Case analysis of Big Pharma’s Marketing Tactics Essay

Understanding Big Pharma: The US Pharmaceutical industry is the 2nd most profitable industry in the country. The nature of the industry follows an oligopoly form; with the big players yield much influence, hence lending to its name, â€Å"Big Pharma†. By 2010, Big Pharma has a staggering 526 lobbyists and gives an estimated $19 billion worth of gifts to physicians annually. Understanding Business ethics: The definition of ethics is given by as follows, â€Å"Ethics are moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.† (Lawrence & Webber, 2008) Basically, they are the issues of identifying right and wrong in our daily life, serving as a moral compass. Then what are business ethics? Business ethics is the application of general ethical ideas towards business behavior (Lawrence & Webber, 2008). Due to the diversity in the modern world, different organizations and industries have different perspectives towards business ethics. Hence, with respect to business ethics, this report will review the application and implication in Big Pharma’s marketing tactics. Understanding the stakeholders of Pharmaceutical industry: 1. Consumers. They will be directly affected by the marketing practices by Big Pharma, as the immediate users of its products. Usually, consumers have a strong voice in determining the companies’ profits. However, it is different in the pharmaceutical landscape, due to their expertise in its product knowledge. As such, consumers are often at the losing end. 2. Community With the pharmaceutical being a burgeoning industry in the society, concerns from public will naturally grow. Based on a recent poll, public perceptions towards Big Pharma are largely negative, indicating their low level of trustworthiness. Consumers, which form part of the community, can also be represented through interest groups or watchdogs. 3. Industry representatives In the case of Big Pharma, it is common to find lobbyists working on their behalf to safeguard their business interests, specifically towards the government. By gathering a huge lobbying force, Big Pharma has consolidated their influence within and beyond the industry. A testament of their effectiveness would be their repeated ability to defeat attempts to restrict drug marketing. 4. Government & Regulators The pharmaceutical industry is one that can potentially affect the lives of general public, thus the government has taken a heightened interest in it. Therefore, they have tried to balance the interest of the society by having an agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the legality of drugs produced. On a legislative level, the government also attempts to tighten the business conducts by Big Pharma by passing bills and laws. 5. Media The range of media tools in today’s world can serve as a double-edged sword for Big Pharma. At one end, the controversial marketing practices by Big Pharma provides fodder for magazines and newspaper for reporting purposes, contributing to a negative public image. On the other end, Big Pharma has regularly tapped into media to advertise their products such as the TV advertisements by Novartis to market Lamisil, an overrated drug. 6. Intermediaries This consists of medical students and physicians, which is seen as the â€Å"middleman† in the pharmaceutical industry. Hence, they form a crucial link between Big Pharma and its consumers. It is no surprise that Big Pharma would spend a great deal of time and money on them. In other words, getting a tight grip on them would mean business to Big Pharma indirectly. 7. Stockholders & Investors The primary concern of stockholders is the profitability of their respective companies. At times, they are also concerned with its’ reputation. Since the marketing practices by Big Pharma have been a contentious issue, this is an aspect that they might want to exercise their opinions. 8. Employees At one glance, the employees working for Big Pharma do not seem to be influential stakeholders, as they do not have much say in the running of the company. However, an ethical dilemma might happen if their ethical principles do not fall in line with those of Big Pharma. This will possibly result in the scenario of whistle blowing. Ethical issue #1: Direct to consumer (DTC) marketing: â€Å"Salesmanship v Science?† As with any business organization, the primary objective of Big Pharma is to maximize profits based on their product offerings. However, here lies an ethical question, â€Å"To what extent should Big Pharma achieve their business objectives at the expense of its consumers?† The answers to this question are definitely debatable, however an answer is certain, that various business models in different industries would have opposing measurement scales in this regard. In the case of pharmaceutical industry, it is very costly to produce an approved drug for sale. Firstly, much of R&D expenditure dollars will be wasted in the early stages of research, as it is not easy to find the cure for medical ailments immediately. Secondly, the formulated drug has to go through clinical trials before the regulatory agencies (i.e.: FDA) decide to approve it, which can be a lengthy process. Hence, the only way for companies to recoup their expenditure is through an aggressive brand of marketing of the approved drugs, with Big Pharma leading the way. Then, what are acceptable marketing practices by Big Pharma that is acceptable within ethical reasoning? The nature of this industry is that it holds a noble responsibility to inform and educate its consumers about the kind of drugs that will contribute to the health of mankind. Therefore, marketing is more than maximizing profits, as consumers lack expert knowledge on drugs. Presently, the marketing tactics by Big Pharma is disappointing by ethical standards. Take the Novartis TV advertisements for its drug; Lamisil, for instance. Despite the hype in its advertisement, the focus was not on the intended use of the product. In fact, the drug is used to treat toenail fungus, a non-serious ailment. Therefore, it is surprising to note that the product was 4th best selling drug in its shelves, thus showing a lack of understanding on the consumer’s part. This shows the miscommunication between Big Pharma and its consumers. Furthermore, Big Pharma aggressive marketing escalates this situation. This can be explained by their belief that spending more marketing dollars will generate more revenue to cover its expenditure. This is definitely not fair and ethical to its consumers, who should make an informed decision when purchasing a product, especially a drug. Therefore, taking into consideration the business model of Big Pharma, the general rule is that DTC marketing, consumers should always make known the imperatives of the drug (e.g.: users, side effects) first, above anything else. This point is also supported by s3(9) Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (SAPI) code of marketing practices, which states, â€Å"†¦all such information should be accurate, fair and not misleading†. In doing so, it will avoid the current scenario where Big Pharma has caused a knowledge handicap on its consumers, an ethical misconduct. Ethical issue #2: Intermediaries outreach: More than just promotional tools and gifts? Another avenue for Big Pharma to maximize its profits is through its spokespersons of their product offerings; the intermediaries. Hence, it is important to maintain a close relationship with them. But, how should Big Pharma conduct when it comes to giving gifts to this group of stakeholders? On the surface, the promotional tools such as pens and notepads given to medical students do not seem excessive in value. However, by doing this on a constant basis, it can be seen as a marketing ploy by Big Pharma to slowly pressure them into gaining acceptance. The readily acceptance of the gifts is due to the overarching monetary influence of Big Pharma has upon the industry. This ingrains the wrong ethical values in them, as they might perceive that accepting gifts from Big Pharma is an industry norm. As reflected in the case, this has a profound effect on them as many who go on to become physicians have cultivated an industry-wide behavior of accepting larger and controversial gifts from Big Pharma, leading to more ethical debates. Through making more inroads with the impact of its gifts, it slowly allows Big Pharma to exert more influence on them and it becomes harder for physicians to say no to them. As such, physicians are faced with an ethical dilemma, which is the conflict of interest between self-interests and patient’s welfare. The job of physicians should be prescribing the most appropriate medicines to the best interest of its patients. However, this line of opinion has been blurred by the influence Big Pharma has over them, thus at times physicians have no choice but to prescribe the medicines based on its links with Big Pharma. This ethical dilemma can be well reflected in the case of Pfizer, where physicians were induced by lavish sponsorship for personal expenditures to prescribe Neurontin for the cure of maladies, which was not approved by FDA. Henceforth, if physicians were to adopt the approach of whistle blowing, they might face the possibility of losing the financial incentives they have been receiving, and this can be a rude awakening for them. Based on business grounds, the need for Big Pharma to reach out to the intermediaries is understandable and reasonable, but the morality and monetary values of such gifts has come into question. While gifts such as sponsorships and free lunches appear to be normal, there are several others that involve serious allegations of ethical misconduct such as improper payments and kickbacks. Clearly, this is not in line with the marketing practices set by SAPI. As stated in section 6(1), â€Å"no gifts or financial inducement should be offered to healthcare professions for the purpose of sales promotions†. It also states the following as well, â€Å"Payments in cash or cash equivalents must not be offered to healthcare professionals either directly or indirectly†. Looking at the outreach conducted by Big Pharma, it is clear that their intention is to leverage on their financial power to exert undue influence upon the intermediaries for its own business gains. Therefore, this aspect of outreach should be curb to provide a fair state of mind for the intermediaries in order for them to make an equitable decision for their patients, not losing the high level of trust and integrity that is placed upon them. Ethical issue #3: Violation of legal principles and responsibilities The pharmaceutical industry has been plagued with the issue of violating its legal obligations, but does such acts constitute an unethical business behavior? In order to understand this, it is important to consider the relationship between laws and ethics. Laws are attempts made by the government to formally regulate the proper behavior in different spectrum of life. (Lawrence & Webber, 2008) Whereas ethics are guidelines to what is right and wrong. As such, ethics cannot be laws and it merely offers to cover the aspect the laws do not explicitly apply. The following is a non-exhaustive list of examples on how Big Pharma has flout its legal responsibilities, as stated by the case: * Medicaid program: lists false wholesale prices in order to obtain more dollars for its drugs from the U.S government * Illegally promoting drugs that are not ready for approval for public consumption through its physicians * Alleged cases of covering up the negative results from clinical trials for various drugs such as Paxil and Avandia. * Questionable marketing of drugs which involves giving improper payments and bribes * Repeated offences of the abovementioned and other similar crimes From the given examples, three inferences can be drawn with regards to ethical reasoning. Firstly, it can be inferred that the motivations by Big Pharma to commit such white-collar crimes is purely based on business grounds, leveraging on this to gain excessive profits. It is hard to give an alternative explanation to this, as all of these crimes committed by Big Pharma seem to have a strong business element to it. Secondly, it is apparent these crimes will adversely affect two of its most important group of stakeholders; consumers and intermediaries. The severity of these crimes is lethal, especially the non-disclosure of vital information of drugs by Big Pharma at the expense of generating sales revenue. This is scandalous and places the consumers’ health at stake. Last, but not least, it is clear that Big Pharma is intentionally flouting its legal responsibilities, which is the most blatant of all. This allows Big Pharma to achieve its business objectives and the fine that they received as a result, is a small price to pay. This can be seen by their willingness (i.e.: Pfizer, Schering-Plough) to pay up the fines. Therefore, from an ethical perspective, the breaking of law by Big Pharma does not justify its means to the end of generating profits when they are constantly putting their business interests first as opposed to those of its consumers and other stakeholders. Assessment of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics with business ethics The general idea of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics is that it has aligned its marketing tactics to be profit-centric and the rest of the key performance indicators (KPI) such as consumer satisfaction and quality control matters for little. Due to the overwhelming influence Big Pharma has upon the industry; they often ignore the primary interests of their stakeholders, specifically consumers and intermediaries. Their disregard for the law as well as the interests of the stakeholders has placed themselves in a negative light in the eyes of the public, which is why most people called Big Pharma as a group of pharmaceutical companies that is shifty and greedy. Such reputation does not make good PR headlines yet the marketing practices by Big Pharma has generate tons of profits for them, which possibly explains their nonchalance about it. However, a word of caution is the power of consumers should not be underestimated and it is not known how long more they will tolerate such aggressive marketing tactics. As such, Big Pharma is potentially facing a consumer backlash and might affect their profits. As the saying goes, â€Å"Short-term gain, long-term pain†. In conclusion, with reference to the application and implication of Big Pharma’s marketing tactics, they exhibit poor business ethics and do not actively inculcate ethical values into their marketing practices and channels since they believe it is pointless to do anything that does not generate revenues and profits in return immediately. References: 1. Lawrence & Webber (2008), Business & Society (12th edition), McGraw Hill International Edition, Page 27 (Stakeholders), 90 (Ethics & Business Ethics), 107 (Whistle-blowing), 117-119 (Marketing Ethics), 130-131 (Ethics & Laws) 2. SAPI code of marketing practices, http://www.sapi.org.sg/mktg.htm, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 3. â€Å"Drugs: Why drugs costs so much?† MedicineNet, http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18892, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 4. â€Å"Big Pharma Spends More on Advertising Than Research and Development, Study Finds.† Science Daily (January 2008), http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080105140107.htm, accessed from Feb 6 2012. 5. â€Å"Pharmaceutical Fraud: How Big Pharma’s Marketing and Profits Come before Consumer Safety and Wellness.† Naturalnews. http://www.naturalnews.com/z020345.html, accessed from Feb 7 2012. 6. â€Å"Pfizer Broke the Law by Promoting Dugs for Unapproved Uses,† Bloomberg (November 2009), http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a4yV1nYxCGoA, accessed from Feb 7 2012 7. Pharmaceutical industry, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_industry, accessed from Feb 8 2012. 8. Pharmaceutical marketing, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_marketing, accessed from Feb 8 2012.

China Communist Party

Communist Victory The victory of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the Nationalist faction in the Chinese Civil War was a direct result of numerous influences, both internal and external. However, three important reasons for the CCP’s victory can be attributed to the Japanese attack and occupation of China during World War II, the CCP’s treatment of the Chinese people, and the political failures of the nationalist forces. The combination of these historical events provided a situation that allowed the CCP to defy the odds and take over China.The Japanese invasion of China in 1937 was the setup for the eventual success of the CCP. Although it cost the CCP manpower and resources, the Japanese attack allowed for the formation of a political environment that favored the spread of the communist party. The Japanese help legitimize the CCP by singling it out as a special enemy and instructing the Japanese supported puppet government in the job of exterminating the communi sts in their jurisdictions. The phrase, â€Å"the enemy of my enemy is my friend† applies in this situation.After the mistreatment the Chinese population endured under Japanese occupation, it is easy to comprehend why the Chinese people would gravitate towards a group that was so despised by their main tormenter. The added attention that the CCP received from the Japanese occupiers showed the Chinese people that the CCP was a force to be reckoned with, and a possible threat to Japanese interests in China. This publicity put the CCP’s in the minds of the people as a counter to the Japanese. The Japanese invasion left a power vacuum for the CCP to fill.As the Japanese forces advanced, â€Å"the traditional ruling elite evacuated†¦ and left peasants to defend for themselves during the eight years of occupation. † This allowed for the CCP to move in to the areas without leadership and gave the CCP the opportunity to win over public support. The Japanese militar y expansion into the region forced the KMT forces out of the area, but as Japanese units left the area, the CCP moved in, taking the place of the KMT government. The invasion of China also changed how the peasants viewed China as a whole.Before the invasion, the people â€Å"were a passive element in politics†¦absorbed in local matters and only had the dimmest sense of ‘China’. † However, the Japanese invasion changed how many peasants saw their role in greater population, and focused more on issues like â€Å"national defense, citizenship, treason, legitimacy of government, and the long-range betterment of the Chinese state. † The Japanese attacks on the Chinese people motivated them into shifting their thinking. They now had to think about who was going to protect their lives and property.With both nationalist and communist factions fighting the Japanese army, the interactions of the people and anti-Japanese forces would influence on what side the p eople agreed. In Edgar Snow’s Red Star Over China, Snow shares his account of what he witnessed during his time in China reporting on the actions of the communist party. Snow noticed, â€Å"most of the peasants†¦seemed to support the communists and the Red Army†¦and when asked whether they preferred it to the old days, the answer was nearly always an emphatic ‘yes. † Snow provides detail about the policies that allowed the peasants to favor the new communist rule in their region, writing that, â€Å"the Reds gave land to the land-hungry peasants, †took land and livestock from the wealthy classes and redistributed them among the poor. † The CCP polices also allowed for upper classes to not lose everything but rather †both the landlord and the rich peasant were allowed as much land as they could till with their own labor. † Although some may question the total accuracy of Snow’s work, it cannot be disputed that the policies Snow refers to did indeed influence the people into supporting the communists.Another key point on how the CCP won over the peoples’ support is the rules and policies to which Mao’s followers were forced to adhere. Simple orders like do not steal, return what your borrow, replace what you break, and be courteous allowed the CCP to earn the loyalty of the Chinese people. The communists showed special effort in appealing to women, as they hoped to win over a group of people who were traditionally an oppressed class. Instead of using only force, this respectful behavior towards the people wooed them into the supporting the CCP. The CCP actively took the communist message to the people.The communist way was presented as an ideal society for the Chinese to thrive under, and offered hope to the masses. The CCP sent out propagandists and troupes of actors teaching and entertaining the people the new superior communist way. Nationalist feelings were also stirred by the CCP in the war against the Japanese, aiding in uniting the people under the organized communist resistance. The KMT also played a vital role in the eventual communist victory in main land China. Before the second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937, the KMT focused not on the growing Japanese threat, but instead the communist faction in China.The communist forces retreated, but were not entirely eliminated. This move left open the opportunity for the CCP to grow, adapt and eventually take on the nationalist forces again at a later time. The war with Japan highlighted the failures of the nationalist regime. Hsi Chi in his work Nationalist China at War states that the abuse of the people at the hands of the nationalists â€Å"made the government appear in the people’s eyes as symbol of oppression and exploitation, and provoked widespread disillusionment and alienation among the people.This attitude in relation to the government allowed for the CCP to have a better chance at persuading t he people to join the communist movement. This failure to gain the support of the people is seconded by a soldier in the nationalist army in a letter to America. The soldier, Rau Huang, writes, â€Å"In the early stages of our war against the communists, our government was negligent in not seeking the support of the masses†¦the communists did not neglect this opportunity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The communist victory in the Chinese Civil War was a major moment in the 20th century.The communist had the fortune to have an environment that allowed their efforts to carry on despite being targeted by two other factions. A prolonged Japanese invasion permitted the CCP to move into regions and garner support from the people that may not have been available otherwise. Without a Japanese attack, a sense of nationalism may have been harder to produce from the populace. The party’s organization and methods to gain the support of the masses would prove vital in the victory as well, showing th e people a new future that could be achieved.The nationalist forces were defeated in part because they didn’t eliminate all the communists before the war with Japan, and their own disorganization and inability to gain support from the people proved to be too much to overcome. Certainly, these are not the only reasons why the CCP succeeded in taking control of China, but these elements each played their part in the puzzle that led to final victory of the Chinese Communist Party. Works Cited Babb, Geoff, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War† (presentation, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, October 29, 2012). Chi, Hsi. Nationalist China at War: Military Defeats and Political Collapse, 1937-45.Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1982. Huang , Ray. â€Å"Letter From Nanking. † Military Review, December 1948. Johnson, Chalmers. Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, etc. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1966. Snow, Edgar. Red Star over China. New York: Grove Press , 1968. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Johnson, Chalmers. Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, etc. (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1966), 32. [ 2 ]. Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 70. [ 3 ]. Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 69. [ 4 ].Johnson, Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power, 69. [ 5 ]. Snow, Edgar. Red Star Over China. (New York: Grove Press, 1968), 222. [ 6 ]. Snow, Red Star Over China, 222. [ 7 ]. Snow, Red Star Over China, 222. [ 8 ]. Babb, Geoff, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War† (presentation, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, October 29, 2012). [ 9 ]. Babb, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War†. [ 10 ]. Babb, â€Å"The Chinese Civil War†. [ 11 ]. Chi, Hsi. Nationalist China at war: military defeats and political collapse, 1937-45. (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1982), 190. [ 12 ]. Huang , Ray. â€Å"Letter From Nanking. † Military Review, December 1948.

Services to At-Rick Youth Programme Research Proposal

Services to At-Rick Youth Programme - Research Proposal Example Participants are ages 7 to 17 and referred to the program for four groups---running away, truancy, family conflict, or involvement in an offense.(What) (STAR Program Evaluation , Criminal Justice Policy Council, March 2003, Tony Fabelo, Executive Director). The STAR programme is conducted, keeping in mind the various influences on young minds, especially designed for the children in the age group between 7 to 17. The pre-test is administered when the child exhibits any kind of the above mentioned problems. The post-test is taken up after the completion of the programme. The time period between the pre-test and the post-test could vary between 2 months to 6 months. (When) The procedure adopted is an interview method, with both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The process of questioning will be such that the interviewee does not feel intimidated, but is egged on to share information. The idea is to ask specific area-related questions, to get exact direct answers, instead of confusing and vague ones. Surveys could also be conducted to measure the efficacy of the programme. The Likert scale is adopted to know the quantitative mapping of data.

Employment Law for Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment Law for Business - Assignment Example The employer should include employees and volunteers who are knowledgeable about diversity matter in decision-making. The employer may constitute an internal equal opportunity and diversity office charged with advising human resources department on diversity matters. The employer should incorporate diversity as part of work [lace training. The employer will invite resource persons who are knowledgeable about diversity matters to educate employees. Senior employees can be sponsored to attend diversity seminars.The employer will join university and college diverse caucuses to mentor young people. The mentees are outsourced from diverse backgrounds and mentored on diversity issues. The employer will engage with employees on diversity development strategy. The employer will continuously seek ways to improve diversity.Mainstream diversity into all aspects of the workplace. The employer will make diversity a core value of the organization. The employer will encourage the development of a corporate culture that values diversity.Scrutinize policies and practices to check if they are a hindrance to diversity. The use of an internal office of equality and diversity to engage in a constant review of policies and practices to eliminate those that might hinder diversity. Where possible the employer should engage outside agencies to do periodic review policies and practices and make recommendations for correction of those that hinder diversity.Broaden the view on diversity to include white males. The employer should not stick to a narrow view of diversity. The employer should embrace the equal opportunity. This means the employer will recognize white males as part of div ersity and with equal rights to employment.   The employer should entrench diversity by creating and staffing an internal office for equal opportunity and diversity. The office will be charged with carrying out periodic audits on diversity and making recommendations to the employer.

Legacy Carriers Airlines and Future Challenges Research Paper

Legacy Carriers Airlines and Future Challenges - Research Paper Example The operating expenses have been increasing significantly in the period of analysis for the legacy carriers while the revenue generating capacities have not been sufficient to cope up with them. .Most legacy carriers face significant losses in 2008 while the low cost carriers operate profitably except those in Asia. Passenger preferences also favour the low cost carriers. The study recommends the need for a relook on the business and marketing strategies of the free service airlines to compete with the low cost carriers. However the success of low cost carriers cannot be considered to be everlasting and cannot be considered as the success of a business model. The legacy carriers still form an integral part of the aviation industry. With the wave of liberalization and deregulation in the 1980s, airline industry has also undergone deregulation. Since the 1970s, there was tight regulation and rising hyper competition. The two main features of the regulated era were tacit collusion and avoiding head on competition (D’Aveni, 1995; Jarach, 2004).With the wave of deregulation, low cost carriers emerged as the new category attracting huge customers creating big challenge to the traditional full service legacy carriers. Traditional carries have found out difficult to compete with these low cost carriers in the deregulated era. It was argued that the tight regulatory practices in the airline industry might have led to many economic inefficiencies. This in turn had resulted in achieving low cost air transportation to public which was one of the core objectives of air transport policies. Hence deregulation wave started in the industry to improve efficiency and reduce airfares through rise in competition, air networks rationalization and airline governance enhancement (Gonenc and Nicoletti, 2001). Â  

Film review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Film - Movie Review Example In addition, he keeps a non-Muslim girlfriend which is against the Islam teaching. He also brings in a dancer contrary to the religion expectations. However, his perspective concerning his religion changes especially when he sees a large number of Muslims who turn up for the religious event. The father practices his religion by observing all the pillars of Islam. According to the film, he prays five times a day and has shown meekness as required by the religion by travelling by roads for many kilometers. In addition, he travels to Mecca as one pf the main pillars of his religion. It is evident that the journey to Mecca has made Reda to involve. In this case, the first aspect of evolution is evident when he is overwhelmed by the multitude of Islam faithful who turn up for the pilgrim event. Furthermore, Reda starts talking to the father quite often in their native language; French. Reda goes back home a change person as far as Islamic religion is concerned. According to the film, Rada learns more about the religion and comes to understand why the father preferred a car to the plane. The main challenge of maintaining a Muslim identity in western culture is the influence of the current trends. In this case, young people are fascinated by clothing, ornaments and other trendy stuff ion expense of the religion. In the film, Reda keeps a non-Muslim girlfriend and sometimes takes alcohol. In addition, he clad in jeans instead of normal Muslim religious wears. The film presents Saudi Arabia as a nation that has refused to move on with the rest of the world. The film has presented situation where religious matters surpasses human consciousness and feelings. In this case, the society has refused to upheld basic human freedoms in the name of protecting the religion. The film has reflected the position of women being inferior when compared to that of men. According to the film, women are just there to be used by men for their convenient. In addition, the film has

Russian Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Russian Literature - Essay Example For example he talks about revolution in the words, ‘revolution is everywhere, in everything. It is infinite†¦some day an exact formula for the law of revolution will be established. And in this formula nations, classes, stars, books will be expressed as numerical quantities.’ (108). the reference to numerical quantities is the figurative reference to one social and political body. Zamyatin in his essay discusses the dependent existence of everything in this world. He states that not only a man’s present, past and future are interlinked but also an individual’s every wise decision or a mistake accounts for his future actions. Since making mistakes and then bearing the consequences or dealing with them is a very humane reaction and resultantly it is a sign of life. As mentioned in the text, ‘all truths are erroneous†¦today’s truths become errors tomorrow’ also it is stated ‘the dead-alive also write, walk, speak, and act. But they make no mistakes: only machines make no mistakes and they produce only dead things the alive-alive are constantly n error, in search, in question, in torment’ (110).

Decide on a topic in interpersonal communication that you feel is Essay

Decide on a topic in interpersonal communication that you feel is important, that you are interested in, curious about, or that you find to be controversial in - Essay Example It is largely controlled by the sub-conscious mind and small gestures can reveal the true feelings. Facial expressions, eye behavior, gestures and posture express emotions, feelings and attitudes, which sometimes even words cannot. Body language is extensively used in everyday life and has a central effect on the situation. This paper will discuss the impact that body language as a tool for interpersonal communication has in counseling and work settings. Albert Mehrabian determined that when taking in what someone is saying, 7% is attributable to verbal communication, 38% to tone of voice and 55% to facial expression and body language (Marketing, 2006). He observed that the way people use their body language is crucial in communication of information. Gabbot & Hogg (2000) assert that underlying the evaluation of any human exchange is a complex language of behaviors, which communicate meaning and provide a message on which evaluations are based. This language is non-verbal and has great importance in every interpersonal relationship. Non-verbal communication invariably and involuntarily takes place between two people when they face each other. Gabbot & Hogg classify non-verbal communication into four broad categories – proxemics (use of personal space and distance), kinesics (body postures and movements), oculesics (eye contact, gaze and movement), and vocalics (vocal tone and intonation). All these forms of non-verbal communication convey meanings which need to be interpreted during an exchange. Body language is a crucial communication tool, yet few people are well-versed in it. It has a significant impact on people’s perception even before we speak. It generates physical and emotional responses to people and situations in life. According to Ray Birdswhistell, professor of research in anthropology at Temple University and author of numerous books on body language, 65 to 90 percent of every conversation is interpreted

Procedures or Methods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Procedures or Methods - Research Paper Example The researcher requires a platform for explaining reasons behind the collected data. The researcher has to develop guidelines that help collect the reasons behind the results during the research process. This involves the formulation of causal explanations that justify the collected information. Beneficial ways of identifying and carrying out a research depend on the researcher’s intimate understanding of the issue to be studied. This is enhanced during the design process where the researcher gets some background information on the issue. The NCLB law was enacted to give children with disabilities equal education opportunities with their counterparts without disabilities (Baker, 2010). The research design process begins with identifying the aim of the research. In this case, the researcher would be interested in finding out the benefits of NCLB and how the children have benefited so far. Some scholars consider NCLB law to contradict with the initial IDEA law that protects indi viduals with disabilities (Baker, 2010). The researcher may include the effects of the two laws in protecting people with disabilities. The teachers and state education heads have developed educational interventions in order to comply with NCLB requirements and meet the required student performance. The results and failures of the strategies can be included in the aims of the research. The second step is to formulate the research questions that completely address the aims of the research (Bynner and Stribley, 2010). These questions shed light on the benefits of NCLB and the effects it has created in the education system. The research questions are: Where would Special Needs children be educationally without No Child Left Behind? What impact has NCLB created among children with disabilities? What strategies have been formulated by the education board and what effects have they introduced in the curriculum? What issues make the implementation of NCLB difficult and what are the resourc es involved in the implementation process? The third step is to design the research paradigm or theoretical framework. The framework provides a guiding structure and range of tool that will help the researcher answer the research questions. This research would require a positivistic method of collecting data like interviewing students with disabilities, parents, teachers, and curriculum developers (Mitchell and Jolley, 2012). Questionnaires would also be helpful in collecting quantitative data on the subject. The questionnaires would be distributed to various schools within the state. They would have sections to be filled by students, teachers and their parents. These would increase the sampling area by minimizing the effort used when conducting interviews. The students would provide data on the effects of NCLB on their education process. The teachers would provide information regarding the effects of the law on the curriculum and the cumulative effects on the education process for students. Parents would also provide information regarding student performance and perceived benefits introduced by the law. The curriculum developers or education officials in the state offices would provide information regarding the effects of the law on curriculum development and the challenges faced when implementing the guidelines. The questionnaires would also involve questions dealing with the benefits of NCLB on the students, the impact in the education

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy - Essay Example The seal's flippers are composed of living cells that needs constant blood oxygen supply. The dilemma is that the circulation of blood to the flippers will bring back ice-cold venous blood to the interior of the seals body. This dilemma is solved with the counter-current exchange system that is existent in these animals' flippers. Venae comitantes are veins that surround the limb arteries of the seals to prevent the return of cold venous blood to the body of the seal(Koeslag, 1995). Before the oxygenated blood enters the arteries of the flippers, the heat which is present that blood releases its heat through the venae comitantes to the cold venous blood. The oxygenated blood that enters the flipper arteries is cold as it circulates the flippers but when in enters the veins through the venae comitantes it is warmed near the body temperature (35C) utilizing the heat that it released before its entry in the flipper artery. Thus, the counter-current exchange mechanism of the seals' flippers prevent the alteration of the normal internal body temp of the animal which is 37C even though blood is continuously circulating to the flippers(Koeslag, 1995). Human beings also have a counter-current mechanism that is similar to that of the seals. ... The limbs of human beings are equipped with a counter-current system that maintains the normal temperature of the blood flows from the limbs during cold weather(Koeslag, 1995). Closely at the deep center of the limbs, the arteries of humans are strategically located. These arteries are also surrounded by venae comitantes or deep veins which receives the blood that circulated the limb arteries for transportation to the center of the cardiovascular system. The normal temperature of human blood is 37C so the oxygenated blood before entering the limb arteries transfers the heat to the venae comitantes making the oxygenated blood cold to about 20C. Then before entering the veins of the limbs the deoxygenate blood is warm to 37C in the venae comitantes. The temperature of the blood that is returned to the heart therefore remained unaltered that is still 37C. The process of blood circulation in the limbs in cold weather is slow to facilitate the function of the counter-current system(Koeslag, 1995). During warm weather that counter-current system of the human limbs is switched off because the circulation of blood to the limbs is increased compromising this system. The venae comitantes is not utilized instead the blood from the limb arteries return to through the subcutaneous veins. The blood circulating during hot weather is cooled with the facilitative dilation of the superficial veins and constriction of the venae comitantes(Koeslag, 1995). Question number 2: Camel or Camelus spp. are dessert animals that posses this taxonomic characteristic: Kindon Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Mammalia, Order

Mm578 Consumer Behavior Course Project Explanation Essay Example for Free

Mm578 Consumer Behavior Course Project Explanation Essay To help you create a graduate-level submission, the following additional insights are provided to help you learn and to facilitate a high quality written submission. You are asked to choose a consumer product or service about which you either know something or on which you can find good research. You may use either a product/service with which you are actively involved in your business or one from another business. This project supports all of the Terminal Course Objectives in the course. This assignment is due on Sunday of Week SEVEN via the Dropbox. No late papers will be accepted. You are to create a thorough, tightly focused Marketing Strategy that focuses on consumer behavior for either a product or a service. To help you in the process, Appendix B is available on page 738 of our course text. The sections below that are highlighted in BLUE text are found in Appendix B. The insights provided in Appendix B should be very helpful as you assess your paper’s intended content. Those sections not highlighted receive this instructor’s additional perspectives in the â€Å"Additional Instructions† area. Develop a tightly focused, strategically-oriented paper. I will be seeking your depth and breadth of your findings and arguments that communicate via your logical, business-oriented writing that you are a thinking, educated, marketer. As you create your paper, please NUMBER each section so that I can easily determine on which one of the seven (7) sections you are writing. You want to demonstrate in-depth critical thinking, provide examples, and support your assertions with legitimate scholarly resources. Use APA citations each and any time that you have referenced scholarly content. NOTE: Wikipedia. com or Answers. com or other similar â€Å"general go-to-us-for-a-fast-answer† websites are not considered scholarly resources. Please do not use these. Demonstrate scholarly research that utilizes respected resources that identify the subject-matter-expert by name. NOTE: No more than 25-30% of your Course Project should come from external sources. Although this is a research paper, I am more interested in learning YOUR perspectives, based on your analysis. After all, this is a paper that YOU are writing. All assignments are submitted to Turnitin. comâ„ ¢ to ensure originality of work. Thus at least 70%+ of your paper’s content comes from your fingertips and demonstrates your synthesis of content reviewed, your critical analysis, critical thinking, and application of key concepts that you have learned from our MM578 textbook. Papers that are a collection of cobbled-together snippets from other websites will not earn a passing grade and when minimal adult learner synthesis and minimal original content is apparent. Your Course Project asks you to utilize the following seven topics as headings for clarity, as well as subtopics as subheadings. Please clearly label each Heading and Subheading in your paper. Headings and SubheadingsAdditional Instructions 1: Market Analysis †¢Company †¢Customers †¢Competitors †¢Conditions Market Analysis (continued)Utilize concepts from your MM522 Marketing Management course and Chapter ONE of our MM578 Consumer Behavior etext book to complete this section. Describe your Company and your Customers.

The Benefits Of Music Education Education Essay

The Benefits Of Music Education Education Essay Imagine yourself waking up in the morning to your iHome playing a song from one of your favorite playlists. While you are getting a shower, preparing yourself for the day, you start to sing a song that has been stuck in your head for days. As you are driving to school, your favorite radio station plays a continuous set list of the popular songs by your favorite artist that you enjoy listening to so much. You and your friend both meet up to talk about how many times you both have listened to the new Lady Gaga single. Because of your common interest in music with your best friends, during a free period all you are able to discuss is music and what your favorite songs are. Even while you are leaving school later on that afternoon, your favorite station is playing yet another smash hit. Something that is highly essential to everyday lift must be understood, and utilized, as frequently as possible. The positive effects of instrumental training as well as aural training, in the younger gen eration, have been widely acclaimed. Therefore, these components to an individuals development should be carried throughout all levels of secondary education in order to offer a well-rounded artistic and musical appreciation that will be of great aide to the student during their present lives and continuing through later adulthood. Out of the fine arts programs, music education is most beneficial to all aspects of an individuals development and should be made available to students.In order for a student to truly enjoy the value of precise musical training in the secondary levels of education, the several benefits of this specific training must be first established. Music education is a creative outlet for adolescents to be passionate, emotional and heartfelt. Music is a way for students to express themselves, and in a greater focus, the emotional benefits that it provides for them. Many adolescents used music as their creative outlet from the academic and social pressures of middle and high school life along with the added stress and pressure caused by home life and family authority. Music is an expression of the heart (Girl, age 15), Music is awesome! Thats what makes my world go round! (Girl, age 13), and the shouted message I LOVE MUSIC. ITS A WAY TO EXPRESS MYSELF! (Boy, age 14) were all commentaries taken from essays on music and what it means to the students. (MENC 6). The overall concept that had emerged was that the art of music education provides students with the freedom to just be who they are, whether that is to be different, be a person they had no idea they could become, to be accepted and feel at ease and stress free in school and through their everyday lives (MENC 7). Students have noted in academic essays that music was a greater source of a get-a-way for them. A typical answer came from a girl who stated When I am angry or everything seems like its spinning out of control, I write a song. It calms me down and gets my feelings out. As for another student who stated that The only way for most teenagers to express their angerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in a nonviolent way is through music. Music also can act as a coping mechanism for an adolescent who is dealing with the pressures of society, family life, and the aspects of friendships and social status. Song lyrics are realized as a message that act as a hope, that you do you not need to feel alone b ecause people have experienced the pain and struggles that you are feeling. Students have wrote and explained that music was a great factor of coping for them, and without it being present in their struggles, it would not of been possible to endure the struggles and obstacles of the teenage life. As well as the emotional benefits which music has to offer to teenagers, it also has social benefits which are essential for social interaction and influence of peer pressure.Secondary students, who participated in band or orchestra, reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs.) (CMW 1). On the same side, the MENC newsletter also stated that Students spoke of musics social benefits in relation to its function as a distraction from involvement in spurious activity such as drugs, alcohol, smoking (cigarettes), gang life, and promiscuous sex-in their own lives or in the lives of adolescents in general.(MENC 8). Music has a strong influence on teenagers and also has the ability to deter teenagers from suicidal tendencies, by allowing the singers and instrumentalists meaning in their young lives. Being involved in orchestra, band or even choir, provides students with the means of interacting and meeting new people, along with creating ne w and lasting friendships. Being involved in musical ensembles allows a person to step outside their comfort zone and interact with new people. It also enables a student to feel secure within the group. Images of families have been chosen to illustrate this feeling of security that they were experience as the result of taking part in the musical ensembles at their school including: band, orchestra or choir. Along with the numerous benefits that music provides an adolescent with, it also has an impact on how a persons intelligence and development is affected. The question of Can music make us more intelligent, is in the process of being explored in a series of ongoing experiments under the supervision of Frances Rauscher of the University of California, Irvine. In 1993, it was noted that, in contrast to students who merely sat in silence or listened to relaxation instructions, thirty six college students who listened to only ten minutes of Mozarts Piano Sonata K.448 successively experienced a substantial growth in their spatial IQ scores. Another experiment was conducted later on this year, using seventy nine students and additional test situations, which confirmed that the Mozart Effect is without a doubt a real phenomenon. Last year, a pilot study was conducted by a group of researchers where a group of three year old children were given music training, whether it was singing or keyboa rd lessons. The scores of each individual child improved significantly on the Objects Assembly Task, which was a section of the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised that could measure the spatial reasoning of a child. According to the results which were found at the American Psychological Associations annual convention, it was reported that the results of a follow-up experiment which concluded that the spatial reasoning performance of nineteen preschool children who received eighteen months of music lessons greatly exceeded that of a comparable group of fifteen preschool children who did not receive music lessons (Rauscher 1). Because it draws on various attributes, music develops flexibility in thinking. Music training is a very effective way, not only to boost the conceptual-holistic-creative thinking process, but to also assist in the melding and merging of the minds capabilities. Although most musical capabilities seem to be represented initially in the r ight hemisphere of the brain, as a person becomes more skilled, capabilities that were stored in the right hemisphere are located increasingly in the left. (Ponter 112). Music is a very noticeable asset in the lives of the youth, and they appreciate its effectiveness in leading the course of their daily routines, along with their long-term hopes and dreams. During a free-flow of ideas, students in American secondary school wrote into their essays their individual reflections of musics roles and meanings for them in their academic studies at school and in their involvement beyond school, not only as performers but as composers and listeners as well. (MENC 11). Some of these students wrote with very cultured vocabulary, while other individuals wrote as if they were talking to a friend through an informal chat application. Each student described music as a knowledge area and an enormous set of skills that bring together their notational literacy, listening awareness, motor ability, eye-hand coordination, and rational hold of musics meaning in the past and in society. (MENC 11). The performance skills of instrumental and vocal nature, were described as g oals to be attained by musical study, and the sense of achievement and superiority that music education had given students, allowed them to progress their skills while performing a various range of musical repertoire and committing to the score, not only melodically but stylistically as well. According to essays that were conducted in American secondary schools, students desire more study of their specified area that is pertinent to their needs, interests, and appropriate rehearsal spaces. However, a few of the same students also wrote negatively about their emotions, while some spoke passionately of their needs of more musical study in school, lack of proper rehearsal space, appropriate practice time, and instruments that could be made available for use. Students are highly particular when it comes to the extracurricular activities which they are involved with. Some students prefer to be involved with things that are beneficial to them and not just activities that are not going to help them in their lives. Some of these students are on the fence of the schools music programs, having once participated in various instrumental and vocal ensembles, but dropped them, would prefer to have curricular developments in the study of popular music styles, including rock or pop music ensembles which could be taught by music teachers and professional musicians. For these students, the typical jazz ensemble was simply not cutting it for them. Even within the scope of what should have been an invitation to adolescents to describe the favorable assets of school music programs that should not be BAN-ned, these programs may not yet be fully in touch with the needs of a considerable population of young people in secondary schools. (MENC 11). The lack of student participation in musical ensembles is due to their self-consciousness of being labeled as band geek. Most students in high school have this notion in their head that if they play an instrument such as the clarinet or trumpet, they will be labeled by their peers. On the other hand, students do not become involved with musical activities due to the simple fact that the music is not what they would like to be learning. According to the MENC newsletter, it states that Music should be a mandatory course just like Math, Science, and English, in all schools not just high schools. The lack of funding for the arts also has a big portion of influence to what courses are placed into the schools curriculum. Other clubs and activities such as football, basketball, and cheerleading are given greater quantities of funds which are unfair to music departments which are always being questioned for their purpose.

Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study On Ikea Management Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study On Ikea Management Essay This report identifies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a demanding topic which takes into deep understanding of CSR by depicting a road map of core subjects with related issues and implementation based on the principles of CSR and discusses briefly on its characteristics; pros and cons; theories and approaches; justifications and fundamental principles. This report gives an insight on the significance of CSR and examines in detail about the expected key potential gains from its operational use followed by the discussion on the problems and barriers that CSR generally faces .Finally the report chooses the case study on IKEA and discusses in depth about its CSR experiences by studying its development and strategy dimensions of CSR in corporate social agenda(strategic and responsive forms of CSR) and analyses IKEAs responsibilities as integral elements of strategy with a brief discussion on CSR communication. The concept of CSR has widened its scope and its increasing global de mand makes us to realize the responsibilities of a firm with its dimension towards social, economic and environmental impacts INTRODUCTION: This report identifies Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a hot topic and the reason for choosing CSR is due to its high profile attainment in the academic domain and most of us feel CSR as an absolute necessity to define the roles of organizations in Society and apply their responsibilities to their businesses in terms of social, ethical and legal standards. Moreover, CSR has become a globalised concept and achieved business prominence because of its geographical prevalence from US origin to its widespread suitability and establishment in Europe. This report structures the content to understand the concept of CSR by depicting a road map of core subjects with related issues and implementation based on the principles of CSR and discusses briefly on its characteristics; pros and cons; theories and approaches; justifications and fundamental principles. This report gives an insight on the significance of CSR and examines in detail about the expected key potential gains from its ope rational use followed by the discussion on the problems and barriers that CSR generally faces .Finally the report chooses the case study on IKEA and discusses in depth about its CSR experiences by studying its development and strategy dimensions of CSR in corporate social agenda(strategic and responsive forms of CSR) and analyses IKEAs responsibilities as integral elements of strategy with a brief discussion on CSR communication. UNDERSTANDING CSR: The term CSR seem to be new but research predicts that there has been an evolution of its concept throughout many decades. Way back in 30s of last century, the focus of marketing was initially on distribution and logistic, that was about how to provide some products at minimal cost. With the total marketing, the centre of attention is to set on the selling systems on the marketing mix comprising the 4 Ps: Price, Products, Place, Promotion. Social marketing emerged in the 70s whereby the company decides on the long-term interests of stakeholders internally as well as externally. A stakeholder could be any individual or a group, who can influence or get influenced by behavioral impacts of an organization. The categories of the companys stakeholder are shown in the table below: Companys Organizational structure and location Involvement in the Business activity Internal External Direct Shareholders, investors, managers, employees Customers, Lenders, Tax agencies Indirect Consultants, Suppliers, contractors Community, NGOs, Media General public Professional bodies The impact of any organization on the society through their operations, products or services rendered by associating with stakeholder groups such as customers, suppliers, employees, investors and community and this can be displayed in the form of a diagram below Source: Mallen Baker (2007) Different terms and ideas are associated and so it is difficult to define CSR due to ambiguity in the CSR field of research. There is always a problem to stick onto universal definition of CSR as the concept ranges from mere compliance with law to pure Philanthropy. Corporation refers to group of members acting as an individual, be it for business or elsewhere. Philanthropy has little to do with CSR because philanthropy is about how a company spends its money and CSR is about how a company generates money and how responsibly they conduct their business in doing so. However, European commission identifies CSR as a broad concept and recognizes, CSR as a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis(Commission of the European Communities 2001). WHAT CSR IS NOT? 1. It is not an alternative for the regulation of companies! 2. It is not a replacement for how companies should manage their social, ethical and environmental impacts! 3. It will not save the world! CHARACTERISTICS OF CSR: The main features of CSR can be summarised as shown in the table below: Features Description Triple-bottom-line Economic, social and Environmental Voluntary All activities are taken up voluntarily. Stakeholders integrity Connecting all parties involved. Long-term action Carrying activities over a long-term period. Credibility Enhances the credibility of the firm. PROS AND CONS OF CSR: Arguments for CSR Arguments against CSR Enhances reputation in society. Solves the problems caused by business in society. Stabilises corporate power with responsibility. Increases long-term profitability Beyond government regulations. Adjusts to imbalanced demands of stakeholders. Improves environmental conditions. Business should be meant for profit maximization. Enforces unequal costs among competitors. Stakeholders compelled to hidden costs. Business may lack social skills. Makes to forget the aims of the business Social responsibility cannot be a legal responsibility. Places responsibility on the business but not on individual. CSR THEORIES AND APPROACHES: The focus on economic, political, social and ethical aspects in social reality aspects according to Parsons (1961) are primarily based on four features that can be perceived in any social structure such as adaptation to the environment ,goal attainment, social integration and pattern maintenance or latency. This hypothesis led to the classification of CSR theories into four types which can be depicted in the following table with their related approaches. TYPES OF THEORIES AND ITS FOCUS APPROACHES ILLUSTRATION INSTRUMENTAL THEORIES Focus on the economic aspect of the interaction between business and society Augmentation of shareholder value This theory argues that CSR is the only means to the end profits. It is based on wealth creation that is measured by share price. Strategies for competitive advantage Social investments in the context of competition Strategies based on the view of firms available natural resources. Strategies related to the bottom of the economic pyramid. Cause -related marketing Considering Socially recognised philanthropic activities applied as an instrument in marketing POLITICAL THEORIES Focus on the business power applicable in the areas of politics Corporate constitutionalism Firms social responsibilities arise from their strength of social power Integrative social contract Assumption of the existence of contract between the business and society. Corporate citizenship The firm is perceived as a citizen with participation in community. INTEGRATIVE THEORIES Focus on the integration of social demands Issues Management Firms response to the social and political issues and their impacts Public Responsibility Current legal procedures and public policies are considered as recommendations for social performance Stakeholder management Stabilizing the firms stakeholders Corporate social performance Exploring the responses from social legitimacy to social issues ETHICAL THEORIES Focus on the right factor to attain a good society Stakeholder normative theory Considering trustful duties towards firms stakeholders Universal rights Considering the frameworks related to human rights, labour rights and respect for environment Sustainable development Achievement of human progress by accounting present and future generations The common good Awareness towards the common good of society JUSTIFICATIONS FOR CSR: The prevailing justifications for CSR are shown in the picture below: Moral obligation Attaining commercial accomplishment in approaches that tribute ethical value Insufficient assistance to stabilize complicated competence related to social and economic interests. Varied personal values among managers and stakeholders Licence to operate Developing goodwill to safeguard the consent of Governments and stakeholders Licences and approvals are needed for a business to operate. However, this kind of approach will have to compromise in controlling CSR agenda to the externals that lack knowledge about companys operations and competitive positioning. Encourages defensive responses for time being. Sustainability Self-interest to encounter the present needs without compromising the future needs Efficiency on environmental issues yielding immediate economic benefits. In other aspects other than environmental issues, intangible long-term results give a weak justification for short-term costs. Existing justifications focus on the pressure between the firm and society rather than bringing coordination. These generic rationales give a trivial guidance for taking up company activities. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CSR: CSR mainly relies on three fundamental principles such as Economic, Social and Environmental areas. The purpose of CSR is to integrate business activity with its culture for attaining sustainability in its economic, social and environmental areas. Each fragment of CSR includes activities, which differ depending on the type of firm and the needs of stakeholders. ECONOMIC AREA: The firm is expected to behave as a transparent enterprise .Positive relationship among the investors, customers, suppliers and shareholders is expected. Economic impacts at local, national and international levels should be monitored. Stakeholders and the activities of CSR in the economic area of the market are shown in the table below: Economic area Market Stakeholders Owners and investors Customers/consumers Suppliers /partners Regulatory bodies Media CSR activities Creates ethical codex Transparency Best practice management Practice anti-corruption Build Stockholders relations Build Customer/consumer relations Build suppliers relations Build investors relations Protect intellectual property SOCIAL AREA: Responding and tackling the behavioral attitudes to employees in the working environment and focuses on assisting the local community. The company influences the working standards, education, health safety and develops the cultural aspects. The stakeholders and CSR activities in the social area are shown in the table below: Social area Stakeholders Work location Local community Employees Unions Non-Profit organizations Public CSR activities Health safety of the employees Human resources development Get rid of child labour Follow working standards Supporting laid-off employees Assurance of jobs Supporting social integrity Corporate volunteerism Donor ship Educating Public Improving the quality life of employees Creation of jobs and develop local infrastructure. ENVIRONMENTAL AREA: The Company focuses on its impact on ecosystem and elements like land, air and water. The company feels its determination to protect the natural resources. Environmental area Stakeholders Groups related to environmental aspects. CSR activities Eco-friendly processing and manufacturing products and services. Agreement with regulatory and standards(ISO,EMAS) Renewal of energies policy by recycling and using eco-friendly products. Lessening the environmental impacts. Protecting the natural resources. ROADMAP FOR CSR: The following roadmap depicts the core subjects and CSR implementation based on the principles of Source: vi.unctad.org/russiast09/docs/millercsr.ppt CORE SUBJECTS AND ISSUES: Issues related to core subjects of CSR can be depicted from the following table: CORE SUBJECTS ISSUES ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE Shareholder activism Political economy Cross border investments by foreign investors HUMAN RIGHTS Due attentiveness Risk conditions Escaping complicity Determining grievances Inequity and susceptible groups Civil rights Political rights Employees fundamental rights Socio-economic and cultural rights LABOUR PRACTICES Social conversation Child labour Forced labour Employment relationships Work conditions Social security Health and safety at employment Training and progress in the employment ENVIRONMENT Avoidance of Pollution Maintenance of resources Mitigating and adapting climatic change Protecting the nature REASONABLE OPERATIONS Anti-corruption Sensible political implications Good competition Encouraging social responsibility in the field of influence Assessing the value for property rights CONSUMER ISSUES Awareness Market sensing Health and safety for consumer protection Consumption sustainability Consumer support and solution for disputes Data security and privacy Entry to necessary services COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND IMPROVEMENT Education Culture Creating employment and developing skills Advancement of technology Income generation Social investment Community health CSR DRIVERS: The key drivers of CSR are discussed in the table below: DRIVERS DESCRIPTION Profound self-interest Generate ethical, social and economical cohesion where markets, labour and communities are linked to work together. Social investment Social capitalism and contribution to infrastructure has been seen progressively as necessary part of business activity. Transparency and trust Public perceives business as low ratings of trust. Public expectation about companys openness and accountability leads to prepare a report encompassing their performance in the areas of social and environmental issues. Increased public expectations of business Public expects beyond the companys contribution to the economy by taxation and provision of employment. In addition to the above key drivers, the following list shows general drivers of CSR. Business Risk management Reputation and brand management Learning and innovation Cost savings and operational efficiency Competitiveness and market positioning Improved relations with regulators Organizational transformation and continued improvement IMPLEMENTING CSR: Each firm is unique in its operational procedures, its awareness of CSR issues and the amount of work done towards CSR implementation.Therefore; different firms adopt different frameworks depending on their CSR approach.However, it adds value to the firm when CSR is implemented in a systematic route by integrating its mission, strategy, cultural, environmental and risk profiles, processes and activities. The following framework for CSR implementation gives scope to build quality and environmental management, which follows the model of plan, do, check and improve based on ISO standards .This flexible framework can be adapted by any firm as suitable for its organization. Implementation Framework PHASES STEPS TASKS Plan 1.Perform CSRassessment Gather a CSR management team Work out the definition of CSR Re-examine corporate documents, processes and activities Recognize and connect key stakeholders 2. Build up a CSRstrategy Develop support with experienced managerial staff Investigate others tasks Design a format of proposed CSR activities Build the ideas for scheduling and the business case for them Fix on areas of roadmap, methodology and focus Do 3. Explore CSRcommitments Take a glance on CSR commitments Organize discussions with key stakeholders Design the group to develop the commitments Plan for an introductory draft Check with concerned stakeholders 4. Implement CSRcommitments Build an integrated CSR decision-making framework Prepare a CSR business plan Lay down the quantifiable goals and find out the measures of performance Slot in the employees and to whom so ever applicable to CSR commitments Propose and perform CSR training Set up workshop to address the behavioural problems Design for setting up internal andexternal communications Check 5. Authenticate and report on progress Gauge the performance Hold stakeholders Report on performance Improve 6. Evaluate and Enhance Assess the performance Discover the opportunities for enhancement Engage stakeholders Double-check: Once a cycle completes Go back to plan and go ahead with subsequent cycle SIGNIFICANCE OF CSR: The issue of CSR initiatives and the perceptions of ethical standards have gained more attention by the management in considering approaches to strategic marketing. Usually, CSR is of growing importance towards managing the business processes and is magnetizing growing company investment. Unfortunately, marketing departments lack the skills to manage even the issues related to reputation thereby narrowing the insights. For example, pharmaceutical companies were criticised in the media for arrogance and lack of transparency. In order to rebuild its reputation, Pfizer took initiative to offer free medicines to those who were laid-off during recession. So marketing strategy expects to look for opportunities for better competitive positioning in market segments through increased customer value integrated with CSR initiatives. Majority of business leaders are focusing on CSR as a tool for differentiation and competitive advantage leading to generate revenue. CSR is not only important in considering the consumer relationships but also scrutinizes business-to-business relationships (comprising supply chain partners) with stakeholders like investors, government and lobby groups. CSR is an important business strategy by giving meaning and direction to day to-day operations. Satisfying each of the stakeholder groups allows companies to maximize their commitment to another important stakeholder group-their investors, who benefit most when the needs of these other stakeholder groups are being met. The business succeeds when values within the decision-making process and objectives of the organization are met. Lifestyle brand firms, in particular, need to live the ideals they convey to their consumers. CSR as a strategy is becoming increasingly important for businesses today because of three specific trends shown in the table below: Trends Discussion Changing social expectations: Consumers and society in general expect more from the companies whose products they buy with the regulatory bodies and organizations in place to control corporate excess. Increasing affluence: A society in need of work and inward investment is less likely to enforce strict regulations and penalize organizations that might take their business and money elsewhere. Globalization: The Internet fuels communication among like-minded groups to initiate a product boycott. These three trends portend corporate success. The result of this mix is that consumers today are better informed and feel more empowered to put their beliefs into action. CSR is particularly important within a globalizing world because of the way brands are built, at a time when these values and demands are constantly evolving. CSR can therefore best be described as a total approach to business in maintaining brand dominance. KEY POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CSR: The benefits to firms, community and environment by practicing CSR can be discussed at length in the following table: KEY POTENTIAL BENEFITS DISCUSSION Efficiency in risk management: CSR oversees and scrutinizes the corporate activities by effectively managing the risks involved in governance, social, economic, environmental and legal aspects in day-to-day complicated market, thereby safeguarding the supply for overall market stability. Impact analysis about a firm by considering the concerns of the parties involved is one of the better ways to anticipate in managing the risks. This ultimately sharpens the decision-making. Enhanced reputation management: Reputation of a firm is mainly based on values such as trust, quality, reliability, which reflect the organizations image and brand recognition and so any firm concerned about addressing the CSR issues, can manage their reputation with effective CSR management. Ability to develop the recruitment and retention of staff: Effectiveness in CSR policies improvise the human resource management which has direct impact on firms image related to its products and services.CSR indirectly aids in executing the programs that enhance the morality and loyalty of employees who are valuable resources for companys performance. Fostering innovation, competitiveness and market positioning CSR gives positive impact in avoiding the risks by tackling diverse stakeholders who are the basic sources for generating ideas for novel products and markets thereby differentiating from its competitor, which result in competitive advantage, thus developing competitive strength based on innovative business models. For instance, a certified firm with social and environmental standards improves the chance to become a supplier to specific retailers. Increased operational efficiencies and cost reductions: By implementing CSR, there is always an opportunity to transform waste streams into revenue streams by systematic approach of environmental aspect of renewable energies by reducing costs through recycling. Tangible cost savings signify the reduction in carbon emissions. Building efficient supply chain relationships: A firm is at risk to susceptibility in its supply chain. Companies with like-mindedness can build long-term business relationships with aim to increase their profits by maintaining standards and thereby tackle the risks. Larger firms encourage smaller firms with whom they are related to take up CSR approach. For example, particular retailers may require their suppliers to adopt certain codes and practices. Improved ability to tackle change: CSR aids as a radar to anticipate the emerging market trends and by regular stakeholder dialogue with customers, a company can respond to any changes that occur in regulatory, economic, social and environmental aspects. Generate robust social licence to function in the community: Better understanding between citizen and stakeholder recognition of the firms activities and objectives can render enhanced stakeholder relations, thereby giving scope for robust alliances of public, private and civilized society.CSR enhances the social capital. Enhances investment: As CSR enhances the brand reputation, it leads to raising the companys profile in the investment community. The company value can be improved through further investments.CSR approach drives the financial institutions about incorporation of social and environmental criteria into their project plan leading sharp decision-making of where to invest money and this motivates the investors to look for better CSR management. Better relations with media and government regulators: CSR indicators act as tool for the governments to decide on obtaining export assistance contracts in some countries. In many cases, though CSR activities are beyond the regulatory requirements, governments considered CSR views to expedite the approval processes for firms in order to meet their sustainability goals by recognizing the business sector engagement as a requirement. Building customer relationships: In Cause related marketing the altruistic activities of the firms can be recognized by morally conscious customers who may be flexible in paying higher prices or in reduced costs may increase their purchasing power and so CSR in broader sense has significant impact in building the long-term customer legitimacy,loyalty,trust or brand equity. Acting as a catalyst for responsible consumption: In order to combat with the ever changing consumption patterns, company has to play a key role in achieving sustainability by the way it supplies its goods and services in the marketplace to meet responsible consumerism which considers to relate consumer rights and issues and how well the relationship between producers and consumers is authorized by regulatory bodies. BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES: CSR implementation in a competitive world draws certain barriers and challenges which are due to : Difficulty in implementing CSR concurrently with other business Concerns in a balanced and remarkable manner Difficulty of transparency Lack of clear communication Economic thoughtlessness Various instability problems in developing countries especially problematic for SMEs Complexity of the issues involved and so difficulty in managing the supply chain and regulating the sub-contractors Complex set of issues as CSR covers a broad array of direct and indirect business performances, achievements, and so its impacts differ from one business sector to another International differences that may lead to lack of universal acceptance in examining the potential impacts of CSR. Misinterpretation due to CSR being judged differently in many parts of the world depending on different priorities. For example, Chinese consumers interpret social responsibility as safe, high-quality products, while South Africans consider it as a contribution to healthcare and education. In Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the UK the highest priority is to protect the environment. In Turkey, it is believed as an indicator for charitable donation. In U.S, France, Italy and Switzerland and most of South America, the highest priority is towards fair treatment of employees. Complex set of stakeholders appealing to the business for a CSR attitude the appropriate stakeholders need to be involved stakeholder involvement is important, yet difficult Always ambiguity between CSR and financial success Low voluntary acceptance of CSR can lead to green washing Lack of devices to measure, monitor evaluate and report the impacts Two myths Smaller companies think it the responsibility of the bigger ones and It is mainly a philanthropic exercise High overheads of implementing and sustaining CSR efforts. No universally accepted frameworks Some of the main internal company barriers to CSR initiatives are: Executives recommending strategic marketing programmes that focus on CSR-based positioning must be aware of the likely barriers and challenges from those who do not believe CSR as a legitimate strategic tool. CASE STUDY: CSR AT IKEA: The reason for choosing IKEA as case study of CSR work is to understand its CSR focus as a leading company, which ranks as the first in CSR in the Accountabilitys Responsible Competitiveness Index 2008 (RCI). IKEA was selected due to its long history and experience in the area and its response to several CSR-related crises and criticisms that has enabled the organization to develop structured policies and a range of collaborations and initiatives with stakeholders and could set an example for companies aiming to develop their economic and environmental sustainability. IKEA is a value-based Swedish furniture giant that has wide recognition for its focus on cost reduction and it is a progressive company that manages to integrate its cost focus with CSR issues. This report discusses in detail about how this integration is possible for IKEA and it is interesting to know its implications for other companies who want to combine CSR into their business practices. The CSR experience gained by IKEA can make other companies to realise that CSR is not necessarily a cost addition but it is a cost-cutter, which imparts increasing knowledge on how companies can be socially responsible. The aim is therefore to analyze the relationship between the value addition by CSR for a company to its corporate strategy. Public awareness about IKEAs CSR activities is only through proper communication and so this report investigates on how the CSR is communicated by IKEA. This report d

Love Today :: essays research papers

Love in today’s world has been strongly effected by the social and artistic factors of the past. The question of how has the social environment, in which love is taking place, effected the people that are in love. In stories like Romeo and Juliet, the social environment is the major aspect of the main character love life. Because of their feuding families, their love almost did not exisist, but at the same time, if their families where not in this situation, their love might not of been inspired in the first place. Problem’s like this show up in hundreds of fiction and true life stories all of the time. The only difference between the love between Romeo and Juliet and other scenarios such as West Side Story, and Splendor in the Grass, is that these social situations make the story interesting, therefore, a wonderful love story. In the story, West Side Story, there is a huge social disagreement between two New York City gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. The Jets are primarily a white territorial gang that has been sworn to defend there street from a Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. This social difference had made these two groups sworn enemies of each and there fore there, it was known that there was to be no interaction between the gangs unless it was expressed in hostility. At a dance on night that both of the racial groups were attending, Tony, a Jets veteran, had his eye caught by a young girl, Maria, who happened to be the younger sister of the Sharks leader, Benardo. Both of the gangs where outraged because Tony had crossed the social line because his love had ruled out the idea of fighting the Sharks because it was not acceptable. Therefore, these two people in love, directly inferred with the social environment during the time that they were living in. In a different sort of social aspect of love, Splendor in the Grass is an excellent example of how a social environment may be related to people in love. Bud, the main character in the story, is from a rich family in the Midwest. Bud’s girlfriend, Deanie, is from a family with less money, who think the world of Bud, but look down at a sexual relationship between the two lovers. The play starts off with the two high school seniors very committed to each. They spend most of their time together and would enjoy times of being together alone. As the play moves on, many factors in Bud’s life make their relationship more and more complicated. Such as Bud’s father Ace, encouraging his son

Youth and Beauty Essay -- Media Plastic Surgery Self Image Essays

Youth and Beauty America is a prosperous country. In fact, sociologists have discovered a uniquely American disease that they call â€Å"affluenza.† This term refers to the stress and related disorders that develop from Americans’ need to constantly spend money on material possessions and supposed self-improvement. It is not enough to just be comfortable, we must have it all and look perfect. We work ourselves ragged and neglect our families and relationships just so we can buy the latest television, even though the three we already have work just fine. People in third world countries struggle to keep their children fed. If work is available, they earn money to buy basic necessities; they do not have the luxury of saving up for a new car. As Americans, we are so caught up in the materialistic that advertising is a billion-dollar industry in this country. What we buy also relates to our other obsessions: youth and beauty. We worship celebrities, but only until they turn fifty . Movies featuring older actors (women in particular) are rare; and even our numerous â€Å"reality† television shows all feature beautiful people in their mid-twenties to early-thirties. However, this is not reality: Americans are made up of people of all ages and shapes. Since we can afford it, we buy whatever nature does not provide, from makeup to plastic surgery. Our advertising reflects consumer demand, which in turn reflects American priorities. While people in poorer countries can not pay for surgery that they need to survive, Americans spend millions on surgery to make them look better. For example, the number of breast augmentation surgeries increased five hundred and ninety-three percent from 1992 to 2002 according to the American... ...ese ads play to that mindset. They say that you can have your looks without spending large amounts of time or money on plastic surgery; and since we as a society have a large expendable income, we are particularly susceptible to this type of advertising ploy. We want to be able to buy as many things as we want, so we are attracted to products that can save us money while giving us what we think we need. Cosmetics also offer more rapid results than surgery, which is important in our fast-food culture. It is a promise of youth and beauty in a bottle: what every American wants. Works Cited American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2004. 20 February 2004. . Lutz, William. â€Å"With These Words, I Can Sell You Anything.† Exploring Language. Ed.Gary Goshgarian. Pearson Longman, New York: 2004, 393-406.

Art Theft Essay -- Thieves Arts Stealing History Essays

Art Theft Of the many crimes that are present in this day and age, one that not only vandalizes the property, but as well as historical background is that of art theft. A crime that has taken away the sanctity of churches as well as many other religious and historical sites. Thefts have ranged from WWII (World War II) to the times of the Holocaust. Of the items that were taken from the churches, relics were items of great priority. These items not only had great value to the churches they were stolen from, but a great value to relic collectors. Most of the items taking during these times were either sold or placed in underground storage. Most of these items that were place in these secret places were never to be seen again. From the times of these so called â€Å"relic hunters† to now, art theft has become something that has taken some extreme changes. It has evolved from crime that started with minor relic thefts to something that has become a worldwide crime in need of better preventi on. Art theft is a crime that has been on the rise for the last half of this century. â€Å"According to law enforcement officials, art theft now ranks second only to drugs as the world’s most lucrative illegal activity.† (Journal of Commerce) Whether bought, created, or stolen, art has become something that is of great demand. â€Å"Art theft has flourished as never before. Just keeping up with the number of stolen objects and their total value is a big-time guessing game.† (Dudar) This is a problem that not only faces us as art owners and collectors, but museums and auction houses as well. Everyone possessing a piece of artwork is at risk of art theft. This artwork doesn’t have to be anything out of the ordinary to be a target. Along with famous paintings, sculptures, and other types of artwork, many insignificant or unrecognized pieces of artwork are being stolen too. â€Å"Most thefts appear to be the work of thieves without serious art education. Along w ith the good stuff, they are apt to sweep up junk – those sappy gift-shop paintings of kids with enormous eyes, for example, which no serious collector would covet.† (Lowenthal) On the other hand some of these thefts are being done by some of the best in the business. â€Å"Some thieves have turned out to be professionals who, following fashion, switched from robbing video stores to burgling art. Some are actually specialists in vehicle t... ... that has been reported either stolen or missing. This not only aids law enforcement, but museums, auction houses, and buyer/collectors. â€Å"The Art Loss Register database holds numerous is losses looted from public and private collections between 1933 and 1945 and additional missing artworks for free.† (Schillingford) Art theft is a crime on the rise, but with the use of these foundations and the methods that are being used by museum security managers it is slowing declining. Art theft is something that because of system and human flaws will never be successfully prevented. It can however, be something that is so hard to do that a lack of interest will remain. The only way to successfully prevent art theft is to not own any at all. Works Cited Attrino, Tony. â€Å"Insurers Get Help In Tracking Stolen Art.† National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management. Aug. 17, 1998. Vol. 102. N. 33. Pg. 45 (1). Burrows, Robin. â€Å"Artful Protection from Down Under.† Museum Security. Feb. 1992. Pg. 34, 37-8. Dudar, Helen. â€Å"Making a dent in the trafficking of stolen art.† Smithsonian. Sept. 1995. Vol. 26. N. 6. Pg. 34 (7). Journal of Commerce. Dec. 11, 1990.

Chicken Run Camera Angles

Run has many uses of camera angles. Camera angles can be used in many different ways, (low, high or mid angles), especially in Chicken Run. In Chicken Run camera angles are used to give the viewer a sense of what is going on and influence the viewer on how a character is regarded e. g. if the camera angle is gazing directly upwards towards a character this would usually indicate that the character in question has a lot of power or they are in charge.Camera angles can be used to show effects such as panic and calm on characters epending on what is taking place around them. A great example of this effect takes place as Ginger and the other chickens are being chased through the chicken yard by guard dogs. The camera angle in this scene flickers backwards and forwards constantly, keeping in tempo with what is taking place at present throughout the chase. As the chase comes to a climax Mrs Tweedy appears in front of Ginger and the camera angle changes to a low angled shot and stays fixed, this proves that all is calm again and The very first shot is of the moon.This instantly implies the genre and sets the tone f the film: the shot is very typical of the horror movie genre of films from the 20th century (which is also when the film is set). 3. The first shot pans down across to where Mr Tweedy and his two dogs are walking. The view of the fence surrounding the farm closely resembles the prisoner-of-war films which inspired the film itself. There is almost no sound and the music is quiet and mysterious to effect. He has dogs with him, most likely for protection, with fierce expressions, showing the mood of the scene. 4. Match-on-action shot of Mr Tweedys hand checking the lock on the gate.This suggests that he does not want anything or anyone getting in or out, and that he may be hiding something. Cut to an extreme low-angle close-up of his feet walking away. We never see his face in the first part of this sequence. This creates a sense of mystery as to who he is. It could mean that he is the main antagonist of the film because of this. 5. A fgure emerges and tries not to be noticed. This further suggests the first character we see (Mr Tweedy) is the antagonist since a character wants to hide from him, but we still don't fully understand why the fgure is hiding rom him.There is mystery surrounding the fgure as well as we cannot see (yet) who it is. Foot emerges before the rest of the body, suggests the figure is nervous of showing him/herself. 6. The water tower in the background connotes a guard tower in a typical prisoner-of-war film, so again there is reference to films such as ‘The Great Escape' which the film closely parodies, and also that there is a greater force on Mr Tweedys side. 7. The shadow (Ginger) makes a run for it, again trying not to be caught. The way the dog hears Ginger first suggests the danger is nearer; she is about o be caught. . Ginger is nearly caught; an example of a false alarm' where we believe the character has been caught but hasn't. 9. Match-on-action shot shows her frustration as she digs. Shot of the spoon being thrown back onto the floor; she is forced to leave everything but herself behind. 10. We are misled to believe she is sately across and all the danger is over, but in the next snot more chickens arrive. These two shots echo the previous shots of Ginger running across, so the risk of danger is repeated. 12.Cutting between the two actions of the chickens trying to scape and the dogs running towards them; again this shows frustrationand pressure for the chickens and a sense of danger. The sound and music both add to this effect by suddenly increasing dramatically, rising as the dogs near. 13. The sound and music have now increased to their full volume as Ginger turns to run. We finally see the face of the character we saw at the beginning, albeit for two brief seconds. The camera zooms in sharply on his triumphant expression. 14.Short, sharp cuts between shots, as well as the camera following the dogs, creates a feel of speed and shows the impact of the chase. Ginger stops and turns back in this shot; she has nowhere to turn. 15. Shot-reverse-shot between Ginger and the dogs is used to show she is trapped. The camera also backs away with Ginger; there is a slow zoom out on this shot of the dogs closing in. 16. The dog eating the gnome head (that Ginger tries to force them away with) shows her helplessness and what is destined for her. We don't see the impact of the head being eaten, implying violence. 17. Close-up shot of her head, slowly panning in.The attention is on her terrified expression, as the camera zooming in slowly shows how her ‘doom' is coming nearer nd nearer. 18. Both Ginger and the dogs turn at the light from behind her. The lighting has changed and is like a light from heaven' as if Ginger is being called or summoned, as if everything has already happened. The music has also stopped suddenly. 19. Cutting back to the curious faces o f the chickens. There is no music and very quiet sound; everyone has stopped to look, creating suspense of what they are looking at. 20. The camera pans up revealing the true main antagonist, with a short piece of dramatic music for this shot.

Factional Distillation of Crude Oil

8. 2. 1 (iv) Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil By Blake Turner – Year 11 Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil Introduction Crude oil is the term for â€Å"unprocessed† oil, the stuff that comes out of the ground. It is also known as petroleum. Crude oil is a fossil fuel, meaning that it was made naturally from decaying plants and animals living in ancient seas millions of years ago — most places you can find crude oil were once sea beds. Crude oils vary in colour, from clear to tar-black, and in viscosity, from water to almost solid. On average, crude oils are made of the following elements or compounds: * Carbon – 84% Hydrogen – 14% * Sulphur – 1 to 3% (hydrogen sulfide, sulfides, disulfides, elemental sulfur) * Nitrogen – less than 1% (basic compounds with amine groups) * Oxygen – less than 1% (found in organic compounds such as carbon dioxide, phenols, ketones, carboxylic acids) * Metals – less than 1% (nickel, iron , vanadium, copper, arsenic) * Salts – less than 1% (sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride) The Process Fractional Distillation The oldest and most common way to separate things into various components (called fractions), is to do it using the differences in boiling temperature.This process is called fractional distillation. You basically heat crude oil up, let it vaporize and then condense the vapour The various components of crude oil have different sizes, weights and boiling temperatures; so, the first step is to separate these components. Because they have different boiling temperatures, they can be separated easily by a process called fractional distillation. The steps of fractional distillation are as follows: 1. You heat the mixture of two or more substances (liquids) with different boiling points to a high temperature.Heating is usually done with high pressure steam to temperatures of about 1112 degrees Fahrenheit / 600 degrees Celsius. 2. The mixture boils, forming vapor (gases); most substances go into the vapor phase. 3. The vapor enters the bottom of a long column (fractional distillation column) that is filled with trays or plates. The trays have many holes or bubble caps (like a loosened cap on a soda bottle) in them to allow the vapor to pass through. They increase the contact time between the vapor and the liquids in the column and help to collect liquids that form at various heights in the column.There is a temperature difference across the column (hot at the bottom, cool at the top). 4. The vapor rises in the column. 5. As the vapor rises through the trays in the column, it cools. 6. When a substance in the vapour reaches a height where the temperature of the column is equal to that substance's boiling point, it will condense to form a liquid. (The substance with the lowest boiling point will condense at the highest point in the column; substances with higher boiling points will condense lower in the column. ). 7.The tr ays collect the various liquid fractions. 8. The collected liquid fractions may pass to condensers, which cool them further, and then go to storage tanks, or they may go to other areas for further chemical processing. Components of the Mixture Crude Oil Components All the †¦. Product| Boiling point ( degrees Celsius )| Petroleum gas| 40| Naphtha or ligroin| 60-100| Gasoline| 40 – 205| Kerosene| 175-325| Gas oil| 250-350| Lubricating oil| 300-370| Heavy gas| 370-600| Residues| 600| Products of Separation Assessment Question: Why is the mixture separated?What are the components used for? Why is Mixture Separated? 42393793 161b What are the Components Used For? Below is a list of separated components and what they are used for: Petroleum gas Used for heating, cooking and making plastics. Commonly known by the names methane, ethane, propane, butane. Naphtha or Ligroin Intermediate that will be further processed to make gasoline. Gasoline Motor fuel. †¢liquid Kerosene Fu el for jet engines and tractors; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Gas Oil or Diesel DistillateUsed for diesel fuel and heating oil; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Lubricating Oil Used for motor oil, grease, other lubricants. †¢liquid Heavy Gas or Fuel oil Used for industrial fuel; starting material for making other products. †¢liquid Residuals Coke, asphalt, tar, waxes; starting material for making other products †¢solid Wastes Bibliography http://science. howstuffworks. com/environmental/energy/oil-refining4. htm http://www. aip. com. au/industry/fact_refine. htm www. theoildrum. com/node/6089 en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Separation_process