Fmcg Sector Essay Example

Fmcg Sector Essay Dissertation Report On Buying Behaviour for FMCG SUBMITTED TOWARDS PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT (Approved by AICTE, Govt. of India) ACADEMIC SESSION 2011 – 2012 [pic] Submitted By: Krishn Kumar Sharma DM-1119 Batch 2011-2013 UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DR. SARJUE PANDITA AJAY KUMAR GARG INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT 27Km Stone, Delhi-Hapur Bypass Road, P. O. Adhyatmik Nagar, Ghaziabad-201009 Acknowledgement I dedicate this page to all those who have silently or actively left indelible mark on my project report, so that they may give credits which richly deserve. Talent capabilities are of course necessary but opportunities right guidance is two very important backups without which any person cannot climb the ladder for success. Proper guidance and direction is required in order to achieve the goal making optimum of each every opportunity. I am thankful from the core of my heart express my feeling of gratitude and acknowledgement to my Project Mentor Mrs Namita Nath Kumar.. Whose constant support and faith in me always motivated me and their knowledge and brilliance has pulled me out of doldrums in this project. Mundane words are not enough to express our indebtedness towards other Faculty of AKGIM Ghaziabad† whose enormous assistance helped us in the completion of project. Krishn Kumar Sharma DM1119 PREFACE Today companies must urgently and critically rethink their business mission and marketing strategies . We will write a custom essay sample on Fmcg Sector specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Fmcg Sector specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Fmcg Sector specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Instead of operating in a market place of fixed and known competition and stable consumer preferences, today companies work in war zone of rapidly changing customer/competitor, new law, managed trade policy and diminishing customer loyalty. Company considers the fact that today customer face a plenitude of product every category. Consider that customer exhibit varying and diverse requirement for product service combination and prices. In face of their vast choices, customer will gravitate to offering that best meet their individual needs and expectation. Therefore it is not surprising that today’s winning companies are those who succeed in satisfying their target customer . If they can’t bring something special to get market. They will not last long. The companies should be market focused and consumer driven. They pay extreme attention to quality and service to meeting and even exceeding customer expectation Table of Content |S. No. |Topics |Page No. |1 |Executive Summary |01-05 | |2 |Introduction Of Company |06-36 | |3 |Research Objective |37-38 | |4 |Research Methodology |39-41 | |5 |Analysis of Questionnaire |42-56 | |6 |Findings |57-59 | |7 |Recommendations |60-61 | |8 |Conclusion |61-62 | |9 |Limitations of Study |63-65 | |10 |References |66-67 | |11 |Annexures |68-72 | Table of Content 1. Executive summary 1-1 2. Introduction 2-3 3. Overview of FMCG 3 4. FMCG in 2006 4 5. Comparison between FMCG in 2005 2006 4-5 6. Sector’s outlook 5-7 7. Scope of FMCG 8 8. Growth prospects 8-11 9. Top players in FMCG sector 11 10. Secondary players 12 11. Review of literature 12-14 12. Research objectives 15 13. Research methodology 16-19 14. Panoramic View 20-22 15. Income based classification 23-24 16. Socio – economic classification 25-28 17. Age demographics 28-29 18. Geographical dispersion 30 19. Analysis 31-60 20. Conclusion 61-62 21. Suggestions recommendations 63 22. References 64-65 23. Questionnaire 24. 66-68 01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In this research I have put an effort to understand the buying behavior of the consumers towards FMCG products. 1. In this report, I have first of all given a brief review about FMCG sector as a whole. 2. Then she has given a review of the findings of some of the researches that has already been conducted by various researchers. 3. Then she has enumerated her research objectives. 4. Then she has given the panoramic view regarding the topic. 5. Then she has described her research methodology i. e. , the sample unit, sample size, sampling region, sampling procedure that she has used in her report. 6. She has used stratified random sampling as her sampling procedure. 7. Then she has analyzed the data which was collected by a questionnaire. 8. Then she has concluded the findings of the survey. 9. Then finally, she has given few suggestions recommendations regarding the topic. Introduction There was a time when the FMCG companies ignores rural market, they took no any interest to produced or sell products in rural market in India. It was the initial stage of FMCG companies in India. As per as the time had passed, the strategy and marketing style of FMCG companies had been changed. The rural market is the one of the best opportunity for the FMCG sector in the India. It is wider and less competitive market for the FMCG. As the income level of the rural consumers increasing, the demand of FMCG is increasing continuously. Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) are popularly named as consumer packaged goods. Items in this category include all consumables (other than groceries/pulses) people buy at regular intervals. The most common in the list are toilet soaps, detergents, shampoos, tooth paste, shaving products, shoe polish, packaged food stuff, household accessories, extends to certain electronic goods. These items are meant for daily or frequent consumption have a high return. A major portion of the monthly budget of each household is reserved for FMCG products. The volume of products circulated in the economy against FMCG products is very high, as the number of products the consumer uses, is comparatively very high. Competition in FMCG sector is very high resulting in high pressure on margins. FMCG companies maintain intense distribution network. Companies spend a large portion of their budget on maintaining distribution networks. New entrants who wish to bring their products in the national level need to invest huge sums of money on promoting brands. Manufacturing can be outsourced. A recent phenomenon in the sector was entry of multinationals and cheaper imports. Also the market is more pressurized with presence of local players in rural areas and state brands. Overview of FMCG Sector FMCG is an acronym for Fast Moving Consumer Goods, which refer to things that we buy from local supermarkets on daily basis, the things that have high turnover are relatively cheaper. FMCG in 2006 After 4 years of dull performance in both revenues profits, FMCG sector has now, i. e. , since 2005, gained the momentum, principally because of the smaller companies that have substantially improved their market shares at the cost of larger players, in some cases, the regional players. If we carefully observe the FMCG index BSE index, we would realize that the returns on money invested in FMCG index are much lower than the returns in benchmark index. The FMCG sector has under performed the benchmark BSE sensex in 2006. Though both the indices were close to each other till august 2006, however, in the later part of the year the sensex surpassed the FMCG index by a reasonable margin. Comparison of 2006 and 2005 After two years of sinking performance of FMCG sector, the year 2005 has witnessed the FMCG’s demand growing. Strong growth was seen across various segments in FY06. With the rise in disposable income and the economy in good health, the urban consumers continued with their shopping spree. The rural demand grew at around 11%, while both the urban and rural sector together registered a growth of around 8%. Packets and sachets contributed to the highest growth in rural areas. Growth in FMCG depends on two factors: †¢ Increase in penetration and consumption in rural areas †¢ Change in aspirations and tastes of the urban population Both these factors contributed to growth in 2006. Besides demand, prices also increased, because of which only the selected consumers moved up in the value chain. The large format retail stores in metros also stimulated sales, even if on a very small base. Some companies absorbed higher input prices, while others were able to pass on the cost to the consumers. Sector’s Outlook FMCG is the fourth largest sector in the Indian Economy with a total market size of Rs. 60,000 crores. FMCG sector generates 5% of total factory employment in the country and is creating employment for three million people, especially in small towns and rural India. According to a CII – A T Kearney Report, the FMCG sector in India is expected to grow at a compounded growth rate (CAGR) of 9% to a size of Rs. 1,43,000 crores by 2010 from Rs. 93,000 crores at present. With a growth of 52. 5%, the BSE FMCG index has, during the last 1 year outperformed the sensex, which could manage a growth of 41% only. A well established distribution network, intense competition between the organized unorganized segments, low operating costs, strong branding characterizes the market. The large consumer base, particularly in rural sector, and the growing middle class open up huge opportunities to FMCG companies to take the consumers to branded products and offer new generation products. The sectors lack-luster performance in the last few years was due to price competition and increase in raw materials cost. However, in the FY06, the sector has witnessed a double-digit growth in profits and revenues. The sector has registered an up trend in growth across categories, such as health supplement, shampoo, toothpaste, hair oils, and mosquito repellant, as shown in table below: Sales Value Growth % |Categories |2004-2005 |2005-2006 |Apr. 2006-Sept. 006 | |Health Supplement (Chyawanprash) |-5% |0% |23% | |Shampoo |10% |23% |19% | |Toothpaste |5% |6% |16% | |Hair Oils |9% |18% |23% | |Mosquito Repellant |13% |10% |29% | Source: CII – A T Kearney Report, (2000) Sector Financials |In millions | |   |31-03-2006 |31-03-2005 |31-03-2004 | |Net Sales |164,196 |148,241 |145,380 | |Sales Growth |10. 8% |2. 0% |- | |Profit after Tax |19,595 |17,001 |21,008 | |PAT Growth |16. 6% |-24. % |- | |Market Capitalization |74,746 |65,810 |63,072 | |Enterprise Value |662,540 |645,477 |551,971 | |Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) |47. 1% |51. 0% |45. 5% | |P/E Ratio |26. 7% |27. 1% |21. 0% | Source: CII – A T Kearney Report, (2000) Scope of the FMCG Sector The Indian FMCG sector has a market size of US $13. 1 billion. FMCG sector is expected to grow by over 60% by 2010. That will translate into an annual growth of 10% over a period of 5 years. It has been estimated that FMCG sector will rise from around Rs. 56,500 crores in 2005 to Rs. 92,100 crores in 2010. Hair care, household care, male grooming, female hygiene, the chocolates confectionary categories are estimated to be the fastest growing segments, says an HSBC Report. Though the sector witnessed a slower growth in 2002 – 04, it has been to make a fine recovery since then. For example, Hindustan Levers Limited (HLL) has shown a healthy growth in the last quarter. An estimated double-digit growth over the next few years shows that the good times are likely to continue. Growth Prospects With the presence of 12. 2% of the world population in the villages of India, the Indian rural FMCG market is something no one can overlook. Increased focus on farm sector will boost rural incomes, hence providing better growth prospects to the FMCG companies. Better infrastructure facilities will improve their supply chain. FMCG sector is also likely to benefit from growing demand in the market. Because of the low per capita consumption for almost all the products in the country, FMCG companies have immense possibilities for growth. And if the companies are able to change the mindset of the consumers, i. e. f they are able to take the consumers to branded products and offer new generation products, they would be able to generate higher growth in the near future. It is expected that the rural income will rise in 2007, boosting purchasing power in the countryside . However, the demand in urban areas would be the key growth driver over the long term. Also, increase in the urban population, along with increase in income levels and the availability of new categories, would help the urban areas maintain their position in terms of consumption. At present, urban India accounts for 66% of total FMCG consumption, with rural India accounting for the remaining 34%. However, rural India accounts for more than 40% consumption in major FMCG categories such as personal care, fabric care, and hot beverages. In urban areas, home and personal care category, including skin care, household care and feminine hygiene, will keep growing at relatively attractive rates. Within the foods segment, it is estimated that processed foods, bakery, and dairy are long-term growth categories in both rural and urban areas. Indian Competitiveness and Comparison with the World Markets: The following factors make India a competitive player in FMCG sector: 1. Availability of raw materials Because of the diverse agro-climatic conditions in India, there is a large raw material base suitable for food processing industries. India is the largest producer of livestock, milk, sugarcane, coconut, spices and cashew and is the second largest producer of rice, wheat and fruits . India also produces caustic soda and soda ash, which are required for the production of soaps and detergents. The availability of these raw materials gives India the location advantage. 2. Labor cost comparison [pic] Low cost labor gives India a competitive advantage. Indias labor cost is amongst the lowest in the world, after China Indonesia. Low labor costs give the advantage of low cost of production. Many MNCs have established their plants in India to outsource for domestic and export markets. 3. Presence across value chain Indian companies have their presence across the value chain of FMCG sector, right from the supply of raw materials to packaged goods in the food-processing sector. This brings India a more cost competitive advantage. For example, Amul supplies milk as well as dairy products like cheese, butter, etc. Top Players in FMCG Sector 1. Hindustan lever limited (HLL) 2. ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) 3. Nestle India 4. GCMMF (AMUL) 5. Dabur India 6. Asian Paints (India) 7. Cadbury India 8. Britannia Industries 9. Procter Gamble Hygiene Health Care 10. Marico Industries Secondary Players 1. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. 2. Godrej Consumers Product Ltd. 3. Nirma Ltd. 4. Tata Tea Ltd. 5. Parle Agro 6. H. J. Heinz Review of Literature Rural market is one of the best opportunities for the FMCG sector. In some sense we can say that rural market is future of FMCG. 1. Basu Purba (2004), suggested that the lifestyle of rural consumers is changing. Rural Indian market and the marketing strategy have become the latest marketing buzzword for most of the FMCG majors. She added the strategies of different FMCG companies for capturing rural market like Titan’s Sonata watches, Coco Cola’s 200ml bottle, different strategies of HUL and Marico etc. She takes into consideration the study of National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER). According to the NCAER projections, the number of middle and high-income households in rural area is expected to grow from 140 million to 190 million by 2007. In urban India, the same is expected to grow from 65 million to 79 million. Thus, the absolute size of rural India is expected to be double that of urban India. 2. Tognatta Pradeep (2003), suggested that, the economic growth in Indias agricultural sector in last year was over 10%, compared with 8. 5% in the industrial sector. This implies a huge market potentiality for the marketer to meet up increasing demand. Factors such as village psyche, strong distribution network and market awareness are few prerequisites for making a dent in the rural markets. The model is of the stolid Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever Group, which has enjoyed a century-long presence in India through its subsidiary Hindustan Lever Ltd. It was Hindustan Lever that several years ago popularized the idea of selling its products in tiny packages. Its sachets of detergent and shampoo are in great demand in Indian villages. Britannia with its low priced Tiger brand biscuits has become some of the success story in rural marketing. 3. Aithal, K Rajesh (2004), suggested that rural markets are an important and growing market for most products and services including telecom. The characteristics of the market in terms of low and spread out population and limited purchasing power make it a difficult market to capture. The Bottom of the pyramid marketing strategies and the 4 As model of Availability, Affordability, Acceptability and Awareness provide us with a means of developing appropriate strategies to tackle the marketing issues for marketing telecom services in rural areas. Successful cases like the Grameen Phone in Bangladesh and Smart Communications Inc in Philippines also provide us with some guidelines to tackling the issue. As per my concern of the research, it is a detail study of different FMCG products used by rural consumers. It will provide detail information about consumer preferences towards a good number of FMCG products which is too unique and different from those above researches. Research objectives †¢ To understand the demand pattern of FMCG products in the rural market. †¢ To know the amount of household income spent on the consumption of FMCG products. †¢ To understand the image of the products in the eyes of the consumers. Research methodology Data collection Sample unit: 1. working people (including men women) 2. college students 3. school students 4. senior citizens Sample size: 1. working people: 32% 2. college students: 29% 3. school students: 23% 4. senior citizens: 16% Sampling region: 1. The researcher has selected LUCKNOW, the Capital city of Uttar Pradesh as her area of study. 2. She has chosen GOMTI NAGAR, MAHANAGAR, ALIGANJ as her areas of research. In these areas she can easily meet working people (both male female), school students, college students senior citizens. The population status of these areas can be shown in a tabulated manner, which is given as follows: Area |Population | |Gomti Nagar |12,97,570 | |Mahanagar |8,12,230 | |Aliganj |8,75,640 | Population is in approximate figures. Source: http://www. upgov. nic. in/upinfo/census01/cen01-1. htm Note: As the examiner can see that the population of areas (areas that are chosen by the researcher) is very large, therefore the researcher has stratified the area. She has chosen various areas that come under these areas. The areas covered by the researcher in Gomti Nagar are Viram Khand, Vinamr Khand, Vibhuti Khand . the population level of these areas are: |Area |Population | |Vishwas Khand |2,83,563 | |Vipul Khand |3,93,768 | |Vivek Khand |2,86,786 | Source: Lucknow Development Authority Note: the researcher took these areas because these areas are near to various school colleges. The researcher took school college students as her sample unit. The areas covered by the researcher in Maha Nagar are Chandra Lok Mahanagar Colony. The population statuses of these areas are: |Area |Population | |Chandra Lok |2,34,863 | |Mahanagar Colony |3,84,683 | Source: Lucknow Development Authority Note: The researcher took these areas because there are various schools institutes nearby these places. The areas covered by the researcher in ALIGANJ are Jankipuram Sahara City. The population statuses of these areas are: |Area |Population | |Jankipuram |2,78,675 | |Sahara City |1,89,986 | Source: Lucknow Development Authority Note: The researcher took Aliganj as one of the areas for her study because she lives in jankipuram it was quite easy for her to conduct the survey in that particular place. Sampling procedure: The researcher will take stratified random sampling as the sampling procedure. Data collection method: 1. Primary data: it will be collected with the help of a self administered questionnaire. This questionnaire aims to gather information related to various Branded products. 2. Secondary data: it will be collected with the help of books, research papers, magazines, news papers, journals, internet, etc. Research instruments: Questionnaire design: As the questionnaire is self administrated one, the survey is kept simple and user friendly. Words used in questionnaire are readily understandable to all respondent. Also technical jargons are avoided to ensure that there is no confusion for respondents. Panoramic View India has a population of over 1 billion 4 climatic Zones. Several religious personal beliefs, 15 languages, different social customs food habits categorize Indian consumer class. Besides this, India is also different in culture if compared with other Asian countries. Therefore, India has high distinctiveness in demand and the companies in India can get lot of market opportunities for various classes of consumers. Consumer goods marketers’ experience that dealing with India is like dealing with many small markets at the same time. Indian consumer goods market is expected to reach $400 billion by 2010. India has the youngest population amongst the major countries. There are a lot of young people in India in different income categories. Consumer goods marketers are often faced with a dilemma regarding the choice of appropriate market segment. In India they do not have to face this dilemma largely because rapid urbanization, increase in demand, presence of large number of young population, any number of opportunities is available. The bottom line is that Indian market is changing rapidly and is showing unprecedented consumer business opportunity. As the restrictions on foreign investments were relaxed in 1991, Multi-National Companies have been entering India since then. |Market Size in $ million |Market Share in % | | | | |15 |Indian Companies |MNCs |Indian Companies |MNCs | | |1992 |2004 |1992 |2004 | |Breakfast cereals |2 |25 |100 |0 |52 |48 | |Wafers, potato |6 |35 |100 |0 |37 |63 | |chips | | | | | | | |Washing Machines |40 |570 |98 |2 |51 |49 | |TV |630 |3,030 |97 |3 |49 |51 | 1992 $=30 rupees 2004 $=45 rupees Source: Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) With a population of 1 billion people, India is a big market for FMCG companies. Around 70% of the total households in India reside in the rural areas. The total number of rural households is expected to rise from 135 m in 2002 to 153 m in 2010, which represents the largest potential market in the world. Rural and urban potential |   |Urban |Rural | |Population 2001-02 (m household) |53 |135 | |Population 2009-10 (m household) |69 |153 | |% Distribution (2001-02) |28 |72 | |Market (Towns/Villages) |3,768 |627,000 | Source: Statistical Outline of India (2001-02), NCAER Indian consumer class can be classified according to the following criteria: 1. Income 2. Socio-Economic status 3. Age demographics 4. Geographical dispersion Income based classification India has a population of 1. 095 billion people, comprising of 1/6th of the world population. Indias population can be divided into 5 groups on the basis of annual household income. These groups are: 1. Higher income 2. Upper middle income 3. Middle middle income 4. Lower middle income 5. Lower income The income classification does not represent a real scenario for an international business because the purchasing power of currencies differs significantly. The real purchasing power of Indian rupee is higher than the international exchange value. In addition to that, income classification is not an effective tool to ascertain consumption and ownership trends in the economy. Consumer Classification According to National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) there are 5 consumer classes that differ in their ownership patterns and consumption behavior across various segments of goods. |Consumer Classes |Annual Income in Rs. |1996 |2001 |2007 |Change | |The Rich |Rs. 215,000 and more |1. 2 |2. 0 |6. |416% | |The Consuming Class |Rs 45- 215,000 |32. 5 |54. 6 |90. 9 |179% | |The Climbers |Rs. 22-45,000 |54. 1 |71. 6 |74. 1 |37% | |The Aspirants |Rs. 16-22,000 |44 |28. 1 |15. 3 |-65% | |The Destitute |Below Rs. 16,000 |33 |23. 4 |12. 8 |-61% | |Total | |164. 8 |180. 7 |199. 2 |21% | Source: NCAER The 5 classes of consumer households (consumer classification) show the economic development across the country based on consumption trends. Socio economic classification In addition to income classification and consumer classification, Indian households can also be segmented according to the occupation and education levels of the chief earner of the household (the person who contributes most to the household expenses). This is called as Socio-economic Classification (SEC), which is mainly used by market planners to target market before launching their new products. SEC is made to understand the purchase behavior and the consumption pattern of the households. The urban area is segregated into: A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D, E1, E2 Socio-Economic Classification Occupation |Education | | |Illiterate |Less than 4 |5-9 yrs of |School certificate|Some college|Graduate |Post-graduate | | | |yrs in |school | | | | | | | |school | | | | | | |Skilled |E2 |E1 |D |C |C |B2 |B2 | |Unskilled |E2 |E2 |E1 | D |D |D |D | |Shop owner |D |D |C |B2 |B2 |A2 |A2 | |Petty trader |E2 |D |D |C |C |B2 |B2 | |Employer of- | |Above 10 persons |B1 |B1 |A2 |A2 |A1 |A1 |A1 | |Below 10 persons |C |B2 |B2 |B1 |A2 |A1 |A1 | |None |D |C |B2 |B1 |A2 |A1 |A1 | |Clerk |D |D |D |C |B2 |B1 |B1 | |Supervisor |D |D |C |C |B2 |B1 |A2 | |Professional |D |D |D |B2 |B1 |A2 |A1 | |Senior executive |B1 |B1 |B1 |B1 |A2 |A1 |A1 | |Junior executive |C |C |C |B2 |B1 |A2 |A2 | Source: Indian readership survey (IRS) Sections A B refer to High-class- constitutes over a quarter of urban population Sec C refers to Middle-class constitutes 21% of the urban population Sections D E refer to Low-class constitutes over half the urban population To understand the table, consider an example: A trader whose monthly household income (MHI) is more than that of a person in section A cannot be included in this SEC because his educational qualification or occupations do not qualify him for inclusion. Sec C constitutes households whose Chief Wage Earners are employed as: |Skilled workers |33% | |Petty traders |12% | |Clerk/Supervisor |37% | |Shop owners |18% | 3/4th of them have studied till 10th or 12th class while the remaining 1/4th have studied till 9th class. Less than half of the Chief Wage Earners of households belonging to sections D E are unskilled workers. Petty Traders are 18%, while Skilled Workers are about 28%. More than 80% of the population of upper strata consumers is living in the top 7 cities. Those top 7 cities are Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. With increase in economic prosperity, this population (upper strata consumers) is growing at 10 percent annually. The rural area is segregated in to: R1, R2, R3, R4. |Education of chief wage |Type of House | |earner | | |Pucca |Semi-pucca |Kuchcha | |Professional degree |R1 |R2 |R3 | |Graduation/ PG |R1 |R2 |R3 | |College |R1 |R2 |R3 | |SSC/HSC |R2 |R3 |R3 | |Class 4-Class 9 |R3 |R3 |R4 | |Up to class 4 |R3 |R3 |R4 | |Self-learning |R3 |R4 |R4 | |Illiterate |R4 |R4 |R4 | Age demographics India is a very young nation, if compared with some advanced and developed countries. Nearly two- thirds of its population is below the age of 35, and nearly 50 % is below 25. Marketers explain that the boom in the consumption level and leisure related expenditure is because of this young population. It will have a significant impact over the consumer goods market. In addition to that, it is expected that this will generate trade opportunities and continuous investment in the economy. There is huge potential for further consumption of goods and services due to the increased level of disposable income. The expenditure on essential goods and services has a higher share in developing countries as compared with that of developed countries. Age distribution if Indian population (In Millions) |Year/ Age |2006 |2001 |1996 | |Below 4 yrs |113. 5 |108. 5 |119. 5 | |5-14 yrs |221. 2 |239. 1 |233. | |15-19 yrs |122. 4 |109. 0 |90. 7 | |20-34 yrs |279. 1 |246. 8 |224 | |35-54 yrs |239. 2 |207. 3 |178. 1 | |55 above |118. 7 |101. 7 |88. 7 | |Total |1094. 1 |1012. 4 |934. 2 | Consumption Trends Food Essentials |45. 68% | |Essential Services (water, power, rent, and fuels) |10. 1% | |Clothing |4. 9% | |Footwear |0. 63% | |Medicare |4. 25% | |Transport Communication |14. 1% | |Recreation, Education, and Culture |Less than 4% | |Home Goods |3. 25% | Geographical dispersion There is large difference in economic prosperity levels among several states in India, linked to the wea lth creation from trade, industrial, and agricultural development. There are poor districts in many states, classified according to their market potential. India has 500 districts, out of which 150 districts (category A) and next 150 districts (category B) account for 78% and 15% of the national market potential respectively. Remaining 200 districts (category C) are backward and account for only 7% of national market potential. Category C districts have 40% of the geographical share. Analysis 1. Which soap u prefer to use? The reaction of people towards various SOAP brands can be tabulated in the following manner: |Brands |Lux |Dettol |Lifebuoy |others | |Percentage |36 |22 |18 |24 | In the survey that the researcher conducted, it could easily be concluded that LUX, the product of HUL was highly in demand. LUX, the product of HUL covers 36% of the market share. After LUX, the other brands (EXCEPT LUX, DETTOL, LIFEBUOY) covers 24% of the market share. This is then followed by DETTOL, the product of RECKITT BENCKISER with a market share of 22%, which is then followed by LIFEBUOY, the product of HUL with a market share of 18%. This data can be graphically explained with the help of the following bar graph: [pic] 2. Which pack u prefer to use? In order to determine the income pattern of the consumers, it was necessary for the researcher to distribute the consumers on the basis of their demand for the various packs of SOAP brands available in the market. However, the reaction of people towards various packs of SOAP can be tabulated in the following manner: Packs of soaps |Single pack |Family pack (3 in 1) | |Percentage |56 |44 | In the survey that the researcher conducted, she tried to differentiate amongst people, with below average household income, average household income above household income. This classification can be done on the basis of the daily expenditure that people make. 56% consumers demand single pack. 44% consumers demand family packs i. e. 3 in 1 pack. This data can be graphically explained with the help of the following bar graph: [pic] 1. Which tea u prefer to use? The reaction of people towards various TEA brands can be tabulated in the following manner: Brands |Tata Tea |Brooke Bond |Taj Mahal

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The Great Man Theory: How Great Is It? In 1840, British historian Thomas Carlyle delivered a string of lectures â€Å"On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History†. Here Carlyle submitted his â€Å"Great Man† theory- that exceptional individuals are responsible for instigating momentous change. The theory states that most ages are unable to achieve their full potential because of some kind of political or cultural gridlock. It is only when a great man- a charismatic, powerful leader- enters that the gridlock can be broken and the potential can be realized. To evaluate the theory’s usefulness, its components can be analyzed and applied to two examples of â€Å"great men† of history: Alexander of Macedon, and Gaius Julius Caesar. From these examples, it can be concluded that the â€Å"Great Man† Theory is seriously flawed: it oversimplifies by placing all responsibility in one person. When addressing whether a â€Å"Great Man† intended to do what he did, the theory is helpful in identifying important actors. After resolving disturbances and revolts within Macedonia and Greece, Alexander the Great thrust into Asia Minor in a campaign that would eventually level the Persian Empire. He pushed through Persia on to the frontiers of India, and his conquest was halted only by the grumbling of his own soldiers. Alexander’s vision of â€Å"one world† was one in which Greek colonies would be spread throughout the conquered lands and serve as cultural melting pots; however, it was not to be. His death left a power vacuum, and the â€Å"one world† was left divided. Yet, the eastward emigration that Alexander initiated left Greece as an internationally dominant nation. Alexander definitely intended to achieve his conquest. Even before assuming the throne, Alexander’s ambition and lust for conquest was legendary. As illustrated in The Life of Alexander by Plutarch, he once ridiculed his father for drunkenness and displayed h... Free Essays on The Great Man Theory Free Essays on The Great Man Theory The Great Man Theory: How Great Is It? In 1840, British historian Thomas Carlyle delivered a string of lectures â€Å"On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History†. Here Carlyle submitted his â€Å"Great Man† theory- that exceptional individuals are responsible for instigating momentous change. The theory states that most ages are unable to achieve their full potential because of some kind of political or cultural gridlock. It is only when a great man- a charismatic, powerful leader- enters that the gridlock can be broken and the potential can be realized. To evaluate the theory’s usefulness, its components can be analyzed and applied to two examples of â€Å"great men† of history: Alexander of Macedon, and Gaius Julius Caesar. From these examples, it can be concluded that the â€Å"Great Man† Theory is seriously flawed: it oversimplifies by placing all responsibility in one person. When addressing whether a â€Å"Great Man† intended to do what he did, the theory is helpful in identifying important actors. After resolving disturbances and revolts within Macedonia and Greece, Alexander the Great thrust into Asia Minor in a campaign that would eventually level the Persian Empire. He pushed through Persia on to the frontiers of India, and his conquest was halted only by the grumbling of his own soldiers. Alexander’s vision of â€Å"one world† was one in which Greek colonies would be spread throughout the conquered lands and serve as cultural melting pots; however, it was not to be. His death left a power vacuum, and the â€Å"one world† was left divided. Yet, the eastward emigration that Alexander initiated left Greece as an internationally dominant nation. Alexander definitely intended to achieve his conquest. Even before assuming the throne, Alexander’s ambition and lust for conquest was legendary. As illustrated in The Life of Alexander by Plutarch, he once ridiculed his father for drunkenness and displayed h...

The Absent People The Symbolic Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Absent People The Symbolic Republic - Essay Example By doing this, we will not only be able to understand about what the primary purpose was of Rosanvallon's writing this book, but as well how Rosanvallon himself thinks and what his major goals are. This is what will be dissertated in the following. One of the most major issues that is discussed in this book is that of the matter of repoliticizing democracy, and in the beginning of this discussion, Rosanvallon makes it very clear that he has an approach which "forces the stress to fall on the paradox that the growth of social power, in essentially negative modes, has come linked to forms of the hollowing of the political. The response to undertake, on the basis of the foregoing understanding, has two components: the institutionalization and rationalization of the forms of indirect democracy on the one hand and its politicization on the other" (Rosanvallon, 2006). These two components are incredibly important to take into consideration and in order to take them properly into consideration, we need to compare them with that of other work, such as for instance that of John J. Davenport, who too specializes in the same area as Rosanvallon, and in Davenport's opinion, he rather negatively criticizes that of the institutionalization and rationalization of the forms of indirect democracy, as he points out that there are many flaws that occur within this. As well, he makes statements that moralize around the opinion that the theory of socialization has a lot to do with this matter, and he argues that it is yet not included enough. While someone like Davenport believes that there would be much that would be needed to be done in order to even come to a remote form of civilization in regards to the matter of institutionalization and rationalization of the forms of indirect democracy, Rosanvallon on the other hand, believes that this component is actually the easiest to grasp out of the two, and that it would actually not take all that much to make some sort of a contribution or a change in regards to this matter. With the second component of democratic progress, which Rosanvallon - and many others - believe should be put into action, which is that of the politicization of indirect democracy, he believes that this co mponent is actually the most difficult out of the two given, and as well that it is the most important. Rosanvallon makes it very clear throughout this particular work of his that he believes that there is an incredibly large range of practical works of resymbolization, and as well of the production of generality. He states that "Against exceptionalist conceptions of the political, the return of the political would have to be understood as proceeding from an ensemble of actions and discourses for producing commonality and making the system of social interactions both more legible and more visible. Giving meaning back to politics, then, cannot take place in the first instance through the

There are many popularly suggested business objectives, while Essay

There are many popularly suggested business objectives, while academically the objective to maximise shareholder wealth is considered superior. Discuss. (In y - Essay Example Despite these claims, research suggests that maximizing shareholder wealth is considered superior to all objectives. Wal-Mart claims to hold down inflation in the US (Fishman, 2003), create jobs, and has customer-centered strategy as their prices are unbeatable, but they ultimately squeeze the vendors and under-pay the staff (Heyer, 2005) with the ultimate goal of maximizing shareholder wealth. They even have an efficient supply chain and source their products from developing countries and claim to be a part of their growth. Nevertheless, employee wages at Wal-Mart are as much as 31% lower than competitors (Nester, 2006). It pays practically no benefits and very often employees have to work overtime without any additional compensation. Wal-Mart ranked fourth in terms of social responsibility in terms of its dealings with its stakeholders but there were 4851 claims filed against it in the court (Papasolomou-Doukakis, Krambia-Kapardis & Katsioloudes, 2005). Corporate giants like the CEO of Coca-Cola too make tall claims that by being more efficient and more profitable, it makes businesses better for the community (Ash, 2004) but findings reveal otherwise. They have committed as many as 179 major Human Rights violations (Cairns, 2005). The union leader was shot dead at the Columbia bottling plant. Turkish and Indonesian workers face mass firings for their union activity. Multination Monitor, an American non–profit organization, listed coke amongst the worst ten companies in US. In India they are diverting potable water from local residents for the production of soft drinks. During the processing of soda pop in India, Coke has contaminated soil and underground water with toxic cadmium, which was found in the sludge. They have also been charged and found guilty of bribing the Pollution Control Board in South India. They are accused of inflating profits, selling contaminated beverages and violating contracts. Under the garb of commu nity

Study guid answer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Study guid answer - Term Paper Example Conservatism  is a  political  and  social philosophy. It promotes adherence to traditional values, social and religious doctrines. This ideology defends state interests and public order. The main thing is stability. Conservatism denies any radical reforms and extremism. Liberalism  is a  political philosophy. Its basic ideas presuppose liberty and equality. Individual rights of people are of crucial importance. The movement appeared during the  Age of Enlightenment. It refused from  hereditary privilege,  state religion,  absolute monarchy, and the  Divine Right of Kings (Wikipedia). Socialism  is a social and economic system. Its purpose is to realize its fundamental principles of social justice, liberties, and equality. Its basic characteristic is the social ownership  of the  means of production  and co-operative management of the economy (Wikipedia). Nationalism emerged on the basis of French Revolution. This revolution gave radical intellectuals inspiration to put an emphasis on their own national identity  and developed a  romantic view  of  cultural  self-expression through  nationhood (Wikipedia). According to its theorists Friedrich Hegel, the sense of nationality was the crucial element which would make a country prosperous. The terms â€Å"national state† presupposes: 1. political  and  geopolitical  entity; 2. cultural  and  ethnic entity. National state is opposite to multinational state. Colonialism: a certain country conquers and rules over other territories. The aim is to exploit its resources. The conqueror builds and maintains its colonies. Great number of people moves to the conquered territory. Example: British colonization of the North America (now the US). An imperialist country seeks to expand its governance over as large territory as possible. It wants to create an empire and expand its dominance far. There are no mass movements of people. Its sense lies in exercising power over the conquered territories. Example:

Normal Flora And Bacteria Identification Biology Essay

Normal Flora And Bacteria Identification Biology Essay The human body is naturally inhabited by a wide variety of microbes, collectively referred to as normal flora. To investigate the diversity of these microbes at different sites of the body, swabs were taken from the skin behind the ear and back of the throat and cultivated on blood agar and mannitol salt agar plates. Based on colony morphology and Gram staining, Staphylococcus Aureus and Escherichia Coli were tentatively identified as the most prominent normal flora cultured from the skin and throat respectively. Aim: To cultivate normal flora present on human skin and in the throat using differential selective media. To identify the specific bacteria grown from each region by observing the morphology of the colonies on the agar plates and Gram stained slides. Introduction: The human body is inhabited by a wide variety of microbes. In a healthy human internal tissue are normally free of microorganisms whereas surface tissues are in constant contact with environmental organisms and become readily colonized by certain microbial species (Toddar 2005). The mixture of organisms regularly found at any anatomical site is referred to as the normal flora or normal biota. Each body surface has its own characteristic resident biota made up of particular microbial species (Ingraham Ingraham, 2004). The type of bacteria found in a certain location depends on environmental needs such as ideal temperature, pH, physiology and available nutrients. For example, areas such as the armpit, navel or the back of the throat harbour more microorganisms due to the added moisture, higher body temperature and greater concentration of skin surface lipids (Baron 1996). To aid in the isolation and identification of individual types of bacteria present in our normal flora specialized growth media can be used. Selective media is used to either encourage or inhibit growth depending on the phenotype of the organism. In addition, differential media can help identify between two closely related bacteria that have small phenotypic differences (Ingraham Ingraham, 2004). Blood agar and mannitol salt agar are examples of commonly used media that are both selective and differential, aiding in the growth promotion, identification and discrimination of common human normal flora. This study aims to investigate and identify the normal flora diversity found on the human body using these standard microbiology techniques. Methods: Resident bacteria were sampled from two anatomical sites, the skin behind the ear and the back of the throat. Blood agar and mannitol salt agar plates were used; incubation time was 24 hours at temperature of 37ÂÂ °C. Gram staining tests and haemolysis were applied to detect colonies and identify them. Results: A number of different colonies were observed on both agar plates following isolation of normal flora from the skin and throat. Table 1 outlines the colony description, blood agar haemolysis and subsequent Gram stain from both anatomical sites sampled. On both plates Cocci bacteria were identified; Gram positive were present at both BA plates, and Gram negative bacteria were only identified at the back of the throat. Types of haemolysis were also different: beta type for sample from the skin, and gamma type for throat sample. Table 2 presents the findings of normal flora colonies grown on mannitol salt agar. The differences between MSA colonies were more significant than between BA colonies: samples from the back of the throat were Gram negative, and samples from the skin behind the ear were Gram negative. Based on these observations and knowledge of the most abundant normal flora at each site, a preliminary identification of the bacteria isolated was made. The bacteria in the throat is most likely Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus bacteria is most likely to be identified at the skin. Table 1: Colony morphology and Gram stain of resident microbes from the skin and throat, isolated on blood agar. Site Colony Morphology Haemolysis Cell Morphology Gram Stain Throat Filamentous flat shaped Gamma Cocci Enterococcus aureus Escherichia coli Gram negative and Gram positive Skin Circular convex shaped Beta Cocci Staphylococcus aureus (25% common) Streptococcus pyogenes (5% rare) Gram positive Table 2: Colony morphology and Gram stain of resident microbes from the skin and throat, isolated on mannitol salt agar. Site Colony Morphology Colour Cell Morphology Gram Stain Throat Punctiform flat shaped No color Cocci Neisseria sp. Neisseria meningitides Escherichia coli Proteus sp. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Haemophilus Influenza Spirochetes Gram negative Skin Punctiform flat shaped Small pink or red colony Cocci Staphylococcus Epidermidis Staphylococcus aureus Streptococcus pyogenes Corynebacteria (Bacilli) Gram positive Discussion: To investigate the diversity of normal flora, areas from the skin and throat were sampled and the resident bacteria isolated on blood agar and mannitol salt agar plates, prior to Gram staining. BA plates are differential: MSA plates are selective and differential. Cultures grew on each half of the plates. The results obtained at BA and MSA plates are different; this may result from several factors: sampling variations, growth variations and approximateness of estimates produced by Gram staining. For throat swabs, results were negative and positive at BA plate, and only negative at MSA plate; for skin swabs, Gram results were positive at both plates. At both halves of the plates major colonies could be identified. Generally, it was expected to testify greater variety of bacteria at the throat swab compared to skin swab basing on the difference of environments (humidity, higher temperature, exposure to different microorganisms). During the experiment, a slightly greater diversity was indeed observed. Escherichia Coli was determined as major colony at throat sample because BA plate demonstrated gamma haemolysis and the throat swab shown Gram-negative results both times (and Gram-positive results only at BA plate). Different shapes of colonies also correspond to this identification as E. Coli does not have a particular cell arrangement. Staphylococcus aureus were determined as type of colony for skin swab since of its colony type, beta haemolysis reaction and Gram-positive stain, 25% common. Also, Staphylococcus aureus is common for the normal flora of humans found on nasal passages, skin and mucous membranes (Bauman 2008), In order to make more detailed analysis, it is possible to perform catala se test. To make a conclusion, the results of the experiment demonstrate the diversity and preliminary identification of common normal flora found resident on the skin and throat.

Conformity and Fear in Self-Reliance :: Self Reliance Essays

Conformity and Fear in Self-Reliance The quote that most provoked thought and emotion from within me comes from the essay "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. "To be great is to be misunderstood" was used by Emerson to explain the lagging growth of the conception of ideas and thoughts of his generation. Original and novel ideas were scorned by conservatives who believed the best method for learning was by repetition and memorization of proven classics written by previous generations. The continuing timelessness of his quote is still in effect today as the scientific community has evolved to accept unaccustomed theories, yet encounters difficulty when relating to the public new and extreme ideas that rebut the system. In history, the results of individualism has been spread world wide. Important leaders, thinkers, and philosophers with radical ideas in virgin areas of research were making significant finds rapidly. Yet progress was slowed by short-sighted men who failed to see greatness. Aberham Lincoln was a revolutionary in his time with his views on slavery and forgiveness of the South. Yet his death was the result of one man's refusal to accept what was once a proud and rich land reduced to tatters- left to ruin because of her failure to accept civil reform. Herman Melville's work in Moby Dick was considered a classic, yet Melville died a figure with lost prestige, poor and unaccepted. When he was laid to rest in 1891, he was remembered only as the author of entertaining novels of the South Seas. It was not until 1920s when his place in America's foremost writers was assured. His works are now great masterpieces of emotion that were misunderstood while he was still alive. Another important example is democracy. In medieval times, monarchies and kingdoms ruled the land. Today, the monarch is merely a figurehead behind the power of democracy. At the birth of the democratic rise of the United States of America, the colonists were thought of as upstart fools- dreamers believing the impossible. English royalists were aghast at the indignation of the colonies to separate from England and form their own country. In present day, the United States is the sole world power, a great

Economics paper

Mall Sullivan University Operations Strategy April 26, 2014 Abstract: Shoulders hospital has been the best service provider for treating hernias and been in demand since a long time. However, due to the limited capacity of 89 beds the hospital is not able to meet the market demand which is causing it to lose its market share and success. The main constraints mentioned in this case study are the number of beds in the hospital for patients and the number of surgeons to operate.In order to remove the above two limitations, Shoulders hospital should come up with single solution that can help them to expand their facility without losing the current service quality. The current paper deals with the analysis of current operations followed by few recommendations for improving their facility without upsetting the present work force and the quality of service. About the Company: Shoulders hospital was started by an Ontario born Dry. Edward Earl Shoulders in 1945. Dry. Shoulders showed interest in medical research since 12 yr of age and graduated from University of Toronto.Dry. Shoulder's work was related to find the cure for pernicious anemia, intestinal obstruction, hydrocephalus cases and his facial concentration was to find innovative surgical method for hernia. The shoulders hospital was initially a six room facility, however the capacity was increased to 36 beds in 138-acre estate and 17,000 square foot main house and then to capacity of 89 beds due to the increasing inflow of patients of both first time and recurring cases. Shoulders method has become so popular for treating hernia. After Dry. Earl, Dry. Bribes Shoulders and Mrs.. W.H Request, the children of Shoulders method inventor followed their father's footsteps and continued practicing and managing the teeth since 1961. In 1965, Dry. Nicholas Boney, companion of Dry. Shoulders started his work as chairman of the board and increased the capacity to 6,850 operations per year by 1982. They have developed the ho spital to a facility with five operating suites, expert surgeons, nurses and staff all working together to treat patients with hernias. History: Dry. Shoulders showed interest in medical research and graduated from University of Toronto in 1916. Dry.Shoulders served medical examining board during World War II and operated many young men in the army for hernias before their training. Due to he limited number of doctors and hospital area, he invented an ambulation method to provide free service to 70 people and named it as Shoulders method. Shoulders method became popular and a large group of people started contacting Dry. Shoulders to get operated for hernias. The lack of hospital area, beds etc. And the demand from the people allowed him to open a hospital in Toronto, Canada and it gained a demand of 48% from northern part of United States.The site initially had a hospital with a capacity of 36 beds and a clinic in one building allowing patients to move from one to other for communi cation and interaction. The site was later expanded to a capacity of 89 beds allowing more patients into the hospital facility. Shoulders Hospital Process: Success rate: The treatment of hernia with no pain and fast recovery is the main objective of the doctors working at Shoulders hospital and had served hernia patients for more than 55 years with 300,000 cases and 99% success. The surgeons at the hospital have 100% success rate executing primary and recurring cases.Customer satisfaction was the primary importance of the shoulders hospital and this was very well taken care by the nurses who provided counseling during recreational activities and socializing vents for patients. The cost of operation was $1030 which is comparatively cheaper than other hospitals. Also the patients were allowed to work, perform physical activities and meet other patients immediately after the operation to discuss their experience in a comfortable environment. The hospital used word of mouth from the pat ient and their experience as a sole source for advertising which brought huge demand.The hospital used standardized equipment for operations thus reducing their operating costs. There were patients from outside the country and were provided with very good care which proves its success. Advantages of Shoulders technique: Unique method Broad patient experience Thoughtful employee policies Experienced surgeons and staff The above mentioned are certain advantages of shoulders technique that differentiate it from other methods used by various surgeons across the country. Situation Analysis: Shoulders method was invented to treat young military men with hernias.This method became more popular due to its speedy recovery and positive surgical results. Dry. Shoulders after serving for the army started his hospital due to the increase in demand for the treatment. Shoulders method involved operating hernia under local anesthesia and pain killers. The method helped the patients to move from the operating table to their rooms and move freely immediate after operation to talk to other patients. The patients have dinner together as a routine so that they can discuss and build up their confidence.The whole process was so successful with 140,000 happy customers due to the positive experience, speedy recovery and lower recurrence percent of 0. 8. The technique was popular among the surgeons as it allowed them to have time for their families, daily activities and good wages. The technique was popular among nurses due to the good wages and time for counseling deeds. Though the hospital was running with good success rate, it had its own further challenges with an accumulation of 1200 patients and available resources.Shoulders hospital needs to come up with a plan to decrease such patient backlog and improve its business with existing quality of service. Problem: The problem that is bothering Shoulders hospital management is that though having a very good method and work force, the y are not able to meet the demand and accumulated a huge number of cases (1200 patients). This might cause them to lose their market. In order to sustain its market share, Shoulders hospital should come up with an idea that can increase its capacity without losing its quality of service.The other problem is that Dry. Boney, the chief surgeon is retiring soon. So, the position has to be filled with someone who has the knowledge of the technique as well as the system. Problem analysis: Shoulders hospital has been treating hernia successfully since 55 years. The fee charged by this hospital for treatment is $2230, which is very less when compared to other hospital facilities who charge $5240. The excessive demand for their treatment method doesn't require any advertising and promotional conducts and was spreading its fame by word of mouth.Such excessive demand has been compelling to expand their facility; however the management has several fears and concerns such as losing its basic pr oficiency and market share etc. Expansion and advertising fear: The management has a fear about expansion in response to the demand for their technique as they preferred in improving their services giving complete proficiency. They also feared about competitors using their name in order to promote themselves which might lead Shoulders hospital to lose its name and be blamed in case of any failure in treatment.Fear about scheduling operations on Saturday: Due to the demand and backlog, if the hospital decides to perform operations on Saturday, they need to set 6 surgeons and 1 supervising surgeon at work on Saturdays. This may disappoint the staff as its not they signed the contract for. The staff also feared that if they increase the capacity, the quality of service might not be the same. Options: The options would include 1 . Performing operations on Saturdays utilizing the existing facility 2. Adding a new floor with 45 hospital beds 3.Opening off new hospital facility in US. Eval uation of options: The criteria for evaluation include costs, quality, comfort, approvals and discontent among staff members. 1) Performing operations on Saturdays can be considered valid as it would use the existing facility thus saving the cost of new construction and avoiding additional investments. The routine of the hospital can be maintained same with similar environment and culture. With this option, the number of surgeries performed per week would increase from 165 to 185 (14% rise).However, there might e a decline in the service quality due to the increase in the work load in the given time period for the staff and the only solution to this problem is to appoint additional staff or by paying additional wages to the existing staff. The benefits of performing operations on Saturdays option would be that it doesn't require approvals from the state, increase in wages and incentives to the staff, reduction in the backlogs and surgeons can spend time with their family. ) Adding a new floor plan with 45 beds would increase the bed count by 50% and can still help in maintaining the quality of service, environment and culture. However, adding a new floor plan would cost 2 Million $ and that can take at least 4 years to recover the costs. It would also require additional staff and surgery rooms due to the increase in the work load by increase in number of beds, housekeeping, laundry and other utility maintenance to accommodate increase in patients.The construction of new floor can cause disturbance to the existing patients. Also, it is difficult to accommodate the increasing patients in the canteen that would disturb the meal hours. 3) The formation of new hospital facility can solve problems like staff working n Saturdays and increase in wages and incentives of the existing staff as the new facility would need a whole new staff and surgeons reducing the pressure on existing setup. Patients can directly consult qualified surgeons rather going to the unqualified ones as earlier.However, the quality of the service cannot be maintained as of the existing facility as it would need hiring of very qualified surgeons and staff which is not an easy task. Also, the new staff should be trained to treat patients as in the existing facility. Finally, the formation of new facility and hiring people is not only mime taking but also requires huge investment and the patients might not come to visit Toronto campus anymore. So this might not be a better option to reduce the patient backlogs.Recommendations: From all the above analysis, I would like to propose few recommendations that can help Shoulders hospital in reducing patient backlogs and improve the facility. The first recommendation would be working on Saturdays with slight changes such as making Saturdays as working days in the month of September (high inflow of patients in this month) and adopting a plan of action to synchronize various activities. Also, the additional rooms in the third floor can be used for keeping patients.The second recommendation would be not to expand or form a new facility in US as hernia operations are common in US and involves huge investment. Also, there can be regulations and issues pertaining to USA government and administration issues to build and run hospital in different country. However, if expanded it might provide new opportunities. The third recommendation would be to patent the Shoulders technique of external hernia treatment so that any other organizations cannot use the name illegally.The forth recommendation would be to implement and adapt a succession and retirement plan for doctors and staff and their families. Giving bonus and incentives to them depending upon their efficient performance and seniority, survey and votes etc. The fifth recommendation would be to continue as a specialized hospital for hernia treatment rather expanding to other treatments thus preventing diversification from its competency. The sixth recommendation woul d be to increase the nurse-patient ratio by hiring more number of nurses to take care of patients and improve the quality of service.The seventh recommendation would be to convert the hostel facilities to hospital beds to allow more inflow of patients and decreasing patient backlogs. An eighth recommendation would be contracting with other local and similar facilities as silent partners and team up with their doctors providing them the required training. This would allow holding the existing position in market with no competition. The final recommendation would be to alter the inflow of patients that can prevent adding more beds by utilizing the freed bed-space. Reference: Hackett,J. (2003). Shoulders hospital limited. Harvard Business Review.

Pigs - The Domestication History of Sus Scrofa

Pigs - The Domestication History of Sus Scrofa The domestication history of pigs (Sus scrofa) is a bit of an archaeological puzzle, in part because of the nature of the wild boar that our modern pigs are descended from. Many species of wild hog exist in the world today, such as the warthog (Phacochoreus africanus), the pygmy hog (Porcula salvania), and the pig-deer (Babyrousa babyrussa); but of all the suid forms, only Sus scrofa (wild boar) has been domesticated. That process took place independently about 9,000-10,000 years ago in two locations: eastern Anatolia and central China. After that initial domestication, pigs accompanied early farmers as they spread out of Anatolia to Europe, and out of central China to the hinterlands. All of the modern swine breeds today - there are hundreds of breeds around the globe - are considered forms of Sus scrofa domestica, and there is evidence that the genetic diversity is decreasing as cross-breeding of commercial lines threatens indigenous breeds. Some countries have recognized the issue and are beginning to support the continued maintenance of the non-commercial breeds as a genetic resource for the future. Distinguishing Domestic and Wild Pigs It must be said that it is not easy to distinguish between wild and domestic animals in the archaeological record. Since the early 20th century, researchers have segregated pigs based on the size of their tusks (lower third molar): wild boars typically have broader and longer tusks than domestic pigs. Overall body size (in particular, measures of knucklebones [astralagi], front leg bones [humeri] and shoulder bones [scapulae]) has been commonly used to differentiate between domestic and wild pigs since the mid-twentieth century. But wild boar body size alters with climate: hotter, drier climates mean smaller pigs, not necessarily less wild ones. And there are notable variations in body size and tusk size, among both wild and domestic pig populations even today. Other methods used by researchers to identify domesticated pigs include population demography  - the theory is that pigs kept in captivity would have been slaughtered at younger ages as a management strategy, and that can be reflected in the ages of the pigs in an archaeological assemblage. The study of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) measures the growth rings in tooth enamel: domestic animals are more likely to experience stress episodes in diet and those stresses are reflected in those growth rings. Stable isotope analysis and tooth wear can also give clues to the diet of a particular set of animals because domestic animals are more likely to have had grain in their diets. The most conclusive evidence is genetic data, which can give indications of ancient lineages. See Rowley-Conwy and colleagues (2012) for a detailed description of the benefits and pitfalls of each of these methods. In the end, all a researcher can do is look at all of these available characteristics and make her best judgment. Independent Domestication Events Despite the difficulties, most scholars are agreed that there were two separate domestication events from geographically separated versions of the wild boar (Sus scrofa). Evidence for both locations suggest that the process began with local hunter-gatherers hunting wild boars, then over a period of time began managing them, and then purposefully or unconsciously keeping those animals with smaller brains and bodies and sweeter dispositions. In southwest Asia, pigs were part of a suite of plants and animals that were developed in the upper reaches of the Euphrates river about 10,000 years ago. The earliest domestic pigs in Anatolia are found in the same sites as domestic cattle, in what is today southwestern Turkey, about 7500 calendar years BC (cal BC), during the late Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period. Sus Scrofa in China In China, the earliest domesticated pigs date to 6600 cal BC, at the Neolithic Jiahu  site. Jiahu is in east-central China between the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers; domestic pigs were found associated with the Cishan/Peiligang culture (6600-6200 cal BC): in Jiahus earlier layers, only wild boars are in evidence. Beginning with the first domestication, pigs became the main domestic animal in China. Pig sacrifice and pig-human interments are in evidence by the mid-6th millennium BC. The modern Mandarin character for home or family consists of a pig in a house; the earliest representation of this character was found inscribed on a bronze pot dated to the Shang period (1600-1100 BC). Pig domestication in China was a steady progress of animal refinement lasting a period of some 5,000 years. The earliest domesticated pigs were primarily herded and fed millet and protein; by the Han dynasty, most pigs were raised in small pens by households and fed millet and household scraps. Genetic studies of Chinese pigs suggest an interruption of this long progress occurred during the Longshan period (3000-1900 BC) when pig burials and sacrifices ceased, and previously more or less uniform pig herds became infused with small, idiosyncratic (wild) pigs. Cucchi and colleagues (2016) suggest this may have been the result of a social-political change during the Longshan, although they recommended additional studies. The early enclosures used by Chinese farmers made the process of pig domestication much faster in China compared to the process used on western Asian pigs, which were allowed to roam freely in European forests up through the late Middle Ages. Pigs Into Europe Beginning about 7,000 years ago, central Asian people moved into Europe, bringing their suite of domestic animals and plants with them, following at least two main paths. The people who brought the animals and plants into Europe are known collectively as the Linearbandkeramik (or LBK) culture. For decades, scholars researched and debated whether Mesolithic hunters in Europe had developed domestic pigs prior to the LBK migration. Today, scholars mostly agree that European pig domestication was a mixed and complex process, with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and LBK farmers interacting at different levels. Soon after the arrival of LBK pigs in Europe, they interbred with the local wild boar. This process, known as retrogression (meaning successful interbreeding of domesticated and wild animals), produced the European domestic pig, which then spread out from Europe, and, in many places replaced the domesticated Near Eastern swine. Sources Arbuckle BS. 2013. The late adoption of cattle and pig husbandry in Neolithic Central Turkey. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(4):1805-1815.Cucchi T, Hulme-Beaman A, Yuan J, and Dobney K. 2011. Early Neolithic pig domestication at Jiahu, Henan Province, China: clues from molar shape analyses using geometric morphometric approaches. Journal of Archaeological Science 38(1):11-22.Cucchi T, Dai L, Balasse M, Zhao C, Gao J, Hu Y, Yuan J, and Vigne J-D. 2016. Social complexification and pig (Sus scrofa) Husbandry in ancient China: A combined geometric morphometric andiIsotopic approach. PLOS ONE 11(7):e0158523.Evin A, Cucchi T, Cardini A, Strand Vidarsdottir U, Larson G, and Dobney K. 2013. The long and winding road: identifying pig domestication through molar size and shape. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(1):735-743.Groenen MAM. 2016. A decade of pig genome sequencing: a window on pig domestication and evolution. Genetics Selection Evolution 48(1):1-9.Krause-Kyora B, Makarewicz C, Evin A, Girdland Flink L, Dobney K, Larson G, Hartz S, Schreiber S, Von Carnap-Bornheim C, Von Wurmb-Schwark N et al. 2013. Use of domestic pigs by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in northwestern Europe. Nature Communications 4(2348). Larson G, Liu R, Zhao X, Yuan J, Fuller D, Barton L, Dobney K, Fan Q, Gu Z, Liu X-H et al. 2010. Patterns of East Asian pig domestication, migration, and turnover revealed by modern and ancient DNA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(17):7686-7691.Lega C, Raia P, Rook L, and Fulgione D. 2016. Size matters: A comparative analysis of pig domestication. The Holocene 26(2):327-332.Rowley-Conwy P, Albarella U, and Dobney K. 2012. Distinguishing Wild Boar from Domestic Pigs in Prehistory: A Review of Approaches and Recent Results. Journal of World Prehistory 25:1-44.Wang H, Martin L, Hu S, and Wang W. 2012. Pig domestication and husbandry practices in the middle Neolithic of the Wei River Valley, northwest China: evidence from linear enamel hypoplasia. Journal of Archaeological Science 39(12):3662-3670.Zhang J, Jiao T, and Zhao S. 2016. Genetic diversity in the mitochondrial DNA D-loop region of global swine (Sus scrofa) populations. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Co mmunications 473(4):814-820.

Martha Washington - Americas First First Lady

Martha Washington - America's First First Lady Dates: June 2, 1731 – May 22, 1802First Lady* April 30, 1789 - March 4, 1797 Occupation: First Lady* of the United States as wife of the first US President, George Washington. She also managed the estate of her first husband and, while George Washington was away, Mount Vernon. *First Lady: the term First Lady came into use many years after Martha Washingtons death and so was not used for Martha Washington during her husbands presidency or in her lifetie. Its used here in its modern sense. Also Known As: Martha Dandridge Custis Washington About Martha Washington: Martha Washington, was born Martha Dandridge in Chestnut Grove, New Kent County, Virginia. She was the eldest daughter of John Dandridge, a wealthy landowner, and his wife, Frances Jones Dandridge, both of whom came from established New England families. Marthas first husband, also a wealthy landowner, was Daniel Parke Custis. They had four children; two died in childhood. Daniel Parke Custis died on July 8, 1757, leaving Martha quite wealthy, and in charge of running the estate and household, holding both a dower portion and managing the rest during her childrens minority. George Washington Martha met the young George Washington at a cotillion in Williamsburg. She had many suitors, but married Washington on January 6, 1759. She moved that spring with her two surviving children, John Parke Custis (Jacky) and Martha Parke Custis (Patsy), to Mount Vernon, Washingtons estate. Her two children were adopted and raised by George Washington. Martha was, by all accounts, a gracious hostess who helped restore Mount Vernon from the neglect of Georges time away during the French and Indian War. Marthas daughter died in 1773 at the age of 17, after some years of suffering epileptic seizures. Wartime In 1775, when George Washington had become the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Martha traveled with her son, new daughter-in-law, and friends to stay with George at the winter army headquarters in Cambridge. Martha remained until June, returning in March of 1777 to the Morristown winter camp to nurse her husband, who was ill. In February of 1778 she rejoined her husband at Valley Forge. She is credited with helping to keep up the spirits of the troops during this gloomy period. Marthas son Jacky enlisted as an aide to his stepfather, serving briefly during the siege at Yorktown, dying after only a few days of what was called camp fever probably typhus. His wife was in ill health, and her youngest, Eleanor Parke Custis (Nelly) was sent to Mount Vernon to be nursed; her last baby, George Washington Parke Custis was also sent to Mount Vernon. These two children were raised by Martha and George Washington even after their mother remarried a doctor in Alexandria. On Christmas Eve, 1783, George Washington arrived back at Mount Vernon from the Revolutionary War, and Martha resumed her role as hostess. First Lady Martha Washington did not enjoy her time (1789-1797) as First Lady (the term was not then used) though she played her role as hostess with dignity. She had not supported her husbands candidacy for the presidency, and she would not attend his inauguration. The first temporary seat of government was in New York City, where Martha presided over weekly receptions. The seat of government  was later moved to Philadelphia where the Washingtons lived except for a return to Mount Vernon when a yellow fever epidemic swept Philadelphia. After the Presidency After the Washingtons returned to Mount Vernon, their granddaughter Nelly married Georges nephew, Lawrence Lewis. Nellys first child, Frances Parke Lewis, was born at Mount Vernon. Less than three weeks later, George Washington died, December 14, 1799, after suffering a severe cold. Martha moved out of their bedroom and into a third floor garret room and lived in seclusion, seen only by a few of the remaining slaves and Nelly and her family. Martha Washington burned all but two of the letters she and her husband had exchanged. Martha Washington lived until May 22, 1802. George had freed half the slaves of Mount Vernon, and Martha freed the rest. Martha Washington is buried with her husband in a tomb at Mount Vernon. Legacy George Washington Parke Custis daughter, Mary Custis Lee, married Robert E. Lee. A part of the Custis estate which had passed through George Washington Parke Custis to his son-in-law was confiscated by the federal government during the Civil War, though the United States Supreme Court eventually found that the government had to reimburse the family. That land is now known as Arlington National Cemetery. When a ship was named the USS Lady Washington in 1776, it became the first US military ship to be named for a woman and was the only ship the Continental Navy named for a woman. In 1901, Martha Washington became the first woman whose image was depicted on a US postage stamp.

Bowen Family Systems, Structual, and Strategic Models Theory Overview Research Paper

Bowen Family Systems, Structual, and Strategic Models Theory Overview - Research Paper Example According to these three theories, when one part of the system is influenced, then, the entire system is influenced, and thus the psychological dysfunction of an individual is contributed to, not by the individual factors, but by the holistic relationship and interaction of the family system (Kniskern, 165). In this respect, the three theoretical models of family systems share basic assumptions, while at the same time varying to some substantial degree regarding how the theories perceive the family system and the manner in which the society should intervene in matters of the system. Therefore, this analysis seeks to discuss the three theoretical models of the Family Systems Theory, with a view to defining the theories, explaining their development, discussing their assumptions, presenting the applications of the theories and finally assessing their criticisms. This is a theoretical model of the Family Systems Theory, which emphasizes on the differentiation of the context of the family emotional systems (Stanton, 253). Therefore, its therapeutic application requires that individuals must first differentiate/separate from their families of origin, before they embark on dealing with the present issues of their relationships or their nuclear families (Stanton, 258). Thus, the model theory is mostly applied to understand the family process, so the individual can be able to understand the present situation, based on their past roles, relationships and interactions with their families. The model was established in 1931 by Murray Bowen. The fundamental objective of the theory is to help reduce chronic anxiety within individuals, through accounting for every aspect of human behaviors (Stanton, 254). The major assumption of this theory is that; behavioral change cannot be effective, where the individual does not have adequate and deeper insight in relation to the causes of a behavior. Therefore, the model seeks to create insight into the family processes that

Asia-Pacific Region Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asia-Pacific Region - Essay Example The theme for APEC 2007, strengthening our Community, Building Sustainable Future, corroborates the APEC's principles namely: communication, cooperation, collaboration, and community among the 21 member economies of the organization (Australian Government). Australia, being the host country of the meeting, sees valuable opportunity to showcase their business, society and culture to their constituents; and at the same time, to provide Australia with a unique opportunity to guide its future direction (Australian Government). That direction is heading towards economic stability and growth of the region. In this regard, we can appreciate the action taken by the Australian Government of involving their youth in this affair in order to inculcate in their minds the importance of strengthening international relations so as to build sustainable future among the member economies. This approach is vital and effective; it is like putting the future in the hands of the next generation. As we can see, the main goal of the APEC is "to promote economic growth and prosperity in the region and strengthen the Asia-Pacific Community" (Australian Government). It is undeniably that many countries in the Asia-Pacific are economically poor. ... In some Southeast Asian countries, children are not only suffering malnutrition but also they are even subjected to force labor and have a minimal access to education and the use of technology like computers. They are quite far behind the technological advancement. In rural areas, many patients died in hospital because of lack of life-saving facilities that could have helped patients. The question "How can I/we build/create a better future" depends on the economic situation of the country which one belongs. Subjectively, the first thing that I can do is to help my self achieve my dreams in life. One cannot think of building or creating a better future if he does not have a dream or ambition in life. An architectural engineer for example can create an infrastructure design that will truly make a better community. A doctor can help patients in remote areas where access to hospitals is difficult due to financial problem. An educator can help educate people whose capacity to send their children to school are low if none at all. Objectively, there are many international non-governmental organizations such as the Green Peace Environmentalist group, the Human Rights Advocates and many other that endeavor so hard to reach out on people in depressed areas. Therefore, the same consciousness must also be taught to citizens of rich countries, in order to lend a hand for a better future of the region. Asia-Pacific Region is composed of both rich and third world countries, in which relationship between each of them is highly important especially on economic matter. As I see it, it is also of paramount importance to make out those countries of equilibrium in terms of economic privileges. Poorer countries should also experience healthier