Propaganda Theory Essay Example for Free

Propaganda Theory Essay All over the world, the wheel of propaganda keeps churning. Governments have launched propaganda blitzes to mold public opinion and further their political objectives. In certain instances, they have failed. In other cases, like global wars, they have caused mass deception and destruction. People employ numerous propaganda techniques for a variety of reasons. It may be to cushion the impact of a crisis, soften antagonistic sentiments of people governed, reinforce friendly relations between countries, or foil attempts to usurp power. Propaganda in recent years has been used in a derogatory sense, characterized by doublespeak, coupled with endorsements from individuals capable of influencing others, to win public support for an idea or doctrine. When employed by nations as an act of aggression, it can unleash a never-ending series of counterpropaganda measures, and become counterproductive. Learning about propaganda how it works, and actual examples across cultures provides many interrelated insights. Propaganda Theory I. The Meaning and Types of Propaganda Propaganda is defined in many ways. It is â€Å"a systematic effort to persuade a body of people to support or adopt a particular opinion, attitude or course of action† (Funk Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, 1963). Propaganda is something resorted to since ancient times, and has assumed many connotations through the years. It is commonly understood as the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. Propaganda is a term culled from the Latin word propagare which â€Å"means to propagate or to show† (Jowett and ODonnell, 2006, p. 2). French philosopher and sociologist Jacques Ellul, who conducted a thorough study on propaganda, propounded that it is a â€Å"sociological phenomena, not as something made or produced by people of intentions† (Jowett and ODonnell, 2006, p. 4). Ellul did not discount the fact, though, that while it may have negative impact, particularly in discouraging critical thought, people have a need for it. Propaganda is characterized by certain characteristics. It has to be total, seamless, with a target audience that is â€Å"self-acting and capable of screening out contrary messages for themselves (or) partial to the thrust of the message and willing to listen to it, and†¦ works best when it prepares symbols that the public will understand, and then manipulates those symbols to achieve a desired effect† (Thompson, 2004, pp. 6-8). Propaganda, as widely used today, connotes â€Å"a coordinated strategy to minimize negative information and present in a favorable light a story that can be damaging to self-interests† (Jowett and ODonnell, 2006, p. 3). This is blatantly shown by many news organizations and governments today. In most cases, â€Å"propaganda themes are produced not because the relationship between the state and the media is antagonistic and incompatible but because they serve a common purpose† (Wilcox, 2005, p. 4). To achieve the propagandist’s intent, there are several types and techniques employed. In the corporate world, one type of propaganda is a simple testimonial. Testimonials may utilize celebrities and other people of prominence or credibility, or symbols like a flag or a respectable institution, in advertisements prodding and enticing people to purchase goods and services. Most advertisements that instill brand recall by being constantly aired on all forms of media are also a form of propaganda. Usually, the propagandist conceals his main agenda in a deliberate attempt to win public favor. Propaganda may be classified then as white, or â€Å"from a correctly identified source and is not intentionally deceptive† (Brahm, 2006, parag. 4) or black, which is the exact opposite. As for the techniques, propagandists employ age-old techniques to influence or win over people to their side, like name-calling, whereby the object is to make a person see an object, person or idea in a negative light without carefully assessing evidences; use of glittering generalities that uses abstract terms, especially ideals like freedom, justice, and truth to appeal to the listener’s emotions or valued principles; card stacking, which highlights only one view to an argument while downplaying or totally repressing the dissenting or contradictory opinions in order to manipulate the sentiments or change the mindset of the audience; transfer technique, in which case the propagandist uses an object or symbolism that is generally revered or respected to win over people; testimonials, which uses prominent, authoritative or famous people to appeal to listeners’ emotions or in some instances, both the emotions and logic; and bandwagon, which presupposes that since majority of people are doing or supporting something, then that general trend must have merits worth considering. The propagandist, in this case, expects the audience to conform to the general will and reap the benefits offered (â€Å"The Art of Propaganda,† n. d. ). II. Propaganda Through the Years Propaganda’s various meanings and connotations have evolved through the years. In the modern world, the most common conduit or mouthpiece of propaganda is the news media, whether print, television, radio or online. Many governments have used media as disseminator of propaganda, especially during crisis moments or to win major support for conflict intervention. Milestones that have been part and parcel of the history of propaganda go way back to 1622, when the Vatican, under Pope Gregory XV, â€Å"established the Sacra Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, meaning the sacred congregation, for propagating the faith of the Roman Catholic Church† (Jowett and ODonnell, 2006, p. 2). Succeeding events led to the loss of impartiality in the term propaganda. In the present information age, some people who are well-read and aware of issues and news developments are able to discern whenever their government has set into motion a major information campaign to gain public support for an electoral campaign or even a war effort. There are also insidious ways individuals or governments use propaganda, like in the case of terrorist groups enlisting people to support their cause, or military leaders trying to outmart the enemy by overstating the size of one’s fleet or amplifying the sophisticated weaponry at their disposal. Propaganda has been used countless times for political warfare. History is replete with cases of governments swaying the populace to gain support for their cause or political ends. An example of 20th century propaganda are the anti-German propaganda materials widely disseminated by British agencies. Former US President George Bush’s propaganda machine emphasized an anti-terrorism stance. Ironically, he had denounced numerous propaganda tactics directed at the US which he thought to have vilified the country’s image in the global community. The US government employed similar propaganda techniques during the Gulf War and Kosovo Conflict in the 1990s. Many political rulers, like Joseph Stalin, used propaganda in a damaging sense. Another clear-cut illustration of 20th century propaganda is Adolf Hitler’s reign of terror. Everyone knows how the charismatic dictator won over people to his side not only with his eloquent speeches but with his military tactics and well-oiled propaganda machinery. Naxi propaganda bordered on censorship. Books and films that ran counter to the beliefs of the rulers were burned. In their stead, radio communications called â€Å"People’s Receiver† were offered at a cheap price. There were also organized rallies that succeeded in gaining the public’s loyalties. â€Å"In Nazi publications and German newspapers, newsreels, posters, ‘educational’ materials, etc), much use was made of cartoons from Julius Streicherthe Nazis’ vitriolic and foremost hate monger† (Thompson, 2004, parag. 11). On the other hand, there have also been countless examples of propaganda back in the 18th century. Propaganda was employed, to promote the cause of independence, through the dissemination of pamphlets during the American Revolution. In France and Europe, there was widespread criticisms for the ruling class by learned men. It was an age when anti-enlightenment ideas proliferated, and propaganda was at its peak. III. Propaganda in the Arab World Propaganda has found strong use in the Arab world. â€Å"The anti-Semitic literature published by the Arabs since World War II has been voluminous†¦Arab propagandists and sympathizers have persisted in the charge that Israel is a foreign outpost of Western civilization, the intruding offspring of Europe inhabited by European survivors of Nazi brutality† (Peters, n. d. ). Consumed by the overriding belief that Israel does not have the right to exist, most Arab and Muslim states engaged in propagandist tactics, including biased reporting and use of language that detracts from the true meaning. Propaganda was also applied through the use of official newspapers that tackled how Jews manage all the worlds governments. In similar manner, the US government has launched anti-Arab propaganda material, much to its own detriment and reputation in the international community. References Brahm, Eric. (2006). Propaganda. Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/propaganda/ Funk Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary. (1963). New York: Harcourt, Brace World, Inc. Jowett, Garth S. and Victoria ODonnell. (2006). Propaganda and persuasion (4th ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Peters, Joan. (n. d. ). â€Å"From time immemorial the origins of the Arab-Jewish conflict over Palestine. † Retrieved May 31, 2009, from http://gospelpedlar. com/articles/Church%20History/jews. html

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Example for Free

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Nursing is a rewarding, exciting and sometimes challenging career. Nursing is not limited to simply changing bandages, giving shots and offering of support. In fact, the role of a nurse is ‘protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering thought the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in care of individuals, families, communities, and populations’ (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010, p. 1). Sometimes, having a passion to serve others just isn’t enough to make it in nursing. In order to be an effective caregiver to a patient, the nurse must treat the patient as a whole. This means building trust between the patient and the nurse, therefore, promoting healing and a sense of peace. A nurse does this by following a code of ethics. Ethics gives the nurse a framework for making ‘logical and consistent decisions’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 29). Although, ethics offers a guideline, it does not tell us what we should do; nurses must decide that on an individual basis. Ethics is having the ability to make wrong or right decisions based on our own morals. Morals and values are fundamental beliefs that are acquired from childhood throughout adulthood. Everyone is shaped according to their own spiritual, cultural and individual values that were instilled at a young age. These values and morals are the things that help nurses make ethical decisions, therefore it is critical that we evaluate our own values and morals. Because we, as nurses, are asked to question our own values and morals it is important to examine where we stand in our own spirituality. Thus, it is important to know thyself. Socrates believed that if you do not know yourself, or seek to know yourself, then you know nothing. Knowing where you stand on a lot of ‘hot topics’ makes it easier to stand behind your patient on their decision and therefore, you are able to be supportive of these decisions. Ethics is an area that challenges me on a daily basis. There is two important theories that are important to nursing: utilitarianism and deontology. Utilitarianism ‘is the moral theory that holds that an action is judged as good or bad in relation to the consequence, outcome, or end result that is derived from’ (Burhardt   Nathaniel, 2008, p. 33). Utilitarianism uses the thought of the greatest good for the largest number of people. Utilitarianism is a helpful theory in situations when you feel the rights of the patient are being ignored. Whereas, the deontological theory states ‘no action can be judged as right which cannot reasonably become a strict law’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 39). Although these processes have both advantages and disadvantages, I would tend to use a more situational approach. I believe that having a situational approach favors autonomy of the patient. Using this approach, I feel that I can help the patient make an informed individual decision regarding their healthcare, whether it be based on religious beliefs, personal reasons or simply that it is in their best interest. Working in an area of maternal/fetal cardiology, it can be difficult at times to separate my own believes to that of which is the best outcome for both mother and baby. It seems that almost on a weekly basis the cardiologist is handing down a diagnosis that leaves the family to ponder the decision of ‘do we have what it takes to handle a very sick, complicated child?’ Sometimes these parents are faced with the reality of do they continue along the path of pregnancy or do they stop where they are, and try again in the future. It is a reality that unfortunately many families are left with, as sometimes the babies are given a very grave outcome. It is a very true fact in my own heart that God only deals you the deck that you are able to handle, but when faced with the financial uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the child’s future, sometimes very difficult decisions need to be made. As their nurse it is my responsibility to back the physician with aiding the family in seeing all their options regardless if they fit into my own values. Being able to step back and provide unbiased care to my families is a small part of what my nursing is all about. Being able to do so helps to build a strong relationship between myself and my patients. Along with following an ethical framework in nursing, one must follow a scope of practice. Such guidelines shape the responsibility of the professional nursing organization and serve to protect the public. The American Nurses Association (ANA) helps to paint the picture of how the nurse should practice, whereas the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) sets the limits of practice that the nurse must work within, serving to protect not only the public but the nurse herself. As a nurse, I strive to be both clinically competent in my delivery of care,  being aware of the constant challenges and educationally competent. I try to set aside time to attend a weekly grand rounds meeting, where additional education is provided. This allows me to stay current and up to date on effective treatment options, new medications, research findings and team collaboration for optimal patient outcomes. In addition, completing required competencies, I am a member of the Society of Pediatric Cardiovascular Nurses (SPCN) which also strengthens my knowledge and skill in providing the best evidence based practice to my patients and their families. Attending meetings and conferences also helps to build my level of education and knowledge base. Education is critical in the nursing profession, being a lifelong learner is important to keep up with the ebb and flow of nursing practice. ‘Lifelong learning is an essential ingredient for ensuring high quality of patient care’ (Gopee, 2002, p. 608). If you were to trace nursing back to the original roots we continue to provide the most basic of needs to our patients; this is knowing that someone cares for them (Vance). I feel that I provide a level of compassionate care to my patients and their families. I understand that their needs will change depending on their health as well as their environment. My greatest joy comes from helping the patients effectively respond to their health care needs regardless of which stage of life they may most currently be in. In my opinion, the main focus of nursing, comes down to respecting, guiding, providing information, to clients who is the past had the perception of nurses as simply being the people who provided medications, and treatments. The future is bright in the nursing field as we stride for a respectful place as a profession in the health care system. References American Nurses Association. (2010). Scope of Nursing Practice. In Nursing (2nd ed., pp. 1-30). Silver Spring, Maryland: Nursebooks. Burhardt, M. A., Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethics issues (3rd ed.). Canada: Delmar learning. Gopee, N. (2002, December). Human and social capital as facilitators of lifelong learning in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 22, 608-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917(02)00139-9 Vance, T. Caring and the Professional Practice of Nursing. Journal of Nursing. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing

Investment and Cost Savings Essay Example for Free

Investment and Cost Savings Essay Introduction The purpose of this report is to address the key strategic issues facing Coast4Life with the expected downturn ahead. Included is a financial analysis, identification of major issues, analysis of alternatives and a recommendation. Financial Analysis for the Year Ended 2012 (Appendix 1) * Current ratio of 1. 6 indicates that the company can meet its short term obligations. There is a 46% improvement versus last year’s current ratio of 1.1. Quick ratio of 1.8 shows a 50% improvement. * Total debt- to-equity of 1.5 shows a 12% improvement over prior year’s ratio of 1.7 indicating that the firm is relying less on debt. Times interest earned ratio of 6.4 improved by 30%. * Profitability ratios indicate overall earnings growth. Net margin of 15.2% grew by 18% compared to 12.9% in 2011 while Return-on-Equity (ROE) of 27.4% grew by 16%. Return on Investments (ROI) of 11.2% shows a significant 28% growth from 8.7% and posted a 14% favourable variance compared to target. * Revenue and net income grew by 13.4% and 33.3%, respectively. Major Strategic Issues With the expected estimated 30%-35% decline in the overall booking, the expected impact is a decline in income by $7M (Appendix 2). The proposed alternatives to generate additional revenues and or/ cost savings are evaluated using a required after tax rate of return of 16%. Alternative 1 – Change Customer Mix Objectives: Maximize Repeat Customers from 20% to 40% Maximize Age Group 40-60 years old from 30% to 38% Pros: * Incremental Income of $721K in 2013; $2.1M for the 3 years ahead combined (Appendix 3) * Opportunity to expand extra-services * Maximizes capacity/resources Cons: * Marketing constraints to target customer mix * May require additional costs to achieve target This option addresses the incremental income requirement. It maximizes profitability and provides opportunities to expand business ( in line with the company’s mission). Alternative 2 – Implement a web-based booking system Pros: * Incremental savings of $24K in 2013; $226K for the 3-yrs ahead combined (Appendix 4) * Opportunity for additional costs reduction (i.e. advertising, promotion) * Provides information about passengers * Opportunity to target more customers * Meets demand for Internet-booking * Accounting module improves financial reporting Cons: * Loss of customer service * Technology must be up to date and well maintained * Security (i.e. financial data, customers) This option meets the cost savings requirement. It also addresses the immediate need of the company for market/customer information and addresses constraints in alternative 1 (customer mix). This is in line with the company’s mission to provide unique services. Alternative 3 – Hire Crew and Hospitality Workers from Underdeveloped Countries Pros: * Incremental cost savings of $883K; $2.1M for the 3 years ahead combined (Appendix 5) * Cheaper wages Cons: * May damage reputation (poor service quality) * May dampen employees’ morale This alternative meets the requirement for cost savings. To ensure quality service, the company must invest in training. The company should also keep key employees (pros: assists in training, promotion could keep morale high). Long-term cost savings is attractive. Alternative 4 – Divest the Fraser dry dock Pros: * Incremental Income of $3.1M in 2013; $2.5M for the 3-years ahead combined (Appendix 6) * Focus on core business Cons: * Incremental costs of $438K per year (maintenance and lost income from the dry dock operations (Appendix 6) * Decline in company-wide morale * Damage to reputation and local ties * Quality of third-party maintenance This alternative meets the incremental income required. This allows the company to focus on its core business. However, long-term, the negative impact on income, reputation and ties with the community are not desirable. It is recommended to change customer mix and implement a web-based booking system. Both alternatives achieve the income requirement (total $745K in 2013; $2.4M for the 3 years ahead). Both alternative have low risk and provide more opportunities to maximize the use of its resources and capacity and expand business. Hiring crew and staff from underdeveloped countries is recommended if the high risk is mitigated i.e. by retaining key employees. Divesting the drydock is not recommended due to the incremental expenses associated in future years. Conclusion The recommended alternatives meet the requirement to generate revenue and/or cost savings to counter the expected downturn in 2013.

Judicial Inquiry Into Stephen Lawrence

Judicial Inquiry Into Stephen Lawrence It is argued by Shiner (2010) that the judicial inquiry into the events surrounding the death of Stephen Lawrence amounted to a public declaration of police culpability in not only the surrounding the specific case of Stephen Lawrence but a wider concern with the maltreatment of black and ethnic minority communities more generally. (Shiner 2010; 935). The Macpherson Report identified that the combination of three core deficiencies within the police which contributed to an environment fostering racism: (1) professional incompetence, (2) institutional racism and (3) a failure by senior police officers in exercising their public duty. (Macpherson 1999: 46.1). The Report considered that their findings with regard to institutional racism were symptomatic with not only the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) but with other Police Services and institutions countrywide. (Macpherson 1999; 6.39). It is agreed by a number of academics that the way in which the police handled the Lawrence investig ation were not particularly racist against the Lawrence family but rather it was symbolic of the way in which the police were treating working class families with a sheer lack of understanding on the part of the police of the experiences and expectations of the black community. (Chan 1996; 115-119 and Phillips and Bowling 2007). The important aspect to emerge from the Report was the impact it would have on the police as an institution in that although Stephen Lawrence was not the first or last unresolved racist murder, it was noted by Reiner (2000) that it crystallised the disastrous ebbing away of black confidence in the police. (Reiner 2000; 79). It represented a turning point for policing in that it prompted the most significant review of the relationship between policing and ethnic communities, questioning how policing could be reflective of the community it serves. (Bowling and Phillips 2007; 546). The Macpherson reported noted some 70 recommendations aimed at improving this relationship between the police and ethnic communities which were implemented in the aftermath of the delivery of the Report. (Home Affairs Committee 2007). A key reforming recommendation was Recommendation 61 which required police to keep records of all stop and search activities carried out by the police which would contain the in formation of ethnicity which in turn could be used to determine whether the police were stopping any particular ethnicity disproportionately. (Macpherson 1999; 47.61). The effect of requiring police officers to record the informal aspects of their use of stop and search was one way in which the police could be held to account publically if they disproportionately stopped any ethnicity over another. Additionally, it had sought to reduce the arbitrariness of the use of stop and search by ensuring the police would only use the power appropriately when they had to record each time who they stopped. (Saunders and Young 2010; 97 101). One of the core concerns of the Macpherson Report identified that the police in practice were in effect over-policing particular ethnic communities and by requiring the police to report on their use of discretionary police powers would create an accountability mechanism within which the public could scrutinise the use of police powers. (Macpherson 1999; 6.3 4). It held the potential of becoming the yardstick indicator of policing. However, it is important to note that whilst the Macpherson Report clearly set about to place policing within a new agenda of accountability and openness to the community in which they served, it has been argued by Savage that the police as an institution has been able to undermine, frustrate and withstand any external proposals for reform. (Savage 2003; 171). In addition, it is important to understand the internal police perception of the Macpherson Report in that their reaction was deeply divided between senior ranking officer and rank and file field officers. (Rowe 2004). The senior officers were more open to change and accepted the findings of the Macpherson Report, however, the rank and file field officers protested that the Report was an affront to their professionalism in exercising their public duty. (McLaughlin 2007). Media reporting in 2009 from across a section of sources attempt to argue that the problems emerging from the Macpherson Report were now no longer relevant ten years after Macpherson due to the reforms implemented from the Report. In January 2009 the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips wrote in the Daily Mail that the police were no longer institutionally racist. (19 January 2009). Additionally, Jack Straw who was the Secretary of State for Justice also backed the claim that the police had moved on by addressing the problems established in the Macpherson Report. (The Guardian, 23 February 2009). At the tenth anniversary of the Macpherson Report, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Paul Stephenson, also told the media that the police had made significant progress in addressing the concerns of the Macpherson Report. (The Guardian, 24 February 2009). There a number of ways or indicators to assess how successful the Macpherson Report was at delivering a more open and accountable police force since its delivery over ten years ago. The London School of Economics (LSE) through its Mannheim Centre for Criminology commissioned a large number of national surveys of the police between 2002 and 2004 which could act as a good indicator of whether reform was successful. In their report the authors conclude that a number of successes can be claimed since the delivery of the Macpherson Report. (Foster et al 2005). In specific the LSE noted that the Macpherson Reported represented an important mechanism for change which was evidenced through improvements in police responses to hate crimes and in the recording and monitoring of racist incidents. (Ibid; vii ix). Policing structures now allowed for dedicated teams of officers for racial crimes who undertook specialist training in developing specific skills for investigating and managing racial c rimes. However, the LSE Report did note that many officers view these teams with scepticism and often marginalised the officers within them. (Ibid; 92). This highlights that whilst efforts were made at reforming the institutional structure towards creating specialist teams for specific crimes affecting ethnic minorities many existing officers did not support this development. (Buchanan 2006; 173-174). Additionally, the LSE Report noted considerable improvements in murder investigations with considerable improvements on communication between the police and local ethnic communities. It was the creating of community liaison officers which represented a positive change towards creating and fostering an environment of respect between the police and local ethnic communities. These officers allowed the facilitation of police policy to be communicated to local ethnic minorities and also for the police to take account of any concerns within the local ethnicity minority community. Interesting ly, all police forces across the UK have engaged training officers in Community Race Relations to develop existing and new officers skills set in being aware of the diverse cultures and experiences of minority communities within the UK. An important issue raised by the LSE Report was that some police officers within the survey believed that the Macpherson Report was wrong in concluding on the racism within policing and tended to view the problems raised by the Report as being primarily around incompetence. (Foster et al 2005; 33). The danger here is that there is a risk that the real message surrounding the racism issue within policing can become lost within the institutional structure when some officers only focus on the actual incompetence findings within Macpherson. The LSE Report also found that the police use of language and their attempts to abolish the use of racist language amongst officers were becoming successful. (Ibid; 43). This approach was achieved through continuous education of new recruits and retraining schemes for existing officers, the key to the success of this hinged upon the senior officers creating an environment within policing which did not accept the use of racist language. Although the Macpherson Report opened the possibility of effecting real change within policing there still exists a number of key concerns. The concerns revolve around two core issues, firstly police use of stop and search powers and secondly the unsuccessful recruitment of sufficient officers from ethnic communities in order to make the police more reflective of the community it serves. The reporting structure recommended by Macpherson shows that a high proportion of people from the Black community are disproportionately stopped by the police under the stop and search powers. This represents that the database of all stop and searches contain 20% more black people than Asian or White people. (Bennetto 2009; 22). Whilst the Black community is over represented in the criminal justice system for criminal offences it does not justify a disproportionate use of police stop and search power. Additionally, a core failing has been the problem with recruiting officers from within the ethnic co mmunities. In an investigative journalism piece by the BBCs Mark Daly (2003) highlights that a significant problem is that there is a serious underrepresentation within senior ranking positions of ethnic minorities which impact upon policy and public perception.

Square Pharmaceuticals Limited In Bangladesh Commerce Essay

Square Pharmaceuticals Limited In Bangladesh Commerce Essay SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Limited is the largest pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh and it has been continuously in the 1st position among all national and multinational companies since 1985. It was established in 1958 and converted into a public limited company in 1991. Square Pharmaceuticals Limited has extended her range of services towards the highway of global market. It pioneered exports of medicines from Bangladesh in 1987 and has been exporting antibiotics and other pharmaceutical products. This extension in business and services has manifested the credibility of Square Pharmaceuticals Limited. It strives, above all, for top quality health care products at the least cost reaching the lowest rungs of the economic class of people in the country and value their social obligations. The companys annual turnover exceeds $300 million, far higher than the competitions. The sales turnover of SPL was more than Taka 7.5 Billion (US$ 107.91 million) with about 16.92% market share (April 2 006- March 2007) having a growth rate of about 23.17% (company annual report 2007). It is exporting its pharmaceuticals and other products to around 30 countries of the world including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Kenya, Libya, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Yemen. Square has some competitive advantages that make it no.1 Thus from its inception in 1958, it has today burgeoned into one of the top line conglomerates in Bangladesh. The pharmaceuticals market is oligopoly in nature despite the presence of 250 companies. The top 15 players, including Square, control around 73% of the market share. So in this competitive market, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd., the flagship company, is holding the strong leadership position in the pharmaceutical industry of Bangladesh and is now on its way to becoming a high performance global player. Their corporate focus is to add value on the quality of product, process and services leading to achieve competitive advantages. Competitive advantages in such firms depend a lot on how vale is created. Value creation is a central concept in the management and organization literature for both micro level (individual, group) and macro level (organization theory, strategic management) research. Yet there is little consensus on what value creation is or on how it can be achieved. Many prominent authors have written articles how company develops their value creation architecture to gain competitive advantage. Literature on value creation All economic activity whether in the public or private sector, ultimately revolves round the process of creating value. For organization to be self- sustaining it must create more value, as measured by its users, than the cost of resources it uses up. We define value as the benefits a (potential) user will gain from a product or service, measured. Bowman and Ambrosini (2000) in defining use value as the subjective valuation of consumption benefits by a consumer. Exchange value is the amount the consumer actually pays, representing revenue to a value system. These definitions are consistent with those offered in the value-price-cost (VPC) framework recently adopted from Tirole (1988) by Hoopes, Madsen, and Walker (2003). In their framework, V is what we label use value, P is exchange value, and C is the production cost of the seller. V P is consumer surplus, and P C is seller profit. They defined value capture as the appropriation and retention by the firm of payments made by consumers in expectation of future value from consumption. Value is captured when a firm (1) receives consumer payments by thwarting competitors attempts to appropriate those payments (e.g., through imitation) and (2) simultaneously retains those payments by denying claims on them from upstream or downstream members of the same value system (e.g., throug h channel power). Thus, value capture involves the allocation of exchange value. Strategic management deals with the question of how firms create value in terms of achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. The market-based, resource-based, dynamic capabilities and relational views identify different sources of competitive advantages. From the market-based perspective, competitive advantages are the result of strategic positioning in imperfect markets. The resource-based view identifies firm-specific resources as the main source of sustainable competitive advantage. From the dynamic capabilities perspective, temporary competitive advantages result from risk-taking and entrepreneurial insights in an uncertain or complex environment. After a while, the insights diffuse and become best practice. The relational view attributes competitive advantages to relationship-specific assets, knowledge-sharing routines, complementary resources and capabilities, as well as effective governance mechanisms. It is suggested that these advantages are jointly generated in an exchange relationship and cannot be generated by one firm in isolation. Therefore, what is needed is an adequate conceptualization of competitive advantage that can actually be used in different industry contexts to map the underlying value creation architecture and relate it to economic performance.11 Certain patterns of labour division that emerged among co-specialized actors in a sector are called industry architectures. Our aim is to develop a conceptualization of such architectures in relation to competitive advantage that can be used to identify and evaluate different value creation architectures in the same industry. The term value creation architecture describes the structure and relationships of all the value-adding activities that are carried out by various actors and companies to bring a particular product or service to market. Scholars having a resources-based view often firm see the firm as the primary unit of analysis to create value-generating activities. They argue that the firm exists because it can more efficiently coordinate the collective learning process and build competitive advantage that resides in the organizational routine and capability than the market can (Foss, 1996c: 18). The notion of the firm as a bundle of resources provides an alternative explanation to the concepts of transition cost (TC) that sees the firm as a bundle of transactions or contracts (Barney, 1986; Dierickx and Cool, 1989). However, they both overlook an important fact that resources exchange is often linked to the social context in which the firm is embedded. From this perspective, the analysis of architectural advantages is central. These competitive advantages result from the interplay between internal competition and the cooperation of different actors that form architecture of value creation and the competition between different architectures in the market. The architectures chosen in a certain market context can vary considerably in terms of core characteristics: the number of participating firms, the extent of integration, and the settings for the relationship levers (e.g., contract conditions or level of cooperation). With regard to intra-architectural competition and cooperation, the analysis focuses on the question of which actors appropriate the highest share of value and on the impact of this value appropriation on the motivation and ability of all actors to continue to contribute to this architecture. The position of each firm within the intra-architectural competition depends on its resources, its capabilities, and its relationship with other actors within the architecture. Accordingly, there are three sources of competitive advantage: (1) Cost efficiencies that make more efficient use of the firms assets and supplier inputs or that lower supplier cost; (2) Product differentiation to raise customer benefits; and (3) Transaction innovations that lower the costs of transactions or that create new combinations of customers and suppliers. Recent work has examined competitive advantage via dynamic capabilities (Eisenhardt Martin, 2000) and firm-specific knowledge (Kogut Zander, 1996). Yet only sparse attention has been paid to the demand side and, particularly, to the consumers role, even in the most recent and ambitious attempts to integrate the field (e.g., Farjoun, 2002; Hunt Lambe, 2000). Remarkably, some strategy scholars argue that an understanding of consumer utility is largely superfluous to the overall goal of the strategy field (Makadok Coff, 2002: 12), which, they say, is to explain firm profitability-and firm profitability is determined by the value captured by the firm (Makadok Coff, 2002: 10). The investigation of value creation in buyer-supplier relationships in business markets is still very much in its infancy (Flint, Woodruff, Gardial, 2002; Ulaga, 2003) with the majority of studies having explored relationships involving physical goods, where both parties have an understanding (often quite sophisticated) of the product in question (e.g. Harmsen Jensen, 2004; Moller Torronen, 2003; Ulaga, 2003) In the light of the above, this study is to examine the value creation architecture to achieve competitive advantage using Square Pharmaceutical Company as the main case study. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: Aim: The aim of the study is find out how Square manage to create value to achieve competitive advantage. Objectives: The objective of the study is to examine the Value creation architecture in gaining competitive advantage using Square Pharmaceutical Company as case study. However, the specific objectives shall include: To evaluate the consumer perspective in value creation to achieve competitive advantage. To examine value creation and value capture in a multi level perspective. To establish theoretical linkage between value creation and competitive advantage. To examine the process of value creation and its measurement To investigate value creation in buyer-supplier relationships in business markets. To offer policy recommendation on how the organization can obtain competitive advantage through value creation. 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS From the afore-mentioned objective of the study, this study shall provide answer to the following tentative questions. How can organization achieve competitive advantage through value creation? What are the measurement and process of value creation? Is there any theoretical linkage between value creation and competitive advantage? What is the relationship of value creation and value capture in multi level perspective? What are the buyer-supplier relationships in business market? 1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS The following tentative hypothesis will be tested in this study H0: Value creation architecture do not brings about competitive advantage H1: Value creation architecture brings about competitive advantage. Research Methodology: The research methodology used must be able to give reasonable answers to the research question and fulfil the objectives of research. In this research work, researcher will follow both types of research methodologies-quantitative and qualitative approaches. In quantitative research, the information obtained from the participants is expressed in numerical form. In quantitative approach, researcher tends to collect numerical contents from the Square Company and on the other hand, qualitative part researcher will collect subjective data. In qualitative research, on the other hand, the information obtained from participants is not expressed in numerical form. The emphasis is on the stated experiences of the participants and on the stated meanings they attach to themselves, to other people, and to their environment. Those carrying out qualitative research sometimes make use of direct quotations from their participants, arguing that such quotations are often very revealing. Qualitative dat a will be collected by interviews, This study involves largely the use of primary data for the purpose of empirical analysis. The primary data will be obtained with the use of structured questionnaire and selected interviews. The questionnaires were structured in such a way as to provide pertinent information on the value created architecture and competitive advantage. That is how Square Pharmaceutical Company. Interviews will equally be conducted with some key person namely; selected staff of square Pharmaceutical Company, particularly those at the top management level. This will enable us to obtain a balanced picture of how value is created to gain competitive advantage over other competitors. Also, secondary data will be obtained from the annual report of the company and the performance will be compare with similar company. POPULATION AND SAMPLING PROCEDURES Indeed, the sum total of companies in the pharmaceutical industry constitutes the population of the study. However, as it will be cumbersome and rather unrealistic to consider all companies, a case study was considered. This case study chosen by this research work as earlier stated is square Pharmaceutical Company. Candidly; the choice of this company is deliberate. It is one of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical company where adequate data can be easily gathered for the success of the study. Therefore, questionnaire will be distributed to key persons among the staff to collect pertinent data relating to value creation and planning and organizational performance. Thus, an equal sample size will be drawn from among the staff of the organization. A total sample of 50 staff will be selected among the staff of the organization. The random sampling technique is intended to be employed in the distribution of the questionnaires. This implies that every staff of square Pharmaceutical Company stands a chance of being selected until the required sample size (50) is obtained. METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS This aspect shows the technique adopted in analyzing the collected data. In this study, both the descriptive and quantitative techniques will be employed. The descriptive statistics involved the analysis of data in frequencies, tables, percentages, chart etc. while the quantitative technique to be used is the Pearson Correlation method of data analysis as it is more realistic and clear to express the collected data. All these analysis shall be done manually with the aid of statistical tools for social sciences. All these analysis shall be done manually with the aid of statistical tools for social sciences. Research Limitations: The proposed research has some limitation and threats that may affect its credibility and reliability as follows; As the research work will be focused on only Square pharmaceutical company, results obtained may not be true for other organizations in this industry. There are resource and time limitations for this study as to generate more precise results it needs huge resources and time. Hence time and resource constraints may affect the research standards. The accuracy and quality of results may be affected as participants may not feel confident and disclosing wrong information. Or participants may feel uncomfortable with the research subject and may feel that it will affect their interests. This research might come up with different threats of reliability i.e. subject or participant error, observer error, subject or participant bias etc. There will be limited observation of the HR practices and actual procedures within the company. For sound results there will be need of observations because attitudes cannot be measured or seen but we can feel and infer them. The business data will be collected from various resources including publications and online material. In this case the validity and reliability of some of information cannot be guaranteed. Ethical Issues: There are always some ethical issues associated with the implementation and execution of a good research work. The writer will give due importance to this aspect of research and will comply with code of ethics to deliver a quality research work. Some possible ethical issues that may rise during this research project are as follows: The interviewees and other participants will be briefed about the purpose of the research, data protection and confidentiality issues to gain their confidence in advance. Subject awareness will boost them to deliver more accurate view about the issue and thus research objectives can be obtained more precisely. The participants involvement will be of voluntary nature and they will have rights to withdraw partially or completely from process at any stage. Avoidance of harm to participants during data collection including pain, stress, embarrassment and discomfort will be catered. Details of participants will be kept confidential unless their consent is obtained to disclose it. Information gathered during interviews, for example employees job satisfaction level, relationship with employer or any personal views about their job or about company etc. will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in any case safeguarding interests of every entity involved in it. Integrity of data and intellectual property rights will be of high priority along with data protection and accuracy. I will comply in honest and ethical manner throughout research and avoid any misrepresentation or plagiarism. All publications or research material used will be quoted and referred systematically. The writer will make sure that research work is neutral, free form any bias and undue influence. Research results will be used ethically for benefit of company with complete confidentiality and informed consent of respective authorities.

Advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour

Advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour To look at life-span development, we need to be aware of what it is, although the meaning is within the name. It looks at how a normal person develops throughout the life-span. This process begins between conception and birth, the miracle of pregnancy where a one-celled organism develops into a foetus and finally a newborn baby emerges into the world. The development of this developing child is affected by the world around them. Affecting growth and at critical points can alter their genetic characteristics, which are developed within the womb, and the expression of these characteristics. Our exploration begins at birth, where who we are and will ultimately become is a life-long endeavour. (http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/ 2001) In this assignment I am going to look at the infant period of the life-span. Development occurs across three separate yet overlapping domains. Biological, which looks at how the body matures, grows and changes. Psychosocial looks at an individuals personality and emotions and also their social expectations and interactions. Cognitive involves the mental processes of knowing which includes problem solving, imagining, reasoning and perceiving. According to Erikson (1950) there are 8 stages of development beginning with 0-1 year old, basic trust versus basic mistrust. This involves trusting that things will happen either through the childs own ability or trust that the childs care giver will provide what is needed. A key element in Eriksons theory is based on a secure attachment being made. This ties in with Bowlbys attachment theory (1969), as he believes a secure base must be formed in early years through attachment. He believes this attachment will impact future relationships. For example, attachment in adult intimate relationships can mirror earlier attachments in childhood, resulting in negative or positive attachments throughout the life-span. Eriksons second stage of development is for 2-3 year olds, autonomy versus shame, doubt. At this age childrens biological development includes learning to grasp, walk and other physical abilities which ultimately lead to free choice. The child begins to show control, for example with toilet training. However they may also develop a feeling of shame if the training is not handled adequately. Children need to be enabled to assert some control over their environment. Success with this leads the child to feeling a sense of purpose. However this needs to be balanced as the children who exert too much power can experience disapproval from their care giver which will result in the child feeling guilty. In social work practice some theories have influenced social work over the years. One example is psychosocial casework which in many ways is a development from psychodynamic theory in particular the ego psychology of writers such as Erikson. However Thompson criticises Eriksons work on human development as he feels it does tend to lack awareness of broader social issues (the significance of gender, for example) (Thompson, 2009, p89) A key theory I touched on briefly is attachment. In 1970 Ainsworth and Bell conducted a study which looked at the individual differences in attachment. They used a test called the strange situation to conduct the experiment; it involved mothers and 1 year old infants being observed by researchers in a play-room through a two way mirror. This study is relevant in practice as the social worker is the stranger. This is why the situation should be observed and record made of what occurs. As a social workers experience grows they may relate to what they observe on an attachment style. According to Bowlbys research there are lots of issues affecting attachment, for example, a mother suffering from post-natal depression may have trouble bonding with her child. This can have long-term effects on the child. However the child can form an attachment with another care giver. Although Bowlby insists on it being the mother this does not have to be the case, as children can adapt and attach to any care giver, as long as all needs are adequately met. Attachment is valid throughout the entire life-span not just in infancy. Every person has an attachment style that is unique to them. However a secure base is still needed as early attachment is crucial. When a child has a good early attachment they will learn to trust a new care giver because the child has previously learnt to trust. This again links Bowlby and Eriksons theories together, both putting attachment and trust as key issues in infancy. The intimacy of attachment is greatest at this early stage of infancy. Its difficult to get more intimate, than a vulnerable child with their primary care giver. There are 3 different kinds of attachment styles, ambivalent, secure and avoidance. Some attachment styles work well together and others dont. A social workers assessment in attachment styles is vital especially in adoption. As an ambivalent parent, who is very needy for love, this would clash with an avoidance child, whose reaction would be get away from me. Although Bowlbys theories are widely respected some feel his specification of the care giver being the mother as sexist. However his theory is valid and can be used with any care giver the child has and is vital in social work theory. A number of theorists have reconceptualised Bowlbys internal working model of attachment, which regulates communication with significant others, as a form of regulatory implicit rational memory (Bremmer and Slater, 2004, p208) This shows how Bowlbys attachment theory can be used as a base to support other theorists. Another key theorist for this stage of development is Freud. Freud (1905) believes that from the moment of birth the infants actions are driven by their desire for sexual and bodily pleasure. In infancy there are 3 stages to go through, the oral stage, the anal stage and the phallic stage. The initial oral stage is satisfied through sucking, for feeding. The second anal stage is released through the act of defecation. The final stage in infancy, the phallic stage is released through the infants interest in their sexual organs. Freud himself recognises the universal outrage that his theory was met with. Few of the findings of psychoanalysis have met with such universal contradiction or have aroused such an outburst of indignation as the assertion that the sexual function starts at the beginning of life and reveals its presence by important signs even in childhood. And yet no other findings of analysis can be demonstrated so easily and so completely. (Freud, 1925a: 216-217 cited in Thurschwell, 2009, p40) Looking at all the theorists and the life-span development in general gives you a benchmark of the norm. This enables us through the assessment process of any potential abnormalities that may be occurring. The theories are each relevant as they allow us to view why children exhibit certain behaviours. Theory is an integral part of social work, and the necessary tools needed are knowledge skills and values. Having adequate knowledge means knowing the relevant information, which when skilfully applied makes competent social work practice. Social workers need to be aware of people as ever growing individuals, with a past, present and future. It is vital to understand that service users are constantly changing and adapting to their surrounding environment. Children are not just miniature adults, they are their own individuals with separate wants and needs. We need to take this into account when dealing with children, and not talk around them. When this is not possible their best interests need to be at the heart of every decision made. Much of the distinction that we can make between adult and child owes a lot to how our society and the various cultures within it have constructed notions of what is appropriate for a child as opposed to what is appropriate for an adult. (Thompson and Thompson, 2008, p87-88) Although children need to be treated differently than adults we always need to be aware of the future of possibilities they have in front of them. A lot of who we become is mapped out in our childhood, so behaviours need to be noted and understood to help the individual in later life. One disadvantage the life-span development does not take into account is the world around us. This depending on the specific factor can lead to Anti-Discriminatory Practice (ADP) or Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP), for example. a lack of understanding and knowledge of different cultural issues. Societal issues have just as much of an effect on infants as on adults. The structure of society often puts people at a disadvantage, for example, societys reaction to disability or race can lead to poverty and even social exclusion. However even with these issues people can sill build up resilience. Resilience enables some individuals to achieve satisfactory outcomes despite their disadvantaged backgrounds. This can be seen through a good school compensating for a delinquent neighbourhood. Even infants show resilience, low birth weight poses a risk to the child, due to the child being unable to grow at the rate required to which in return could affect its immune system, leaving the baby more vulnerable. Therefore overcoming this shows great resilience at a very early age. Another issue this raises is society labelling those who are considered to be outside the norm. Labels tend to influence the way people view and respond to what is labelled. Labelling theory describes the response and expectations of others to an act labelled deviant. This may create a situation in which the labelled person can do no other than respond in the ways expected. (Davies, 2000, p181) The labelling will have an effect on the care giver and therefore on the infant as well. When looking at infants you need to be aware of the surrounding family. Who at this early and vulnerable stage in development will have a significant impact? So although poverty is not something the infant will even be aware of, the care giver will be all too aware. There are a number of circumstances that may affect the way a child is raised; poverty is just one societal implication that can have an effect on the entire family. Any of these circumstances can lead to unnecessary stress which will then also impact on the infant. A different factor that can affect growth and development is disease and illness. One example of a condition that affects a childs development is autism. It is considered that autistic children show a lack of interest in people and therefore fail to show the normal attachment to their care giver. Autistic children have varying degrees of communication problems and because learning through play can be restricted, the childs pattern of development will be affected. In autistic children the overall development is slow and they do not reach the same mental milestones as the child who is normal. However autistic children are known to reach islands of brilliance. For example, although their communication with other children is very limited they may show considerably better powers of memory or drawing skills. So although the development process is very different from the norm, they adapt to their environment as other children do. In the early years it is just a matter of persevering and lea rning to get to know the infant the same as any other care giver would. In the case of an autistic child the life-span development would not be very useful, nor would the theories that have been suggested during this assignment. The social worker working with the infant will have to do their first initial assessment. Here they are laying the foundation for future assessments. They will be looking at the infants development and growth but as mentioned earlier the family will also impact on the infant in various ways. This is where knowledge of the entire lifespan is useful. As every person who is involved with the infant plays a part in their development. So an awareness of what is normal for that person is an advantage. The social worker will also be looking at the social implications that have an effect on the family, both positive and negative. So working with the family as a unit, with the infants well-being at the heart of everything, the social worker can focus on reducing the risk and negative impacts and raising awareness of the positives. This should have a positive affect on the well-being of the child. In conclusion a good knowledge and understanding of the life-span development benefits social workers, as it shows what is considered to be normal development throughout life. This helps social workers recognise when someone is not on target and therefore raises awareness of potential problems. However the disadvantage to this is it doesnt take into account any outside factors that can affect development. These factors include society issues that can lead to ADP and AOP if not taken into account with users and handled appropriately.

The Genuine Nick Carraway of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Genuine Nick of The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway is a very genuine character throughout the novel. He gets involved with situations such as Daisy and Gatsby, he helps them rekindle their love and he also becomes a true friend with Jay Gatsby. Throughout the novel Nick Carraway starts off not having to many friends, until he starts getting involved other people. It all starts when Jay Gatsby, Nick's neighbour, invites Nick to his party. Nick decides that it would be a great idea so he attends. While attending the party Nick gets acquainted with many of the guests. Then Gatsby sends for him to come and meet him. At first Nick has no idea where he is headed, then he see's Gatsby and they talk for a few minutes. By meeting Gatsby Nick has changed for the better. His idea's and actions all start to change. He becomes very genuine. Sometime after the party, Nick says "I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited." (Gatsby, p.41) He said this because most of the people at Gatsby's parties just invited themselves. This is the time when Nick's character is showing some development of genuineness. Another time that Nick shows his development into a more genuine person is when he helps rekindle the love between Jay Gatsby and Daisy. He does this by setting up a surprise meeting at his house. Gatsby knew of this because he had asked him to do it. At this time in the novel is when Nick says "I'm going to call Daisy tomorrow and invite her over here to tea." (Gatsby, p.82) This shows that Nick is genuine because he is trying to rekindle the love between Gatsby and Daisy. After this period in the novel Gatsby and Nick became even closer friends. Getting closer to the end of the novel is when the reader see's the true friendship between Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Whenever Gatsby would ask Nick to do something Nick would always have or make the time to do it. The strongest example of the genuineness of Nick is when Jay Gatsby was murdered by Mr.