. Technology has become simpler and more intuitive to use. The ‘heavy lifting’ is done in the back, through servers and communicators. For physicians, the system is well thought-out and fits into our routine. There are so many vendors out there, how can they communicate? IT suppliers have been talking to one another through HL-7 protocols for years. The advent of new, open technologies like Java and XML have made it possible for different systems to talk to one another. Those horror stories about DICOM radiology images not blending with patient records? It’s all history now. And finally, â€Å"that sounds fine, but I’ll let my nurse do it.† The nurse and PA can certainly

The person who influenced my life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The person who influenced my life - Essay Example His hard work in academics was rewarded by his generally high intellectual level that outmatched his classmates. This also helped him to establish his personal business against economic strains. He defied economic odds and saved every possible portion from his low initial income, in his youth, to establish a small business that has continually grown. He has also been a loving man who keeps every friend and relative close. He always has time to socialize with people and even sets aside his personal time to listen to people’s needs. This is particularly why I got so close to him in my adult age. While his loving and caring attitude protected me from bulling schoolmates when I was a child, he taught me as an adult, the benefits of loving and caring for the macro society. His ability to excel in both academics and athletics has also been a source of inspiration that an individual can successfully explore more than one potential. This has motivated me into entrepreneurial ventures while still in school and he always encourages me that I can

Company Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Company - Coursework Example The report has also examined little management accounting techniques. Finally, the report has attempted to evaluate some current techniques that are appropriate for strategic management accounting. The report is generally to be used within Spacenet.inc; a well-established ICT firm based in Brussels. The board of associations and the management depend on financial reports to be able to cognize the economic situation of the board and to help the whole team in the process of decision making. For the purposes of improving the usefulness of financial information in the perspective of the decision making process, financial statements should be analyzed (Young, 2003). In that perspective, financial statement analysis can be described as the process where data is converted from financial statements into meaningful information for the organization quality evaluation by use of diverse analytical methods, which is very essential in the entire process of rational management. The function of financial report analysis is to identify good characters of Spacenet.inc so that the management can apply most beneficial characteristics. At the same time such reports also help an organization to recognize its weaknesses and take the necessary actions. A good financial strategy should consider both strength and weaknesses of the company. The use of internal financial statement prepared for top management provides the information they require in monitoring the organization’s operation and aid in decision making. Published reports rely on internal financial reports to inform investors, lenders and suppliers about the firm’s financial position. One limitation of both internal and published financial report in decision making is that the data given is based on the market at that particular time (Young, 2003). Subject to the nature of the market, change may be observed very quickly, so top managers are not supposed to assume that figures as per the last reports will be stagnant

International Operational And Logistics (REPORT) Assignment - 1

International Operational And Logistics (REPORT) - Assignment Example The society also recognizes honesty and good ethical values in its marketing system. The customers enjoys the company’s goods and services at affordable rates and the service speed is outstanding but with quality. The company also operates an impressive food supply chain logistics and Somerfield services which include; collection from warehouse, distribution, consolidation of products delivered to a single point, storage facilities and refrigeration, picking services as well as break bulk facilities. This is successful through well organized transport system. As much as company boasts of outstanding market system, various improvements should be implemented at some operational stages for quality assurance diversity of economy. Current operations and supply chain The company aims to reduce the cost of goods and services they provide to their customers. It has made it successful through online services and delivering goods to various accessible points. The company has several bra nches all over the UK and has plans to make further extensions. This would make sure that all its operations are accessible to all potential customers due to its wide range of market operations. Through a well organized transport system involving more than 1000 vehicles, the Co-operative food supply Chain Logistics and Somerfield operations ensure quality food supply involving temperature regulated, and facilities for chilled as well as frozen products to more than 4000 stores. The supply chain of food products involves a wide range of services involving timely collection of products from the manufacturer of warehouse, to the required destinations or centers, consolidation of products transported at a single point, temperature regulated storage facilities, picking of goods and facilities for break bulk. Food stuff is made to remain as pristine as fresh by ensuring that they are carried in temperature controlled facilities. The company uses a well transport system and an effective ne twork of which goods can be delivered to various centers or Somerfield RDC within 24 hours. The frozen food supply is based in three center depots namely Harthill, Halesowen and Thedford. This ensures effective collection of goods from the supplier for distribution from those centers. A well established network ensures that all goods are delivered to their designated centers on time whenever needed. Various stations like central hub in Alfreton, Derbyshire and other RDC centers provide most of the company’s effective storage facilities. The company’s warehouse services offer case picking operations for storing the stock, picked and taken care of by the management on the customers’ behalf. The co-operative food supply Chain logistics encourages its people to contribute in the improvement of the business culture through open communication as well as learning. The group is well connected to the investors and its customers because of its good ethical values that ren der honesty, openness, social accountability and caring for others. This is it operates with the mission of becoming the best performing team in UK food supply and logistics. With various improvements in the company, the Co-operative Food Chain Logistics have experienced fruitful change in culture and behaviors hence creating openness and honesty. This has coupled with a

The demographic imbalance in the UAE and Security Threats Research Paper

The demographic imbalance in the UAE and Security Threats - Research Paper Example The paper first looks at the demographic data with regard to nationalities, then proceeds to analyse how the demographic imbalance threatens local community identity, social structure, economic and political future of the UAE. Demographic data with regard to nationalities and gender Since 1975, the UAE population composition has experienced rapid transitions. The population has grown more than 10 times over this period with the greatest population growth being that of foreign nationals (Al-Suwaidi, 2011). At 12% of the total population (Al-Khouri, 2010), the number of nationals is extremely low compared to that of expatriates, and certain nationalities are predominant within the demographic structure. Analysing the most recent estimated data for 2010 over a five year period, UAE population was estimated to be 8.5 million in 2010 of which only 950,000 were national citizens while 7.3 million were accounted for by non national residents. In 2005, the nationals were estimated to be around 818,000, which implies that the national population growth was at a 3% growth rate. On the other hand, the foreign nationals who were 3.3 million in 2005, more than doubled over the five year period to 7.3 million (National Bureau of Statistics, 2012; UAE Defence & Security Report , 2011). Table 1: UAE Population data 2005-2010 Â   2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 UAE Nationals 0.82 million 0.85 million 0.88 million 0.9 million 0.93 million 0.95 million Foreign Nationals 3.3 million 4.2 million 5.3 million 7.17 million 7.2 million 7.3 million Figure 1: UAE Citizens versus Foreign citizens Figure 2: Population growth trends 2005-2010; UAE nationals versus foreign nationals (data in millions) It has been predicted that if appropriate correctional measures and policies are not taken to address the trend effectively, then UAE national population is further projected to fall relative to the foreign nationals, grossly impacting the demographic imbalance (Al-Khouri, 2010). With the Economist Intelligence unit (EIU, 2010) having forecasted that the population in the Gulf region will be growing by a third over the next eight years till 2020, this poses a serious challenge to the development of the region in the future and requires strong policies to address the imbalances. Analy sing the population composition based on nationalities as presented by Randeree (2009), it can be noted that certain foreign nationals are more predominant than others. The leading nationals are Indians at approximately 36.5% of the population, while the Arabs from other regions and Pakistani nationals follow at 12.7% each. UAE also exhibits a unique structure in its demography with respect to gender - unlike most countries, Emirati male population exceeds the female population, thus by 2010 population estimates there were 479,109 males, while females stood at 468,888 (Randeree, 2012; National Bureau of Statistics, 2012). This implies that ratio of male to female is 1.02 males for every female. The Emirati male to female ratio has been

The Ethics of Animal Testing Essay Example for Free

The Ethics of Animal Testing Essay Years ago, while laws were not in place to prevent testing on animals, some researchers experimented on animals. The results of these experiments are still with us today. Insulin for example, was discovered when an Ontario doctor severed the connection between the pancreas and the digestive system of a dog.1 Today there are still many animals in labs being tested to find treatment for anything from cancer to pain. If the results have a possibility to save so many lives, as in the case of insulin for those with diabetes, then testing on animals should be the right thing to do right? Many people agree on saying that the suffering of an animal is not worth the saving of lives, especially if the tests are unsuccessful. They compare the animals lives to those of humans, claiming that it is not right to test on human orphans. Therefore it should not be right to test on stray animals. In these statements lie the fundamental ethical dilemma about animal testing, it is right or wrong testing on animal for humans benefits? In this paper I will examine animal rights from a utilitarians point of view. I will define the major points that utilitarianism holds and animal testing. I will explore the cases for and against animal testing using utilitarian reasoning (including Bentham and Mills disagreement, act and rule utilitarianism, and cost-benefit analysis). Finally I will close with my own feelings on animal experimentation and my conclusions drawn from the analysis. First, utilitarian theory is consequentionalist and stress the ends of a particular action. It is also Hedonistic in nature, meaning that is focuses on happiness and pleasure, those being the only intrinsic good. A utilitarian considers five factors in the pleasure of the consequences of an act, whichever act brings about the most pleasure or happiness is the best thing to do in the end. John Mill argued that the quality of the pleasure is an important consideration as well. Consider also the difference between act utilitarianism (considering each act individually) and rule utilitarianism (applying the consequences of an act universally). In addition, a contemporary version of utilitarianism, cost-benefit analysis, states that whatever act produces the most money (or saves the most money), is that decision that should be made. Second, animal testing consists of any medical test performed on an animal. Including product testing, like perfume and cleaners, and research like the effects of isolation on a social animal. To examine animal testing from a utilitarian point of view we should consider whether or not an animal can feel pain, or suffer. We typically do not consider animals to be without feeling, that is why we have laws protecting animals against cruelty. Many people disagree about whether or not locking an animal in a cage is cruelty or not. The case for animal testing Using utilitarianism generally, if testing on animals produces the most happiness overall and reduces suffering then it is the right thing to do. When medical breakthrough are made at the expense of an animal, is the happiness of those who can be cured greater than the suffering of the animal who underwent the experiments? Mill would seem to argue that the happiness of someone who has been cured would be longer lasting and better then the self gratifying happiness of an animal. Act utilitarianism would look at each instance of animal testing and determine if the consequences are better if the animal is tested on than if it were not. Finally, cost-benefit analysis would seem to agree with animal testing because innovations in medicine means money made and saved on health care. This would produce the most money and would be the better thing to do if the question is to test or not. The case against animal testing Jeremy Bentham was purely concerned with the amount of pleasure produced. One could argue that the amount of suffering an animal would be subjected to in testing is not worth the amount of suffering that would be reduced if a cure were found. Those who are against animal testing would not experience pleasure and one can assume that those testing the animals would not gain happiness from watching the animal suffer. Therefore one can argue that not testing on the animals would indeed reduce suffering and maximize pleasure. Rule utilitarianism applies best here, because then one can consider the consequences of everyone testing on animals for any reason. With that much freedom to testing negative consequences would be more likely to occur and therefore banning animal testing would be the best action. Conclusion I own several mice, a guinea pig, a rabbit, two hamsters, fish, a turtle, three cats, a dog and a chameleon. I, personally, felt that testing on animals has no moral worth no matter what the consequences. I feel an emotional bond between myself and every one of my pets. I would never want them to go through what some animals do in the medical labs. Upon further consideration I am still without a clear decision as to whether I would want to save my dog or help my family with diabetes. It would be a difficult choice. That is why I think that utilitarianism is the best way to approach animal testing. By using act utilitarianism we can examine each instance of testing separately and examine the consequences for happiness production. As in the example of the dog in the introduction. The dog did experience suffering but overall its suffering reduced the suffering of countless people by providing medication for diabetics. My conclusion is that applying act utilitarianism to animal testing c an help to choose the better way each time.

Gothic novel Essay Example for Free

Gothic novel Essay The novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte has been categorised as both romantic and gothic by scholars and literary critics. The plot entails the exploration of a womans domestic trap, a common Victorian theme, with her subjection to patriarchal authority and her dangerous attempts to escape from such restrictions and the consequences. There is a mixture of mysterious events, moonlit natural environment, beautiful dream-like landscapes, enigmatic characters. Jane is represented as the heroine of the story, the virginal Christian female character. In opposition to her is the character of Bertha who is insane and is hidden in the attic of Thornfield Hall, representing Rochesters torment and his terrible secret. It can be argued that the plot has many entwined characteristics of both genres and it is very difficult to think of it as of one kind. The essay will discuss the way in which the novel accords with the characteristics of a romantic novel and a Gothic novel and evaluates whether it may be possible to assign it with one of the two labels. Romantic novels emphasize imagination and feeling, they focus on natures ability to free humans from societys judgments and limitations. English romance narrates exotic and unusual stories, they are concerned with chivalric deeds (as in the stories of King Arthur), recalling themes of romantic medieval literature. The latter results from a period in English history when society was in search for of order and the approach was that everything had to be explained rationally and scientifically, hence often being referred to as the Age of Reason. However, the romantics themes are in opposition to such a way of thinking and rebelled against such established norms and conventions. The characters in romantic novels place the self at the centre of his/her own existence, this is achieved by focusing on his/her thoughts rather than actions. The theme or romantic love as opposed to passionate love is explored too and the consequences the latter would bring. Another narrative style which emerged was the Gothic novel. The background setting has a dim and imposing mansion or castle, as a backdrop to the atmosphere of mystery and suspense, where the characters fears are explored beneath the surface of the enlightened psyche. Other features of a gothic tale is the presence of omens, portents and visions. There is usually a suffering, tormented woman who needs to be rescued from a controlling and lustful guardian, and in the process displays an array of extreme sentiments and reactions, such as swooning, crying and sorrow. She is usually often commanded to marry someone she does not love or commit some moral or actual crime. Supernatural events may be used to explain coincidences and many scenes evoke terror through the depiction of physical and psychological violence. So I would like to examine how Jane Eyre would seem to be typical of the romantic novel that was so popular in Victorian England, while at the same time having, in my opinion, all the ingredients for a gothic novel. The plot recalls a fairy tale when you came upon me last night I thought unaccountably of fairy tales; as Bronte writes in chapter 13. However, Bronte skilfully uses it as a frame, to give a clear picture of her great feminine consciousness, expressed in Jane Eyres persona. This is conveyed through the use of a first-person narration, that depicts the world around her and the others in relation to her and her point of view. In the romantic novel the individual stands at the centre of romantic fiction relating facts and experiences. In the following passage, Jane demonstrates her fervid romantic imagination, as she explains to Adele that she and Mr Rochester are going to get married and utters Here is a talisman will remove all difficulties; (chapter 24) Jane metaphorically evokes the theme of natural forces which come to her aid when she is most in need for comfort. The passage continues with, a fairy that held out a pretty gold ring.. and I am yours, and you are mine; and we shall leave earth and make our heaven yonder'(chapter 24). The latter depicts the traditions of dream and oral tales which was much loved by the romantics. However, these are also elements which can be found in Gothic novels, where enchantment and fear are closely related. There is much about Jane and Rochesters introspection, their belief in the supernatural, and conflicting emotions. Jane fights against the wicked spirits of Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Manor Hall, and Marsh End at the end, these supernatural elements take the form of moral choices that force her into reflecting upon righteousness. For instance, the striking of the chestnut tree by lightening, under which Rochester had proposed to Jane (chapter 22), is a portent of their imminent separation and the dangers that lie ahead. It is a perfect Gothic symbol, as nature predicts human fate. Moreover, Bronte is able to convey and juxtapose different tones in the same passage, it can change from a playful and romantic tone to an enigmatic and harsh one. For instance, when Rochester is trying to convince Jane to dine with him and she refuses, his mood changes immediately . He is upset by her answer and asks Jane if she supposes whether he eats as an ogre or a ghoul (chapter 24). Here, Gothic elements are used metaphorically to convey the degenerating tone of such a conversation. Recalling the Bluebeard tales themes, which underlines the novel. The supernatural elements conceal emotions and have been used to symbolise the child which resides in all of us and comes out in moments of loss of consciousness and fear, and at the same time heightening the readers awareness of the fragility of the heroine/hero. As when Jane describes the red room, with its noises and mirrors, where she was secluded as a punishment, everything in the room becomes fearful to her eyes. The mere colour red conjures up images of blood and being locked in either literally or in a moral sense is an abhorrent idea to most (it recalls also the theme of trap) (chapter 2). Another important aspect of the novel is the exotic. Romantics, in their novels, often alluded to distant places. In the story, Rochester has a house in Spain, where he wishes to take Jane once married, considering it as a more relaxed country, colourful and sensual place. Before meeting Jane, Rochester had travelled around the world in search of a foreign wife (Chapter 27). Yet, Bronte condemns such behaviour and makes Rochester feel reckless with disappointment to the point he utters that I tried dissipation never debauchery: that I hated, and hate. That was my Messalinas attribute (Chapter 27). Jane rejects such exoticism and is not forming a very favourable opinion on him, he is perceived by her as an unfeeling, loose-principled rake. What Bronte is trying to emphasise is that if romantic love was to be perceived in such a superficial light as being just for sexual pleasure then it together with passion, would mean a loss of the self morally and ethically. Moreover, the idea of the character who travels towards unknown distant places, against wicked and unpredictable forces (these are represented by the several lovers he mentions, throughout his journey, and finally by Bertha, his insane wife segregated in the attic of Thornfield Hall). Thus, Gothic elements are used to create a sense of loss and psychological violence, just like what Mr. Rochester experienced throughout his journeys. Bronte demonstrates an attitude towards natural forces, which gravely offered help to such a reckless man. In fact, he was not able to fall in love with a womankind, but with a natural slender creature who is personified by Jane (Chapter 27). Thus, the novel entails many elements which are characteristic of fairy tales. Jane is repeatedly described as looking like a spirit, a tiny phantom, half fairy, half imp. . Such an association permits an author to use less words to express deeper ideas, by adding powerful images through an apt use of wondrous language. The imaginary is at the heart of both narrative genres, however under many aspects Gothicism emerges to create suspense and conveys the characters inner torments, such as the striking of the chestnut tree, the red room. These contrast with the romantic descriptions of the outdoor scenes, such as when Jane runs across the countryside, are nevertheless described in a vivid and detailed manner as if Jane Eyre were painting a realistic picture of the scene in all its shades. This imagery suggests her characters moral condition and state of mind, therefore the mood of the story is immediately conveyed. There are numerous symbolic references to weather and to the sky, in the form of storms, rain, clouds, and sun. At the very opening of the novel, Jane sets the scene by mentioning that the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating. There is a full moon on the night when Bertha attacks her brother, as there is on the night when Jane runs away from Thornfield. Nature is presented as the mother of all creatures, which connotes Janes romantic side and her fragility. The scenes that are a set for Rochester and Jane Eyres passion take place in natural surroundings. After their wedding is interrupted, the woods which twelve hours since waved leafy and fragrant/now spread, waste, wild and white as pine-forests in wintry Norway. Here, Bronte adds Gothic elements, which changes the mood to one of tormented state of mind, thus anticipating Janes future struggles. At the end, when reunited, Rochester tells Jane that I am no better than the old lightening-struck chestnut-tree in Thornfield orchard. The theme of nature seems to be treated in both a romantic as well as a gothic way, due to the atmosphere which at times evokes joyful and comforting images, while at other times horrific images and death. In chapter 35, the personification of the wind effectively suggests the way in which the mood can be created by nature. Bronte uses it as the means by which she received the message from Mr Rochester, in fact she follows it throughout the passage until she finds her way out of that situation. This manifestation of the voice perceived in her spirit and mind, and not externally, could be construed in a gothic light i. e. as a portent or a supernatural event. There is, however, a romantic and passionate image of the voice which contrasts with the Gothic setting. The passage I am coming! hush (chapter 37) is extremely descriptive with many adjectives dark, void and nouns such as loneliness and hush. The combination of this with short sentences creates an immediacy, dramatic impact and mystic atmosphere, characteristic of Gothic novels. In conclusion, by writing from an individual point of view, by creating characters who are possessed of strong feelings, fiery passions and some extraordinary personalities, by using some elements of horror and mystery, Jane Eyre is able to recreate life in a fantastic romantic way. The vividness of her subjective narration, especially the heroine who is contrary to the Victorians expectations, the presentation of the economical, social background of the time give her works a never dying popularity. The eerie atmosphere with supernatural associations can recall the characteristics of Gothic novels and are used in some way to justify what is inexplicable (as the voice of Mr. Rochester calling her or striking of the chestnut tree). All in all, I consider gothic as a subgenre of the romantic novel, both require drama and high emotional intensity which are elements that can be definitely found in Jane Eyre, one cannot exclude the other, it would be a great mistake to try and categorize such a masterpiece under one genre.

Case Study Malaysias Retail Pharmacy Marketing Essay

Case Study Malaysias Retail Pharmacy Marketing Essay Objective The report aims to provide an overview retail pharmacy industry and evaluate factors that propel and restrain the market, government policies, sales trends, potential growth and market outlook. Challenges related to the pharmaceutical retail sector will be outlined and assessed, and insights into marketing plans being deployed to tap into available market opportunities in Malaysia will also be discussed. Malaysias retail pharmacy : an overview Malaysia comes in at fifth in healthcare expenditure when compared to select Asian nations, and is growing at approximately 13% annually (Frost Sullivan 2008). The total national expenditure on healthcare in 2009 exceeded USD 7 billion, and is projected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2020. Retail pharmacy sector presently however contributes only to 17% of the total expenditure only due to restrictions pertaining to government policies, profession workforce, and population perception. The retail pharmacy sector traditionally can be described using organization size and product/service mix criteria. Sole units are comprised primarily of independent pharmacies, usually owned by pharmacists. Multiple-unit pharmacy organizations, or chains, can be divided into small chain and large chain (e.g. 30 or more units). In addition to organization size, the retail pharmacy sector can be characterized by the product/service mix of the organizations, though there is some blurring of this distinction. Some traditional categories include, supermarket (e.g. AEON), and, beauty and healthcare stores (e.g. Guardian, Watsons). Pure drug store is virtually non-existent in the Malaysian retail pharmacy sector as a result of no dispensing separation between the pharmacists and medical practitioners whereby pharmaceutical products can be sold and dispensed by medical practitioners as well. Consequently, this policy, have and still negatively impacting the pharmacy profession practice and retail viability of pure drug store in Malaysia. Therefore, current retail pharmacies generally offer both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical product/services to maintain viable in Malaysian market. The major participants in the Malaysian retail pharmacy scene are multinational corporations such as GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd and Watsons Personal Care Store, local companies such as Caring Pharmacy and Trustz Pharmacy, and a plethora of small independently operated pharmacies. In 2009, the multinationals, GCHs Guardian and Watsons collectively dominated 54% of the total market share whilst 46% was divided among local retail pharmacies as shown above (Euromonitor 2010). Generally experienced in dealing with large industries, these multinational corporations compared to the domestic counterparts, have the experties in handling processing, packaging, logistics, inventory management etc. In addition, they have the advantages of economies of scale, retailing of in-house brand, increase in market profit and share, and wider discount parameter for retail healthcare products. chapter 1 External and internal factors influencing retailers marketing strategies In this bearish economy, retailing in Malaysia recorded a downtempo in current value growth (CVG) in 2009 compared to previous year but still at a positive pace (Euromonitor 2010). GDP forecast was reevaluated in May 2009 from 4% to 5% decline for 2009 in light of deteriorating international economic outlook (Euromonitor 2010). While consumer confidence dwindled, discretionary spending was reduced but appeared willing to spend a little bit more during promotional period or turned to cheaper alternatives such as mid-priced/economical in-house brands or generic medications. With ongoing urbanization trend, higher education levels and better living standards generated greater enthusiasm among post recession shopperconsumers regarding self-medication. This further strengthened the importance of retail pharmacies as consumers were able to acquire OTC healthcare, nutritional products and prescription drugs from retail pharmacies. Overall trend of the retail pharmacy sector is gearing towards the sales of generics and OTCs in times of recession. Price of generics are generally lower, 27%-90%, compared to branded/innovator products (Shafie Hassali 2008). Therefore a more cost friendlier option for consumers whilst profit margins of generics are higher than branded/innovator products, which is favorable to retailers a win-win solution. However, sales of non-prescription products such as OTCs, TCMs, vitamins and supplements are still the main contributor to the retail pharmacys revenue at 79%. These products similarly are seeing growth in sales fueled by gains in cough, cold and allergy remedies, amid global slowdown since 2008. Having said so, retailers still employ different marketing strategies to distinguish themselves from existing competitors and attempt to reposition themselves as market leaders some successful while some struggled. Strategies pertaining to each of the different type of organizations will be further discussed as follow: Strategies employed by multinational corporation The multinationals (i.e Guardian, Watsons) have taken a broad spectrum approach by attempting to diversify from traditional dispensing services common to the concept of a pharmacy, into other other market segments regarding to general healthcare and beauty solution to penetrate into wider consumer segments during the time of recession. The retailers responded by engaging in regular promotions and extended sales period to encourage spending and offering a combination of both pharmaceutical services with beauty care. Rapid expansion strategies undertaken by leading chained retailers resulted in a substantial escalation in the chained store numbers in the nation. 2009 saw a slight improvement in the average selling space per outlet of beauty and health specialist retailers. More retailers began opening stores in shopping malls which were larger than their standalone establishments. Most beauty and health specialist retailers launch their retail chains in Klang Valley. This is largely due to greater purchasing power among urban consumers. Nonetheless, more beauty and health specialist retailers are expanding outside Klang Valley in order to serve the rising population and growing purchasing power of consumers in East Malaysia and secondary states. Launching of budget in-house brand is to cover a wider range of consumer segment. Guardian: target market, product and services, promotion GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Hong Kong based Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd, listed on the Hang Seng Stock Exchange. Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd is 78% owned by the Jardine Matheson Group, which is listed on the FTSE Stock Exchange in addition to secondary listings on the Singapore Straits and Bermuda Stock Exchanges (Euromonitor 2010). In Malaysia, the company is involved in the operation of Guardian pharmacy, Cold Storage supermarket and Giant hypermarket outlets. In 2009, as a result of its aggressive outlet expansion, with 20 new Guardian outlets, and proactive promotion including daily specials boosted the companys pharmaceutical market share to 35% Figure 2.0, occupying the largest cut of the retail pharmacy market segment. GCH Retails Guardian brand is leading the pack because the retail format is gradually becoming popular in Malaysia. For instance, Guardian spearheaded the concept of  modern retail pharmacy by providing professional consultation and service by registered pharmacists, plus holistic health and personal care solution. GCH Retails in-house brand offers quality products at affordable prices because the companys in-house products are manufactured and sourced locally. Moreover, the company, targeting all consumer segment, from low to high income earners, was very aggressive in promoting its home brand products in terms of advertising and promotions, while also developing its product ranges. For instance, Guardian dedicated half a page or full-page advertisements in their in-store brochures or leaflets for their in-house brand products. GCH Retails share of in-house brand products has been growing steadily largely due to developing brand recognition as well as the wider range of items available. In response to the Malaysian governments support initiatives designed to spur small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, it is expected that the company will continue to source new products for its in-house brand lines. External and internal factors analysis External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Decentralized marketing function: inconsistent brand image Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Good management: able to respond to market change Strength Change in consumers spending pattern Both external and internal factors influence how the company decides to operate. The external factors will be the same for all the market players. Watsons personal care store: target market, product and services, promotion Watsons Personal Care Stores (WPCS) is a subsidiary of the AS Watson Group which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd listed on the Hang Seng Stock Exchange main board and has been in Malaysia since 1994. Being the largest beauty and health retail chain in Asia, in Malaysia, with 211 outlets nationwide following the successful merger and acquisition of Apex Pharmacy Sdn Bhd in Jun 2005, WPCS is one of the most accomplished personal care chain stores (Euromonitor 2010). In 2009, albeit with pharmaceutical value share of 19% Figure 2.0, due to increasing number of beauty and health specialist retailers, WPCS remained the largest community pharmacy retail chain in Malaysia. Having said so, continuous marketing efforts and promotions such as television advertisements, complimentary beauty and health information to consumers, and storewide 20% discount campaign, helped restrain its fall in value share. WPCS offers competitively priced and quality in-house brand products. Its in-house brand lines consist of a larger proportion of cosmetics and toiletries, disposable paper products, OTC healthcare products, bottled water and electrical items, is mainly designed for mass consumers, especially the budget end of the market. The company has been very active in pushing its in-house brand. For example, it has dedicated more shelf space in-store for its inhouse brand items. Coupled with growing brand recognition, as well as a wider range of products, the companys share of in-house brand has grown steadily. External and internal factors analysis External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Over expansion resulting in dissipated consumer services Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Extensive outlet coverage nationwide Strength Change in consumers spending pattern Strategies employed by smaller pharmacy Marketing model of smaller pharmacies focus on establishing good rapport with its customer base and to provide individually customized pharmaceutical services for their clients to cater on the needs of selected consumer segments. The smaller retailers responded by provided extended hour services for the convenience of consumers after working hours access to pharmaceutical items and advice. Loyalty marketing is introduced to maintain or expand their customer base in light of even more competitive environment. A loyalty program may be specific to an individual retailer, or an independent coalition scheme involving a few partners. The latter model is gaining popularity in Malaysia and is established in Europe, Australia and Canada. Specialized services exclusive to pharmacy such as pre-packed dosettes medications to ensure better compliance to medicine, insulin dose adjustments for uncontrolled diabetes management and methadone replacement therapy for heroin dependent patient, cater to unique patients segment that is gradually increasing. Caring pharmacy: target market, product and services, promotion Caring Pharmacy Sdn Bhd is a group of pharmacies under one banner collectively shares the same supply and inventory management similar to that of chain stores, however each outlets are independently owned and operated by pharmacists. Caring Group currently have 46 registered pharmacists operating 40 outlets in Klang valley. Therefore giving the Group the highest number of pharmacist to outlet ratio among retail pharmacy operators in Malaysia. With market share of 12% in 2009 Figure 2.0, Caring is emerging fast as one of the most established local community retail pharmacy. Providing extended hour services from the early hours up to midnight proved to be a potent strategy in establishing its market share as it provides time flexibility to consumers. Caring offers professional consultation by registered pharmacists on uncomplicated ailments and medication management solutions such as pre-packed medications similar to the multi dose Webster-Pak ® for the consumers convenience. The group has been actively promoting its pharmacist consultation service. For instance, public awareness talks by pharmacists on health topics such as hypertension, diabetes, weight-management etc. are frequently organized. Launched in 2006, the first pharmacy reward program as a points accumulation and gift redemption card with Malaysias premier multi-party loyalty program BonusLink, enabled Caring to establish closer contact with their regular clients. External and internal factors analysis External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Too focused on domestic/localization growth Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Change in consumers spending pattern Good corporate core value: pharmacist service for all consumer segments Strength chapter 2 Strategic recommendation for the retail pharmacy industry The Malaysian as well as the global economy continued to see tough times in 2009. Despite an unemployment rate that was on the rise and consumer spending falling, consumers remained largely loyal to established pharmacy names when it comes to fulfilling their healthcare needs. Some consumers also switched to self-medication in times of minor ailments as a bid to go back to work for fear that they might lose their jobs in the recession. Retail pharmacies are seeing an increase in consumer sales contribution of 0.2% for 2009 against 2008. This was largely due to the expansion of outlets such as Watsons which attracted consumer interest for its one-stop shopping. Offer Mix Product Services Prices Promotion Mix Sales promotion Advertising Sales force Public relations Direct online marketing Target consumers Marketing-mix strategy Target consumers : consumer demographic outlook and lifestyle trend In 2007, the population in Malaysia was reported to be just over 27 million which, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. By 2015, its projected that Malaysias population will reach more than 30.7 million. Currently, the country has relatively young population, with nearly 60% Malaysians below the age of 30 in 2007. Regardless, the population is steadily aging, with the median age of the population increasing from 22.5 years in 1995 to 24.6 years in 2007. The aging population in Malaysia, usually earning more than their younger counterparts and are usually relatively established in terms of family and home and more aware of their health status, is expected to drive consumer healthcare expenditure. Consumer of this category is expected to drive increased demand for medical and health-related products and services, including pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements, health drinks and medical equipment. On the other hand, its projected that still over one-half of the Malaysian population will be under 30 years-old in 2015 so, while there will be some new emphasis on products for older consumers, younger consumers will remain a potent force, exercising significant purchasing power and driving continuing demand for the wide range of youth oriented products. This category of consumers are becoming more health conscious, recent survey that 80% of fast moving consumer goods shoppers now think about their health more than they did before. Hence, this will spur demand for core healthcare products and influence sales in tangential sectors such as food and beverages, and healthcare services. Offer Mix : Product portfolio adjustment and pricing tactic Product portfolio adjustment As living costs, including healthcare costs, are expected to rise, consumers will be more endeavous to try out economical in-house brand products and self-medicate, respectively. Additionally, more consumers understand the helpfulness of vitamins and dietary supplements as preventative measures against environment, diet and age-related ailments such as joint and back pain, immune systems, osteoporosis and lack of balance nutritional values. The relatively fast growth rate of consumer healthcare sales was not equally spread among in-house brand lines. It should be noted that not all categories saw higher in-house brand growth, as some were mostly dependent on growth by branded products. Within consumer healthcare, in-house brand product line is expected to grow in wound treatment products such as sticking plasters and topical germicidal/antiseptic Figure 3.0, especially in the midst of an economic slowdown and an influenza A (H1N1) outbreak, respectively. Coupled with strict registration requirements in Malaysia for all medicines, either branded or generics, in-house brand is unlikely to perform well in consumer healthcare categories such as oral analgesics, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies or digestive remedies as consumers remained largely loyal to established brands mainly because these brands are long-time trusted names that consumers find most effective or have simply grown accustomed to purchasing. However, consumers will increasingly demand convenient and effective products so as to meet their increasingly stressful and busy lifestyles. Therefore, easy to apply or easy to use products such as Nexcare Acne Patch and Gaviscon Liquid Sachets are expected to attract consumer interest, especially among the younger generation of the population. Retailers will need to expand their consumer healthcare product ranges in order to maintain competitive in the market. However, retailers should focus on producing lower-cost and in-house branded products such as topical analgesics, antipruritics, other wound treatments, vitamins and dietary supplements, that enjoy strong demand among consumers. Pricing tactic Consumers will be shopping around for the best deals. It is not necessary for retailers to cut list prices, but may offer more short termed price promotions, lower quantity threshold discounts, provide credit to long-standing customers, and more aggressively price smaller pack sizes. In tough times, price cuts attract more consumer support than promotions such as mail in offers and sweepstakes. Promotion mix : conventional advertising and online marketing Despite the growth of electronic communications, printed newsletter and television still play an important role in Malaysians daily life and their pursuit of information and entertainment. As shown in Figure 4.0, printed adspend dominated 54% followed by television adspend at 37% of the total adspend respectively for the year 2009. Major newspapers include three English-language dailies, two Malay-language dailies, five Chinese-language dailies, and two Tamil-language dailies. The Malaysian has a wide range of magazines covering lifestyle, fashion, business, and special interest topics such as fishing, motoring, health and wellness and childcare. Magazines in Malaysia are usually published on a fortnight or monthly basis and are available via subscription, at retail outlets, convenience shops and small grocery stores. The internet has had a significant impact on Malaysia over the past several years. The number of internet users grew from nearly five million users in 2000 to more than 12 million users in 2007, reflecting growth of 144%. Just as significantly, the household penetration rate of personal computers in Malaysia increased from 13.5% in 1995 to 34.7% in 2007. Tethered with such growth, online adspend recorded 72% spike growth from 2007-2009, and is expected to continue capturing readership share at the expense of printed media, in-line with household penetration rate of internet-enabled computers increases in Malaysia. Mobile advertising will be in vogue as internet handheld devices gains market penetration, particularly among the younger population. Advertising platforms such as Apples iAd is a prime example of cutting-edge mobile advertising where advertisements are not just informative but interactive as well. Advertisements of this kind, can be updated real time by retailers with short-term sales promotion similar to Malaysia Airlines Lunch-hour flight deals or provide interactive online shopping experience, will revolutionize conventional concept of promotional advertising. Hence, internet will have an impact on how retailers attempt to reach Malaysian consumers and, in a less significant but nevertheless growing way presently on how Malaysians shop. However, as in most countries, online advertising and internet retailing is expected to increase. conclusion Consumers in Malaysia are changing their healthcare shopping behavior in various ways at times of recession. While many opted for other more economical retailers, there are some who remained loyal to their preferred retailers while reducing the number of trips and spending. They are more comfortable in seeking out deals and using coupons, and will purchase both in-house brands or branded products whichever provides the best value. Definition of value is also changing. Previously, value is often perceived as quality and options, but during recession this is synonymous with price, while moving out of recession, value will mean that consumers get what they want at the best possible price. Pharmacy retailers can capitalize on consumers needs by providing increased personalized marketing and shopping experience. Consumers are shifting towards meaningful and unique shopping experience, particularly in purchasing healthcare items. Consumer in control Present consumers know are clear of what they want and many will go the distance in search of the best offers, some consumers, due to their lifestyle fluidity simply require products that satisfy their needs. Mobile shopping will be the next frontier for retailers to venture into as on-the-go consumers who emphasize on shopping convenience and speed of transactions. Pharmacy retailers can tap into this market and formulate marketing plans unique to loyal mobile shoppers. Conventional in-store consumers are bombarded with too much product information creating confusion and delaying purchases. Retailers and manufacturers should collaborate to satisfy consumers needs such as using attractive colors and creating simplistic product packaging to facilitate consumers search for healthcare products. Retailers diversify and re-brand to stay relevant Pharmacy retailers diversifying into in-house product line will need to factor in consumers shopping preference on established branded healthcare products when formulating in-house product marketing plans. Many consumers maintained loyalty to established brands due to familiarity to a product or confident with its effectiveness. However, in-house branded product line such as wound care, vitamin and supplements are projected to grow due to regional disease outbreak and economic downtempo. New and improve in-house product lines with convenience in mind such as topical analgesics and sachet digestive remedies will appeal to consumers particularly the younger customers. Retailers may need to revamp certain product lines with new design, improve in-house brand offers and a compelling ad-campaign, to appeal to younger consumers. Future of retail pharmacy Retail pharmacy landscape is shifting largely attributed to economic changes, the growth of online retailing and more recently mobile commerce. With increasing use of smart handheld devices in Malaysia, mobile advertising and commerce is projected to grow substantially. Retailers will have to employ a multi-channel marketing approach. Online retailing will provide a platform for retailers disseminate unique and targeted product offers for consumers to research, plan their shopping trips and ultimately attract consumers into stores. Once in store, consumers will look for premium service coupled with simplified shopping experience in terms of product availability and ease of locating the products. Now more than ever consumers becoming more sophisticated and informed in making choices. They desire to know the origin of the product, what they are made of and how their lives can be improved with them. In general, future consumer wants a simplified, personalized and meaningful shopping exp erience with a focus on value.

The Planet Neptune :: Space Astronomy

The wonders of the great planet of mysterious Neptune "5,4,3,2,1, LIFTOFF! I think I see something on the radar, it looks to be as if it's a planet! I think I have visual contact, blue, thick clouds and maybe a little liquidy substance, probably water. Wait a minute, I think it's Neptune! We have to report this to the mission control." Neptune, the last planet in the solar system after the planet Pluto was considered not a planet. You might think Neptune and Earth are the same size by just looking at it but it?s not. Neptune is so big that it could fit sixty Earths inside. It is the fourth largest planet in the solar system. Neptune use to share an orbit with Pluto. That declined when Pluto was considered not a planet anymore. The gravity on Neptune is slightly dense. I?ll give you an example, I currently weigh 60 pounds on Earth, and on Neptune I would weigh about 71 pounds. That means there?s about an 11-pound difference on Neptune. The orbit of Neptune is unique. This is because Pluto?s eccentric orbit crosses between Neptune?s orbit. Take an estimate, how long do you think a year on Neptune would be? You probably answered any where between 60 and 90 years. Unfortunately you?re wrong. The correct answer is 165 Earth years. That?s a really long time! A day on Neptune is 16.1 Martian hours or 19.1 Earth hours. The atmosphere on Neptune is made out methane, hydrogen sulfide and water. The temperature on Neptune is 49K or 328ÂÂ °F. If you lived on Neptune (which you can?t!) you would boil. Neptune has four rings. Two of them are hard to see and are faded, Neptune?s rings are made out of dust. A scientist named Johann Gottfried Galle discovered Neptune. Voyager 2 visited Neptune. Neptune was discovered on September 23, 1846. Neptune was named after an Italian goddess named Poseidon or Nethunus or Neptune.

Pornography and Legislation :: Argumentative Persuasive Essay Examples

Pornography is yet one of the most popular topics of today's society. Questions are being brought up about how pornography has had an effect on our everyday life styles. Pornography provokes violence through its explicates of obscenity through the literature and the media. Technology has been manipulated by these pornographic materials , and this isn't fair to the public. How do we put a stop to this? The law officials are trying to restate some of the laws that refer to the pornographic field, but it has become a great deal of struggling. The struggle is due to the avoidance of the invading each of the individual's constitutional rights granted to them, that is the freedom of speech and press. This topic has been hard to do research on because it is a really complicated subject to understand. This topic has really been neglected in the past so it is now come to overpower the people and haunt them in every way. One way in which the legal system has tried to regulate against pornograp hy was by decreasing the amount of publications of obscenity illustrated of pornography through censorship. In the case of Mutual Film Corporation. Verses Industrial Communication, in 1915, the case had to do with Ohio state censorship, and the attorneys for this film declared that through pre-censorship there will be a violation of rights. this provoked the state supreme court to decide that movies were not entitled to share the same protection of constitutional rights as other media areas. Now the court decided to make clear that when films are being previewed before distribution bans cannot be made unless on grounds of constitution. The American Law Institute is made up of professional lawyers, professors, and judges. These professionals are mutually investigating the field of pornography. the plan on putting restrictions for pornography. To avoid any criminal charges against pornographic publishers, lawyers advise their clients to avoid any published material containing or regarding obscene material. Some liberals feel that the reason that the law opposes pornography is because the case becomes more emotional rather than logical. There was a time where the law did put its foot down. This is when James Joyce, for example, had his novel (Ulysses) which was full of obscenity was banned from the United States and then it was approved and published in Paris, France. This goes to show that there is to an extent some sort of power of government over the pornographic publishers' demands.

Solutions to Global Warming Essay -- Climate Change, Synthesis Essays

You hear about it from television news broadcasts. You read about it in newspapers and magazines. You talk about it with friends and co-workers. There have even been movies made about it. The â€Å"it† is global warming. â€Å"Global warming refers to the global-average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more† (Spencer). Some experts argue that global warming is a result of human activities, while others believe the warming and cooling of the Earth’s atmosphere is a natural cycle. Supporters of human induced global warming stress that since the Industrial Revolution we have released excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, a known â€Å"greenhouse gas,† into the atmosphere and increased the Earth’s temperature. On the other hand, some scientists declare that based on ice core samples the Earth has experienced several warming cycles for thousands of years (Barry, 2000). Despite the ongoing debate on wh ether â€Å"global warming† is a natural cycle or caused by human activities, there are things individuals and nations could do to protect and conserve our environment. Before discussing possible solutions to address global warming, I would like to present some background information about global warming. Plants, animals, and humans are able to survive on this planet because of the atmosphere’s natural â€Å"greenhouse† effect. The Earth’s atmosphere is primarily composed of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane, which re-radiates the sun’s infrared radiation back down to the Earth’s surface (Barry, 2000). Consequently, an increase in these â€Å"greenhouse† effect components could result in more heat being trapped and an increase in the atmospheric temperature. Bjorn Lomborg (2007, p. 10) states that with... .... (2007, November 8). How to stop climate change: The easy way. In Z. Sharp (Ed.), Annual editions: Environment 09/10 (pp. 209-211). New York: McGraw Hill. Spencer, R. (n.d.). Global warming: natural or manmade. Retrieved from http://www.drroyspencer.com/global-warming-natural-or-manmade/ Top 50 things to do to stop global warming. (2009, February 5). Retrieved from http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html United States Census Bureau. (2008, December). World Population: 1950-2050. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/worldpopgraph.html United States Department of Agriculture. (2009, August 12). Sustainable development. Retrieved from http://www.usda.gov/oce/sustainable/index.htm Wallace, J. W. (2005, April 26). Nuclear Power 2010 Program. In T. A. Easton (Ed.), Taking sides: Clashing views on environmental issues (p. 220). New York: McGraw Hill.

Reality vs. Fantasy: Comparing Two Worlds in Two Fantasy Novels

Fantasy novels help readers step outside their everyday world for a while to consider a subject from a different point of view. Like the stories in C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, both novels try to unite two entirely separate worlds, the primary one which is similar to our real world and the other one that has magical beings that thrive within it. By presenting the differences of real and fantasy worlds, people learn something about what it means to be a human being, living with reality and imagination. As these books describe magic that often appear impossible and wondrous to ordinary people, the commonality of their quests or struggles in real life becomes the strands that connect the readers to these make-belief worlds. As good and evil battle, often the central plot of contemporary fantasy novels, these fantasy tales can be set in our own everyday world or in a â€Å"secondary† world somewhat like our own. By identifying between the â€Å"real world† and the â€Å"fantasy world†, people exercise their creative imagination as they keep in touch with those feelings and attitudes of early childhood in order to realize their creative potential. It is this non-literal mode of thinking, so prevalent during early childhood that balances and complements literal thinking. Both being fantasy novels, this article will try to assess these â€Å"strands† of commonality between the fantasy novels The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and how the laws that govern in the â€Å"fantasy† worlds become realistic as the writers try to rationalize these worlds and convince their readers to enjoy reading their stories.. Similarities in Two Fantasies The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe effectively used traditional methods of answering the questions as they come, this method of enthralling readers empower them to discover about things in the parallel world. As the story unfolds, immediately or slowly as needed, the author C.S. Lewis began the answering of every question. For instance, the first mention of the name â€Å"Narnia† created such questions about what kind of world is it. Tumnus the Faun asks Lucy how she came into Narnia, and Lucy asks what the reader also wants to know: â€Å"Narnia? What's that?† Tumnus replies, â€Å"This is the land of Narnia, †¦ where we are now; all that lies between the lamp-post and the great castle of Cair Paravel on the eastern sea† (LWW, 9). The reader will want and need to know more, of course, but for now he or she has been supplied the necessary basic information and given adequate orientation. Another important revelation in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, when it is read first, is the buildup to the introduction of Aslan. The first reference to Aslan is by Mr. Beaver, when he meets the children in the woods: â€Å"They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps has already landed.† These words create a gap for the Pevensie children and—presumably—for the reader: â€Å"None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different† (LWW, 54). Similarly, in Harry Potter, although the Dursleys try to intercept the letters delivered by strange owls, readers are enthralled to ask what those letters for? When Hagrid takes Harry away to a small island to escape, Harry learns the truth about his parents and introduces him to the magical world. Harry also learns of Lord Voldemort and his murder of Harry’s parents, as well as Voldemort’s lingering reputation despite being inactive (even a large and strong individual like Hagrid refuses to speak his name). As Rowling introduces the secondary world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, nothing in the Hogwarts world could be the same as Harry’s world with the Dursleys: There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk (HPAPS, 132). Like the real world, the secondary parallel worlds had their own rules that should be followed. While Narnia is based on the pretense that animals have intelligence and speech (what child hasn't wished animals could talk or pretended that they could?), the Harry Potter books pretend that magical powers are real and that wizards and witches possessing those powers really exist. In Narnia, one of the children Edmund fell under the spell of the White Witch. However, her power is failing and the other children reach for Aslan, and a penitent Edmund is rescued just as the witch is about to kill him. Calling for a truce, the witch demands that Edmund be returned to her, as an ancient law gives her possession of all traitors. Aslan, acknowledging the law, offers himself in Edmund’s place and the witch accepts. In connection, Hogwarts is set like a school, the first-year students are limited to do some complex magical spells and they are assigned to houses or dormitories by sitting on a stool and putting on a singing hat that magically reads their thoughts and desires and â€Å"sorts† them accordingly: if the students will be assigned to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin (HPAPS, 118). Making and Breaking Rules In both stories, magic transformed into a literary device that helps the reader transcend the ordinary and the familiar and enter an extraordinary and unfamiliar â€Å"other† world. In both Hogwarts and Narnia, readers are invited to suspend belief in the natural and believe instead in the supernatural. For example, the natural laws of gravity are defied in Harry Potter, for example, where people can fly using brooms. The natural laws of time and chronology are suspended in Narnia, where the Pevensie children spend years in Narnia, while only a few minutes go by on the other side of the wardrobe in England. If natural laws are broken or suspended, however, there are spiritual laws that never change no matter what world the children are in. Like all rules in the real world, there is breaking of these rules that become a central part of the tradition of most fantasy stories—much of the tension generated in the stories comes from whether the characters will get away with what they have done. In the real world, people may not reinforce the kind of behavior. Fantasy stories, like what happened to Harry and the Pevensie children, consequences of breaking rules are shown though they do not moralize about them; many of the difficulties characters encounter are created by, or complicated by, untruths or law breaking (Griesinger, 2002). Conclusion Although there are few accusations that stories about magic could expose young children to the world of occult, people could delineate responsible literary approach to The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe and Harry Potter as understood in the context of a fantasy world that is similar to reality world. This exemplified in the lessons that Harry learns from Dumbledore and in Hogwarts School and the choices he has to make to become a wise wizard, while the Pevensie children in Narnia learned to realize how the consequences of Edmund's treachery. In conclusion, The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe and Harry Potter succeeded in making parallel attempts to enact the difference between the â€Å"real† from the â€Å"fantasy† world. Both are strengthening to any reader’s imaginations, which the children who read or hear the stories could base their own imagination by relating to what Lewis and Rowling had shared through their stories. Works Cited Griesinger, E. Harry Potter and the â€Å"Deeper Magic†: Narrating Hope in Children's Literature. Christianity and Literature, 51.3 (2002): 455 Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. New York: Harper-Collins, 2005 (Re-Print). Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997.