California labor laws are every employee friendly....

California labor laws are every employee friendly. California labor laws are more beneficial to the employees than federal labor law; therefore, it supersedes the federal law most of the time. In some cases, however, both federal and California labor laws support each other with certain laws such as harassment, family medical leave, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to name a few. In my career in human resources, I have investigated hundreds of discrimination and harassment claims, specifically sexual harassment claims. Harassment claims can be very difficult to prove particularly when dealing with â€Å"he said, she said.† All harassment claims regardless of the evidence or lack thereof, must be investigated and must be taken seriously.†¦show more content†¦The behavioral and chemical dependency hospital I worked for was 70-bed hospital employed mental health technicians, nurses, social workers and doctors. One day I received a call from one of our mental hea lth technicians who informed me that her colleague is â€Å"having an affair† with one of our patients. According to the claim, the night shift mental health technician witnessed what seemed to be a shadow of the technician performing inappropriate sexual acts with the patient. Two of our technicians supposedly witnessed the incident during their night shift. One witness stated that our technician made a comment about being in love with the teenager. After learning of the incident, I tried to reach out to the accused to understand her side; however, I was unable to reach her because she has been calling in sick. I later learned that the patient involved was only 16 years old and our mental health technician was in her early thirties. The sixteen year old patient was released from out hospital shortly after I learned about the incident and some claimed that our mental health technician picked her up and took her in. I reached out to the technician once again to start my investigation and I was successful in setting up a meeting with her. She arrived thirty minutes before and seemed very upset when she came into the office and said â€Å"I quit† slamming her hand on my desk andShow MoreRelatedThe Laws And The Law1282 Words   |  6 Pagesinto law, similar to Hobbes. The fact that Bentham thought that a governments law is final does not mean that this ruling entity has absolute power. Bentham felt that the power within the government should be divided and thereby giving no one section too much power, allowing all entities of a sovereign to govern equally. Moreover, these ideas would be backed by sanctions to positively enforce the law allowing people to receive some sort or social reward for following the rules and provide a punishmentRead MoreThe Laws Of The Law1814 Words   |  8 PagesThere is no absolute definition of law to describe what the law actually is. 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Kant Formulas of Universal Law and Humanity - 1575 Words

Karthik Keni William Reckner Philosophy 22 30 November 2010 Kant: Formulas of Universal Law and Humanity Kant’s philosophy was based around the theory that we have a moral unconditional obligation and duty that he calls the â€Å"Categorical Imperative.† He believes that an action must be done with a motive of this moral obligation, and if not done with this intention then the action would hold no moral value. Under this umbrella of the â€Å"Categorical Imperative† he presents three formulations that he believes to be about equal in importance, relevance, and could be tested towards any case. The first formulation known as the Formula of Universal Law consists of a methodical way to find out morality of actions. The second formulation is known as†¦show more content†¦It would be impossible to follow such a rule of not utilizing people as means towards an end, however this formulation is trying to emphasize that all rational beings must be treated never as a mere means but as the supreme limiting condition in the use of all means†¦as an end at the same time. Instead of seeing other rational beings as just tools towards a personal goal, we should see the benefit of others and â€Å"Humanity† as our end objective, rather than the means. Kant truly introduces the idea of respect in the formulation because it seems genuinely wrong to treat other rational humans as mere means with no other kind of value. One has to recognize, even with the significance of oneself having desires and treating oneself as the end, that what makes me unique as a logical and thinking being also resides in everyone else. Thus we determine that everyone else must also see themselves as ends and my means to my ends are no more significant than another rational being. In the case of the doctor’s moral dilemma, the Formula of Humanity would be the same answer because of various reasons. First, Kant is a firm believer in not being deceitful and thus the doctor should follow the moral action of telling the truth. The formulation also preaches that we should recognize that others are a basis of value by treating their chosen ends as good, and following their happiness as they see it. 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WhenRead More Kants Humanity Formula Essay1646 Words   |  7 PagesKants Humanity Formula   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Few formulas in philosophy have been so widely accepted and variously interpreted as Kant’s injunction to treat humanity as an end in itself†(Hill, 38). Immanuel Kant’s views, as elucidated in his book, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, are based on the belief that â€Å"people count† by prohibiting actions which exploit other individuals in order for self-prosperity or altruistic ends. Ethics then, are confirmed by the dignity and worth of the rational agencyRead MoreThe Right to Lie by Christine Korsgaard1185 Words   |  5 PagesThe right to lie: Kant on dealing with evil, Christine Korsgaard offers an example in which lying is morally permissible under one formulation of Kant’s categorical imperative yet not another. From this Korsgaard concludes that Kant’s formulations of Universal Law and of Humanity as an End in Itself are not equivalent, and that one is more strict than the other. In this paper I wil l present Korsgaards example and then use her interpretation of the Formulation of Universal Law to evaluate what itRead MoreKantian Ethics and Christian Ethics1400 Words   |  6 PagesKantian Ethics and Christian Ethics Immanuel Kant the founder of the Categorical Imperative (CI) argues that morality is based on standards of rationality. Therefore, to act in disaccord with the CI is to act irrationally or immorally. In comparison to Christianity, to act immorally is to act in disagreement with Gods laws. 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Thomson’s Trolley Problem, the philosophies of Kant and Mill must be fully analyzed and expressed to determine the most plausible perspective to be taken by both philosophers on the issueRead MoreEssay on The Golden Rule in Kant and Mills Ethical Theories1320 Words   |  6 Pagespurpose. The two most important philosophers that deal with ethics are Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. Kant’s ethical theory is Kantianism or deontological ethics. Mill’s ethical theory is utilitarianism. Both philosophers’ theories have m any differences; Kant’s theory deals with conduct, seeking reason for good action in duty. Mill’s theory deals with consequences and maximizing human happiness. However both Kant and Mill’s ethics relate to the important biblical principal of the Golden Rule

The Freedom Writers Diary Free Essays

The Freedom Writers Essay- Chloe Taylor How are different cultures represented in Freedom Writers? What values and attitudes do we draw from the film and its background? Cultures are shown and exposed to us in various ways everyday. Different cultures are represented in different ways in the Western Society. In the movie Freedom Writers, we witness this cultural conflict on a first hand basis. We will write a custom essay sample on The Freedom Writers Diary or any similar topic only for you Order Now Urban youths in Freedom Writers heavily rely on respect to judge others. They also judge based on each other’s cultural back ground. Later in the film, these same teenagers begin to value education and the sense of belonging in school, rather than belonging in gangs. Gangs and groups are a part of the Western Society that we have had to learn to accept in our lives. In the feature film Freedom Writers, we are shown gangs divided up into cultures and cultural backgrounds. This has built up a lot of tension between cultures and attitudes towards other gangs. The scene in which all the students enter room 203 and take seats into their separate corners of the room divided into their certain corners of the room shows the division between students in a real life. We see a long shot of the whole classroom showing its layout and the segregation between gangs. Then multiple mid-shots are shown of the gang itself and its individual members to decipher the multiple gangs, their attitudes towards school and their way of life. Even though the students start their school year with an attitude of ignorance towards other cultures they begin to learn the value of each individual and change their point of view and their gangs and cooperate with their cultures. People may argue that respect is something that has to be earned, it is not automatic. In the 1992 Los Angeles’s race riots, respect was something that was taken for granted, as it was essential for their society. In Freedom Writers, Ms Gruwell demanded respect immediately. Not surprisingly the students refused to give it to her and why should they of, they didn’t know anything about Ms Gruwell. Towards the end of the film we see that Ms Gruwell has gradually gained the respect she wanted from her class. We are shown this in a first hand basis as Andre, a gang member, calls Ms Gruwell ‘Mam’. She takes this as an offence and claims she is not anyone’s mother; Eva soon corrects her and states that it was a ‘sign of respect to you’. This scene is shown to us by a series of close up shots of Andre, Ms Gruwell and Eva. This is purposely done to capture the changing emotion in the characters face. The students of room 203 value Ms Gruwell not only as a teacher and a person and this is reflected in their attitude and behaviour. We all know what racism is and have most likely been subjected to it or witnessed it at one time in our lives. Racism is more prominent in schools and work places although random attacks of racist acts can also be seen in the streets or at public places where the offender and the victim may not even know each other. In the feature film Freedom Writers, every student at Long Beach either dishes out racist comments or receives them. When all of the ‘unteachable’ students get integrated into the same class we see this clash of cultures collide. A racist caricature is drawn of one of the African-American students and the rest of the students find it amusing. Ms Gruwell takes the picture and compares it to the Jews during the holocaust. Erin was greeted with dumb-founded looks only to find out the kids didn’t know what the holocaust was yet they acted out their lives in a similar racist manner. This scene is shown by using close ups of Ms Gruwell and the victim of the caricature, Jamal. We see Ms Gruwell looking horrified and Jamal’s expression looking embarrassed. We are also shown mid-shots of the whole class to show their expressions and they seem amused and proud of themselves. Towards the end of the movie the students do not lash out any forms of racism at one another and instead treat each other as good friends. At the end of Freedom Writers, the students have accepted and value each other as individual people not of their cultural back ground. Ms Gruwell gained the respect she earned from devoting her life to teach these children. During this essay I have explored the movie Freedom Writers and how factors like gangs, respect and racism can have such an impact on peoples lives. It can change peoples values on life and their attitudes and behaviours towards things and that is what we draw from the film. How to cite The Freedom Writers Diary, Essay examples

Role Of Accounting In Standard Setting

Questions: 1. Are the Annual Reports in Compliance with the Conceptual Framework and AASB Standard requirements? 2.How the Conceptual Framework Revision to include Prudence is likely to address the disparity in Corporate Reporting is a requirement in your analysis.3.Compare and Contrast the two Annual Reports, identify the differences in Disclosures of these Corporations. Answers: Introduction The present report consists of analysis on different aspects of annual report of two companies based in Australia and listed on Australian Stock Exchange by considering the recent years financial report. The chosen organizations belong to the retailing industry Harvey Norman and its competitor Woolworths Limited (Harveynorman.com.au 2016) (Woolworths 2016). The study covers the analysis on compliance of conceptual framework along with the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) standard requirements for recognizing financial information. The report includes the concept of accounting role in setting standard, international accounting and measuring accounting along with the capital market and normative accounting. Additionally, prudence level addressing the disparity in corporate reporting for the selected companies has been evaluated while identifying the differences in financial report disclosures. Discussion Background of the organizations Harvey Norman, based on Australia, is a large multinational retailing organization deals in furniture, computers, bedding and other diversified products as electronic gadgets. The company has been founded in 1982 by Gerry Harvey and Ian Norman having the headquarters in Australia (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). Currently, the organization has around 194 locations while the current revenue amounted to $5.3 billion and operating income amounted to $523 million (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). Woolworths Limited is considered a strong competitor of Harvey Norman and is a second largest retailer in Australia founded in the year 1924 founded primarily by Percy Christmas and Stanley Chatterton. The current value of the organization has been $30.2 billion while the operating income $1.6 billion and number of locations more than 3,800 in the region of Australia (Woolworths 2016). The significant business of the organization includes Australian division food products and petrol products which consists of two- third of the total revenue i.e. $39.4 million (Woolworths 2016). 1.Conceptual framework and AASB standard compliances Conceptual framework of accounting is an analytical tool that includes various principles and regulations to recognize and represent the accounting information in the financial statements of the organization. The primary characteristic of the conceptual framework includes prudence level, reliability and relevance of the financial information for the benefit of stakeholders. It requires the organizations to follow the prudence level while recognizing incomes and expenses along with the relevant financial information (Ball, Li and Shivakumar 2015). The purpose of preparing and presenting financial statement is to provide relevant and reliable information to the users to obtain true and fair view on the companys performance. Another requirement of conceptual framework is to follow accrual basis and going concern basis while presenting the financial report to determine the sustainability and stability of the company (Lang and Stice-Lawrence 2015). Considering the financial report of Harvey Norman, it can be said that the annual report has been prepared and presented by complying the regulations of conceptual framework. The company recorded the incomes and expenditure by considering the prudence level and on accrual basis whereas the assets and liabilities at fair value (refer appendix 1). The organization had followed AASB standards to value the assets and reporting the financial information of subsidiary groups. The company also followed the standard of AASB on foreign exchange with respect to translating the accounting information of subsidiary to determine equivalent value, which involved foreign current transactions (refer appendix 2). It has been noted that the company followed AASB standard on segment reporting to disclose the business activities based on the geographical region (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). Similarly, the financial report of Woolworths Limited has been analyzed to determine the compliance of conceptual framework and AASB standards. Increasing trend in the earnings and material disclosures on expenses represents the compliance of accrual basis and going concern basis while presenting the financial statements. The financial statement of income reflected sales revenue for the group business after providing corporate tax, which states the compliance of accounting standards and conceptual framework. Consolidated income of the company along with the consolidated profit $2,146 million has been recognized as per the AASB standards on revenue recognition (Woolworths 2016). Accrued payments during the year like financial charges and other expenses have been classified as actually paid and outstanding payment to recognize in the income stamen and balance sheet respectively. Interim dividend, which is paid has been recorded in the income statement whereas dividend payable in the ba lance sheet as liability reflects the compliance of conceptual framework. For the purpose of setting standard is to provide uniform principles and regulations for accounting in public interest to present the accountable and transparent financial statements. Similarly, international accounting provides the uniform regulations to recognize the financial information in terms of value and methods so that performance of the company can be evaluated in equivalent form (Chauvey et al. 2015). Accordingly, Harvey Norman followed the consolidation standards and equivalent amount of foreign currency in Australian Dollar terms while Woolworths Limited also follows the international accounting system to present the standalone and consolidated financial information. 2.Prudence level addressing the Corporate Reporting disparity Prudence level refers to the recognition of accounting statements by applying the reasonable estimates for incomes and expenses following the conservative approach. Prudence level of accounting conceptual framework states that the incomes or revenues are not recognized by overestimating while the expenses or expected losses are not recognized by underestimating. However, corporate reporting provides the recognition and disclosure of accounting information for integrated reporting, comprehensive reporting, corporate governance and sustainability reporting (Tracey 2015). It is essential for the listed companies to consider the capital market requirements for trading of equity securities and long- term debt by complying the financial regulations and other market regulatory system. Besides, Normative Accounting is a theory required to be followed by organizations to present the economic value of the organization in subsequent years beneficial for the investors or company itself (Barker 2 015). The annual report of Harvey Norman discloses the performance level, financial position and material disclosure along with the relationship strength in terms of consumers, community, investors and other stakeholders. It reflects the comprehensive income attributable to the owners $278 million while that to minority owners $2 million during the year 2015 and the earnings per share of the company was 24.51 cents which provides the positive performance and economic value to the investors (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). Besides, Annual report of Woolworths Limited provides the material disclosure with respect to the financial performance, financial position along with the measurement to provide economic value to the consumers. The company also provided the statement for corporate governance representing the shareholding and respective values for the equity capital considering the top 20 shareholders (refer appendix 5). It is essential to revise the conceptual framework applicable to the financial information of the company over the period to evaluate the provisional losses and expenses. Standard rates, limitations of the specific organizational value based on the income benchmark should be analyzed to remove the disparity in corporate reporting (Woolworths 2016). Accordingly, Harvey Norman recognized the services value with respect to the employees for the reporting period following the cost rates for recording lease provisions based on the inflation rates, investment return and other administrative expenses. Moreover, financial report of Woolworths estimated the expenses for employee benefits, insurance and restructuring expenses based on 12 months for annual leave and long- service leave considering the discounting rate 3.dentification of differences in corporation disclosures Recognition of financial report of Harvey Norman and Woolworths are similar and identical while there are certain differences in presenting the organizational resources value and other expenses. Financial statements of Harvey Norman do not cover a specific report on the material business risk whereas Woolworths Limited constitutes a particular report stating the material business risk. Additionally, annual report of Harvey Norman constitutes certain theory on Normative accounting, Positive accounting along with the capital market presentation which is not presented in the annual report of Woolworths Limited. Difference on estimates and judgments to determine the financial value of income statements and financial position, which is based on historical cost and the current market conditions in the financial report of Woolworths Limited (Woolworths 2016). On the contrary, Harvey Norman followed the estimates for recognizing the value of assets and other resources based on future events including the recognition of provision or borrowing repayments of accounting information (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). It has been observed that the specific details on financial information to evaluate the efficiency has not been presented in the financial report of Woolworths with respect to capital funds, borrowing and other operational expenses. Segment reporting in accordance with AASB is required to be provided by the organizations to reflect the performance with respect to geographical region, business diversification and production and income level as per different locations. Accordingly, segment reporting of Harvey Norman provides brief segment disclosure on the product trading and product incomes and other costs (Harveynorman.com.au 2016). On the contrary, Woolworths Limited presented the segment reporting based on the operating and geographical details for presentation on employee benefits, lease expenses, rental payments and other costs. Further, recognition and disclosure of dividend amount of both the organization is different with respect to the interim dividend and final dividend to be paid to the shareholders for the reporting financial year (Woolworths 2016). Harvey Norman provided dividend information on interim period had been recognized as expenses along with the financial charges whereas proposed dividend h as been recognized based on the franking credit balance for the reporting period (refer appendix 7). Besides, recognition of dividend for Harvey Norman has been considered on payment basis for current years interim dividend and previous years final dividend. Dividend amount for ordinary shares, DRP shares and Treasury has been considered and recognized in separate accounting heads in Harvey Normans financial statement. Recommendation Considering the financial statements analysis of Harvey Norman and Woolworths Limited it can be recommended that the organizations follow accounting principles to present material disclosures for the use of stakeholders. It is recommended that Harvey Norman should comply the conceptual framework requirements to provide material disclosures by maintaining the reliability and relevance of the business information. Similarly, Woolworths Limited is recommended to follow the requirements of AASB standards along with the international accounting principles for recognizing accounting information. It is further recommended that Harvey Norman provide specific report to disclose the material business risk, which has been provided by Woolworths Limited. Additionally, Woolworths Limited is recommended to include theory on positive accounting or normative accounting to present the economic value of organization to the users. On the contrary, Harvey Norman is suggested to provide clear and detaile d report on segment business functions in compliance with AASB and international accounting standard. Conclusion In view of the analysis of the financial report of both the Australian retailing organizations, it can be said that the conceptual framework and accounting standards has been complied with. Apart from certain differences, both the organizations provided material disclosures and followed the concept of prudence, reliability and relevance for presenting true and fair view of the organizational performance. The organizations also complied and presented the corporate governance report along with the sustainability report and other legal regulations for the benefit of community, investors and other stakeholders. Harvey Norman and Woolworths followed the accounting standards in terms of consolidation, comprehensive income, presentation of financial information involving foreign exchange to provide uniform level of performance to the users. Such presentation and recognition would provide the users and other stakeholders in taking better business and investment decisions. Reference List and Bibliography Ball, R., Li, X. and Shivakumar, L., 2015. Contractibility and transparency of financial statement information prepared under IFRS: Evidence from debt contracts around IFRS adoption.Journal of Accounting Research,53(5), pp.915-963. Barker, R., 2015. Conservatism, prudence and the IASB's conceptual framework.Accounting and Business Research,45(4), pp.514-538. Chauvey, J.N., Giordano-Spring, S., Cho, C.H. and Patten, D.M., 2015. The normativity and legitimacy of CSR disclosure: Evidence from France.Journal of Business Ethics,130(4), pp.789-803. Christensen, H.B., Nikolaev, V.V. and Wittenberg?Moerman, R., 2016. Accounting information in financial contracting: The incomplete contract theory perspective.Journal of Accounting Research,54(2), pp.397-435. Florou, A. and Kosi, U., 2015. Does mandatory IFRS adoption facilitate debt financing?.Review of Accounting Studies,20(4), pp.1407-1456. Goh, B.W., Li, D., Ng, J. and Yong, K.O., 2015. Market pricing of banks fair value assets reported under SFAS 157 since the 2008 financial crisis.Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,34(2), pp.129-145. Harveynorman.com.au. 2016.Harvey Norman | Shop Online for Computers, Electrical, Furniture, Bedding, Bathrooms Flooring | Harvey Norman Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.harveynorman.com.au/ [Accessed 7 Dec. 2016]. Lang, M. and Stice-Lawrence, L., 2015. Textual analysis and international financial reporting: Large sample evidence.Journal of Accounting and Economics,60(2), pp.110-135. Magnan, M., Menini, A. and Parbonetti, A., 2015. Fair value accounting: information or confusion for financial markets?.Review of Accounting Studies,20(1), pp.559-591. Muhammad, N., Scrimgeour, F., Reddy, K. and Abidin, S., 2015. The relationship between environmental performance and financial performance in periods of growth and contraction: evidence from Australian publicly listed companies.Journal of Cleaner Production,102, pp.324-332. Mller, M.A., Riedl, E.J. and Sellhorn, T., 2015. Recognition versus disclosure of fair values.The Accounting Review,90(6), pp.2411-2447. Nobes, C.W. and Stadler, C., 2015. The qualitative characteristics of financial information, and managers accounting decisions: evidence from IFRS policy changes.Accounting and Business Research,45(5), pp.572-601. Tracey, E., 2015. Discussion of Conservatism, prudence and the IASB's conceptual frameworkby Richard Barker (2015).Accounting and Business Research,45(4), pp.539-542. Woolworths 2016.Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. Available at:https://www.woolworths.com.au/[Accessed 30 Nov. 2016].

Nike And Asian Labour Essays - Business, Nike, Inc., Fashion

Nike And Asian Labour There has been much debate and controversy recently concerning Nike's Asian labour practices. This is a very complex issue and one that is a long way from being solved. It is very difficult to determine which side of this argument to defend, as both sides acknowledge the facts, yet put a completely different spin on them. Do you believe Nike's critics who say they're exploiting workers? Or, do you believe Nike when they say that they are giving workers in these countries wonderful opportunities to raise their standard of living? The consensus answer to this question by all sides seems to be that Nike is improving but still has a ways to go. Nike's Asian ties can be traced back to the birth of the company. The CEO, chairman of the board of directors, and co-founder, Phil Knight, wrote his masters thesis at Stanford University in the 1960's on the prospects for using Asian labor to produce goods cheaper and more effectively. In order to incorporate this plan in to Nike's business structure, a partnership was set up with a Japan based company called Tiger Sports. Tiger Sports would manufacture shoes for Nike in Asia then shipped them to the United States to sell. In the 1980's however, this aspect of Nike's partnership with Tiger Sports was dissolved, and Nike was forced to expand production from the United States to countries such as Taiwan and Korea where their products could be manufactured at the same relatively low cost that Nike enjoyed through the Tiger Sports partnership. Over the last five of years, however, the production numbers for these countries have been decreasing at an alarming rate due to the fact that their economies expanded at a very rapid pace. This, in turn, caused the cost of labour to increase dramatically, and therefore Nike could no longer produce their product as efficiently as before. In lieu of the rapid economic growth in the pacific rim, and the increased production cost, Nike has moved more into countries such as Vietnam and China where the labour is cheaper and labour laws less stringent. (VLF, VN Fact Sheet) Nike does not own any of the factories that produces its products in Asia, and subsequently they do not directly employ the workers or management. They contract out work to factories that make all of the products and run all of the factories. They do, however, have a massive amount of leverage when dealing with these factories because of the huge contracts they supply. To ensure good labour practices, Nike has a Code of Conduct that every contractor must agree to abide by in order to get a contract. The Conduct Code in theory condemns and prohibits child labour, requires that workers be paid fair wage, imposes caps on the days and hours a worker can be forced to work, prohibits mistreatment or discrimination of workers in any form, obligates factories to implement programs that benefit worker's health and safety, and recognizes and respects the workers right to freedom of association. There are 1000 Nike employees worldwide monitoring operations at the subcontractors and specifically the Code of Conduct adherent. The most consistent criticism of Nike is that the workers in the factories contracted by them are not aware of the Code of Conduct that was agreed upon, and/or it is not enforced (especially the wages and overtime aspects) by the factory officials. Critics contend that the factories pay less than minimum wage at times, force too many overtime hours, and fail to make the workplace as clean and as safe as standards dictate. Many of the factories that are contracted have workers and management from different countries, causing some problems in communication. Some factories in China have Taiwanese Managers while factories in Vietnam have Korean managers. This is one reason offered by Nike in defense of the factories failure to comply with the Code of Conduct. To look into this issue, earlier this year Nike commissioned Andrew Young, a former civil rights leader and United Nations ambassador to do an analysis of how well the Code was working. Young and his staff visited four factories in Vietnam, Indonesia, and China for three to four hours each led by Nike's people. Young's conclusion proved not only to be uninformative, but somewhat aggravating to the public due to its elementary tone. "Nike is doing a good job, but could do better" was the statement released by Young at the end of the report. Another aspect of the inquiry that bothered the public was

James Wright and the Invention of Silly Putty

James Wright and the Invention of Silly Putty The plastic putty known as Silly Putty ®Ã‚  has been entertaining youngsters and providing them with innovative playtime since the 1940s. Its had an interesting history since then.   The Origins of Silly Putty ® James Wright, an engineer, discovered Silly Putty ®.  Just as with many awesome inventions, the discovery happened by accident.   Wright was working for the U.S. War Production Board at the time. He was charged with finding a substitute for synthetic rubber that wouldn’t cost the government an arm and a leg to produce. He mixed silicone oil with boric acid and found that the compound acted very much like rubber. It could rebound almost 25 percent higher than a normal rubber ball, and it was impervious to rot. Soft and malleable, it could stretch to many times its original length without tearing. Another of Silly Putty’s ® unique qualities was its ability to copy the image of any printed material it was pressed upon. Wright initially  called his discovery  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nutty Putty.†Ã‚  The material was sold under the trade name Silly Putty ® in 1949 and it sold faster than any other toy in history, registering over $6 million in sales in the first year.   The Government Wasn’t Impressed Wright’s amazing Silly Putty ® never found a home with the U.S. government as a substitute for synthetic rubber. The government said it wasn’t a superior product. Tell that to millions of kids pressing globs of the stuff onto comic  pages,  lifting images of their favorite action heroes. Marketing consultant  Peter Hodgson didn’t agree with the government, either. Hodgson bought the production rights to Wrights bouncing putty and  is credited with changing the name of Nutty Putty to Silly Putty ®, introducing it to the  public at Easter, selling it inside plastic eggs. Silly Putty’s ® Practical Uses Silly Putty ® wasn’t initially marketed as a toy. In fact, it pretty much bombed at the 1950 International Toy Fair. Hodgson first intended  Silly Putty ® for an adult audience, billing it for its practical purposes.  But despite  its ignoble beginnings, Neiman-Marcus and Doubleday decided to go ahead and sell Silly Putty ® as a toy and it began to take off. When the  New Yorker  mentioned the stuff, sales bloomed – more than a quarter million orders were received within three days. Hodgson then reached his adult audience almost by accident. Parents soon discovered that not only could Silly Putty ® lift perfect images off comic pages, but it was pretty handy for pulling lint off of  fabric as well. It went to space with the Apollo 8 crew in 1968, where it proved effective at keeping objects in place in zero gravity. Binney Smith, Inc., creator of Crayola,  purchased Silly Putty ® after Hodgson’s death. The company claims that more than 300 million Silly Putty ® eggs have sold since 1950. The Composition of Silly Putty Although you probably don’t want to go to the trouble of whipping up a batch at home when you can simply buy some, the basic ingredients of  Silly Putty ®Ã‚  include: Dimethyl Siloxane: 65 percentSilica: 17 percentThixotrol ST: 9 percentPolydimethylsiloxane: 4 percentDecamethylcyclopentasiloxane: 1 percent  Glycerine: 1 percentTitanium Dioxide: 1 percent It’s a safe guess that Binney Smith aren’t divulging all their proprietary secrets, including the introduction of a wide array of  Silly Putty ®Ã‚  colors, some that even glow in the dark.

The Movie Winnie Mandela Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Winnie Mandela - Movie Review Example A terrorist also depicts a person using terror, intimidation, and violence to achieve an end. The presence of different definitions and understanding of terrorism depicts several levels of complexities in terrorism. The study aims at reviewing the levels of complexities in the film, Winnie Mandela that aimed at expounding the role played by Winnie Mandela in the fight for South Africa’s fight for freedom. There are several ways in which the film, Winnie Mandela portrays terrorism with the definition evident from watching the film being the use of violence or threat of violence to achieve an end. One of the designations of terrorism evident in the film, Winnie Mandela, is violence against others as a measure of achieving a cause. This is evident when Winnie Mandela played by Jennifer Hudson perpetrates violence against opponents. The implication of Winnie Mandela of a teenager’s murder is a designation of terrorism since the main reason for the murder is to send a message to dissenters and informers who would face death and other forms of violence. The film provides that terrorism involves the use of violence to achieve a cause, which in the case of Winnie was to oppose the government through using violence against those who opposed her and the Mandela United Football Club. The use of violence in the achievement of the aim evidences terrorism as aimed at achieving the intended aim using all means necessary. The statement, â€Å"with our boxes of matches and our necklaces, we shall liberate this country†, depicting the use of old tires on informants’ necks and burning them alive depicts violence. Terrorism is also designated as an act of defiance aimed at achieving the goals designed despite the consequences. The film uses the actions of Winnie Mandela to depict defiance through her decision to engage in violence against her deserters. The decision is contrary to the requirements and believes of her husband Nelson Mandela and is well

The Federal Reserve Bank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Federal Reserve Bank - Research Paper Example ng saving money foundations, keeping up the steadiness of the budgetary framework and giving monetary administrations to depository organizations, the U.S. government, and foreign official establishments. This paper explores numerous issues such as the history, purposes, structure and the available tools for the Fed. The Fed traces its inceptions to 1791, when Congress urged the Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton to establish the first U.S. bank. The first bank was headquartered in Philadelphia; the bank was given a twenty-year contract; however, numerous agrarian-minded Americans were uncomfortable with the ideology as they suggested this would affect the management of the central bank. They decided to restrict it, but the Congress declined through a single vote, and it was renewed in 1811 (Paul, 1996). Congress later created a national bank in 1816, in light of the expansion that came about because of the increment in banknotes printed to pay off the obligation occasioned by the War of 1812. Somewhat more than ten years after its opening, nonetheless, the new bank came into the line of sight of Andrew Jackson, who attempted to slaughter it after he was chosen president in 1828. After the second bank collapsed, state-sanctioned and uncharted â€Å"public banks† flourished. These banks issued their own notes, redeemable in gold or silver. Given that the National Banking Act, passed in 1863, attempted to provide a measure of cash strength, bank runs and money related frenzies stayed necessary into the mid-twentieth century. This was an episode of theory on Wall Street that bottomed out in 1907 (Paul, 1996). The advanced Fed follows its establishing to President Wilson, who came up with a group of counsels that created the proposition which eventually turned into the Federal Reserve Act, passed by Congress in 1913. The seven unique individuals from the FRB sit for a gathering representation, soon after being confirmed. They incorporate the first Chairman of the

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example Organisational Behaviour is a vast subject, catering to studies pertaining to employees; their motivation strategies, their productivity, their dedication to the organisation they work in, their emotional complexities, the role of workplace environment and peers. Indeed Organisational Behaviour is a detailed research-based subject for determining the factors influencing workplace settings and employees and how to increase their productivity. Hence, for organisational welfare, the knowledge of organizational behavior is unquestionably important. Traditional Organisational Behaviour theories, or initial theories, had been sufficient to cater to the traditional organisational settings. Originally, before the technological advent of computers and the never ending internet connectivity, organisations meant a workplace divided into numerous cubicles with the employees milling about their regular office chores, only leaving their cubicles during lunchtime, and at times working overtime thro ugh the night in their respective offices. Supervision was generally done by observing the employee performance through the tinted cubicle glasses, providing assistance and motivation on spot. However, with rapid technological advancements in the form of software developments and easily available internet connectivity, the typical meaning of â€Å"organisation† and â€Å"workplace† has also evolved. Dictionary.com now defines ‘organisation’ as â€Å"a business or administrative concern united and constructed for a particular end†, with no reference to the physical aspect of the organisation. Technological advancements has made â€Å"work-from-home† possible, just as â€Å"carrying office around† is possible due to the development of gadgets. People do not spend night time working in offices, and most organisations do not have an office space for all their employees – â€Å"working at a distance† has gained popularity as a part of increasing efficiency and cost-cutting strategies of all businesses. This has posed significant challenges to the traditional organisational behaviour theories, posing contemporary issues evolved due to the change in work environments. Firstly, due to technological developments, work can hardly be uniquely distinguished from life. Organisations have undergone immense structural reforms like de-layering, outsourcing, atomisation, casualisation, horizontal linkages, devolution etc. (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006, p.18-19). Each of these reformations have caused a change in organisational and employees’ behaviour and hence posed challenges to the organisational behaviour theories. De-layering implies the elimination of middle level management due to technical support, flattening the organisational structure of hierarchy and increasing lower level management coordination directly with the top-level management (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006, p.18-19). Traditionally, middle le vel managers have served the purpose of buffering the communication between the upper and lower levels of management. Outsourcing implies part of an organisation’s value chain being produced by other organisation collaboratively (Murray, Poole & Jones, 2006, p.18-19). This phenomenon has recently spring to light after the worldwide economic crisis

Dangers of Escalation of Commitment in Accounting

Dangers of Escalation of Commitment in Accounting This report analyses the issue of escalation of commitment to a course of action from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry. Escalation can be defined as a situation where a failing venture is supplied with additional resources beyond the point of feasibility. As such, escalation carries substantial dangers for organisations by generating avoidable economic losses. The report inquiries into the generic causes of escalation by examining subject literature. Accordingly psychological, social, organisational and project-specific factors are identified as common escalation activators. Exploration into the particulars of the said industry categorises profitability issues, market performance concerns, maturing products portfolio alongside development pipeline conditions as features amplifying pharma companies vulnerability to escalation. The point is supported by real-life case examples located in the appendix. Appreciation of escalation causes allows for development of effective prevention policies. The report suggests preventive measures aimed at reducing the occurrence of escalation triggers, such as challenging the individual and social causes. Approaches for reducing other factors impact on decision-making are outlined in the form of strategy alteration as well as process management policies. The report finalises with suggestions on escalating situations management. Statement of Reference The aim of this 2000-word report is to inquiry the causes and dangers of escalation of commitment to a course of action from the perspective of pharmaceutical companies. This report is to assess the dangers of escalation of commitment to a chosen course of action through the perspective of pharmaceutical companies. In order to achieve the aim set, the paper first analyses the definition and threats arising from the phenomenon of escalation. Next, following the framework proposed by Ross Staw (1993) generic causes of escalation are summarised. Subsequently, the report looks at industry- and drug development-specific escalation triggers in an attempt to identify why the pharmaceutical companies are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of escalation of commitment. Then, escalation prevention provisions organised around tackling previously identified triggers are outlined. The report concludes with suggestions concerning the issue of escalating situation management. Escalation of commitment: Definition and dangers Escalation can be defined as a situation where an individual over-commits resources to a failing venture after receiving negative feedback on its performance. Having an option to discontinue, the decision-maker forgoes rational behaviour and devotes more money, time or effort in a false belief that greater involvement will bring the project to successful completion (Staw, 1981). Some examination suggests that escalation as such should not be automatically assigned negative connotation. Low level of employee commitment is also damaging to organisational performance; background factors might justify over-commitment (Heath, 1995). Another view assumes escalation to be a natural feature of the business decision-making that should be treated as an unavoidable expense (Bowen, 1987). The dominant notion supported by extensive research suggests that escalation of commitment should be acted against (Brockner, 1992) because of carrying dangers of: Ultimately leading to multiplication of avoidable losses; Introducing irrational decision-making; Undermining the basic premise of business activity: to maximise gains with minimal costs; Generating substantial opportunity costs Consuming unrecoverable resources, such as time. Appreciation of escalation triggers allows for development of efficient prevention methods aimed at reducing the occurrence of such factors, subsequently protecting the company from the aforementioned detriments. Generic causes of escalation Psychological Initial research suggested that escalation arises primarily from the natural incline of the human being to self-justify behaviour. Supplying the course of action with additional resources serves as unconscious defence technique: the individual reassures him/herself that the original decision made was rational (Staw, 1976). Self-justification need is heightened if the decision-maker holds responsibility for the resource allocation (Staw, 1981), which is typical for investment decision setting. Prospect theory applied to escalation suggests that self-justification is not vital prerequisite for its occurrence. Escalation is induced by the decision-maker using a frame to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty of results. The decision-maker views subsequent decisions in reference to outcomes of initial judgements in order to produce a coherent frame. The negative feedback on the initial resource allocation results in the subsequent distribution being viewed as a choice between definite and possible loss, or a negative frame. Subsequently individuals are prone to escalation by becoming risk-seeking: failing to accept a definite loss even at the cost of incurring greater in the future (Whyte, 1986). How the decision-maker perceives incurred costs, constitutes another escalation trigger (Garland Newport, 1991). Following prospects theory, the sunk costs effect suggests that costs incurred viewed in relation to the total expenditure induce a negative frame, leading to escalating behaviour. Linked with that, the dislike of waste provides another motivation to supply the course of action further, rather than face a definite loss (Arkes Blumer, 1985). Interestingly, excitement about the project outcomes (Schmidt Calantone, 2002), and sunk-time effect ­ (Navarro Fantino, 2009) aid escalation occurrence. Social Importantly, the aforementioned need to justify the correctness of behaviour is not limited to the individual and applies to the wider social context (Staw, 1976). Maintaining an image of a consistent decision-maker among peers proves equally, or more, important to meeting self-justification needs. The desire to obtain social approval is exacerbated under insecurity of the social status in the group, or in a presence of an adverse crowd (Staw, 1976). In such instances the individual is likely to model his/her behaviour to reproduce the model endorsed by the audience (Brockner, 1992). As the group replicates leader stereotypes that emphasize the need for decision-makers to be consistent in actions in order to be perceived as competent (Staw Ross, 1980), the individual aspiring to achieve consistency with the stereotypical image will over-commit not to distort others belief in their leadership potential, and to reaffirm position in the group structure. Intra- or inter- group competition can indicate escalation. The focus is shifted away from objective assessment of the possible outcomes of a chosen decision onto the motivation to win. The need to do whatever it takes to get a step ahead of the competitors introduces scope for irrationality and escalation as such irrational behaviour is common to both of the parties involved (Bazerman, 2006). Organisational Projects receiving strong organisational support are prone to escalation (Pfeffer, 1981 in Ross Staw, 1993), as the decision-makers identify them with the existence of organisation itself. Furthermore, the centrality of the project to organisational values and its entrenchment in the organisational structure account for the projects being continued despite reservations (Goodman et al., 1980 in Ross Staw, 1993). Unwinding the supporting infrastructure might threaten the very basis of working organisational structure; induce change that is often associated with risks and dangers. The costs of acceptance of status quo are perceived as minor to the potential dangers of modified environment. Maintaining reputation and consistency between values and actions prove to constitute forces inducing over-commitment from organisational perspective (Ross Staw, 1993). Companies having publicly announced success might be more hesitant to admit failure and discontinue with the course of action. Project-specific High development costs and risky market performance of the finished product, the acceptance of failures and losses as a feature of the RD process, and reluctance of decision-makers to emotionally detach from the prolonged projects account for greater escalation exposure of RD projects (Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Low potential reusability (Staw Ross, 1993) of the generated output results in reluctance to discontinue the venture in order to avoid waste. Negative framing induces the perception of exit costs, such as compensation packages as definite waste, leading to escalation. The advancement of the project on a timeline constitutes another threat due to sunk-cost effect (Navarro Fantino, 2009). Projects reaching advanced stages of development would be discontinued reluctantly because of accumulation of used resources, including time, and the perception of imminent availability of the anticipated gains. Industry-specific Escalation Triggers Profitability issues Recent data suggests that pharmaceutical companies are to face decline in profit figures in forthcoming years (Datamonitor, 2010). This can be attributed to steadily increasing drug development costs: the costs producing the final product exceed $1 billion, with as few as 20% of successful product entries achieving the break-even point (Innovation.org, 2010). Estimates suggest that pharmaceutical companies should launch two to four drugs annually to maintain steady profit margins (Gassmann Reepmeyer, 2005). However, due to high attrition rates the overall success of organisations strategy is often reliant on the success of a single project (Kola Landis, 2004). These factors pressurise the companies to continue with projects and disregard arising reservations to maintain profitability. Maturing product portfolio The reduction in new component approvals can be partially attributed to strengthening drug registration requirements. Other explanation lies in the controversial innovation deficit experienced by the industry (Schmid Smith, 2004). Lower innovation figures account for pharmaceutical companies being faced with maturing product portfolio. Consequently, the companies engage in a variety of innovative projects overly-optimistically assessing their revenue potential, failing to discontinue when reservations arise. Eventually, the companies face greater losses as the projects fail to generate anticipated revenues, but incurring avoidable losses (Appendix: Dimebon case). Concerns for market performance The pressure to persist is further reinforced by the need to be consistent with companys vision (Ross Staw, 1993). Endorsing the projects demonstrates consistence with the mission statement; reaffirms the reputation as well as reassures the market and investors on following the profitable trail. However, forgoing ethical and safety aspects of drug delivery over concerns for market performance and cost-cutting proves detrimental (Appendix: GSK Puerto Rico Plant). Development pipeline conditions The specificity of the drug development pipeline further adds to the vulnerability to the dangers of escalation of commitment. The drug development time is estimated to surpass 10 years, with the costs amplifying as the project progresses (Accenture, 2007). This suggests heightened emotional attachment and excitement towards results, as well as existence of supporting infrastructure as powerful motivators of escalation. Attrition figures reveal that escalation is common in the industry as the most projects are withdrawn after reaching the most cost intensive stage of advanced clinical trials that precedes the registration process; or are recalled after reaching the patient due to safety concerns that have been ignored earlier on (Kola Landis, 2004) (Appendix: Avandia case). Escalation: how to prevent it? Tackling individual and social causes Perhaps introduce appraisal procedures emphasizing ones ability to build on past actions, rather than progression of the project. This will reduce managers fear of negative consequences if the project fails. Confidential treatment of sensitive matters, such as personal failures, will reduce the reputation retention motivation for escalation (Simonson Staw, 1992). Consider developing positive leader stereotypes supported by convergent organisational values emphasizing the rationality of decision-making. Furthermore, introducing panel decision-making procedures contribute to preventing escalation by reducing individual responsibility for the decision taken (Simonson Staw, 1992; Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Inviting members of relevant departments allows for assessing the projects success potential from a variety of angles limiting scope for escalation to arise. Ponder developing neutral decision frames by rotating managers in charge of the project so that different individuals held responsibility for initial and subsequent resources allocations (Simonson Staw, 1992). Additionally, foster for emotional detachment from sunk costs by introducing training in mental budgeting (Heath, 1995). Project evaluation and management Clear and achievable targets should be set out at the project initiation alongside exit points at various stages of progression (Schmid Smith, 2004). Measuring projects performance against set aims; assessing the efficiency with which resources yield results at the selected points allows for early estimation whether the project is following the anticipated pathway, thus allowing to avoid greater losses. Consider adopting attrite early strategy (Schmid Smith, 2004) as companys motto. Consider participation in multi-stakeholder analysis projects evaluating the potential value of innovative drug projects at early stages of development such as the consultations conducted within the European Healthcare Innovation Leadership Network (AstraZeneca, 2010). Ponder involving external parties in the project (Schmidt Calantone, 2002). Perhaps engage auditors to assess the success projects success potential at its outset or to devise effective contingency planning. This will ensure objectivity and independence of organisational politics. Consider outsourcing the project to subcontractors to avoid its institutionalisation in the organisational structure. Alternating middle-to-long-term strategy Consider renewing existing product portfolio and engagement in me-too drug developments. This ensures steady revenue generation from inelastic demand segments (Ganuza et al., 2009) and carries less risk comparing to reliance on anticipated gains from innovative compounds. Estimations suggest that involvement in drug-related sectors or focusing on advancement in licensed compounds constitute a potentially profitable alternative (Schmid Smith, 2004). Consider GSKs involvement in healthcare brands as an example. Managing Escalation Suppose the escalating situation arises, consider replacing the project manager or establishing panel assessment in order to remove the negative thinking frame, rid off the potential self-justification needs and assess realistically projects success potential (Simonson Staw, 1992). Consequently, ponder engaging external consultants to develop plausible solutions and introduce other point of view independent of the political and organisational influence. Otherwise, evaluate potential salvage value of the project towards establishing uses other than the initial one anticipated (Appendix: Viagra case). Furthermore, consider whether external financial support for advanced research is available; and if is feasible to use towards accomplishment of the projects aims. Otherwise, ponder engaging in partnership with a company undertaking research in similar compound in order to combine knowhow and reduce costs. Appendix Avandia case Recent withdrawal of GSKs highly innovative and best-selling diabetes drug, Avandia, in EU was caused by the linkages with deaths by heart failures among the patients on the medication (FT.com, 2010b). Allegedly, the company was aware of the severity of adverse effects, however launched the drug to the market (Avandia Recall News, 2010). Estimations suggest that GSK could face between $1.1bn and $6bn in compensation costs (FT.com, 2010a) that could have been avoided had the company ceased the project when safety concerns were brought to light. Additionally, bad publicity incurred after the allegations surfaced resulted in fall of GSK share prices, and the company facing negative profit accounts (FT.com, 2010c). Dimebon case Pfizer has recently withdrawn from advanced clinical trials (undertaken in partnership with Medivation) of highly anticipated Alzheimers disease cure, Dimebon, after the drug exhibited no promising therapeutic results (MedScape Medical News, 2010). The reservations about the curative properties of the compound have been raised at early stages of the process. It is assumed that the logic behind Dimebons miraculous effects was never properly investigated. Furthermore, similar compounds failed in previous trials (ABC News online, 2010). Escalating behaviour in such case could be linked to Pfizer losing patent rights the currently marketed Alzheimers treatment, Aricept and was in need of a profitable replacement. As a result of failure to investigate and evaluate promptly, Pfizer has incurred $725 million in RD costs (the Economist.com, 2010). GSK Puerto Rico Plant case GSK is reported to pay $750m in penalty payment to US government and other claimants following allegations on manufacturing malpractice and failure to adhere to safety standards in production plant in Puerto Rico. The allegations regarding mal-adjusted doses of active ingredients and ineffectiveness of drugs submitted to government programmes were revealed by a former employee and resulted in the company being charged with a criminal offence (Wall Street Journal Law Blog, 2010). Viagra case Initially Viagra was developed as a cordial drug aimed at decreasing blood pressure and preventing cardiac arrests. Clinical trials unexpectedly revealed potentially exploitable and marketable properties of the drug: high effectiveness in fighting erectile dysfunction in men. In the six months following its launch as a revolutionary treatment, in 1998 Viagra worldwide sales have exceeded  £300 million (BBCnews.com, 1999).

Critical Response- George Orwells Shooting And Elephant :: essays research papers

Critical Response Essay I class, we read a short story by George Orwell called Shooting an Elephant. It was a story about courage, judgment, and the pressure of peers. I personally did not like this story. I found it boring, pointless, and just another "hasn’t -this -happened -to -you" story about nothing. However, it was very well written, and if I had to critically respond to this story, I would praise the author on a number of things. The story opens by describing the relationship between the town and himself, a sort of sub-division police officer of the town. Description is definetly not lacking in the opening, as words such as "aimless", and "petty" are used to describe the town, and the way it treats it officers. It descriibes the kind of ignorance the town has to outsiders and anyone they do not "approve of". The story opens well, and clarifies right away, the who, what, where, when, why and how. No questions are asked and all confusions are quickly abolished. The second paragraph describes very vividly how he the narrator feels about his job choice, and his views on the village. He says "†¦I was stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible". The narrator not only is in a place where he hates, but he also hates the people he works with, and works for! Wow, how’d he end up there? Basically, the story line goes along to tell the tale of an elephant that needs to be killed, because it got out of the zoo and endagers the community. The story describes how the main character feels about himself and the pressures of the community. A showdown climaxes the storyline between the elephant and the narrator, and the entire village is there to witness and entice the main character. Critical Response- George Orwells Shooting And Elephant :: essays research papers Critical Response Essay I class, we read a short story by George Orwell called Shooting an Elephant. It was a story about courage, judgment, and the pressure of peers. I personally did not like this story. I found it boring, pointless, and just another "hasn’t -this -happened -to -you" story about nothing. However, it was very well written, and if I had to critically respond to this story, I would praise the author on a number of things. The story opens by describing the relationship between the town and himself, a sort of sub-division police officer of the town. Description is definetly not lacking in the opening, as words such as "aimless", and "petty" are used to describe the town, and the way it treats it officers. It descriibes the kind of ignorance the town has to outsiders and anyone they do not "approve of". The story opens well, and clarifies right away, the who, what, where, when, why and how. No questions are asked and all confusions are quickly abolished. The second paragraph describes very vividly how he the narrator feels about his job choice, and his views on the village. He says "†¦I was stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible". The narrator not only is in a place where he hates, but he also hates the people he works with, and works for! Wow, how’d he end up there? Basically, the story line goes along to tell the tale of an elephant that needs to be killed, because it got out of the zoo and endagers the community. The story describes how the main character feels about himself and the pressures of the community. A showdown climaxes the storyline between the elephant and the narrator, and the entire village is there to witness and entice the main character.

Nature of Probability and Statistics Essay

Descriptive statistics consists of the collection, organization, summarization, and presentation of data. Inferential statistics consists of generalizing from samples to populations, performing estimations hypothesis testing, determining relationships among variables, and making predictions. (Probability, Hypothesis testing, relationships between variables, predictions) Probability is the chance of an event occurring. A population consists of all subjects that are being studied. A sample is a group of subjects selected from a population. Variables and Types of Data In order to gain knowledge about seemingly haphazard events, statisticians collect information for variables that describe the events. A variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume different values. Data are the values that variables can assume. A data set is a collection of data values. Each value in the data set is called a data value or a datum. Random variables have values that are determined by chance. 1 M227 Chapter 1 Nature of Probability and Statistics Qualitative variables can be placed into distinct categories according to some characteristic or attribute. Quantitative variables are numerical in nature and can be ordered or ranked. Quantitative variables can be further classified into two groups. o Discrete variables assume values that can be counted. o Continuous variables can assume all values between any two specific values. (Discuss boundaries: ex. recorded height of 73 has boundary of 72. 5 ? x < 73. 5 ) Levels of Measurement: Variables are classified by how are organized, counted, or measured: Nominal—classifies data into mutually exclusive (nonoverlapping), exhausting categories in which no order or ranking can be imposed on the data. Ordinal—classifies data into categories that can be ranked; however, precise differences between the ranks do not exist. Interval—ranks data, and precise differences between units of measure do exist; however, there is no meaningful zero. Ratio—possesses all the characteristics of interval measurement, and there exists a true zero. Data Collection and Sampling Techniques Surveys are the most common method of collecting data. Three methods of surveying are: o Telephone surveys o Mailed questionnaire surveys o Personal interviews Direct Observations or surveying records Methods to obtain unbiased samples: o Random samples are selected using chance methods or random methods. o Systematic samples are obtained by numbering each subject of the population and then selecting every kth number. o Stratified samples are obtained by dividing the population into groups according to some characteristic that is important to the study, then sampling from each group. Cluster samples are obtained by using intact groups called clusters. Two main ways to classify statistical studies: In an observational study, the researcher merely observes what is happening or what has happened in the past and tries to draw conclusions based on these observations. In an experimental study, the researcher manipulates one of the variables and tries to determine how the manipulation influ ences other variables. 2 M227 Chapter 1 Nature of Probability and Statistics Statistical studies usually include one or more independent variables and one dependent variable. The independent variable in an axperimental study is the one that is being manipulated by the researcher. The independent variable is also called the explanatory variable. The rsultant variable is called the dependent variable or the random outcome. Uses and Misuses of Statistics Detached statistics Implied connections Misleading graphs Faulty survey questions Computers and Calculators In the past, statistical calculations were done with pencil and paper. However, with the advent of calculators, numerical computations became easier. Excel, MINITAB, and the TI-83 graphing calculator can be used to perform statistical computations.

The People Leisure and Cultures of Blacks During the HArlem Renaissance essays

The People Leisure and Cultures of Blacks During the HArlem Renaissance essays The People, Leisure, and Culture of Blacks It seems unfair that the pages of our history books or even the lecturers in majority of classrooms speak very little of the accomplishments of blacks. They speak very little of a period within black history in which many of the greatest musicians, writers, painters, and influential paragon' emerged. This significant period in time was known as the Harlem Renaissance. Blacks attained the opportunity to work at upper-class jobs, own their own homes, and establish status among themselves. To no ones surprise, they still were not accepted into the so called upper-class of white society, but they neither worried nor became distressed over the fact. They created societies of their own which opened doors for blacks to attain opportunities that were absolutely unheard of, just before the Renaissance. It was from this same society where the beautiful melodies of jazz emerged. Colleagues and peers of their own race, which created a powerful bond between them, accepted Blacks. The at titudes which prompted the movement were those that came about because of the beginning of : (1) the nationalist tendencies of the time, (2) the movement of black Americans from slavery to freedom and from rural to city living, (3) Afro- Americans renewed pride in their African heritage, and (4) the influences of the period bounded by the close of the Civil War and the economic collapse of the 1930s. From education, to the stage of Broadway, to music, and to a revived race, blacks possessed more intelligence, talent, and ingenuity then they will ever be given credit for and it all began with the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was the greatest of literary periods in which creativity and vehemence were clearly expressed. Literature was no longer a white write looking at the black experience from his/h...

A System Analyst essays

A System Analyst essays A Systems Analyst analyses, designs and implements the information gathered previously to a system, the final product which is a report of yearly sales, profits, etc. The first thing a Systems Analyst does is to interview the company which wants the report, (called the user) to find out what kind of report they want, format, etc. They must find whether the report is feasible or not, and to find out, they do an analysis of the project. To analyze the project, they must find out where are they going to get the information, how, when is the project going to be done, etc. They then design the system, which is to make a 'skeleton' of the project. They write specifications, of what is to be in the final report. They do flowcharting, specifications for the programmers of the report, and development control. Development control is where the Systems Analyst works with the programmers along a critical path. A critical path is like a due date, if the report is to be done in thirty days, the Systems Analyst makes sure the report is done in thirty days. The Systems Analyst also follows the first analysis of when the project will be finished. The critical path also calculates how many man hours it will take to finish, etc. A critical path flowchart also helps the programmers along. After the development is finished and a prototype of the report is finished, the Systems Analyst helps the programmers in testing the program for bugs. This is similar to quality control. The Systems Analyst helps to makes sure the work is done until the final report is achieved. Once the final report is finished and free of bugs, it is sent to the user. The Systems Analyst has a big job to do, he/she is responsible for the design, the development, and implementation of the report, ie: what purpose will it serve, presentation, etc. The Systems Analyst creates and helps finish the final product, making all the specifications and charts for what ...

Alternate Universe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alternate Universe - Essay Example After what felt like three and a half years, the numbness eased. I was not even aware as to why that was happening. Everything around me was white. So pure, so serene and tranquil, yet I felt like screaming. I felt trapped; Trapped because of my own deeds. I didn't even know what I had done to deserve this. My brain reverberated against my skull. My limbs hurt. My voice was not even soft enough to be heard by ultrasound-sensitive animals. Suddenly, three people clad in white lab coats entered the high-ceilinged room. They were talking in hurried whispers. At that point, the only sound that I could hear was my beating heart, running faster than a bullet train; almost feeling like it was going to leap out of my chest. Despite this, there was some sort of assurance about those three beings; I didn’t know who they were, however, it didn't feel like it was going to get worse. On the contrary, I felt like I was going to be out of that place soon. In fact, all I wanted was to be back within the safety of my bed and warm blanket; even to be with my family and hug them. I hadn’t felt these emotions in a long time, and it was astonishing to watch myself repent on the paucity of time that I had spent in that aspect of my life. The three, individuals in lab coats, seemed to be emanating a warm aura. I needed the assurance more than anything especially at that point in time because despite being confident, my heart wasn't convinced enough. It thumped fast. It beat against my chest.... On the contrary, I felt like I was going to be out of that place soon. In fact, all I wanted was to be back within the safety of my bed and warm blanket; even to be with my family and hug them. I hadn’t felt these emotions in a long time, and it was astonishing to watch myself repent on the paucity of time that I had spent in that aspect of my life. The three, individuals in lab coats, seemed to be emanating a warm aura. I needed the assurance more than anything especially at that point of time because despite being confident, my heart wasn't convinced enough. It thumped fast. It beat against my chest. I could hear my heartstrings come undone. It felt as if my aortic pump wanted to leap out of the sole window in the room, and reach out to the world that was waiting for me. The hushed voices used the word death way too many times to even fit the few sentences they muttered under their breaths. They appeared to have a mini squabble of some kind. There was a woman among the three people, and there was some sort of joy that I got by knowing that; her voice was very much like my mother’s voice; mellifluous. I could almost imagine her break into a sing-song with her words; but then again my brain was acting fuzzy and I wasn’t thinking right. She couldn’t be my mother; whatever would my mother be doing in a place like this?! The woman, nevertheless, knew that I was safe and alive. I had a strong sense, she did. She kept providing the men with a clear indication regarding the same thought and stopped them twice from reaching out to me. They were so far, yet so close. But something told me I was going to make it. Make it where? That, even I didn’t have

Immigration In The US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration In The US - Essay Example   The constant acculturation causes a hybrid culture as both minority and majority culture traits are fused together while assimilation assumes a majority static culture that has to be adopted by smaller ethnic groups but discounts the influence of small ethnic groups on the majority culture.  Pluralism encourages group diversity along with maintenance of group boundaries and can be seen as opposed to assimilation. Structural pluralism holds that segregated communities exist within the larger cultures who conduct social relations internally through localized institutions. In contrast, liberal pluralism allows the individual to choose how pluralist one wants to be such as many people associate with ethnic traits and practices generations after immigration. The resistance by Euro-Americans is available as evidence of pluralism such as by marriage within local groups only.  Transnationalism is the creation of combined plural civic and political memberships, economic involvements, social networks and cultural identities which link people and institutions in more than one diverse nation state in a multi-layered pattern. Immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s created a back and forth movement of immigrants who helped move cultural values across borders through effective means of communication and transport. Such immigrants developed trans-local boundaries in order to protect the ideas of citizenship and belonging to their mother countries. Changes in the early twentieth century ensured that immigrants developed a plural identity in America and their mother state’s without fear of opposition. The present day transnationalism is far more diverse and encompasses private and public spheres of operation. Second generations of transnational immigrants display mobility in parental ethnic groups as well as in America society. The best method for immigrants to adapt to the host society derives through a combination of pluralism an d transnationalism. Immigrants cannot be expected to revoke their ethnic, cultural and religious ties to the mother country within a few short years of arrival in the host country. Instead the immigrants hold onto their identities in the form of transnatinoalism while the host society has to display pluralism in order to make the immigrants more accepted in society. The use of assimilation would on the other hand lead to friction between immigrants and host societies as a revocation of values is deemed necessary for cultural integration. Do women have more to gain or more to lose from migration (for instance, compared to men)? You can think about this issue in terms of the causes of migration, the relative difficulty/ease of migrating for women, the occupational and economic status of women migrants in the host society, or the impact of migration on women’s social status within the family/household. Women like men stand to gain and lose at the same time due to immigration but their losses are considerably greater than those experienced by men.

Project Motorcycles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Motorcycles - Assignment Example Before starting the production process of the new touring class motorcycle, the company should conduct proper market research, mainly primary research. For this purpose they need to study the market for indentifying the target segment of the available products of the competitors. This will help them to identify whether any existing category of motorcycles is available in the market that satisfy the same need of the customer what they are thinking to offer. Therefore, by conducting effective market the management of the company can easily understand the feasibility and possible demand of this touring motorcycle. Again they can identify a competency which they can use as effective promotional tool. Next step of the new development process is development and implementation of efficient project management strategy. The management of the company should employ an efficient and experienced project manager for this new product development process. The roles and responsibility of the project is very crucial for overall success of this kind of bid project.First of all the project manager needs to identify the suppliers of major raw material and accessories. They also need to engage efficient suppliers for the high power or higher CC engine if they decide not to manufacture the engine. There are many automobile companies that outsource the manufacturing of main part of car or motorcycle i.e. engine and use those in their own products by tagging their own brand name. Next important step of the process is getting skilled labor especially for the technical works in the manufacturing process. Employees with different technical skills are required for the whole process staring from manufacturing of each of the body part of the motorcycle to assembling the motorcycles. Though, now a day, the automated assembling processes have been used but to run that advanced system, skilled labor are required. According to the case the organization is a new quite new in this industry and it is a mid size company. Therefore, the management needs to develop cost effective budget for this project. According to the budget the project management team needs to focus on comparatively low cost manufacturing of these motorcycles. For this purpose they need to engage suppliers of raw materials with low barraging power. Again, as this segment is for touring purposes, so stability of engine as

Uses Of Laboratory Information Management Systems Essay Example for Free

Uses Of Laboratory Information Management Systems Essay An a scientific workplace many pieces of important data are being based around. The use of computers can now help by using specialist software called Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). A LIMS system is like an electronic filing cabinet with advanced security. It can allow data in any form to be inputted and shared with company’s customisation. Depending on the LIMS it can be accessed via a personal or company handheld drive (smartphone/tablet). There are various types of software available for storing scientific data but the most commonly used ones in modern laboratories are the following: WinLIMS is Laboratory Information Management System. WinLims creates LIMS a realistic option for even the smallest of laboratories. The following screenshot below is of WinLIMS, where it is showing the implementation of the data. http://www. lims-software. com/images/1/16/WinLIMS. ASP-from-QSI. jpg Picture 1 * Labsoft LabSoft is well designed laboratory information management system (LIMS) that boasts built-in tools and the ability to collaborate with other digitised business systems (e. g. Order Processing, Data Historians). LabSoft is a comprehensive feature set empowers to build an integrated solution that fully exploits laboratory data yielding higher quality. The following screenshot below is of LabSoft, where it is showing the graphs after the implementation of the data. In a scientific workplace it is vital and necessary to be able to safely store (meaning people inside and out of company don’t get hold off information they shouldn’t know)and then retrieve scientific data generated by that workplace and also data from other sources (scientific literature, for example). Heads of department, deputies, and those working in the laboratories. Scientific apparatus Data such as date of purchase (for warranty and sell by dates), maintenance data (when a product was repaired of tested and the results of such test) and schedules for maintenance. Heads of department, deputies and those involved in the schedules. Waste disposal To show what and how much waste is produced and how it is disposed of. This can be used for health and safety reasons so that there aware were the staff are putting it making sure it can’t fall into the wrong hands or damaging the environment. Stores technicians and those involved in disposal; heads of department may need to authorise costs of disposal. Health safety checks To show that health and safety is being monitored and to hold accident reports if necessary. This protects the company so no false allegations can be made and if they are proof can be found to prove innocence. Heads of department, health and safety officers and possibly others who have special responsibility. Training records To know the level of training or qualification of members of staff, and to keep and maintain a record of training required and completed by staff. This allows outside members to check to see the level that employers are trained as well as allowing employees to check for them self’s. Training officer, heads of department, supervisors, human resource department and individual members of staff. Quality assurance To be able to show that quality procedures are being carried out (for audit purposes). This protects the company so no false allegations can be made and if they are proof can be found to prove it meet the standard. Head of department, quality officers and those with special responsibility. Report records Reports following tests for GPs or hospital records, or for use in developing new medicines, etc. This also allows you to search for past similar symptoms and treatment. Office support personnel will usually be responsible for recording results, with access needed by clinical staff (in a clinical environment); report records in this setting wouldn’t usually be subject to change by anyone.

Zebrafish in Toxicology Research: Advantages and Limitations

Zebrafish in Toxicology Research: Advantages and Limitations The abuse of psychoactive substances is a serious public health problem and understands the brain disorder induced by psychoactive substances is an important challenge in biomedical research that requires extensive clinical and preclinical investigation (Neelkantan et al. 2013; Stewart et al. 2011). Recreate the complex network of neurochemical interactions in organisms in vitro is not possible, especially for psychotropic drugs (Riehl et al. 2010). In this way, experimental animal models is a important tool for investigation of the toxicology and chemistry of the drugs of abuse. Animal models in toxicological and pharmacological research using mammals present high cost, consumes large amounts of chemical compounds and are laborious to perform the tests and maintenance of animals. In this context, animal models such as the zebrafish, which outweigh these disadvantages, are an interesting and promising alternative in research. Since the 1970s, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is used in research in neuroscience and developmental biology (Serra et al. 1999). In the 1990’s, zebrafish were used for the first vertebrate large scale mutagenesis screen. In last few years, the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in scientific research has increased rapidly in other science fields, including Pharmacology and Toxicology (Chakhaborty et al. 2009). The zebrafish represents an interasting model for integration of research of genetic, neural and behavioral aspects (Miklà ³si and Andrew, 2006). The coupling between behavioral assays and analytical and molecular techniques permits the elucidation of mechanisms of toxicity, the test of new drugs for therapeutic treatments and the study of new drugs (Tierney et al. 2011). The aim of this paper is to outline recent developments and futures perspectives in drugs of abuse research with zebrafish, in Experimental and Analytical Toxicology. Zebrafish as a new animal model in Toxicology: advantages and limitations The zebrafish is a small tropical fish native of northern India and adjacent countries. Many factors and animal characteristics make zebrafish an attractive and efficient model to analyze the mechanisms of action and effects of drugs in general (Chakhaborty et al. 2009). Zebrafish and humans share about 75% of their genome and have physiological similarity (Chakhaborty et al. 2009, Zhu et al. 2014). Genome, transcriptome and proteome of zebrafish have been widely studied and described (Maximino et al. 2010). The similarity level between zebrafish and humans is also observed in the nervous system (Mathur and Guo, 2010). Zebrafish are small (at adulthood, 2.5 – 4.0 cm) and maintenance costs of this fish in laboratory are considerably low, permitting logistical and economical advantages over rodent models (Key and Devine, 2003). The fertility rate and the number of embryos generated are higher those in mammalian models (Chakhaborty et al. 2009). In general, an adult female can produce 200-300 eggs and reproduce 2 or 3 times per week (Blaser and Gerlai, 2006; Gerlai 2003; Patton and Zon, 2001; Zon and Peterson, 2005). The zebrafish cycle of life and development period is well-characterized and short (3 to 4 months) (Cadet, 2009; Hill et al. 2005). The body is formed in the first 24 hours post fertilization (hpf) and the internal organs are fully developed at 96 hpf (Chakhaborty et al. 2009; De Esch et al. 2012b; Ninkovic and Bally-Cuif, 2006b; Parng et al. 2002; Patton and Zon, 2001). The development outside of the uterus and the optical transparency of eggs and tissues during embryogenesis allows the visualization of tissues and organs in vivo, making possible the visual analyses in real time of early developmental processes, organ morphology and dysfunctions caused by drugs of abuse and quantification of cell proliferation and cell death in specific tissues (Chakhaborty et al. 2009; Friedrich et al. 2010; Hill et al. 2002; Ingham 2009; Miklà ³si and Andrew, 2006;; Mathur and Guo, 2010; Ninkovic et al. 2006b; Parng et al. 2002; Patton and Zon, 2001; Peterson and MacRae, 2012; Xu et al. 2011). In addition, blastomeres of zebrafish are large and stable for biophysical and electrophysiological assays (Zhu et al. 2014). The zebrafish has become a widely utilized model organism in pharmacological and toxicological research, particularly due to evidence that they may share with humans and other mammals some key receptors targeted by drugs of abuse (Miller et al. 2014). In addition, zebrafish are highly social animals which enables them to display robust behavioral responses, such as shoaling, aggression and social preference, and emerge as a sensitive alternative model to investigation of drugs of abuse-evoked states (Cachat et al. 2013; Pham et al. 2012). Another advantage is that the size of zebrafish provides a rapid absorption of drugs via the gills and leads to bioaccumulation in Central Nervous System (CNS) and other tissues (Echevarria et al. 2008). Zebrafish is amenable to molecular and genetic analysis (Bailey et al. 2013; Chakhaborty et al. 2009; Miklà ³si and Andrew, 2006; Parng et al. 2002). Since genetic mutations can interfere in brain function, the use of molecular and biochemical techniques in zebrafish allows the identification of molecular substrates for drugs in brain and the analysis of function and regulation of the genes, the production of transgenic strains and the induction of specific mutations, inducing overexpressing of the genes or decreasing genes expression (Cadet 2009; Goldsmith 2004; Key and Devine, 2003). Use of zebrafish mutant strains has allowed the understanding of mechanisms and pathways and neural expression of specific genes. Due to the increasing progress in this area, studies of mutant zebrafish have investigated specific behaviors, diseases, deformities and functional processes (Spitsbergen and Kent, 2003). The performance of point mutations in zebrafish, generating mutant lines, enables the molecular investigation of the mechanism of action of drugs of abuse, determining specific receptors and target molecules. Although the model advantages are numerous, some limitations should be considered in the use of zebrafish in toxicological, pharmacological and neuroscience research. The normal or defective functioning of the human brain is complex to be fully modeled in zebrafish brain. Some areas do not have the same degree of development of the mammalian brain, making it difficult to map for mammalian counterparts (Kalueff et al. 2014; Rinkwitz et al. 2011; Stewart et al. 2014). Moreover, the social behavior is not clearly defined in fish larvae (Kalueff et al. 2014; Stewart et al. 2014). Zebrafish has a genome 30-40% tetraploid due to an genome duplication with some of their genes having two copies instead of one as in mammals – and one of these two genes are not represented in the human genome (Alestrà ¶m et al. 2006; Klee et al. 2011; Stewart et al. 2014). One disadvantage associated with the zebrafish model is the fact that some drugs are not soluble in water, making it difficult to administration by immersion. This potential problem can be solved by using organic solvents or other routes of administration (Stewart et al. 2014). In other hand, exposition to drug by immersion reduces the stress-induced by injection (Stewart et al. 2011b). Finally, although the barrier between brain and blood presents development similar to humans, the distribution of some drugs in organism may be different in different species (Stewart et al. 2014). Although the pattern has some limitations, the advantages over conventional models mammals make zebrafish a very interesting alternative in research. In this sense, the use of zebrafish in research involving drugs of abuse, in order to characterize drugs of abuse effects and to quantify these compounds in a biological fluid from the animal is increasing and represents a great target for research. Zebrafish research to study the drugs of abuse The conduct of toxicology research in laboratory animals has become a well-established and essential practice and chemical and toxicological information on chemical compounds and drugs are obtained from the results of these studies (Gad 2007; Olson et al. 2000). The use of animals in research has several advantages: low cost, easily use and functional homology with humans (Gerlai et al. 2010).The animal experiments to predict the action, metabolism and effects of drugs of abuse in humans are extremely important in Toxicology. Introduced as a model for neural development by George Streisinger in the 1960’s, zebrafish has become a promising aquatic model for study of drugs. The zebrafish is an efficient alternative model of drug delivery via the gills, by direct application of drugs in water and posterior submersion of the animal. Between 12 and 14 days after fertilization (dpf), molecular oxygen is mainly absorbed by the skin, suggesting that this is the main route of uptake for small molecules, and after 72 h the embryos begin to swallow indicating the availability of the oral route for absorption of chemical compounds (Goldsmith 2004). Exogenous compounds, such as ethanol, have been shown to rapidly enter in systemic circulation of the fish, demonstrating the high sensitivity of the zebrafish to various psychotropic agents (Dlugos and Rabin, 2003; Echevarria et al 2006; Kyzar et al. 2012). In the larval and embryonic stage, the performance of rapid and high-throughput analysis of multiple behavior s and screening of chemical compounds is possible and suitable (De Esch et al. 2012b; Guo 2009; Richendrfer et al. 2012). The first response to the action of a psychoactive substance is the behavior. In this sense, the zebrafish has been widely used in the development and validation of behavioral assays to different drugs of abuse, due to its sensitivity to drugs and their robust responses. Locomotor activity, learning, sleep, aggression, social and antipredator behavior are some of the observed and well-characterized behavioral parameters in zebrafish (Bailey et al. 2013;Cachat et al. 2013; Guo 2004; Pham et al. 2012; Spitsbergen and Kent, 2003). Endocrine responses to stress in zebrafish are also an important tool for toxicological effects induced by drugs of abuse. In zebrafish, the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis (HPI) is homologous to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), found in mammals and humans, and cortisol is involved in physiological responses to stress situations (Stewart et al. 2010). Another interesting pattern of physiological change for toxicological investigation of drug in zebrafish is the color of the skin. As mammals, fish have cells containing pigments in the collagen layer of the dermis and these cells have hormonal and nervous regulation (Nguyen et al. 2013). In this sense, effects on skin color may contribute in part of the elucidation of the mechanism of action of many drugs of abuse. The toxicity induced by abuse of drugs in the digestive and cardiovascular systems of zebrafish can also be determined. These systems are developed and become fully functional in the first days after fertilization (Patton and Zon, 2001). The characterization and monitoring of blood vessels in embryos is easily achievable (Rubinstein 2003). The heart rate is an indicator of cardiac toxicity widely used. Morphological examination of the heart and digestive organs can be performed to identify organ-specific toxicity of drugs of abuse (Rubinstein 2006). For example, the effects of environmental toxin tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) on heart rate (Henry et al. 1997), the functional lipid metabolism (Farber et al. 2001), the effects of fungicide riphenyltin acetate (APTT) in hepatocytes (Strmac and Braunbeck, 1999) were investigated using histological and immunochemical analysis. The development of analytical techniques to determine compounds of interest in biological fluids zebrafish also plays an important role in the elucidation of mechanisms of action and toxicity of drugs of abuse. Moreover, it is extremely important to develop methods of extraction and concentration of analytes and biomarkers that make possible dosages required to understanding toxicological aspects of these drugs of abuse. The main analytical methods developed to study the drugs of abuse in zebrafish are listed in Table 1. The new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have emerged in recent years have action and effect mechanisms partially or totally unknown. According to UNODC, the number of NPS significantly increased between 2009 and 2013 (UNODC 2014). In many poisoning deaths caused by these unknown substances, the lack of information makes it difficult to identify the cause of death. Therefore, the use of zebrafish in research represents an important tool to scan and evaluate the chemical and toxicological properties of both known and unknown drugs of abuse. Marketing Design and Innovation: Wrigley Marketing Design and Innovation: Wrigley Wrigley is a well-known global brand dealing in wide range of confectionery products such as chewing gums, chewy and hard candies, mints, and lollipops. It is operating in nearly 50 countries and distributing its products in more than 180 countries. The company is based in Chicago, Illinois and was founded in 1891. Some of its brands i.e. Juicy Fruit, Wrigleys Spearmint and Altoids have heritage of more than hundred years. Wrigley is famous for its innovative products that are introduced into its product line from time to time. Wrigley uses best ingredients and packaging materials for its products and the core principles on which it operates include quality, freedom, efficiency, responsibility and mutuality (Wrigley.com, 2017). Late in 2014, Wrigley merged its Orbit and Extra brand but it launched Extra with new improved taste in 2015. As per the new market trends for health and taste, Extra is a new sugar-free gum available in single packs, multipacks and bottles introduced in more than five different tastes. The product is launched for Australian and New Zealand market. One of the best attributes of Wrigleys product is innovation and the concern for consumers health. Wrigley continuously update the flavors of its Extra brand to please the palate of its valued customers. UK confectionery market have been observed to have a high volume consumption and it stands as the sixth largest in terms of confectionery consumption. The confectionery market is driven by pleasure, convenience, drug replacement, snacking and innovation in products (Globaldata, 2016). Consumers are becoming health conscious due to the increasing issues like diabetes and obesity. Dentists are also increasing the awareness among people about oral health and the tooth related diseases such as plaque and saliva generation etc. dentists are making the consumers aware of the benefits of chewing. Due to the increased health consciousness, people are likely to take more products for treatment and prevention of such issues. Wrigley has launched Extra and Extra Active in association with The Australian Dental Association (ADA), New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) and the FDI World Dental Federation. According to Country Report Wrigleys Extra marked the growth in 2016 because of its sugar-free and oral care features (Country Report, 2016). Now, Extra is involved in cause-related marketing and is making associations with the dental professional to educate the families about the significance of oral health. This brand contributed about one third of the percentage of total value shares of the Wrigley Company and is expected to continue to gain highest share because of its uncountable benefits (Country Report, 2016). Maslow Hierarchy of Needs theory   Ã‚   According to the Maslow hierarchy of needs theory, Wrigleys product Extra attempts to satiate the physiological needs of an individual. Although its not basic necessity for life but oral health and refreshment are necessary for an individual and Extra` is capable of meeting these needs. It also satisfies the social needs of an individual because it boosts the confidence and reduces pressure and anxiety according to the research conducted by psychologists (Smith, 2012). Refreshing breath and sweet smell is necessary if an individual is attending a social gathering or event which is satiated by Extra i.e. to meet the love and belonging needs. People with high level of income usually buy Wrigleys Extra which also satisfy esteem needs because it represents the status quo of the individuals consuming this brand. The self-actualization needs of an individual can be satiated by Extra because it gives a new touch to the lifestyle of an individual i.e. a refreshing breath and increased confid ence. Diffusion of Innovation Model Diffusion is defined as the process by which an innovation product is passed on to the members of a social system with the help of different channels over a specified time period. There are five types of people involved in the diffusion of innovation process i.e. innovators who are adventurous and are ready to the test the product as soon as possible; early adopters adopt the idea and are aware of the benefits associated with change; early majority adopts the idea before an average person does; late majority adopts the idea once a greater majority has tested it, and laggards are cynical to change and do not adopt the idea usually (Smith and Song, 2004). Due to increased awareness among consumers about oral health, the percentage of people using Extra brand is increasing. Wrigleys Extra has been rated 8.9 out of 10 by the consumers which means that they are early adopters who have adopted the product within a time span of two to three years (infoscout.co, 2017). The other reason for product adaptability is the range of tastes available i.e. the consumers consume different tastes of the products to please their palates. Consumers prefer products which are healthy and Extra is healthy in terms of oral care and its sugar-free as well. Extra is clinically proved by the professional dental associations and it also stimulates the saliva by 10 times. It is very important to identify the needs of consumers and become aware of the market trends before launching a new product. Because the consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious, Wrigley has identified recent trends in the market and launched Extra into the market. Kano model Customers needs change over the period of time due to the changing market trends and in the recent business environment, customer is considered as the king of a business. According to the Kano model, a product must be developed considering the basic needs of customers, performance needs and excitement needs i.e. basic needs are hygiene needs while excitement needs are delighting needs and these delight needs later one become basic needs and then customers need something new (Wang and Ji, 2010). Wrigleys Extra is a product that can satisfy the fun and pleasure needs along with the health needs of an individual. The hygiene needs of Wrigleys Extra are the promotion of oral health, prevention of teeth caries, and plaque reduction etc. while the fun and pleasure attributes of Extra satisfy the delight needs. With the innovation of brand these delight needs will become the basic needs of an individual. The bottom line is that the product should have the attractive and must-be attributes that can fulfill the needs of customers for which they are using the product. These attributes of Extra are health and bacteria prevention ingredients. Product anatomy During the product development, the anatomy of product is important to analyze in terms of the benefit it will offer (Blythe, 2017). The product anatomy is conducted to match the consumer trends with the product offered by a particular brand. The core product of Wrigleys Extra is the oral health and its sugar free i.e. cleans food debris, neutralizes plaque acids, strengthens teeth, reduces dental caries, prevents tooth decay, and stains. The generic product of Wrigleys Extra is that its available in wide range of flavors i.e. strawberry, peppermint, spearmint, white lemon lime, bubble mint, water melon, berry and orange cream etc. The expected product is that it stimulates saliva and refreshes individuals breath. And the augmented product of Wrigleys Extra is that it is available in different types of packaging i.e. 14 pieces and 10 pieces single pack, 28 and 42 pieces multipack, and 46 pieces bottle (Desfosse, 2017). This product has delighted the palate of numerous customers which is reflected in the increased sales figure of Wrigley. A report showed that one third of Wrigleys sales of 2016 were contributed by Extra (Country Report, 2016). It shows that people are continuously using the Wrigleys Extra for their oral health. The development of Wrigleys Extra has shaped the overall gum market and has proved to be a market leader in 2016 by increasing the overall sales of Wrigley. The prime cause for increased value of Extra is its association with the professional dental associations and being a sugar-free chewing gum. The brand awareness is created by educating the families and general public through the use of creative and educative advertisements (Schultz, 2015). According to statistics of 2015, the sugarless and breath fresheners has seen considerable increase in dollar and unit terms. The sales of Wrigleys Extra increased to 9.3% from 8.6% a year ago. This is because consumers are adopting the more socially acceptable mint and refreshment gums for refreshing themselves. The sales of Wrigley Extra are expected to grow in the near future because the dental care specialists are positioning the oral care and sugar free gums as more important for the consumers to chew after and between the meals (CSP Daily News, 2015). It will be easy for Wrigley to retain its customers for Extra because of the cause-related marketing and its association with the professional dental associations. Due to the increased consciousness and awareness among the people about obesity, they are reducing more and more on the snacks and this is the best alternative that can be replaced for snacks. This trend of marketing is likely to increase the sales figure for Extra chew ing gum. Another important marketing milestone of Extra is that its associated with the Action for Children charity donations from sales of Extra packs. Balanced scorecard Business scorecard is the metric used for the purpose of aligning different strategies with the vision and mission of an organization. It undertakes the newly formed strategy of a particular business and transforms it into marching order on daily basis. A newly developed product can be seen from four perspectives according to the balanced scorecard. These four perspectives are learning and growth perspective, business process perspective, customer perspective and financial perspective (Violet and Josiah, 2011). Learning and growth perspective: According to the recent statistics for Extra gum, it can be evaluated that the consumers percentage using this product is increased a certain extent during 2016 and is expected to grow further (Country Report, 2016). Although Extra gum was once merged with the Orbit brand of Wrigley but later on it was relaunched with improved taste and packaging that attracted a whole new lot of consumers and increased the market share by 71%. Customer are satisfied with Extra and Extra Active brand of Wrigley due to its string oral care positioning and sugar-free attribute. Business process perspective: Extra gum was launched with new taste and packaging and it was brought back to the market due to its increased demand from the customers. Management has launched the product after conducting complete market research and clinical importance of the product. It is made with best possible ingredients i.e. real sugar and no artificial colors are added into it. The unit sales of Extra gum are increased from 8.6% to 9.3% that shows the efficient procurement and distribution capabilities of Wrigleys Extra (CSP Daily News, 2015). Customer perspective: Extra is available in different tastes, different packets size and is suitable for customers of any age. The product is best for chewing before and after the meals and is mainly targeting the oral care of children and aged people. It is the best replacement for the customers who want to quit smoking and it can also be used after smoking. Customers are satisfied about this product which is evident from the increased sales figure and the reviews of customers for this product (Wrigley.com, 2017). Financial perspective: Extra gum has contributed one third of the total sales of Wrigleys overall sales figure. The Country Report (2016) quotes that The company is expected to edge up by around a third of a percentage point overall to reach close to 89% value share. The companys share gain in 2016 will be solely due to its Extra brand, which alone will gain over a percentage point in the year and dominate sales with over 71%. It means that the brand is also performing well in terms of finance. The overall position and performance of Extra gum suggest that due to the oral care positioning and cause related production and marketing of the product, Extra will be put as an important element for the oral care regimes. The competitive advantage of the product is that it is available in different sizes, flavors, packets, is nutritional and perfect for all age users and is available in more than 180 countries. Extra gum is one of the best products designed by Wrigley for oral care and is sugar-free which was once kicked out of the market due to the other brands offering same product. Based on the heritage of more than hundred years and the best quality, Extra reclaimed its leadership and innovative place in the market after its launch with new tastes and packaging. The innovation and leadership attributes of Wrigley are renowned in the market. The company should strive its best and keep an eye on the market to continuously upgrade the brand in terms of packaging and tastes so that it may not lose the market share. References Blythe, J. (2017). Product Anatomy. [Online] SAGE Books. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781446221617.n17 [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. CSP Daily News. (2017). Candy: Mints/Gum/Breath Fresheners 2016. [Online] Available at: http://www.cspdailynews.com/category-data/cmh/candy/candy-mintsgumbreath-fresheners-2016 [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Country Report, (2016). Confectionery in the United Kingdom. Country Report. Euromonitor international, p.57. Desfosse, R. (2017). Chewing Sugarless Gum Can Prevent Tooth Decay. [Online] Colgate. Available at: http://www.colgate.com/en/us/oc/oral-health/basics/nutrition-and-oral-health/article/chewing-sugarless-gum-can-prevent-tooth-decay-0213 [Accessed 18 Mar. 2017]. Globaldata, (2016). Consumer and Market Insights: Confectionery in the UK. Market Research report. 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