Investment Enhancement Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investment Enhancement Paper - Essay Example Also by diversify portfolio investors are able to earn more consistent returns on their investment and if one stock does not perform well and does not yield positive return then the other one could perform well and yield positive return thus the overall risk of the portfolio is reduced and investors are in a position to save their investment from fluctuations of stock as well as market. There are different techniques that investors around the world use to diversify their portfolio and maximize their return. Investing internationally or in the international markets is one of the most common techniques that investors use to diversify their portfolio. This gives more chances to investors to enhance their investment and earn better returns. In addition to while making investment internationally, investors have also used alternative investment vehicles to diversify their portfolio and to enhance their investment. This report analyzes how investors around the world have been diversifying t heir portfolio by investing internationally and by making use of alternative vehicles. international portfolio diversification on an investment portfolio When investors are investing in a particular asset they normally face two types of risks. These two types of risk are; systematic risk and nonsystematic risk. These types of risk influence the stock price and thus the return of the investors is changed. Non-systematic risk is the risk of a particular asset, stock or company in which the investment is being made and it is also called the diversifiable risk as it can be reduced drastically by creating a portfolio and diversifying the investment. The other kind of risk is called the systematic risk and it is the market risk or risk of a portfolio. The risk of a stock is reduced by diversifying the portfolio and by making investment in stock of different industries. However even after diversifying the portfolio in a particular market, the market risk cannot be reduced (Gitman, 2003). T he following graph shows that as the investor diversifies its portfolio the non-systematic risk of the portfolio reduces and as the portfolio becomes more and more diversified, the non-systemic risk reduces. However by diversifying portfolio, the systematic risk or market risk is not diversified or reduced. Market risk is the risk that can be because of fluctuations in the market, economic condition of the country, political instability and several other macroeconomic factors that would directly or indirectly impact the stock prices. (Source: Systematic versus Non-Systematic Risk) So in order to enhance the investment and further reduce the risk of the portfolio, investors have started investing stocks and assets in other countries as it reduces the market risk. By investing in different markets, the impact of change in the return because of a particular market is reduced in the overall investment and therefore the overall risk of the portfolio is reduced. The following graph reflec ts that the risk of the portfolio is further reduced as stocks from other parts of the world are included in the portfolio. Therefore diversifying portfolio and investing in different stocks around the world would reduce the risk of the portfolio and therefore it would enhance the investment. So, investing internationally would reduce the market risk and thus the overall risk

Apple Inc’s supply chain Essay Example for Free

Apple Inc’s supply chain Essay Apple Inc is the company that create a great innovation product development such as ipod , iphone , ipad , Macbook . Apple’s products have been accepted about modern design, high quality and technology. Behind the success, Apple has a best supply chain management. The beginning of their supply chain start with the research and development product to make sure that can be making and have special things to surprise their customer. The products produce from a various sources of raw material in several countries. The major suppliers which make core components for Apple are the manufacturers in China and other parts are made from United States, Europe and other countries in Asia and then they transfer all components to assemble in China. The finished goods are stored in warehouse facility in Elk Grove, California for distribute to the customer who order via retail stores, direct sales and other distributors. The other distribution way is ship product directly to their customer by the assembler. The point of these supply chain that raise the customer satisfaction is the quickly distribution via airfreight and the protection for the uniqueness of their product by places electronic monitors in some boxes of components to track them from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. Advantage * They have high inventory return and don’t have to get the demand forecast for new product like other company because they have loyal customers that support their supply and have potential waiting when it is out of stock. * They have procurement advantages that smaller rival can’t match * They can ask a supplier for a price quote and make a special contract to secure strategic raw materials. It reduces a raw material problem and the inventory out of stock. * The high protection helps them to ensure that customer delight and surprise when the products hit the market. Disadvantage * Most of their key components come from China that is a cause of risky about any sort of man-made or natural disaster. It can make Apple’s supply chain to a halt. * They might lose the customer who care about supplier responsibility because of some supplier have a hour of work more than Apple’s standard labor policy, work a maximum of 60 hour per week and to get at least one day off per week, especially in the new product launch period

The Importance Of Research And Development

The Importance Of Research And Development New product design and development is more often than not a crucial factor in the survival of a company. In an competitive environment that is fast changing, firms must continually revise their design and range of products. This is necessary due to continuous technology change and development as well as other competitors and the changing preference of customers. A system driven by marketing is one that puts the customer needs first, and only produces goods that are known to sell. Market research is carried out, which establishes what is needed. If the development is technology driven then it is a matter of selling what it is possible to make. The product range is developed so that production processes are as efficient as possible and the products are technically superior, hence possessing a natural advantage in the market place. RD has a special economic significance apart from its conventional association with scientific and technological development. RD investment generally reflects a governments or organizations willingness to forgo current operations or profit to improve future performance or returns, and its abilities to conduct research and development. In 2006, the worlds four largest spenders of RD were the United States (US$343 billion), the EU (US$231 billion), China (US$136 billion), and Japan (US$130 billion). In terms of percentage of GDP, the order of these spenders for 2006 was China (US$115 billion of US$2,668 billion GDP), Japan, United States, EU with approximate percentages of 4.3, 3.2, 2.6, and 1.8 respectively. The top 10 spenders in terms of percentage of GDP were Israel (4.53%), China (4.3%), Sweden (3.73%), Finland (3.45%), Japan (3.39%), South Korea (3.23%), Switzerland (2.9%), Iceland (2.78%), United States (2.62%), and Germany (2.53%). In general, RD activities are conducted by specialized units or centers belonging to companies, universities and state agencies. In the context of commerce, research and development normally refers to future-oriented, longer-term activities in science or technology, using similar techniques to scientific research without predetermined outcomes and with broad forecasts of commercial yield. Statistics on organizations devoted to RD may express the state of an industry, the degree of competition or the lure of progress. Some common measures include: budgets, numbers of patents or on rates of peer-reviewed publications. Bank ratios are one of the best measures, because they are continuously maintained, public and reflect risk. In the U.S., a typical ratio of research and development for an industrial company is about 3.5% of revenues. A high technology company such as a computer manufacturer might spend 7%. Although Allergan (a biotech company) tops the spending table 43.4% investment, anything over 15% is remarkable and usually gains a reputation for being a high technology company. Companies in this category include pharmaceutical companies such as Merck HYPERLINK file:///wiki/Merck__Co.HYPERLINK file:///wiki/Merck__Co. Co. (14.1%) or Novartis (15.1%), and engineering companies like Ericsson (24.9%). Such companies are often seen as poor credit risks because their spending ratios are so unusual. Generally such firms prosper only in markets whose customers have extreme needs, such as medicine, scientific instruments, safety-critical mechanisms (aircraft) or high technology military armaments. The extreme needs justify the high risk of failure and consequently high gross margins from 60% to 90% of revenues. That is, gross profits will be as much as 90% of the sales cost, with manufacturing costing only 10% of the product price, because so many individual projects yield no exploitable product. Most industrial companies get only 40% revenues. On a technical level, high tech organizations explore ways to re-purpose and repackage advanced technologies as a way of amortizing the high overhead. They often reuse advanced manufacturing processes, expensive safety certifications, specialized embedded software, computer-aided design software, electronic designs and mechanical subsystems. Research has shown that firms with a persistent RD strategy outperform those with an irregular or no RD investment programme HenceI have chosen to analyze GSKs RD and focus how it achieved growth. Brief Company Background: Head quartered in the UK, GlaxoSmithKline was formed in 2000 as a result of the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. It employs over 100,000 people in 116 countries with over 15,000 involved in research. GSK has a broad portfolio, with projects in the fields of respiratory, central nervous system, and anti-infectives to name a few. In addition, GSK has an extensive vaccines portfolio. According to GSK, it supplied one quarter of the worlds vaccines by the end of 2006 and had a further 20 in clinical development With nearly 210 pharmaceuticals and vaccine, GSK has one of the most promising pipelines in the pharmaceutical arena. However, its current success appears to be not only due to the blockbuster merger, but also to the leadership and business acumen of its CEO, Dr Jean-Pierre Garnier (formerly CEO of SmithKline Beecham), and his strategy to prioritise RD activities. Additionally, the strategic bolt-on acquisitions, such as those of Corixa and Domantis, have further strengthened the business, adding specialist expertise to maximise future potential revenue. It is important to note that GSK is not only a world leader in pharmaceuticals, but generates significant revenue from its Consumer Healthcare division Lucozade and Nicorette, for example, are globally recognised brand. In all core areas of GSK research and development plays a very important role in the product pipeline, new product development, launch and timing of the product and the final release of the product. In all these stages other department coordinate with the research and development department to ensure that the product helps GSK maintain a strong market share. Interview: GSKs Research and Development and its strategic priorities While writing this report I conducted a brief interview with Faisal Mehmud , Director GSK , Global Research and Development , who has said that GSKS merger was a complete success and that the RD department of GSK is one of the best in the world and has been instrumental in making GSK a market leader. Why do you think RD department in GSK is important? Faisal: Research and development is nowadays of great importance in business as the level of competition, production processes and methods are rapidly increasing. It is of special importance in the field of marketing where companies keep an eagle eye on competitors and customers in order to keep pace with modern trends and analyze the needs, demands and desires of their customers How do you manage GSKs RD capabilities? Faisal: Research often refers to basic experimental research; development refers to the exploitation of discoveries. Research involves the identification of possible chemical compounds or theoretical mechanisms. GSK normally buys licenses from universities or hires scientists directly when economically solid research level products emerge and the development phase of drug delivery is almost entirely managed by GSK. Development is concerned with proof of concept, safety testing, and determining ideal levels and delivery mechanisms. Development often occurs in phases that are defined by drug safety regulators in the country of interest. In the United States, the development phase can cost between $10 to $200 million and approximately one in ten compounds identified by basic research pass all development phases and reach market What does the term RD alliance means? And who are GSKs partners in RD alliance? An RD alliance is a mutually beneficial formal relationship formed between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon goals while remaining independent organisations, where acquiring new knowledge is a goal by itself. The different parties agree to combine their knowledge to create new innovative products. Thanks to funding from government organizations, like the European Unions Seventh Framework Programme and modern advances in technology. GSK has many partners in research and development including the world health organization (WHO) and the Japanese government to name a few. Research and Development in GSK: A brief Literature Review. With the general growth of RD in many academic and business fields, it is hardly surprising that the relationship between research and development and growth has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In an attempt to go beyond traditional assumptions about how research and development helps achieve competitive advantage and market growth, studies have focused on anything from different traditional, analytical or structural uses of research and development to aspects of marketing, such as product launch and timing, and other interactions in the product life cycle. While some research has focused only on the description and functions of research and development, other work has sought to show how research and development helps a company grow in terms of gaining and then maintain a competitive advantage not shared by its rivals. Accordingly, Kuemmerle (1999) suggests that research and development can be divided into studies that focus on product development and those that foc us on innovation. Much of the earlier work emphasized product development. SL Brown (1995) pioneering work suggested that product development can be divided into three streams of research and development: product development as a rational plan, communication web and disciplined problem solving . Thus, he argued that the type of RD capabilities will later shape the structure of the organization since research and development is a key component of product development and new products are becoming the nexus of competition amongst firms striving to achieve a larger market share(1995, p.5). While there are clearly some problems with SL Brownss work his analysis was not based on empirical research, for example the automatic equation of product development with `three streams is problematic the emphasis on research and development has understandably remained at the Centre of much of this work. Research has shown how companies invested in RD dominated more, interrupted less often, held the market share for longer, and so on (see, for example, J Griffin , Journal of product innovation 1995). The chief focus of this approach, then, has been to show how research and development interacts between new product development and dominant market share Some studies, however, have taken a different approach by looking not so much at RD in product development but have focused how research and development helps innovation. In a typical study of this type, JF Reinganum (1989) developed lists of what he described as research and development features of innovation. He argued that For research and development to yield up new approaches, they must also be closely coupled to the problems and challenges where innovation is needed. Much of this research has focused on comparisons between, for example the competitive nature of businesses and the ways to acquire larger market share through innovation. While some of the more popular work of this type, such as GC Moore (1991), lacks a critical dimension, the emphasis on innovation has nevertheless been valuable in interaction between research and development and company growth Although Kuemmerle (1999) distinction is clearly a useful one, it also seems evident that these two approaches are by no means mutually exclusive. While it is important on the one hand, therefore, not to operate with a simplistic version of product development and to consider research and development only in product development and innovation, it is also important not to treat research and development as if it existed outside sphere of business studies. As AH Van de Ven, HL Angle, MS Poole (2000) ask, Can it be coincidence that only firms with a persistent RD strategy outperform those with an irregular or no RD investment pr (p.80). Clearly, there is scope here for a great deal more research that is based on empirical data of research and development; operates with a complex understanding of research and development and its relationship with other core functions of business management looks specifically at the contexts of RD use, rather than assuming broad categories; aims not only to describe and explain research and development but also to change the overall understanding of RD and its importance in growth and development of a company. How research and development helped GSK GSK adopted a resource strategy to grow a well diversified global business.GSK invested heavily in its research and development (Â £3.2 billion in 2007 alone) and linked IT with biology to retrieve, process, analyse and model the vast amount of information for optimum results. GSK also realised the growth potential of emerging markets and drove expansion in Japan. The merger of Glaxo and SmithKline Beeckham created a diverse range of product portfolio for GSK and allowed geographical expansion GSK also grew its consumer healthcare business; this was done by focusing more on innovations and scare resources where they could make the biggest difference. Patent protection ensures competitive advantage, however once patent protection is lost a company has trouble maintaining a products position in the market, for this reason GSK maintains one of the best research and development facilities in the world and has some 160,000 RD staff worldwide At any time GSK has some 150 projects in clinical development comprising new drugs, product line extensions and vaccines to ensure their comparative advantage and their position as a market leader. GSK stuck with its past product success. These products were targeted at its current customers in their current markets. GSK implemented a conservative new product strategy by making minor modifications and incremental improvements in the packaging of their current products. At the same time they adopted a strategy of exploring market potential of their established existing markets by targeting them with extended new products. These new products were commercialized to replace old products that were running out of patent protection or substituted by superior rival products from competitors. GSK also identified new markets for its products. GSK adopted all these strategies simultaneously to grow a well-diversified business. GSKs main competitors such as Novartis, Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis also have a strategy of delivering more products of value however GSKs strategy of delivering more products of value is based on simplifying its clinical RD and by adding value to the supplies brought into the organization. GSKs strategy was to increase flow and improve the distribution of its products simultaneously they increased the quality of their products through research and development and creating global brands with a strong marketing initiative. GSK also compensated individuals who bought supplies for them and took strong steps to improve their supply-chain management. Unlike its main competitors GSK maintained a prescriptive resource strategy. GSK used its resources for maximum strategic benefit. If we link GSKs strategic priority of delivering more products of value with its prescriptive resource strategy we see that GSK significantly grew its biopharm capability. Biopharmaceuticals are medical drugs produced using biotechnology. GSK invested heavily to attract the best talent, compensated them and took maximum advantage of their human resources and development, which resulted in not just a growth in biopharm but also resulted in enhanced productivity for drug discovery. GSKs vision of becoming a undisputed market leader can only be accomplished if it has the right talent. Research and Development hence helped GSK achieve all its strategic priorities. Methodology I envision this project as an investigation of three primary issues: how research and development helps an organization grow, how research and development helps in product development and how research and development helps achieve innovation. In order to conduct my research effectively I chose GSK as a company to study and prepare a case study, there were two important reasons for choosing GSK. Firstly GSK has a very good research and development department that has contributed to its growth as one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Secondly GSK is a research based organization and hence maintains a very good RD capability which is worth researching. The first part of my research is primarily concerned with analysis of research and development in context with GSK. This is important because without this interrelation it becomes very difficult to understand the importance of GSK in a multinational business environment. I have also used this part to understand how research and development fits into a overall corporate strategy and goals of a company. This helps me understand why so much money is spend on research and development. It also answers several important questions from the point of view of shareholders who are often confused where these intangible costs are attributed and how the gains from spending on something non productive as research and development are maximized. The second part of my research is concerned with RD as a primary tool for production processes and product development as a linear function. As mentioned in the literature review this part is more theoretical than other parts as it involves research and development at the very core of product development. Figure 1 As shown in figure 1 Research and Development is at the very centre of product development in the product life cycle. Hence this area is of considerable importance in the field of business management and requires further research. It is a well established fact that any company that has a good RD department benefits in the long run compared to a company that gives little importance to RD hence in this part I tried to understand why research and development is so crucial in the long run for any company. By understanding product development with a case study of GSK I will begin to understand how research and development is linked with product development. Then with empirical evidence I will try and compare other companies whose research has helped them grow an impressive product portfolio. Next I will try and understand with analysis how other factors contribute to make research and development an effective force in product development, I will do this with a case study of GSK. The third aspect is how research and development contributes to innovation. For this it is important to understand innovation and study an innovative organization. Innovation helps an organization achieve competitive advantage which is a unique position a firm occupies with respect to its competitors. Innovation is a new discovery, which is commercially viable in a business sense, and which is not explored and marketed by anyone else. Innovation is protected through various mediums including trademarks and patents. I wanted to find whether research and development leads to innovation and if YES then how. For this I studied the basic model of the RD capabilities of GSK who have innovated many drugs and spoke with Dr Faisal Mahmud, Director RD, GSK. In this third aspect my focus was on the subjective side of research and development as a tool for innovation. It was observed that in an organization that devotes some and most of its energies in the primary research and development capabi lities do infect breed innovation. Also my research observed that most aspects of a business chain are integrated and linked with research and development. Research Methods. Primary Research: The fieldwork for primary research took place in two regions. I conducted an informal interview with Faisal Mahmud, Director Global RD, GSK. Also I conducted a SWOT analysis on GSK as a company, in general, and their RD department in particular. WEAKNESSES -Loss of patent protection. -Does not perform well on marketing practices. -Environmental performance. -External pressures. STRENGTHS -Size: Economies of scale -Patent protection. -Focus on innovation. -Good research and development. -Globally recognized brand. -Strong financial reserves. -Good return for investors. -Access to larger markets. -Experienced corporate management team. -Passion for achievement SWOT ANALYSIS DIAGRAM . OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. OPPORTUNITIES -Expansion in developing countries. -Strong global influence. -Segmented market. -Product development -Growth in Japan. THREATS -Competitors. -Loss of key staff. -Political pressures. -Court cases. -IT development. -Legal controversies. I also conducted a survey of 10 GSK product users and asked them the following questions regarding the research and development of GSK Below a sample survey I conducted for my primary research Secondary Research: For my secondary research I conducted a judgmental sampling, this was done by the help of the BCG Growth share matrix model, which I used just for my research and the matrix allowed me to compare, along with sampling, different RD departments and their activities and link it, or compare it, with GSKs. This comparative studies was followed by many journals and articles I read online and many books including Corporate Strategy by Richard Lynch, which helped me not just in terms of comparison but also helped me conduct my research and analysis properly. Thus through my research I have tried to understand how GSK, through its RD, maintains a competitive advantage over its competitors. Apart from the above mentioned objectives, my project and research have answered the following questions: Globally diagnosis and treatments have improved, so people are using more medicines now than ever before. How does GSKs research and development help maintain demand for their products? Demand for safer, more effective, new medicines continues to grow. How does RD propose to integrate efficiency and safety? Ageing populations take long-term treatments. How does GSKs research and development propose to meet this challenge? Major healthcare challenges exist in the developing world with no easy solutions. Does GSKs research and development help improvised nations? It takes 10-12 years from the discovery of a potential new medicine until it is available for the patients. Can this time be reduced? The estimated cost of each medicine, from discovery to market, is $897 million but only 3 out of 10 new treatments recover development costs. Is it really worth it? Results Results As mentioned in the literature review and methodology the research conducted for this report focused primarily in three areas. How research and development helps an organization grow? How research and development helps in product development and how research and development leads to innovation. As mentioned this research was conducted with a case study of GSK. How research and development helps an organization grow? Results: From my research I found out that RD helps considerably for an organization to grow and expand. Based on facts until the merger of Glaxo and Smith to form GSK both companies maintained a highly productive research and development department but had opposite interests, while Glaxos main businesses were medicines Smithkline Beckham dealed in Vaccines primarily. Hence their research was limited in the sense of their strategy and their respective market share. After the merger both organizations integrated their RD capabilities and invested heavily in research and development. This led to many RD centers to be established across the world including in countries such as India and Australia which are considered emerging markets. This high investment in research and development created a diverse and unique product portfolio and led to groundbreaking developments in fields such as central nervous systems, bacteria, malaria and cancer. This helped GSK, a newly merged company in 2000 to become the second best pharmaceutical company in the world. Andrew Witty, CEO GSK, in an interview with the Financial Times in 2007 described the phenomenal growth of GSK to its outstanding research and development capabilities which led to a unique product portfolio and helped develop a strong position against competitors. From my research I found out that through RD GK developed a very good overall reputation for discovering new drugs which led to affiliations with organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO). Also RD ensures that new products not launched by competitors are developed and marketed which keeps the comparative advantage enjoyed by an organization and helps maintain a strong market share and growth rate in the long run. How research and development helps in product development? Results: Research and development forms the core and integral part of any product development. Business analysts evaluate gaps in the market and understand and comprehend market and customer needs. This information is then passed to the RD department who work vigorously to develop products which suit the requirements of the business models and corporate strategy of the organization. RD makes the designs, comprehends the requirements, conducts research and forms the basis and provides a prototype. This proto is then subjected to a number of tests to make sure the product meets the standard international health and safety laws and whether it is feasible. This process is very vigorous and time consuming. Once all the tests all positive then the organizational heads decide how best to market the product. Sometimes they even sample it to customers as an extension of the Testing process. It is established that not all RD leads to a standardized product and results in many wastages however without research and development constant changes which are needed for a product cannot occur and secondly product development process cannot start by ignoring RD costs and benefits. How research and development leads to innovation: Results: In my interview with Dr Faisal Mehmud he said Research often refers to basic experimental research; development refers to the exploitation of discoveries. Hence innovation is indeed a discovery and constant research helps solve unresolved problems in any field where research is being conducted. For example from my research I found that many updated versions of in market drugs that had limited cure in diseases such as malaria and cancer are solved by GSK . Many incurable diseases not have prescription. These are all innovations. Constant research invariably leads to innovation. Many innovations solve problems and are limited in scope for drugs for cancer. But constant research is the only way to solve these issues. Also as far as GSK is concerned most research is experimental and experiments lead to discoveries and innovations. Reflective Report: I started working on this report in November 2009. The fieldwork for this research took place in two regions and many academic journals, online materials, reference books and opinions were needed to complete this report. I faced a number of p-problems while writing this report and it was a big challenge. The first problem I faced was understanding RD. It is a very complex term and is used not just by firms but governments and even the military. Each RD capability has its own unique function that caters to the organization it represents. However what made this subject interesting to study was the importance of RD. When I first started my project, I remained in the forming stage for quite a while. It took me many weeks and many meetings to figure out what I was doing and split up into three broad categories. Although the forming stage did take a while, I was able to cover most of the norming stage at the same time because I started knowing the subject quite well. Once I finally formed my basis, the rest of the stages went much easier. I was able to finish up the norming and began performing rather quickly. This stage continued until recently as I was doing research, and reading journals, quite often. I performed quite well in research and spent very little time, if any, in the storming stage. Most of the storming I dealt with was with the help of other students and my academic teacher at Greenwich. I was trying to plan an interesting project, Another topic I was able to apply to my project was clarity and hardwork. Once I decided, I was able to take responsibility for different parts of the project. I learned to wor

Misery, by Stephen King - Annie Wilkes :: Misery Stephen King

Misery, by Stephen King - Annie Wilkes What does it take to frighten an author of best-selling horror novels?   In Misery, Stephen King embodies a writer's fears about himself as a writer and about the continuation of his creativity in a richly elaborated and horrifi-cally psychotic woman, Annie Wilkes.   In the novel, Annie represents a mother figure, a goddess, and a "constant reader".   In reality, however, An-nie merely represents a creative part of King's mind. Annie Wilkes is a proud mother of two children--a historical-romance novelist, Paul Sheldon, and his extremely popular heroine Misery Chastain.   Annie must nurse and educate Paul.   Gottschalk elaborates, "Annie views Paul in a madly maternal way.   Early in her custody of Paul, she brings him pills for his excruciating pain, but he must suck them off her fingers in a grotesque parody of a nursing child" (125).   If she leaves him untended too long, Paul wets his bed, and she must change his sheets and clothes. When he is tired or frustrated, he weeps like a small child.   Annie ensures his childlike dependence on her and an ""expression of maternal love" (King 159) with his addiction to pain killing-drugs.   Annie's disciplinary actions contribute to her mother figure, also.   Gottschalk writes, "When he has been bad, she disciplines him but in motherly fashion often comforts him while doing so" (127).   Annie punishes Sheldon's attempts to get free by ampu-tating h is foot and thumb with an ax, "exercising editorial authority over his body" (King 264).   Annie acts as a virginal and protective mother of the vir-gin Misery,   "Annie prevents Paul from letting Misery Chastain die in child-birth.   She must live and a novel must be born" (Gottschalk 126).   Annie nurtures Misery's return as well, "Nothing will interfere with [Misery's] safety or the birth of the book she is nurturing" (Gottschalk 127).   There are no doubts as to the significance of Annie's maternal image in the novel. Behind Annie's destructiveness lies a goddess figure--a goddess in charge of Paul's, as well as Misery's, life.   Paul is at the mercy of Annie.   He makes it through the days, but only in a complete fear of being murdered by Annie.   Gottschalk illustrates Annie's powerful grip over Paul, "Annie 'raped' Paul back into life, and she will hunt him down if he tries to escape" (127).   King compares Annie's powerful figure to a giant furnace, "That's what it would look like†¦If you built a furnace inside the mouth of one of those idols in the H.

Foundations of Psychology Paper

Psychology encompasses a vast range of different thoughts, theories, and biological foundations on behavior of why people act the way they do. Once a part of philosophy, psychology has developed into several schools of thought that describe the theories some of these individuals use to approach what they are observing from different people and their actions. Some of these theories do have conflictions from others, but all have a good amount of validity to their theories. Many things contribute to the biological well being of a person and those things can determine what kind of behavior the person will display. The major schools of thought are introspection, structuralism, functionalism, psychodynamic theory, cognitive theory, and behavioral theory. Introspection was a method in which a person would report anything the person had come across their mind when they were given some kind of stimulus or task to do. Structuralism used introspection to uncover parts of consciousness and how they combine into ideas with one another. Functionalism applied the Darwinian Theory where roles or functions would aid in helping an individual adapt to their environment. The psychodynamic theory has three parts that describe it. The first one is thoughts, feelings, or wishes determine the way person will act. The second one is most of the thoughts a person has come outside of the person’s awareness. The third is that the mental processes may conflict with one another leaving to possible compromises within some of the competing motives of a person. The behavioral theory suggests that there are many things that can stimulate a person such as an object or an event within the person’s environment can control the behavior of a person through learning. The cognitive theory suggests that the perception, process, and the way a person retrieves information allows the person to interact in daily activities. Although all these theories have a specific suggestion on the psychological health of a person, they have had some conflicts that within those who created the theories. According to Uljana Feest, â€Å"Moreover, his contention that something like unconscious sensations/experiences can be invoked as explanatory of other experiences is in clear opposition to Brentano’s view that since mental phenomena, by definition, are conscious, there can be no psychological explanations that make recourse to unconscious mental phenomena. † Most psychologists in modern times use a more eclectic outlook where they use a combination of these theories to observe people. The nervous system has an impact on the biological functions of a person, and it can determine how a person will behave in different ways. The nervous system is made up of different types of neurons, and these neurons are what carry messages back and forth through the body to tell the body to do something, when there is an injury, or many other things. This information carried from the neurons is carried through the central nervous system which is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system which maintains the basic survival of a human being. Neurotransmitters are chemicals within the body that transmit information from one neuron to the next. Each neurotransmitter can have a different effect on the person when the chemical is produced such as when serotonin is produced. Serotonin is the chemical the body produces to help the body sleep, in emotional arousal, pain regulation, and mood. There are also other chemicals in the body that allow the body to do other things, and if any of these chemicals are not produced or they are overproduced, they can have an effect on how the person behaves on a daily basis. Receptors also play a role in the transmission of neurotransmitters. They bond together to allow a chemical and electrical balance occur which is called a graded potential. According to Howard C. Warren, â€Å"Behavior is not merely a branch of physiology; its data, responses, are a class of phenomena indicative of neural activity. Mental states or experiences are not merely subjective occurrences; they are somehow conditioned on the operations of the nervous system. † The reasons behind what makes people behave the way they do will still be a science that will not have an absolute answer to. There are theories that suggest different views to why people act the way they do, but those theories are just what they mean. They do provide some sort of understanding, and when put together, make much more sense to use in understanding human behavior. Biological features also play a major role in human behavior, and they too provide psychologists with ways to help understand humans along with the different theories. Feest Uljana,(2011) pg. 5, Introspection as a Method and Introspection as a Feature of Consciousness, retrieved from Ebscohost: http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9694d08f-b9f8-420d-903c-00aadade28ff%40sessionmgr113&vid=12&hid=115 Warren, Howard C., pg. 250; Psychology And The Centralnervous System, retrieved from Ebschost: http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9694d08f-b9f8-420d-903c-00aadade28ff%40sessionmgr113&vid=20&hid=115

Role of AfroCubans in the War of Independence essays

Role of AfroCubans in the War of Independence essays What distinguished the final War of Independence (1895-1898) from the earlier Ten Years' War (1868-1878) and the short-lived Guerra Chiquita (1879-1880) was the war's success throughout the majority of the island, the final ousting of the Spanish through the American intervention, the espousal of an egalitarian ideology by a radical multiracial military leadership, and the iconization of the war's two most revered heroes: Jos Martà ­ and Antonio Maceo. As has been documented, the aims of the liberation were modified when elite Cuban planters joined the insurgent cause beginning in 1896 and brought their social agenda to bear on the civil wing of the separatist cause (Prez 1983:125). The liberation army under Mximo Gmez, however, sought to eliminate the very socio-economic basis of Cuban society by razingl the sugar plantations as a means towards creating a more egalitarian society. While the division between the civilian and the military was in fact a deciding factor for the fina l outcome of the war and led to the intervention of the United States, the tension between the two wings has gathered too much attention at the expense of examining how class and racial conflicts before the final war were the source of later divisions among the separatists (Ferrer 1995:283). By discussing the historiography of Afro-Cuban nationalist discourse, a mythologized vision of nationalist unity emerges which was reproduced and interpreted differently by diverse segments of the separatist front, but nonetheless served to mobilize vast numbers of Afro-Cubans against the Spanish in an unprecedented display of force. Afro-Cubans participated in greater numbers during the final war, and while there were divisions among them as well, a majority of these former slaves on the rebel side shared a nationalist vision for a freer, more egalitarian Cuba (Helg 1995:44). The source of this vision can be located in their struggle ...

All the Presidents Men essays

All the President's Men essays The biggest political scandal to ever hit the United States History was Watergate. It led directly to the reelection campaign of Nixon and unmasked a game of political spying, bribery, and the illegal use of campaign funds. Through the help of reporters of the Washington Post Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the end result of the scandal resulted in Nixons resignation from presidency in 1974 and the indictment of nearly forty government officials. The two reporters wrote about the whole scandal, and how they solved the puzzle in All the Presidents Men. The scandal began on June 17, 1972 when a security guard notified the police that a door lock was taped at the Washingtons Watergate. Three officers responded to the call and found five burglars in suits with rubber gloves on and hundred dollar bills in sequence in their pockets. The men were actually there to adjust the bugging equiptment they had installed during a May break-in and to photograph the Democratic documents. At first the burglars seemed like every day people, but later on a 25,000-dollar check marked for Nixons campaign was deposited in a bank account of Bernard L. Barker. Barker was one of the five burglars. A Florida bank made out the check to Kenneth H. Dahlberg. Dahlberg said he turned the check over to Maurice Stans. Dahlberg said he had no idea how the check got into Barkers bank account. According to court testimony by government prosecutors, Barkers bank account in which the $25,000 check was deposited was the same account from which Barker later withdrew a large number of hundred dollar bills. About 53 of these 100-dollar bills were found on the five men after they were arrested at the Watergate. Woodward and Bernstein helped to crack the case by bringing up the mysterious $25,000 check. Soon after the $25,000 check was found, G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord were convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and wiretapp...

Information systems Essays

Information systems Essays Information systems Paper Information systems Paper A Transaction Processing System also referred to as TPS is an information system used to collect, retrieve, store, and modify transactions within an organization. For a computer to be considered a transaction processing system it must pass the ACID test. 3 Tescos rely on their TPS because of the fact all there transaction made to there suppliers and customers and any middle parties involved are done by TPS also all the products have a bar code which the TPS uses to figure out how many products have been sold and needs ordering etc. Key Features of TPS Rapid Response Rapid performance and a rapid response time is vital and the businesses cannot meet the expense of the customers having wait for a TPS to respond, the time taken from the input of the transaction to the production for the output must be a few seconds or less. Reliability Many organisations rely profoundly on their TPS if a breakdown was to occur this will disrupt operations and can even stop the business from functioning correctly. For a TPS to be efficient the failure rate must be exceptionally low. If a TPS failure does occur then fast and precise recovery must be achievable.

Explain the relationship between performance and rewards Essay

Explain the relationship between performance and rewards - Essay Example When I was working at the sales department of Nestle Company I was offered three types of rewards: money, promotion and a vacation. Before these rewards could be offered, the goals of the department were clearly stipulated and aligned to organizational goals. Then we sat with the departmental manager to set individual goals which if achieved, reward would be given. We met periodically with the manager to review our performance and revise the goals if unachievable before performance was evaluated at the end of each year. Those of us who achieved our targets got monetary rewards and this made us to work harder for extra cash. I was also promoted from sales representative to sales manager and this motivated me to worker harder so as to climb up the ladder and achieve self-actualization. A vacation was also welcome to spend time with family away from the stress of work. This made me feel fresh on reporting back to work hence increased morale, job satisfaction and consequently improved pe rformance. If such rewards were not offered, then many employees would not go out of their way to ensure organizational goals are achieved or work beyond the expected performance. This is in line with the expectancy theory of motivation whereby employees expect to be given something in return for their extra effort (Hegar, 2012, p. 12). If they do not expect anything, the likelihood of losing morale is high. The most likely type of rewards to result in improved productivity are intrinsic rewards such as recognition, increased responsibility, challenging work, sense of accomplishment and belonging. These come from inside the person rather than from external source such as money given by a boss hence have more power to motivate (Hegar 2012). An employee is most likely to get used to external rewards hence views them as a norm thus reducing his/her motivation. For intrinsic rewards, an employee is not forced to

Research on Female President Election in US Paper

On Female President Election in US - Research Paper Example Gender stereotypes give preference to a given gender to hold a political position. Some studies show that gender stereotype is a factor that influences presidential elections in developed counties (Watson 503). Some people feel that women are not able to make tough decisions. The research presented in this paper evaluates public opinion as influenced by gender bias in electing a woman. The paper evaluates how gender stereotype influences election in United States by using data obtained from opinion polls. Women featured in presidential ticket campaigns, yet they were not able to clinch the tickets in their parties. The research wants to investigate whether gender stereotypes influenced voting for the female candidate. The findings of the research would suggest how political like would influence presidential politics in capitalist nations and how gender gap influences US presidential politics. The State of the Literature Gender attitude dictate political action in a society. Women demonstrate views, which tend to support candidates with liberal views (Watson 505). Male counterpart demonstrates conservative views to political issues. The difference constituted by these varying thoughts influence media representation of women in American politics. Modern politics stress on policies than propaganda or vain saying exhibited in the past. Theorists have mentioned various factors to propagate gender gaps in the society, which include modernization, attitude differences, and secularization. Apparently, cultural aspects defined various roles in the society. The advent of modernization opened a new chapter to women especially the role of a woman in the community. In pre industrial age, women task was to bear children and take care of their homes. Women effort in economic growth and societal development in the modern society is evident through active participation of women. Women lead in various political and n on-political offices, discharging duties, which contribute to economic growth. Studies show that women take part in active politics in various developed countries than they do in developing countries (Leighley 8). Liberalization of political system in these countries is a factor that has contributed to the liberal representations by women. Scholars argue that many factors contribute to liberal views that women poses. Factors such as pervasiveness, high poverty level among women, sexual discrimination, and other related factors influence liberal views of women. Societal changes suggest the existence of gender gaps in the society. Society has reverted social structure in which women served as servants to men (Watson 256). Participation in workforce among women is among changes in social structures that women boost of today. Gender gap is evident because many changes in social structure advocated for equal participation. Research on nations, which have not embraced changes in their soc ial structure, reveals that women position in the traditional society has not changed. Various studies attribute different factors as constraints to that

Unschooling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unschooling - Essay Example They study at home and learn from their own life experience. Unschooling is rather controversial: from one point of view it can give young people more opportunities to learn from the natural experience, from the other point of view, it can prevent children from receiving normal education. Here I would like to emphasize that home schooling is possible and good but everything depends on parents and their efforts. In the article the author presents the case of the 6-year-old boy who is unschooled. He does not go to school but plays games and goes shopping instead. His mother does not care if he reads textbooks or learn vocabulary. He learned to read from Pokemon cards and to count in the supermarket when choosing what is cheaper and what to buy. The opponents of unschooling are sure that such children may miss important points given in school. But boy’s mother does not think so. She says that her son will get standard education but with the help of soft and unobtrusive approach. For example, when she wants her son to read a textbook, she does not order him to do that. She just leaves the book in the room and one day he starts reading it himself. I consider unschooling to be a very interesting new approach. However much depends on parents. They should assess their efforts and opportunities before making a serious decision to let their child remain

Procter & Gamble Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Procter & Gamble Company - Research Paper Example The company, which has been in the industry for 174 years, has earned a great number of recognitions over the years. These included, to cite a few, a 6th ranking on Fortune’s â€Å"Global Most Admired Companies†, a 2nd on Fortune’s â€Å"Top Companies for Leaders† survey, top rankings on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index from 2000 to 2010, and most innovative manufacturer in the consumer packaged goods industry for the last decade given by the Symphony IRI group. In addition, P&G has also been recognized by the National Association for Female Executives (Top 50 Companies for Executive Women) and Black Enterprise magazine (40 Best Companies for Diversity); awards related to creating a diverse workplace. On top of that, P&G has been consistently a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, made up of 17 corporations that spend more than $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers, since 2005 (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011). P&G serves consumer, household and phar maceutical goods to consumers in more than 180 countries. Having around 127,000 employees for ground operations in 80 countries (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011) , the company makes at least 250 brands in six main categories: laundry and cleaning (detergents), paper goods (toilet paper), beauty care (cosmetics and shampoos), food and beverages (coffee and snacks), feminine care (sanitary towels) and health care (toothpaste and medicine), (Corporate Watch , 2002). Among the quality and leadership brands manufactured by the company are Ivory, Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper, Pantene, Folgers, Charmin, Downy, Lenor, Iams, Crest, Oral B, Actonel, Duracell, Olay, head & Shoulders, Wella, Gilette, and Braun (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). History P&G has changed the lifestyle of consumers worldwide, the history of which can be rooted way back in 1837 in Cincinnati, Ohio. William Procter, who was originally from England, and James Gamble, an immigrant from Ireland, had crossed paths when th ey married sisters Olivia and Elizabeth Norris (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). The partnership of the two was suggested by their mutual father-in-law, Alexander Norris, who stated that both William’s trade, candle making and James’ which was soap making would utilize lye from animal fat and wood ashes that were prominent in Cincinnati (FundingUniverse, 2003). At that time of the business establishment, Williams and James used a forward-looking approach despite the financial panic across US wherein banks were bankrupt and competition among soap and candle makers were tough. Despite the years leading to civil war in the 1850s, P&G was able to obtain large contracts from the national government to provide the Union army with soap and candle products (Dyer, Dalzell, & Olegario, 2004). Furthermore, Williams and James’ company was able to start one of the first profit-sharing programs in the US, and also invested in a research laboratory (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). It was in the 1890s when P&G developed and sold 30 different types of soap, which included the famous brand Ivory and soaps for dishwashing and washing clothes. The effective advertisements of the products through the use of radio â€Å"soap operas†, product sampling and promotional premiums increased the demand which led to expansion of operations in Kansas City, Kansas and Ontario, Canada. Another world-wide known product introduced by P&G in 1946 was Tide. The introduction of Tide was remarkably successful which paved the way to having new markets across continents (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). A few years following the sensation of Tide, several products were brought into the market. The first fluoride toothpaste, Crest, became popularly known as it was endorsed by the American Dental

Adding Customer Value to Your Financial Prganisation for Competitive Essay

Adding Customer Value to Your Financial Prganisation for Competitive Advantage - Essay Example Background Financial institutions are increasingly facing a complex environment which directly relates with the competitive environment in the industry. The current financial crisis has relatively shaken the confidence of many in the viability of financial institutions and as such doing business in such an environment is really a challenge task. One of the most important ways through which any institution including financial institutions can compete and withstand the difficult economic situations is to develop its core competencies and create competitive advantage. One of the most important ways through which it can be achieved is the delivery of customer value to the customers of our organization. This could be helpful in order to allow the bank to actually lock in the existing base of customers while at the same time ensuring that new customers are also attracted.( Bill, 2003) To create a value for the customers, an organization however, have to incur the costs in order to ensure t hat the value delivered to the customers outpaces the cost incurred on generating such value. Resultantly an organization also develops its competitive advantage in order to become relatively stronger as compared to the competition. It is critical therefore that the customer value is generated to achieve the competitive advantage. ... In order to achieve this, there are real chances that the overall customer value may decline as the increasing cost pressures as well as liquidity crunch may force many banks and financial institutions to generate new avenues to achieve profitability. For any firm, its current base of customers is considered as one of the most valuable assets to care of and as such it is critical to understand that delivering value to the customers can be one of the key drivers of growth in an economy which is on decline. It is important therefore that strategic direction must be set to ensure that the delivering value to the customers is integrated with the generation of competitive advantage for the firm.( Shirley, 2000) Financial organizations are also relatively more regulated as compared to other industries therefore working in an environment which is heavily regulated requires innovativeness and creativity to develop and market products and services which can cater to the different needs of the customers while at the same time generating the relative value for the firm also. It is therefore critical that when an organization delivers customer value, the same must also result into the increase for the firm value too. Translation of the customer value to the firm value therefore is critical for manages to ensure because once competitive advantage is generated, it is important that the same must also develop into the firm level value for the firm. Commonwealth Bank’s effort to generate customer value and subsequent generation of competitive advantage therefore must result into the increase in the value for its shareholders and investors. Generation of

International strategic management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International strategic management - Case Study Example The whole food market strives to have the highest variety of quality products in the market. This they do by ensuring a top selection of food suppliers who produce and maintain high standards of food production. They also ensure that these suppliers maintain a reasonable degree of social and environmental responsibility while producing the goods. Whole food since 2002 has tried to develop new individual stores to help them stock a lot of this produce (Thompson, 2010, p.1). Whole Food Market is also pursuing its goal for providing products of high quality in the market. These are healthy products free from all the preservatives and any other product that becomes genetically engineered that will reduce its quality as organic. The company strives in dominating the local market and also the international market. Whole food market stores are also developing ways of attracting customers to the store. They ensure that they maintain a conducive environment for their customers. This include t he use of ambient lighting, educational demonstrations to encourage their shopper to come back again and bring other customers to the stores. Whole food also uses a strategy of team work for their operations. The members of the staff get involved in the process of hiring new employees, developing and implementing new ideas and also encouraging members’ individual thinking, while still maintaining individual accountability for both the success and failure (Thompson, 2010, p.14). Q2 Yes, the strategy is well matched since Whole food objective is to supply their consumers with products of the highest quality. These are products that lack pesticides and other genetically engineered products that are likely to affect the consumers, community and agriculture health. The products also have a flavored taste to the benefits of consumers and as a current trend in a healthy lifestyle. In order to maintain their natural and organic food sectors, the firm's product line include nearly 300 00 natural, organic food and non food products (Thompson, 2010, p.10). The firm also provides fresh produce like meat and poultry, exceptional quality cheese, frozen foods and a selection of daily baked goods. All the meats and poultry provided are natural. The animals got raised without artificial growth hormones or the byproducts in their animals. The entire sea food is wild caught or found from the aquaculture farms. Q3. Yes, He has a strong vision for Whole Foods being an international brand not only just for organic and natural foods, but also as the best and leading food retailer in every region where the food stores are present. His vision was to see whole food set high standards for excellence in the business of food retail. His vision of marketing high quality and natural, organic foods to more customers all over would eventually transform the diets of people. This will make them live longer, healthier and happier lives. His vision sees the company’s future strategic course. It resonates what the firm wants to be, where it’s heading to and the scopes of its future. He is not planning to leave it at only the supply of natural and organic foods but also, take the entire food retail business (Thompson, 2010, p.2). The company’s motto is a compelling one. This is because it covers three most vital areas of success in the food industry. It majorly focuses on superior quality of the products getting offered it covers the

Procter & Gamble Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Procter & Gamble Company - Research Paper Example The company, which has been in the industry for 174 years, has earned a great number of recognitions over the years. These included, to cite a few, a 6th ranking on Fortune’s â€Å"Global Most Admired Companies†, a 2nd on Fortune’s â€Å"Top Companies for Leaders† survey, top rankings on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index from 2000 to 2010, and most innovative manufacturer in the consumer packaged goods industry for the last decade given by the Symphony IRI group. In addition, P&G has also been recognized by the National Association for Female Executives (Top 50 Companies for Executive Women) and Black Enterprise magazine (40 Best Companies for Diversity); awards related to creating a diverse workplace. On top of that, P&G has been consistently a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, made up of 17 corporations that spend more than $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers, since 2005 (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011). P&G serves consumer, household and phar maceutical goods to consumers in more than 180 countries. Having around 127,000 employees for ground operations in 80 countries (Procter & Gamble Co., 2011) , the company makes at least 250 brands in six main categories: laundry and cleaning (detergents), paper goods (toilet paper), beauty care (cosmetics and shampoos), food and beverages (coffee and snacks), feminine care (sanitary towels) and health care (toothpaste and medicine), (Corporate Watch , 2002). Among the quality and leadership brands manufactured by the company are Ivory, Pampers, Tide, Ariel, Always, Whisper, Pantene, Folgers, Charmin, Downy, Lenor, Iams, Crest, Oral B, Actonel, Duracell, Olay, head & Shoulders, Wella, Gilette, and Braun (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). History P&G has changed the lifestyle of consumers worldwide, the history of which can be rooted way back in 1837 in Cincinnati, Ohio. William Procter, who was originally from England, and James Gamble, an immigrant from Ireland, had crossed paths when th ey married sisters Olivia and Elizabeth Norris (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). The partnership of the two was suggested by their mutual father-in-law, Alexander Norris, who stated that both William’s trade, candle making and James’ which was soap making would utilize lye from animal fat and wood ashes that were prominent in Cincinnati (FundingUniverse, 2003). At that time of the business establishment, Williams and James used a forward-looking approach despite the financial panic across US wherein banks were bankrupt and competition among soap and candle makers were tough. Despite the years leading to civil war in the 1850s, P&G was able to obtain large contracts from the national government to provide the Union army with soap and candle products (Dyer, Dalzell, & Olegario, 2004). Furthermore, Williams and James’ company was able to start one of the first profit-sharing programs in the US, and also invested in a research laboratory (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). It was in the 1890s when P&G developed and sold 30 different types of soap, which included the famous brand Ivory and soaps for dishwashing and washing clothes. The effective advertisements of the products through the use of radio â€Å"soap operas†, product sampling and promotional premiums increased the demand which led to expansion of operations in Kansas City, Kansas and Ontario, Canada. Another world-wide known product introduced by P&G in 1946 was Tide. The introduction of Tide was remarkably successful which paved the way to having new markets across continents (Procter & Gamble Co., 2006). A few years following the sensation of Tide, several products were brought into the market. The first fluoride toothpaste, Crest, became popularly known as it was endorsed by the American Dental

International strategic management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International strategic management - Case Study Example The whole food market strives to have the highest variety of quality products in the market. This they do by ensuring a top selection of food suppliers who produce and maintain high standards of food production. They also ensure that these suppliers maintain a reasonable degree of social and environmental responsibility while producing the goods. Whole food since 2002 has tried to develop new individual stores to help them stock a lot of this produce (Thompson, 2010, p.1). Whole Food Market is also pursuing its goal for providing products of high quality in the market. These are healthy products free from all the preservatives and any other product that becomes genetically engineered that will reduce its quality as organic. The company strives in dominating the local market and also the international market. Whole food market stores are also developing ways of attracting customers to the store. They ensure that they maintain a conducive environment for their customers. This include t he use of ambient lighting, educational demonstrations to encourage their shopper to come back again and bring other customers to the stores. Whole food also uses a strategy of team work for their operations. The members of the staff get involved in the process of hiring new employees, developing and implementing new ideas and also encouraging members’ individual thinking, while still maintaining individual accountability for both the success and failure (Thompson, 2010, p.14). Q2 Yes, the strategy is well matched since Whole food objective is to supply their consumers with products of the highest quality. These are products that lack pesticides and other genetically engineered products that are likely to affect the consumers, community and agriculture health. The products also have a flavored taste to the benefits of consumers and as a current trend in a healthy lifestyle. In order to maintain their natural and organic food sectors, the firm's product line include nearly 300 00 natural, organic food and non food products (Thompson, 2010, p.10). The firm also provides fresh produce like meat and poultry, exceptional quality cheese, frozen foods and a selection of daily baked goods. All the meats and poultry provided are natural. The animals got raised without artificial growth hormones or the byproducts in their animals. The entire sea food is wild caught or found from the aquaculture farms. Q3. Yes, He has a strong vision for Whole Foods being an international brand not only just for organic and natural foods, but also as the best and leading food retailer in every region where the food stores are present. His vision was to see whole food set high standards for excellence in the business of food retail. His vision of marketing high quality and natural, organic foods to more customers all over would eventually transform the diets of people. This will make them live longer, healthier and happier lives. His vision sees the company’s future strategic course. It resonates what the firm wants to be, where it’s heading to and the scopes of its future. He is not planning to leave it at only the supply of natural and organic foods but also, take the entire food retail business (Thompson, 2010, p.2). The company’s motto is a compelling one. This is because it covers three most vital areas of success in the food industry. It majorly focuses on superior quality of the products getting offered it covers the

The nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 - 1839 Essay Example for Free

The nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 1839 Essay To what extent were the changes in the size of the electorate the key factor in determining the nature of state provisions for the poor in the period c. 1830 1839? In the years between 1830 and 1939, Britain saw great increase in the rate of legislation and the amount of government intervention in society, particularly concerning the aid of the poor. At the same time, the size of electorate was ever expanding but does this mean to two factors are necessarily linked? 1832 saw the Great Reform act, an act which extended the vote to all middle class men, putting an increased amount of power in their hands, in reflection of the greater political influence they now boasted. The middle class were distinguished by their values; the promotion of self help, thrift, sobriety and scientific approach all considered fairly opposite to qualities which the working class were believed to possess (self help, thrift and sobriety, in particular). Two years following the reform act, in 1834, the poor law amendment act was introduced. The old poor law had been under much attack, particularly from prominent writers and social commentators of the time, such as Thomas Malthus and Jeremy Bentham. Malthus blamed the poor law for the evident population growth in Britain, in that people were entitled to a greater amount of poor relief when they had a greater number of children. His solution to the problem was to see the abolition of the poor law, which would allow land owners (those who paid the poor rates) to pay higher wages to their workers, to prevent them having to rely on means of relief in the first place. With any luck, this would also discourage people from having as many children for the sake of money, hence controlling the rate of population growth and consumption of resources. Bentham wanted to see the poor cared for by the National Charity Organisation. He also proposed industry houses, which would be the only means by which people could access poor relief. The industry houses would be purposely tough, with strict discipline and long hours, in the hope of discouraging people from entering in the first place. Given that there would be no outdoor relief; this was intended to encourage people to apply the middle class principle of self help, and to find a means out income beyond poor relief. The major problems with the old poor law focused around its increasing cost, corruption within the system, and the demoralising affect of the Speenhamland system (where by the low wages of agricultural works would be subsidised in accordance to their number of children and the price of bread). The problems were approached by the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws, which began a few months prior to the 1832 great reform act. It recommended a new means of administration of the poor law (including the grouping of parishes into unions, controlled by a Board of Guardians, overseen by a central Poor Law Commission), the abolition of outdoor relief, and the introduction of the workhouse test. These ideas very much reflected those of Jeremy Bentham, and generally promoted middle class values; in particular, self help. However, given that the Royal Commission began some months before the middle class were enfranchised, it seems somewhat less likely that the points of the Poor Law Amendment act were a consequence of their influence. Furthermore, the leading commissioners were Nassau Senoir, a Malthusian, and Edwin Chadwick, a Benthamite given their position in the proceedings, it seems far more likely that their ideas are those which had more impact on the investigation (i.e., the results of the investigation could have easily been picked at to meet with their beliefs). Throughout the mid-nineteenth century, it could be observed that there was a growing movement of self-help amongst the working class, mainly revolving around Friendly Societies, Co-Operatives and Trade Unions. The Co-op began in 1844, and aimed to keep food prices down without compromising their purity. At the end of the year, profits were shared out amongst members via a dividend, so customers gained something in return for their expenditures. The Co-op was not a great use for the particularly poor however, as full payments were required at the time of purchase these people generally relied on tabs due to low and irregular income. Members of friendly societies and trade unions, generally speaking, would pay in a protected sum of money which they could then receive as benefits when ill, to protect then from having to turn to the poor law. Again, this required a regular income, due to the need to pay in money consistently. It seems very likely that these means of self help were a direct influence from the middle class; perhaps members of the working class had seen the influence and status which the middle class had received as a potential consequence of their values? Also, the new poor law and the fact that people would want to avoid the workhouse if at all possible seems a viable reason for the new interest in self help. It seems perfectly possible however that these people could have picked up on such middle class values without the latter being enfranchised anyway. In reward for their efforts, skilled artisans received the vote in 1867, with the second reform act. This still left the majority of the working class without the vote, and was likely due to the fact that skilled artisans were the only members of the working class with a steady enough income to pay into friendly societies, trade unions or co-operatives. The 1867 wasnt entirely supported however; some leading figures considered it power in the hands of the masses, and that it would throw the scum of the community to the surface. However, following the reform act, many changes were made and legislations passed, including the compulsory 1875 public health act and the 1870 education act, amongst others, all bringing about changes which would improve the conditions of working class life, along with the peoples chances for the future. Links between poverty and external factors were being established, government intervention was increasing, and there was a broader electorate to now appeal to. However, this growing electorate was not the only motive behind these changes. Scientific breakthroughs were occurring, such as the establishment of the germ theory, which gave much of the basis for the 1875 compulsory public health act. The national efficiency debate was sparking concerns to the general condition of the nation, a problem particularly highlighted by the number of volunteers who had to be rejected from aiding in the Boer war due to their poor health. Foreign competition saw rise to concerns over Britains economic health and weak workforce with a slump in trade, and the opinion of public figures such as Charles Dickens and Henry Mayhew on the difficulty of working class life gave a very human aspect to the problem. It seems that really, the now larger electorate was not the main force behind these legislations; yet, they were the easiest way to appeal to working men. It may just be considered as a fortunate consequence that these somewhat essential legislations appealed to the working class and their needs. The government also realised that taking these measures would help to break the apparent poverty cycle when people fell ill due to the poor conditions they lived in, they could not work, dipping them and their families into poverty. Consequently, the workforce became weakened, which by no means aided Britains dwindling economy. It was essentially in the governments interest to pass these legislations, for the sake of the country, not just appeal to the working class voters. In 1884, the vote was extended further into the working class, resulting in 1/6th of all men having the vote. The 1880s and 90s were a period of great economic problems and fairly high unemployment, and issue which was extending to skilled and respectable workers, not just the casual workers in society. This was a consequence of Britains pattern of trade slumping, and the inadequacy of the poor law in dealing with such a problem led to an overflow in the workhouses, and many people with no means of relief. Still prevalent in society was the national efficiency debate, with Britains consistently weak workforce and comparatively weak economy in comparison to nations such as Germany and the USA. Around this time, there was also an ever-growing awareness as to the causes of poverty, highlighted by the works of Seebohm Rowntree and Charles Booth, whos work into the extent of poverty in cities (and that for many people, their situation was caused through no fault of their own) very much hi ghlighted the extent of poverty, even beyond what people already expected. 1906 saw the Liberals come into power for the first time in 20 years, and consequently, the passing of many new legislations and reforms. These included another education act, labour exchanges act, trade boards act and the old age pensions. Given the minimal increase in the size of the electorate in 1884, it seems unlikely that this was the motive at all behind the Liberal reforms, particularly with much larger threats pressuring for change; e.g., the looming threat of socialism in Britain, the mass unemployment Britain was facing, the national efficiency debate and the desire to stay in office. There was also the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws of 1909 to consider, which between its minority and majority reports produced the recommendations which most likely lead to the reforms for change in provisions towards children and the elderly. The Liberal reforms brought about many improvements for these groups, with the old age pension and provision of meals and medical inspections act in education, and the National Insurance act of 1911 provided a means of sick pay and medical cover for workers much like a national frien dly society, of which all workers would have to pay into. For as much controversy as this caused, it was a big step by the Liberals in facing poverty. Beyond this time, the size of the electorate was not altered by any means of reform, yet quite dramatic changes towards provision for the poor took place; this included alternations to the age at which the OAP could be received, the unemployment act (which extended the national insurance scheme), the effective destruction of the poor law with the Local Government Act, the establishment of Public Assistance Committees to aid the able bodied poor, and the means test. Given that there was no change in the size of the electorate, there is no means by which that could be responsible for these changing provisions for the poor, they were mostly consequence of problems throughout society at the time, such as the inadequacy of the poor law as a welfare system in the 20th century, the mass unemployment throughout Britain and the lack of benefits available for the most vulnerable groups in society (e.g., widows, the elderly and orphans). It seems fair to say that, although their choices would have influenced who came into office and consequently, the policies that would be passed, the changing size of the electorate had a minimal part to play in changing provisions for the poor. The continuously changing external factors which pressured for change, advances in beliefs and knowledge and the work of prominent figures appear to have had the most profound effect on legislation and reform, and it seems that the changing legislation simply appealed to the needs of the changing electorate by fortunate consequences. It would seem that it was more the governments interest to tackle major issues such as unemployment and threats of socialism, as opposed to appealing to the requirements of the electorate concerning poor relief, yet the tackling of these issues simply led to improvements in this area also. The varying needs and requirements of the electorate themselves had little direct influence over government policies at any p oint.

New Zealand Services to Support the Elderly

New Zealand Services to Support the Elderly Abstract Elderly care is a steady industry in New Zealand. It is one of the most stable industries in New Zealand because the New Zealand population is an old population. In light of this attempts to improve the geriatric care standards in New Zealand should always be a priority. Present services and healthcare organizations should always be reviewed and accredited to make sure that they are qualified and their services are not obsolete or redundant. Introduction There are different organizations which provide services to the elderly in New Zealand. We should take the time to know these organizations because since most of us work in a healthcare setting with a lot of geriatric clients, we should know the services that are made available to them. We should always provide accurate and useful information about the elderly care system in New Zealand because there are still a number of misconceptions about it. Question 1 a.) Age Concern NZ Age Concern NZ has 6 main services, and I will discuss three of the services. The first service is about eliminating the feeling of loneliness in elderly people. The purpose of this service is because most elderly people feel that they are neglected and abandoned by their families or the society. The effects of loneliness can have negative repercussions on the mental and physical health of elderly clients. They may often feel left out because they can no longer keep up with the fast paced world that we live in. Age Concern NZ is offering a service which includes visiting elderly clients and spending time with them. This can be a learning experience which can greatly benefit both the client and the volunteer. The client will no longer feel lonely and will somehow be alleviated from their feelings of isolation from the society. The volunteer will be able to learn and correct about some of the misconceptions that society has about the effects of aging, and will greatly make a positive i mpact on the elderly clients they are visiting. The second service that they offer is about Elderly Abuse. The elderly are especially susceptible to being victims of abuse because usually they are no longer at the peak of their physical and mental health, which is interpreted by others as a sign that they can abuse an elderly person and get away with it. What some people tend to forget is that elderly people still deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I believe that elderly clients should always have a say in what they want and they should be given choices rather than other people deciding what is best for them, unless they are no longer able to decide what may or may not be good for them, or if they may inflict harm to themselves and to others if left to their own means. Some elderly people are also victims of exploitation because most of these people are looking for someone to help them care for themselves. There may be some people who are only showing love and support to these clients because they know that they can g et something from them in return or because they can manipulate their decisions. The company offers support to the people going through any form of elderly abuse and they educate people who work with elderly clients and their families about the different types of abuse and their warning signs. The third service is about the wellbeing of the elderly clients. If the clients are happy, have healthy relationships there is less risk for depression. Depression can be avoided even in the later years of life by promoting the wellbeing and happiness of the client. One way of promoting the happiness of a client is allowing him or her to continue doing his or her hobbies if it is still safe for him or her to do so. It minimizes the negative effects of aging and can make the client feel uplifted and empowered. We can also introduce new activities to emphasize the fact that we are never too old to try new experiences. b.) GreyPower GreyPower provides superannuation or what is more commonly known as pension. They try to provide a better level of pension to people aged 50 and above. They argue that what the pensioners are currently getting is not enough for them to live a relatively comfortable life in their old age. They are forced to make some compromises to their standards of living. One of the main problems that they are trying to solve is that when the prices of commodities go up, the pension stays the same. It does not adjust to the economy. What some of the people at GreyPower are trying to do is to lobby for the increase of pension as the costs of living in New Zealand also increase. They primarily focus on providing the adequate health needs of each pensioner and help them in being able to pay their electricity bills. c.) SuperGold Card The SuperGold Card is given to seniors and it gives the card holder certain discounts from different businesses, free public transportation, and free services from the local government. Residents who are 65 and above are eligible to avail the SuperGold Card. They can use the public transport system for free after the peak hours, which is an extremely useful benefit because public transport in New Zealand can be very expensive especially when you have to take 2 or more buses to get to where you want to go. They can also avail of discounts on petrol prices and when buying gadgets at certain electronics stores in New Zealand. I don’t know about you but this card makes me want to grow old! d.) Seniorline Seniorline promotes â€Å"Positive Ageing† and it is all about giving more attention to the elderly and still appreciating what they can do for our society. I will liken the elderly to the predators of the ecosystem. Most of us think they are nuances and dangerous but without them, there will be imbalances in nature. It’s the same with the elderly. They may seem like they have no use at all except for bothering us but they are excellent sources of wisdom and advice, and they are able to help us more than we think. e.) Global Action on Aging The Global Action on Aging does not offer any concrete services but they do one of the most important jobs towards the advancement of elderly rights and care, which is advocacy. They advocate for the rights of the elderly and in doing so, help prevent theft, abuse, and neglect of the elderly. Question 2 1.) Hospitals Hospitalization is the last resort for elderly patients because this means that there are complications with regards to the client’s health which cannot be handled at the rest home or the out-patient level. It is a risky place to be in as an elderly patient because aside from the reason for their hospitalization, there is a risk of nosocomial infection, which is an infection acquired in the hospital. Since elderly patients are at a higher risk of acquiring infections because of their decreased immunity, we should safeguard against these risks meticulously. The benefits of the elderly patient staying in hospital care are that the staff and are trained for any possibility or situation that may arise and they are equipped to respond to these situations, and it is easy to refer them to another department if it is needed. Another benefit is that if they experience a medical emergency, they do not need to be transported anymore to a facility which can cater to them because they are already in the hospital. They are also at less risk for falls because hospitals usually assign a watcher if a patient has an elevated risk for falls (confusion, disorientation, etc.) and the hospitals beds usually have side rails installed. The most important advantage that the hospital has is that it can assess the risks associated with a patient and in theory, they can prevent these risks from happening instead of having a client stay at his or her home, where most risks are not identified. These interventions can prolong the length of the life of the individual and elevate the standards of living that the patients enjoy and give the relatives of these patients some peace of mind knowing that most of the probable emergencies and scenarios are being prevented. 2.) Respite care Respite care is usually given during a stay in the hospital to take the pressure off the usual caregiver. It is usually a short-term arrangement and lasts about less than a month per year. It can be done in the hospital which is advantageous because the patient does not need to be transferred anymore and will save the patient time, money, and the energy which is required when moving from one healthcare facility to another. It can also be done at the home of the patient and an agency will provide care for the patient, which is also has its advantages one of which is that the patient will return to a familiar environment and may feel more relaxed during his stay at home. The potential disadvantage of this is that when a medical emergency occurs, the patients has to be taken back again to the hospital in short notice and the process may give unnecessary stress to the patient. 3.) Nursing homes Nursing homes are very popular here in New Zealand and are heavily subsidized by the government. Based on what I’ve heard from my friends and classmates, the elderly clients living in a nursing home are very relaxed and are well taken care of. They eat at the right time, have people to talk to, and it decreases the chance of them feeling alone and isolated. They are checked-up by a physician before being admitted to a nursing home because each client is unique and they need to find out what medications they need and the additional care that they may require. The staff working at nursing homes is also trained to deal with geriatric clients. These healthcare facilities also retain most of their staff and has a low rate of staff turnover to ensure that the continuity of care is established and maintained so that the patients will have less adjustment every time that there is a new staff member in the facility. 4.) Domiciliary Care In Domiciliary care, the patient is living in his own home but he is still being assisted by support workers in doing activities of daily living, which includes assisting with the personal care of the client, and accompanying the client in going to appointments, and helping the client in preparing meal. The family of the client should always be involved in planning his care because they are the ones who know the client the best and would know what he would want in a certain situation and they can then pass these information to the support worker assigned to the client. 5.) Pharmacists Pharmacists are essential since they educate the client in knowing what drugs to take and their indications, contraindications, side effects, and adverse effects. They also educate the client in knowing the different drug interactions so that they know if drugs are safe to take together and if they should take the drugs with meals or without. They also teach the client how to take the drugs when there is a special indication (sublingual, inhaler, etc.) needed to take the drug. They also educate the client in what they can’t and can do with the drugs, like splitting a tablet into two, and giving the client a complete printout of the schedule of the drugs. 6.) End of Life Support The client can choose where he wants to stay during the last days of his life. Whether it is in a nursing home, a hospital, or at home, the client deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. There is a type of care which we call palliative care. This type of care alleviates the symptoms of a certain client. For example, if the client is suffering from colon cancer and he suddenly obtains a cough or a flu, then the treatment of that cough or flu is part of the palliative care of that client. It is about maintaining the â€Å"quality of life† of the patient. Question 3 Social Isolation of the individual and their families Most of the elderly clients feel isolated from the community because most people don’t want anything to do with them due to the misconception that most people who are retired or over the age of 65 are fragile and weak people who will only be liabilities and not assets. This can lead to depression of the elder because he or she feels disconnected to the society and he or she may feel unwelcome by the world or the community that they grew up in. the family may feel that they are isolated because of the elderly patient who is with them and this pressure from society makes them disassociate themselves with the elder in their care, and in turn will make the individual more isolated. Assumption of automatic loss of independence Out of all the stigmas related to geriatric care, I think this is the one stigma that has the most impact on how individuals, families, and society as a whole view caring for the elderly. This has the most negative effect on how geriatric care is viewed because most people are unwilling to care for a fully dependent patient, not knowing that the patient can still perform activities of daily living. Family members and healthcare providers should try to help the patient maintain their skills for them not to be fully dependent on the people who are taking care of them. Unable to make decisions about own care One of the worst stigmas that elderly clients have to undergo is that there is the misconception that they can no longer decide for themselves and that they are merely living out the rest of their days. They are fully capable of making their own informed decisions about how healthcare professionals should handle their care plan and they should always have a say in their plan of care. Dissatisfying interactions with the medical community Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem in most medical fields not only in geriatrics. Sometimes members of the healthcare community do not have or do not take the time in talking to the clients and most will not explain properly to the patient what they are experiencing and what their options to treatment are and only expect other healthcare professionals to do it. This makes the patient confused and doubtful of how the medical community is treating him or her. This may lead to loss of established rapport between the healthcare providers and the patient because a healthcare professional did not have a few minutes to spare to talk to the client and reassure the client properly that the healthcare team will make sure that the client is comfortable and that the team will properly carry out all medical procedures with care and the client will be treated with dignity and respect at all times. Uncertainty of support services and treatments Due to the lack of time of some of the medical professionals in explaining treatment options and services to the patients, the client is now unsure of what will happen to him or what his plan of care is. The patient is kept in the dark about how his care will be handled by those assigned to take care of him. This is a fundamental flaw in providing care because the client should always be included in planning his care because he knows best what he wants and he should always be given choices on whether he wants a certain service or treatment and he should be given the right to decline the treatment or the service if he so chooses. Conclusion There are a lot of healthcare organizations in New Zealand that provide useful services to the elderly clients. Most of them are advocates of the elderly and prevent abuse and isolation. Some of them offer monetary benefits, discounts, and even free fare when using the public transport system. All are very useful especially because elderly clients usually only get their money from their pension. There are also a variety of healthcare facilities to choose from when choosing where the best place to receive care is. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages and it is up to the individual, his family, and his healthcare provider to determine which facility will be the best for the needs of the client. Recommendation As person with experience working with geriatric clients, I recommend that the general public be properly educated about geriatric care. I believe that with proper education, we can eradicate most of the misconceptions surrounding geriatric care. I also recommend that we look into the current services provided to the elderly people here in New Zealand and find ways to improve on them. We can start by doing a survey of people ages 65 and above as to what they feel is needed so that we can get a better insight about their priorities and what services and benefits they want. Bibliography GreyPower. GreyPower History. (2008-2014) Retrieved from http://greypower.wpengine.com/history/ Age Concern. Accredited Visiting Service. Retrieved from http://www.ageconcern.org.nz/ACNZPublic/Home/Loneliness/ACNZ_Public/Loneliness_and_Social_Isolation.aspx Age Concern. Elder Abuse and Neglect Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.ageconcern.org.nz/ACNZPublic/Services/EANP/ACNZ_Public/Elder_Abuse_and_Neglect.aspx Age Concern. Wellbeing, Health and happiness. Retrieved from http://www.ageconcern.org.nz/ACNZPublic/Information/Wellbeing/ACNZ_Public/Wellbeing.aspx SuperGold. Retrieved from http://www.supergold.govt.nz/ Global Action on Aging. Elder Rights. (2004) Retrieved from http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/index.htm Seniorline. Positive Ageing. Retrieved from http://www.adhb.govt.nz/SeniorLine/PositiveAgeing/Positive%20Ageing.htm Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. The Merck Manual, Respite Care. (2010-2014) Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/provision_of_care_to_the_elderly/respite_care.html Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. The Merck Manual, Hospital Care and the Elderly. (2010-2014) Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/provision_of_care_to_the_elderly/hospital_care_and_the_elderly.html Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. The Merck Manual, Skilled Nursing Facilities. (2010-2014) Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/provision_of_care_to_the_elderly/skilled_nursing_facilities.html Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. The Merck Manual, Assisted Living Programs. (2010-2014) Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/provision_of_care_to_the_elderly/assisted-living_programs.html Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. The Merck Manual, Pharmacists and the Elderly. (2010-2014) Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/provision_of_care_to_the_elderly/pharmacists_and_the_elderly.html National Institute on Aging. End of Life: Helping with Comfort and Care. Retrieved from http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/end-life-helping-comfort-and-care/finding-care-end-life