Ownership of Two Contrasting Businesses Essay Example for Free

Ownership of Two Contrasting Businesses Essay Asda is the second largest retailer in the UK, and it has been the largest subsidiary of the Wal-Mart family of companies since 1999. The UKs supermarket sector has also become more competitive. This contest between retailers in the marketplace helps to keep prices down. It also makes sure that organisations always produce and sell the goods that consumers really want. Asda is engaged in food, clothes, electronic and furniture selling. Consumers like price competition, as it means they can buy goods at low prices and save money. Asda is a large national company that makes a profit and it is private as well. Asda has a limited liability which means that they might lose the money they have invested in a business. This company is an incorporated business and it is also a public limited company. The main aims and objectives of Asda are: †¢To provide goods and services that is cheap and affordable to consumers to the public, to reduce the cost †¢To recycling their waste †¢To supporting voluntary services Oxfam is a small not-for-profit organisation and it is a global company because it operates in countries around the world. It is owned by Oxfam Trading Limited Companies and it is in private sector. The main aims and objective of this company are: †¢To Aid third world countries in any way they can †¢To relieve poverty, distress and suffering †¢To educate people about the nature, causes and effects if poverty †¢To campaign for a fairer world †¢To encourage western nations to supply aid to third world countries.

Literature Review On Determinants Of Economic Growth Economics Essay

Literature Review On Determinants Of Economic Growth Economics Essay There are numerous of empirical research on economic growth has been done in the past decades. The empirical study of determinant of economic growth by Barro (1991) has been an important reference to future study on the related fields. In this section, a brief review of factors that determine economic growth will be presented. The influences consider here included government spending, inflation, FDI and trade, financial development, and European integration. The size of the government expenditure and its affect on economic growth has been getting much attention in the past study. Ghali (1997) explored his research on the relationship between government expenditure and economic growth by looking at the interaction among the growth rate in per capita GDP and the share of government spending in GDP over the period of 1960-1996. He used vector autoregressive analysis and Granger-causality in his study and found that there is no consistent evidence that government spending can increase Saudi Arabias per capita output growth. This result was contrasted with the two study by Cheng and Tin (1997), Loizides and Vamvoukas (2005). Both study suggested that government expenditure Granger-cause economic growth. Cheng and Tin (1997) emphasize on the granger causality between government expenditure, money supply and economic growth in South Korea for the period of 1954-1994. They applying the same technique as Ghali (1997) and claimed that money supply affect growth as well but money supply doesnt Granger-cause government expenditure. However, the study by Loizides and Vamvoukas (2005) focused on the causal link between the size of the public sector and real per capita income within the bivariate and trivariate frameworks on their sample countries of United Kingdom, Ireland and Greece. They have draw out three conclusions, first, public expenditure Granger causes growth in the short run and long run in all of the sample countries. Second, both bivariate and trivariare framework shows that increase in output would cause growth in public expenditure in Greece. Third, their trivariate model has indicates that causality from national income to public spending in Greece and British. Therefore, the different result from these study lead to a conclusion that in certain circumstances, changes of government expenditure do not necessary cause changes in the economic growth when government spending deliver services in an inefficiency way. Inflation was another controversial debate issues. Malik and Chowdhury (2001) observed the relationship between inflation and GDP growth for four South Asian countries which is Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They employed the co-integration and error correction models to the annual data retrieved from the IMF International Financial Statistics. They established two results : (i) inflation and economic growth are positively and statistically significantly related for all four countries. (ii) the sensitivity of growth to changes in inflation rates is smaller than that of inflation to changes in growth rates. These results have crucial policy implication, that is, although moderate inflation foster economic growth feeds back into inflation by stimulating the economy. Another study by Faria and Carneiro (2001) claimed a divergent view from Malik and Chowdhurry (2001). They have measure the relationship between inflation and economic growth in the context of Brazil which has been undergone severe inflation until recently. This study has constructed a bivariate time series model (vector autoregression) with annual data for the period between 1980 and 1995, they argued that although there is a negative relationship between inflation and economic growth in the short run, but in the long run, economic growth does not affected by inflation. Thus, this result supported the theories of hyperinflation usually associated with economic depress and political and social upheavals and as a result, it is against the perspective that inflations affects economic growth in the long run. In addition to that, foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade were another influence that determined economic growth. Makki and Somwaru (2004) have analyze the role of FDI and trade in promoting economic performance across 66 developing countries, and the interaction among FDI, trade and economic growth by adopting unrelated regression (SUR) method and instrumental variable (3-stage least squares) approach over the period of 1971-2001. They brought to four interesting results. First, the variables of FDI and trade have a strong positive relationship. Second, FDI stimulates domestic investment. Third, macroeconomic policies and institutional stability is the precondition for FDI-driven growth. Fourth, economic growth would facilitated by a lowering inflation rate, tax burden, and government consumption. Similarly, the study of Yao (2006) investigate the effect of export and FDI on economic performance by using Pedrons panel unit root test, and Arellano and Bonds dynamic panel data estimating technique on the sample data of 28 Chinese provinces. This study has stressed on two essential strategies that adopted by Chinese government to explained why China can be success in the long period. One was the export-push strategy that replaced the self-reliance and import substitution strategy and the other was the adoption of foreign technology and international business practices through the uses of FDI. Their data also indicated that openness can boost economic growth if the unforeseen risk can be managed in the proper way. Financial development was the fourth factor. Liang (2006) inquired the impacts of financial development on the pattern of regional economic growth in China. The GMM approach has been employed in his research throughout the period of 1990 to 2001. He mentioned that financial development significant contributes to the economic growth in coastal region but not in the inland regions. Even though the structure and the size of financial sector in China are the same, financial function provided by the financial sector might vary across region. Meanwhile, Ang and McKibbin (2007) included financial liberalization in his observation. This research evaluated whether financial development leads to economic growth or vice versa in the economy of Malaysia. Their analysis was consistent with Liang (2006), which is financial development leads to economic growth. Variety of approaches being used in this study and the empirical evidence asserts that financial sector development in Malaysia can be stimulated through financial liberalization when the repressionist policies have been removed. Moreover, financial depth and economic development tends to have a positive relationship. They also view that economic growth would generate higher financial depth in the long run. Growth effects of European integration will be the last factors we discuss here. Henrekson et.al (1997), estimated the effects of European integration in EC and EFTA on economic growth. Their analysis has been conducted across a large sample of both developed and developing countries. They comprised a dummy for membership in EC or EFTA during 1976 -1985. They addressed that there is a significant and positive effects on economic growth but the effects became smaller and significant when the sample was restricted to 22 developed and OECD countries. The effects do not change for membership in EFTA as in the EC due to the technology transfer instead of investment. All the empirical study by these researchers provided a useful guidance for both domestic policy makers and the development partners. Nevertheless, more prospects might be explored on the determinant of economic growth, especially corruption. As in Malaysia, it is a significant variable that should be tested on.

Mosquito repellent

Mosquito repellent INTRODUCTION Mosquito Repellent is the product which protects mainly human beings from the deadly mosquitoes. Before proceeding about the mosquito repellent and about its usage and all, let us first analyze what is mosquito and repellent. Mosquito is a common flying insect that is found around the world. There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes. They have a pair of scaled wings, a pair of halters, a slender body, and six long legs. The females of most mosquito species suck blood from other animals, which has made them the deadliest disease vector known, killing millions of people over thousands of years and continuing to kill millions per year by the spread of infectious diseases. Repellent is a substance applied to skin, clothing or other surfaces which discourages insects from landing or climbing on that surface mainly human beings. There are so many different kinds of mosquito repellents are available in the market which helps in protecting human beings from deadly infectious diseases. Mosquito Development Process: Mosquitoes go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult or imago. The first three stages are aquatic and last 5–14 days, depending on the species and the ambient temperature. The adult females can live up to a month (or more in captivity) but most probably do not live more than 1–2 weeks in nature. After drinking blood, adult females can lay a raft of 50-300 eggs per oviposition. Anopheles, Ochlerotatus and Aedes, as well as many other genera, do not make egg rafts but lay eggs singly. Culex, Culiseta, and Anopheles lay eggs directly on the water surface and Anopheles are unique in having floats on either side. Eggs are not resistant to drying and hatch within 2–3 days, although hatching may take up to 2–3 weeks in colder climates. In other mosquitos such as Aedes, the female lays her eggs on damp soil that will be flooded by water, typically near a stagnant pool. However, any open container containing water will suffice for larvae development, even with less than 30 ml (one fluid ounce) of water in. Aedes can also breed in running water, so stagnant pools of water are not its only breeding sites. With Haemagogus, the adults tend to live in the canopy of forests; the female lays eggs in between layers of tree bark or in cut bamboo. The eggs adhere to the surface and when submerged by rain water quickly develop into larva. The duration from egg to adult varies considerably among species and is strongly influenced by ambient temperature. Mosquitoes can develop from egg to adult in as little as 5 days but usually take 10–14 days in tropical conditions. The variation of the body size in adult mosquitoes depends on the density of the larval population and food supply within the breeding water. Adult flying mosquitoes frequently rest in grass, shrubbery or other foliage. Mosquitoes Diseases Mosquitoes are a vector agent that carries disease-causing viruses and parasites from person to person without catching the disease themselves. Mosquitoes are estimated to transmit disease to more than 700 million people annually in Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and much of Asia with millions of resulting deaths. Methods used to prevent the spread of disease, or to protect individuals in areas where disease is endemic include Vector control aimed at mosquito eradication, disease prevention, using prophylactic drugs and developing vaccines and prevention of mosquito bites, with insecticides, nets and repellents. Since most such diseases are carried by elderly females, scientists have suggested focusing on these to avoid the evolution of resistance. Everybody knows about the problems caused by mosquitoes.† Different kinds of diseases are spread by mosquitoes. Some viral diseases are chikun gunia, dengue fever and serious disease such as malaria are spread by mosquitoes even if we are not bothered with these diseases its very irritating experience, with mosquitoes biting here and there. To get rid of these problems we are using mosquito repellents. DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOSQUITO REPELLENTS There are so many different types of repellents are available in the market. All these repellents help us to protect from different types of mosquitoes to come nearby us and spread various diseases. The various forms of repellent are as follows: COIL LIQUID MAT SPRAY CREAM MESH NET ELECTRICAL BATS AND OTHERS. In most of the Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, srilanka and others, use mostly the traditional coil to the large effect. Slowly, the shift has been seen drifting from coil to other forms of mosquito repellents such as mosquito mats, liquids, and spray although the coil still dominates the sales chart. Potential market for Mosquito Repellent In Indian market there is always a high potential market value for mosquito repellent because of large number of diseases are caused due to the mosquito biting. Earlier people use to get satisfied without using mosquito repellent to protect themselves from fatal mosquitoes but now with the development taking place everywhere, people have realized that it is better to choose mosquito repellents than going for medical treatment for various diseases such as malaria, dengue, HIV etc. Mostly in developing and underdeveloped countries, mosquitoes are the main concern for millions of people living in these countries because countries such as India who is still developing has a lot of work to cover such as pit, dug, poor sewerage, open drainages, untidy surroundings, not properly cleaned atmosphere, road side dusty locations, where people does not bother to throw or spit anywhere in the world are the concerns which let mosquitoes take birth and grow to irritate and cause so many fatal diseases. Keeping all these aspects in mind, one can easily analyze how potential the mosquito repellent in Indian market is. The best thing is it is easily available at almost all the shop and its cost is also very low depending on the products starting from Rs 1.50 onwards. Usage of Mosquito Repellent Customers in Indian Market With over 255 species of mosquitoes, who are responsible for spreading diseases such as malaria and dengue fever? India has a large and growing market for mosquito repellents. Many methods are used in households for dealing with the mosquito menace. In spite of the pervasiveness of the mosquito problem, the use of repellents in India is fairly low. It is estimated that only 16.4% of the households in all urban areas and 22.6% in the metros use mosquito repellents. The figure for the rural areas is even lower, at only 6.9%. In terms of value, the mat segment was the largest (51%), followed by coils (21%) and vaporizers (7%). Coils were the first mosquito repellents to be introduced in the Indian market. The first brand of coils was Tortoise, launched by Bombay Chemicals Ltd. (BCL) in the 1970s. Until 1994, Tortoise remained the market leader in its segment, with a 67% market share. Different Types Of Mosquito Repellent Brands Available In Indian Market Godrej Sara Lee Ltd. Reckitt Benckiser Ltd. Balsara Pvt Ltd. Karamchand Appliances Pvt Ltd. Miracle Cosmetic Product. Baygon Bombay Chemicals Ltd etc. Famous Brands available in Indian Market Godrej Sara Lee Ltd: Godrej Sara Lee is a joint venture company between the Godrej Group, India and Sara Lee Corporation, USA. They are the worlds largest manufacturers of home insecticides. This company is committed to the research and manufacture of quality household insecticides, and holds a substantial market share in the domestic market, with some of the most popular brands like GoodKnight, Jet, Hit and Banish, which have become generic with mosquito repellants today. With values and traditions that stem from the principles on which the foundations of two great conglomerates, Godrej and Sara Lee, were laid, they are able to offer world-class products and services to the Indian and global consumer. Reckitt Benckiser: sells its products in 180 countries and has operations in 60 countries across all continents. Balsara Home products: has introduced Odomos Mosquito Repellent Lotion. It is a unique mosquito repellent with a lovely lingering perfume. The soft, mild and completely safe lotion can be used even on a babys tender skin. It is available in easy to use flip top bottle, keeps your skin soft and free from mosquitoes. Karamchand Appliances Private Limited (KAPL): is perhaps not a familiar name for the average Indian consumer. However, KAPLs brand All Out is very well-known. In fact, the name All Out is almost a generic name for Liquid Vaporizers (vaporizers), a segment of the Rs 4 billion 1 (in 1999) mosquito repellant industry in India. KAPL was almost solely responsible for creating this segment. Within a decade of its launch, All Out had converted a large number of customers into vaporizer users, and had also established itself as the market leader in the segment, with a 69 percent market share in 1999. The success of KAPL is particularly noteworthy, considering the fact that it was a small family-owned company that managed to wrest market share from corporate giants such as Godrej Sara Lee Ltd (GSLL) and Hindustan Lever Ltd. (HLL) with strong, established brands such as Good Knight, Jet, Tortoise, Baygon and Mortein, amidst stiff competition. Miracle Cosmetic products: have introduced Net Mosquito Coil in Andhra Pradesh and it is rapidly developing as a national product. Customers have accepted the new brand which is able to satisfy the customers to protect from fatalmosquitoes. They offer different kinds of mosquito coil such as small size green color round shape coil, large size red color round shape coil, hexagon type coil as well and many other such as family pack which consists of 30 coils in one box. I describe here Net Mosquito coil, though all coils are basically same with same ingredients and similar packing with similar action.  «Ã‚ « WHY NET PLUS MOSQUITO COIL REFERRED?  »Ã‚ » Jet and Mortein coils are definitely the most preferred brand that has high recall value and highly loyal customers. But with such homogenous products, I wanted to try other products to kind of test its efficacy. One such upcoming brand was NET PLUS by MIRACLE COSMETIC PRODUCTS. I liked their advertisements that pictured hungry mosquitoes on the cover of the coil box that were frustrated and fallen down by the effect of lit Net Plus coil. It appealed a lot to my sadistic mind.  « THE PACKING  »Ã‚ » it comes in a square box with black and red colors. It has a picture of an inverted dead mosquito zapped by a lightening, within which the words â€Å"NET PLUS in Big Bold red and blue color followed by the words strikes even hidden mosquitoes are printed. The pack with 12 coils has a price of Rs 22 MRP. On backside, is a huge white and yellow rhombus with words â€Å"POISON written? Besides there is a mention of chemicals used. Unlike Odomos, the instructions to use the coils are on the packing. The leaflet inside is a tiny piece of paper and it has instructions of usage, Precautions to be taken and First Aid and Antidotes if ingested. But this is crammed in 3 languages in a font letters. The coils come in plastic bag within and a coil stand. The coils come in 6 groups of two, and separating these coils without breaking them requires special skills.  «Ã‚ « THE COILS  »Ã‚ »unlike most other coils that are green in color, Net Plus has reddish brown color, which stands out as u nique. Another aspect is that while others smell bad, this one has a pleasant smell. Also after burning, while other coils tend to suffocate the users, Net Plus coils surprisingly are not suffocating but on the contrary smell good. Another striking feature is that while Tortoise, Odomos etc burn faster, this one burns slowly and steadily, staying for nearly 10 hours, making it the most effective coil available. Moreover the smoke spreads fairly in the room creating virtually a wider mosquito free zone. Chemicals used while most other coils use Allethrin (0.2% w/w), this one uses a slight variant the d-trans Allethrin (0.1% w/w) which is more toxic to insects. Allethrin is a pyrethroid, a synthetic compound that has stomach and respiratory action and paralyzes insects before killing them. I have seen a mosquito that had fallen on the floor literally struggling to survive and then lying still, struggling again and so on and ultimately fall to its side with legs twitching and then die. Allethrin is also toxic to humans and should be kept out of reach of children. It sho uld not be stored in kitchen. Every time one uses it, he/she should wash hands with soap. «Ã‚ « USAGE »Ã‚ » The coil is spiral. The center has a notch and has can be fixed to a sharp pointed edge of coil stand. This stand has a groove where broken coils can be attached. We burn the coil and then place it in the center of the room, under a fan, in the evenings, and with window in open condition for ventilation and to drive away mosquitoes while ensuring that outside ones dont risk coming in. I would advise keep this arrangement in a plate or tray so as to collect the ash that remains after burning the coil  «Ã‚ « OVERALL  »Ã‚ ». If you have to use a coil, I highly recommend you to try Net Plus coils. I am sure you wont be disappointed. I see only the new Herbal Tortoise coils that claim to be safer for children as the sole competitor. Repellent Side Effects 12% of people who are using regularly mosquito coils are prone to serious diseases. Allergy is also common among them. Most of the coils which emit smoke contain a very harmful pesticide called DDT. DDT is a highly poisons substance which has to be eradicated from earth itself. Pyrethrum, allethrin is some of the substances which are contained in mosquito coils. Pyrethrum produced is highly harmful to human beings and leads to respiratory diseases. The allethrin which is contained in mosquito coils can affect the brain growth of children. It is strictly advised that pregnant ladies should not use mosquito coils. Mosquito coils and insecticides are to be avoided strictly. But because of this we cannot bear the mosquito bite. Here are some safety measures which we can implement at home. The ventilations and doors can be provided with nets inside the house. This will prevent mosquitoes to enter the house. Provide your bed with a mosquito net during evening or specially while sleeping time. Its better to use lotions to avoid mosquitoes than mosquito coils. Its very important to be aware of these facts and we should try our level best to help our family and friends to lead a healthy lifestyle. Mosquitoes are estimated to transmit disease to more than 700 million people annually in Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and much of Asia with millions of resulting deaths. The best way to eliminate all mosquitoes is to find their leader and bite it. Ridiculous as it may sound but this is what a kid came up with when we questioned them during one of our awareness drive in the last year. Well, on a more serious tone, best way is to kill their larvae by means of adding chemicals and toxics in puddles and non-flowing stagnant water. Though we would leave this act to Pest Control or Municipal Corporation (in my case), what we could do at our end is to keep our surroundings clean and tell others around to do the same. Yet, however much we try; these pesky warriors come in throng and attack us while we are sleeping. We may be quick to squash a few of them with our hands, but that leaves our hands dirty with blood stains and is definitely not a wise solution. and besides, what if we go out on camps or to some other locality, say, a hostel. What then? The answer is coils. I remember my grandmother burn the fibrous remains of a coconut in a vessel in the evening hours when the mosquitoes wake up for their breakfast. The result would be a smoky house but yes, it would definitely choke the mosquitoes away. But it would also suffocate us. The mosquito coils are built on a simi lar concept. Tortoise was the first brand that introduced such coils in India and is still quite a famous household name. It does have some competition from Mortein, Jet, and Odomos (famous for skin ointment) and now miracle cosmetic products have introduced into the mosquito repellent industry. DATA ANALYSIS Facts and Figures about Malaria, Dengue, Yellow fever Do you know, that 40 million people suffer from mosquito diseases annually in India. 2 million cases of malaria alone are reported in India. India spends around 100 million dollars on malaria. Malaria, dengue and yellow fever are the result of low hygiene sanitation and poor insect control. Insects The disease they cause- Mosquitoes Malaria, dengue fever, brain fever, filariasis, yellow fever Cockroaches Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, T.B. and leprosy Houseflies Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, T.B. Bed Bugs Skin diseases PRECAUTIONS Firstly you shouldnt allow water to stagnate, as this forms a breeding ground for malarias deadly carriers, the anopheles mosquitoes. At community level, water shouldnt be allowed to stagnate and all such site should be drained, covered with DDT. At home, you should change water in flowerpots, buckets, coolers etc at least twice a week. Mosquito nets and door screens also help. While these methods are useful they are neither convenient nor useful. Mosquito repellants like mats, coils, refills, etc should be regularly used to keep mosquitoes away. Dengue Fever is an acute infectious viral disease usually affecting infants and young children. It is characterized by fever during the initial phase and other symptoms like headache, pain in the eye, joint pain and muscle pain, followed by signs of bleeding such as red tiny spots on the skin, nosebleed and gum-bleed. If there is blood in the stools and/or blood in the vomit and accompanied by shock, this is called Dengue Shock Syndrome and is often fatal. Aedes, Aegypti, the transmitter of the disease is a day-biting mosquito that lays eggs in clear water containers, such as flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house. Regarding safety with insect repellent use on children and pregnant women: Children may be at greater risk for adverse reactions to repellents, in part, because their exposure may be greater. Keep repellents out of the reach of children. Do not allow children to apply repellents to themselves. Use only small amounts of repellent on children. Do not apply repellents to the hands of young children because this may result in accidental eye contact or ingestion. Try to reduce the use of repellents by dressing children in long sleeves and long pants tucked into boots or socks whenever possible. Use netting over strollers, playpens, etc. As with chemical exposures in general, pregnant women should take care to avoid exposures to repellents when practical, as the fetus may be vulnerable. Regardless of which repellent product used, it is recommended that the label is read before use and directions carefully followed. Usage instructions for repellents vary from country to country. Some insect repellents are not recommended for use on younger children. Mosquito Preventive Measures Some mosquito problems can be eliminated by local residents. This could possibly reduce the number of costly applications during the season, especially in a cooperative effort. The preventative measures are as follows: Clean and maintain catch basins that hold water. Collect and properly discard all useless artificial containers such as cans bottles and old tire casings etc. Cover or turn over other containers such as boats, barrels, tubs and tanks. Inspect and clean rain gutters and down spouts regularly Fill or drain low places where water may accumulate and stand for more than one week. Properly maintain backyard swimming pools. Objectives of the study Study the customers awareness and behavior after the usage of the product offered to him or her. To draw out the customer satisfaction levels. To build a good customer relationship. To take care necessary measure to improve goods and services offered to customer. To compare satisfaction of the company vis-à  -vis major competitors. To minimize the side effects of the mosquito repellent as this is suffocating stuff. To develop such a strong brand of repellent as it will be helpful to protect from mosquitoes and reduce or minimize the diseases caused by the mosquitoes. Customer satisfaction A thorough understanding of the fast changing â€Å"consumer behavior†, is the new market segments and product opportunities along with sensitivity to changing customer needs, form the core of Mosquito repellent marketing strategy and philosophy. In India, we essentially have a completely â€Å"customer-driven approach.† A nation-wide dealer network comprising of over thousands of dealers, franchise holders for mosquito repellent, ensures convenient access to the companies products across the country. With a deep sense of belonging to the Mosquito repellent fraternity, the companys dealer network has catalyzed growth and acted as a strong bridge between the customers and the companies. The respective companies have undertaken a steady up gradation of technologies and methods, there has been diversifications and setting up of newer establishments to meet stringent international standards. DELIVERING HIGH CUSTOMER VALUE The key to generating high customer loyalty is to deliver high customer value. According to Michael Jose, in his delivering profitable value, a company must design a competitively superior value proposition aimed at a specific market segment, becked by a superior value delivery system. â€Å"The value proposition consists of the whole cluster of benefits the company promises to deliver, it is more than the core positioning of the offering. For example, Volvos core positioning is â€Å"safety â€Å" but the buyer is promised more than just a safe car, other benefits include a long-lasting car, good service, and along warranty period. Basically, the value proposition is a statement about the resulting experience customers will gain from the companies market offering and from their relationship with the supplier. The brand must represent a promise about the total experience customers can expect. Whether the promise is kept depends on the companys ability to manage its value delivery system. The value delivery system includes all the experiences the customer will have on the way to obtaining and using the offering. DEFINING CUSTOMER VALUE AND SATISFACTION Over 38 years ago, Peter Ducker observed that a companys first task is to create customers, â€Å"however, customers face a vast array of product and brand choices, prices, and suppliers. How do they make their choices? CUSTOMER PERCEIVED VALUE Our premise is that customers will buy from the firm that they see as offering the highest perceived value. Customers perceived value (CPV) is the difference between the prospective customers evaluation of all the benefits and all the costs of an offering and the perceived alternatives. Total customer value is the perceived monetary value of the bundle of economic, functional, and psychological benefits customers expect from a given market offering. Total customer cost is the bundle of costs customers expect to incur in evaluating, obtaining, using, and disposing of the given market offering. Delivering customer value and satisfaction In a hyper competitive economy with increasingly rational buyers, a company can only win by creating and delivering superior value. This involves the following five capabilities: undemanding customer value: creating customer value, delivering customer value, capturing customer value, and sustaining customer value. To succeed, companies need to use the concepts of value chain and a value-delivery network. Value chain Michael Procter of Harvard university proposed the value chain as a tool for identifying ways to create more customer value _ is a synthesis of activities that are performed to design produce market, deliver, and support its product. The value chain identifies nice strategically relevant activities that create value and cost in a specific business. These nine value –creating activities. These core business processes include: The market sensing process: All the activities involved in gathering market intelligence, disseminating, in within the organization, and acting on the information. The new offering realization process: All the activities involved in researching, developing, and launching new high-quality offerings quickly and within budget. The customer acquisition process: All the activities involved in defining target markets and prospecting for new customers. The customer relationship management process: All the activities involved in building deeper understanding, relationships, and offerings to individual customers. The fulfillment management process: All the activities involved in receiving and approving orders, shipping the goods on time, and collecting payment. SATISFYING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS Studies of customer dissatisfaction show that customers are dissatisfied with their purchases about 25% of the time but that only about 5% complaint. The other 95% either feel complaining is not worth the effort, or they do not know how or to whom to complain. Of the 5% who complain, only about 50% report a satisfactory problem resolution. Yet the need to resolve a customer problem in a satisfactory manner is critical. On an average, a satisfied customer tells three people about a good product experience, but the average dissatisfied customer gripes to 11 people. If each of them tells the other people, the number of people exposed to bad word of mouth may grow exponentially. NEED FOR SURVEY Need For Survey â€Å"The only job security to anybody in the company comes from quality, productivity and satisfied customers.† – Philip Kotler. The above statement signifies the importance of the customer satisfaction for any business to become successful. This aspect gains the more significance with regard to. NEEDS AND GOALS FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Most of the Marketers see the goal of Marketing as that maximizing not consumption but also customer satisfaction. Every company exists because the goods or services produced by the company should satisfy the needs of customers. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION The basic method adopted in conducting the study is a structured questionnaire. Questionnaire is administrated in the sample respondents. However, there are certain cases where personal interactive method is followed with customer to find out the service satisfaction level. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Many organizations have got a clue how the customers perceive the goods and services. Firstly, customer may buy a given products or services simply because there is no other option and they would prefer to purchase what you are offering them to go with out altogether. Secondly, the fact that a product of services may be accepted does not mean that it will continue to sell. Competitors may see opportunity customer exceptions may change customer tastes may move on, if standard do not rise and products and services evolve, and then downwards sales will appear. A worse situation arises when the organization has not got a clue of the customers perceptions. Another situation is when the organization does not have a clue of their customers perceptions and dont cares either the organization may believe that it is a monopoly situation and its customers cannot go elsewhere. Some organizations believe that it knows best that customers should want and therefore supply them with a centrally designed product. If resultant product of services has deceits, then it is perceived to be a problem for the customers. Some organizations solicit customer feedback or get it anyway whether they like it of not and then do nothing about it. Finally, we come to the point where we realize how important customer feedback in the case of an organization which helps the organizations to determine how effectively it is serving the customer and determine customer satisfaction? This feedback answers the following questions to find out. Who is our customer? When are they

Universality and the Particular Essay -- Poetry Literature Authors Wri

Universality and the Particular â€Å"History,† Gilman writes, â€Å"is, or should be, the story of our racial life† (Gilman 216). Eliot is a bit less succinct, but perhaps he could be most pithily summed up as saying: â€Å"The business of the poet is not to find new emotions, but to use the ordinary ones and, in working them up into poetry, to express feelings which are not in actual emotions at all† (Eliot 1919, 23). It is not immediately evident what either author means by these statements, however, they both contain the core of the argument. Both authors have their individual aims and intents with their writings, however, in spite of the differences, their arguments find more common ground than disagreement. Their terminology is certainly different, but they see the purpose and aims of literature as by and large the same. Literature, according to Gilman, originated as the â€Å"legitimate child of oral tradition, a product of natural brain activity† (218). Implicit in this, and made explicit elsewhere, is that literature is inherently a form of communication. And, â€Å"since our very life depends on some communication,† Gilman indicates very strongly that literature, both in its ancestry and in its current incarnation, provides an extremely important role in our existence† (218). She elaborates on this notion of communication, however, and specifies that a â€Å"passionate interest in other people’s lives†¦is the most vital art† (218). To her, the expression of the â€Å"great field of human life† is the task of all literature and is crucial to the very existence of society (218). We can presume that there is some bias in her argument, as people tend to think highly of their chosen craft. The essential element, however, is Gilman’s focus on t h... ...e essentially expansionist, forcing the borders outwards to include women in literature. Eliot, on the other hand, seems to be moving inward and examining and rejecting a certain type of reader, a certain type of poet. However, both, ultimately see literature as capturing the entirety of the human existence. The mechanism for doing so in their arguments differ greatly, but the intent and the final goals are the same. Where one speaks of the human soul, the other speaks of impersonality and mean the same thing. Works Cited Eliot, T.S. â€Å"The Impersonality of Poetry.† Issues in Contemporary Critical Theory: A Casebook. Ed. Peter Barry. London: Macmillan, 1987. 23. Eliot, T.S. â€Å"Hamlet and His Problems.† Hamlet. Ed. Cyrus Hoy. New York: W.W. Norton, 1963. 180-184. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Writings. New York: Bantam, 1989.

Essay --

When the time came to choosing a potential career path, in my mind I had absolutely no doubt that I aspired to pursue dental hygiene. I believe that dentistry is one of the careers that has continual advancements in treatments and patient care, which provides endless opportunities to specialize in different branches of dentistry. Most importantly I find this profession to be rewarding. I have always envisioned to take on a profession which combines not only scientific appli-cations but also patient care that improves peoples' quality of life and this happens to be the best career which combines both of these important elements. My ambition to study dental hygiene has been further reinforced over the course of my gap year experience, working and studying as a dental nurse. I have become more aware of the growing importance of helping educate the general public about oral health paying closer attention to causes of some of the most disastrous oral conditions. Whilst working at the Ivory Dental Studio in London, I observed numerous procedures such as tooth onlays, root canal treatment...

The Predatory Organism: Bdellovibrio

Identifying the genes and the proteins to be expressed by this organism during pore formation in the host cell will be of significance to bacteriology. The possible use of this information can be seen in the study done by Kadouri and O’toole. It was established in this report that B. bacteriovorus can be used as a control agent against certain biofilm communities. It was observed that biofilm populations of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens were significantly reduced when exposed to B. bacteriovorus.Since biofilm formation is unnecessary and damaging in some instances, inhibition of its formation can be done through natural elimination of the biofilm organisms, and that is through the inoculation of B. bacteriovorus. Another possible application of this predatory organism is through its use as an anti-microbial therapeutic agent. It had been suggested by Hobley et al. that the introduction of this organism to a microbial-infected wound can lead to the reduction of p athogenic organisms in the site of inoculation.In this way, the use of antibiotics can be avoided and possible resistance of disease-causing organisms to the applied drug can be avoided. If the genes responsible for pore formation in the host cell will be identified, the organism can be manipulated to increase the genes’ expression. These can then be enhanced and controlled in accordance to the desired amount and time of expression. II. Aims This paper aims to propose a method on how to determine the necessary and significant enzymes involved in pore formation of the host cell by Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus H100.The specific aims are as follows: 1. Identify the genes of B. bacteriovorus H100 specifically expressed during pore formation in the host cell during the predatory life cycle phase of the organism using time course Microarray analysis. 2. Identify specific hydrolytic enzymes expressed by the identified genes of B. bacteriovorus H100 involved in pore formation on host c ell membrane. III. Background The discovery of Bdellovibrio by Stolp and Starr in 1962 opened the scientific world to the dawn of a new organism- a bacterium which preys on its own kind (12).This bacterium is a curved rod, Gram negative organism classified under the group of delta-proteobacteria. It is a motile bacterium; monotrichously flagellated; obligately aerobic; small in size (0. 3 ? m in width and 1-2 ? m in length); and is obligately predatory. Its genome consists of 3. 85 mega base pairs. Most of these genes encode for enzymes involved in hydrolysis and flagella involved in host sensing (3). The best known species of Bdellovibrio is B. bacteriovorus, observed to prey on other Gram negative organisms such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Sphaerotilus natans and Pseudomonas fluorescens (1).The distribution of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is observed in diverse environments; therefore, it is considered to be an ubiquitous bacterium. It was associated in dry environment such as the soil; in wet locations such as brackish water, sewage, fresh water, pooled reservoirs and sea water; and in unique microbial niches such as biofilms (3). The life cycle of this bacterium consists of two stages. The first stage is the so-called free-swimming attack phase and the second stage is known as the intraperiplasmic replication phase. Figure 2 shows a graphical representation of these two stages.The life cycle of B. bacteriovorus takes about three hours to complete. For the initiation of the attack, the monotrichous flagellum is an important facet to consider. Movement is essential in finding the suitable host in the environment. The predatory organism moves towards a region with a high prey concentration. This process is meditated by chemotaxis. It can be seen from the illustration that a critical stage in the predation of B. bacteriovorus is the ability of the organism to penetrate its host bacterium. Upon contact with another Gram negative, B.bacteriovorus then forms a pore in the cell membrane of its host. Initial entrance of B. bacteriovorus is followed by the organism’s penetration of the periplasm. Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus then occupies the periplasmic space of the host cell (3). Without this phase, the other steps in the whole life cycle of the organism cannot be ensured to occur. Figure 3 and 4 shows an electronmicrograph of B. bacteriovorus attaching to a host cell. A specific strain of the bacterium, B. bacteriovorus HD100, was studied by Rendulic, et al. This strain of Bdellovibrio was found to have an unusually large genome.Though this bacterium preys on other Gram negative organisms, its genetic make-up did not comprise of any gene from its host. Furthermore, it was elucidated that the genes present in B. bacteriovorus HD100 are made up of gene families coding for enzymes such as hydrolases and transporters, important in the penetration and killing of the host. These genes also code for enzymes needed for uptake of complex mol ecules (6). One hurdle in studying the molecular characteristics of this organism is its host dependent nature. Without a suitable host, growth cannot be ensured, thus, elucidation of its genetic make-up may be difficult to achieve.Further studies using this bacterium revealed that Bdellovibrio can generate mutant cells that do not require host cells for growth and are therefore known as host independent (HI) strains. Despite this, they were able to retain the ability to grow on prey and hence are termed as facultative predators. For gene manipulation techniques, HI strains are usually used (8). Despite the fact that the complete genome of the organism was already sequenced, the specific genes coding for the needed enzymes to form pores in the host cell were still unidentified.With this lack of information, this study is formulated and designed. IV. Research Design and Methodology Culturing of B. bacteriovorus HD100 on prey dependent and prey independent set-ups: Predatory (HD) cult ures of B. bacteriovorus HD100 will be grown on E. coli in Ca2_-HEPES buffer at 30Â °C, with shaking at 200 rpm (8). Escherichia coli ML35 and E. coli W7-M5 (10) will be used as the prey throughout the experiments. Escherichia coli ML35 will be cultured in nutrient broth (Difco Laboratories), and E. coli W7-M5, a lysine and DAP auxotroph, will be cultured in nutrient broth supplemented with 0.2 mM lysine and 0. 1 mM DAP at 37Â °C with shaking at 200 rpm. Prey-independent HI strains will be plated on rich peptone-yeast extract (PY) medium (8). Synchronous cultures: Synchronous cultures will be used for performing various experiments as described below. Briefly, fresh bdellovibrios will be added to prey cells in HM buffer (3 mM N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-1 mM CaCl. LQ. One mM of MgCl2 will be adjusted to pH 7. 6 using NaOH (10). The organisms will be grown until a final concentration of 1010 bdellovibrios per ml and 5 x 109 E.coli per ml is reached. For proper aeration, volumes will be kept to ? 20% of the flask’s volume and incubated at 30Â °C with shaking at 400 rpm. Synchronous cultures will be examined at intervals for attachment and penetration with a Nikon model L-Ke microscope (Nippon Kogaku Inc. ) equipped with phase-contrast optics and a Nikon model AF camera. Time course Microarray analysis. Time course Microarray analysis will be performed to identify the genes to be expressed during the entry phase, specifically during pore formation on the host cell membrane of B.bacterovorus H100. Microarray slides of B. bacteriovorus H100 will be ordered from Advanced Throughput, Inc Services. Total cellular RNA will be extracted from B. bacteriovorus H100 cells at entry phase using the RNeasy mid kit (Qiagen). The RNA of the organism will also be extracted during the other stages of infection. This will serve as a reference for comparison of the genes expressed and not expressed at the desired stage. Complementary DNA sy nthesis, fragmentation, labeling, hybridization, staining and washing will be performed according to the Affymetrix B.bacteriovorus H100 GeneChip array expression analysis protocol (Affymetrix). Briefly, cDNA will be synthesized from RNA using Superscript II (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. RNA will be removed by alkaline treatment and subsequent neutralization. Complementary DNA will be purified with QIAquick PCR purification columns (Qiagen). Purified cDNA will be fragmented by DNase I (Amersham) at 37Â °C for 10 min followed by end labeling with biotinddUTP, using an Enzo BioArray terminal labeling kit (Affymetrix), at 37Â °C for 60 min.Hybridization will be performed in an Affymetrix GeneChip hybridization Oven 640. Washing and staining will be performed using an Affymetrix Fluidics Station 400. Arrays will be scanned with an Agilent GeneArray Scanner G2500A. GeneChip scans will be initially analyzed using the Affymetrix Microarray Suite 5. 1 s oftware, from which PivotData tables will be exported. Raw data from the PivotData Tables will be analyzed in GeneSpring software version 6 (Silicon Genetics), using the parameters suggested by Silicon Genetics for analysis of Affymetrix Microarrays. Real-time PCR:Real-time PCR using the Applied Biosystems 7500 Real-time PCR system will be performed to confirm microarray results. RNA will be extracted from B. bacteriovorus H100 at initial phases of predatory life cycle up to entry phase as described above. RNA will be reverse transcribed into cDNA and simultaneously labelled using the iScript One-step RT-PCR kit with SYBR Green (Biorad). RT-PCR reactions will also be performed to amplify cDNA of housekeeping genes (identified from micro array studies) for normalization of fluorescence values. Identifying the specific hydrolytic enzymes of B.bacteriovorus which are involved in pore formation on host cell membrane. Many experiments showed that B. bacteriovorus H100 releases hydrolytic enzymes during predatory life cycle. According to Thomashow and Ritterberg, glycanases and lipopolysaccharideases are required for pore formation in the prey’s peptidoglycan and LPS layers respectively. The glycanase and/or peptidase could be responsible for weakening the peptidoglycan layer of the prey and thereby responsible for permitting conversion of the substrate cell to a spherical shape (10).Tudor et al. proposed another model for penetration. According to them peptidase is responsible for pore formation but not glycanase (11). Specific enzymes involved in pore formation are not known. The genes identified from the time course micro array technique will be mutated as described previously using suicide vector pSSK10. Resulting mutants will be complemented by using vector pMMB206 (8). Mutants will be analysed for the specific enzymes (using 2D-gel electrophoresis) and their actions on host cell i.e, as a glycanase, LPSase or peptidase will be observed by radio labellin g experiments (10). Wild-type B. bacteriovorus H100 and complemented strains will be used as controls. Radio labeling experiments: Escherichia. coli W7-M5, auxotroph for lysine and DAP and cannot metabolize glucosamine, will be radiolabelled as described previously (9,10). Peptide portion of E. coli W7-M5 peptidoglycan will be labelled with [3H] DAP and the lipopolysaccharides and glycan portions of the peptidoglycan will be labeled with [3H]glucosamine.Various mutants and wild-type strains will be tested for predation using this radiolabelled strain. Solubilisation of glucosamine and DAP from labelled prey peptidoglycan will be measured as described previously (11). Briefly, samples taken at intervals will be precipitated with an equal volume of cold 10% trichloroacetic acid for 30 min followed by centrifugation. Resulting supernatants will be assayed for soluble radioactivity in a scintillation counter (Rackbeta II). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis: The hydrolytic enzymes rele ased by B.bacteriovorus H100 during its predatory life cycle will be analyzed by performing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Sample preparation for 2D-gel electrophoresis: Escherichia coli ML35 cells will be challenged with B. bacteriovorus H100 wild-type as well as the mutant strain. Culture fluid will be drawn from synchronous cultures during attachment and entry phases of B. bacteriovorus H100. Culture fluid will be centrifuged to discard any cell debris. Proteins in the supernatant will be precipitated using cold acetone. The precipitated proteins will be separated by centrifugation.The precipitated pellet will be air dried and will be dissolved in rehydration solution (8M urea, 2% CHAPS {3-[3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate}, 18 mM DTT, 0. 5% IPG buffer pH range 4-7; Amersham Biosciences), plus a trace of bromophenol blue. Sample protein concentrations will be determined using the BCA protein assay (Pierce). Resulting protein pellet will be subjected to 2D-gel electrophoresis. 2D-gel electrophoresis: Two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis will be performed according to the method of O’Farrell.Proteins present in the pellet will be resolved on two-dimensional gels using the products and protocols of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech. In the first-dimension, proteins will be resolved by isoelectric focusing on a precast Immobiline DryStrip with a linear pH gradient. This will be followed by electrophoresis using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel on 12. 5% acrylamide gel. For analytical 2-D gel electrophoresis, 100 ? g of sample protein will be applied to the gels and the proteins will be stained with Pharmacia Biotech silver stain kit.For preparative two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis, 500 ? g of the sample protein will be loaded on the gels and proteins will be visualized using Coomassie blue R-350 (Phast Gel BlueR; Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Spot analysis will be carried out using PDQuest Image Analysis softw are (BioRad). Spots absent from the mutant sample gel will be manually excised from the wild-type B. bacteriovorus H100 sample gel for identification. Mass spectrometry and protein identification: Excised protein spots of interest will be destained, reduced, carboxymethylated, and digested with trypsin in situ.This will be done overnight with a temperature of 37Â °C as described (8). Gel digests will be centrifuged, and an aliquot of the supernatant will be taken for analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Lists of peptide masses will be generated and searched against the NCBInr database using the Mascot protein identification system (Matrix Science; http://www. matrixscience. com). Sequences of proteins identified by Mascot will be analyzed for a predicted signal sequence using SignalP 3. 0 (http://www. cbs. dtu.dk/services/SignalP/). V. Conclusion The identification of genes responsible for the expression of hydr olytic enzymes of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is of significant importance. Since the organism preys on other bacteria, its special attributes must be thoroughly studied and appreciated for possible useful applications. As mentioned earlier, this predatory organism can be used as a control agent against biofilm, as well as pathogenic organisms. Through the use of natural agents to control destructive and disease-causing bacteria, the use of chemicals and antibiotics can be lessened or avoided.Since the rapid evolution of organisms towards resistance and tolerance to anti-microbial substances is becoming more widespread, an alternative approach to these problems can be useful in the world of bacteriology. Thus, the identification of these genes and hydrolytic enzymes is of utmost importance. The elucidation of this information can be used as a primary defence against harmful microbes if this knowledge will be taken advantage. A more effective predatory role can be performed by Bdellov ibrio bacteriovorus if the genes and the hydrolytic enzymes of the organism will be expressed efficiently and constitutively.

Management Policy and Strategy

Unit 1 Learning Journal Kaplan University MT460: Management Policy and Strategy Professor Wendy Finlay November 12, 2012 Strategic management gives a business the opportunity to produce the best strategy to be more proactive in creating its future by influencing activities to control the direction of the company. The benefits of strategic management is that it helps provide a framework for the organization because the business is able form better strategies in areas of research, development, marketing, sales and financial aspects. Businesses are able to ensure that these practices are strategically managed to mprove both productivity and revenues in the company so that the company is successful. Due to this process, business can benefit from improvements in sales, profits, and productivity. Other benefits of strategic management include awareness of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for opportunity of improvement were necessary. In addition, the company benefits becaus e they are able to develop advancement in understanding strategies of the competitor, reduce resistance to change and enhance in problem prevention capabilities. Overall, the most important enefit of strategic management is to assist the company to form better strategies by utilizing a process that has a more systematic and logical approach to strategic choices. There are many risk associated with strategic management due to the unforeseen circumstances that can occur when processes and procedures are implemented in the company. Managing strategically in business can be both difficult and messy; in addition it can require a considerable amount of work. It also can place a new set of demands on employees that they were not expecting o oversee in their daily activities this can impact their daily responsibilities. Due to these aspects, some of the risks in strategic management are that it can be very expensive and time consuming to plan. Strategic management is also risky because it c an expose conflicts within the company in the areas of decision making and can cause current operational issues because long term planning decisions. Strategic management has many risks as well as the fear of failure, once a completed plan is established by the company it can limit both the choices and activities of the business in the future.