Macbeth by William Shakespeare Essay

In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, ambition, strength, and insanity play major roles in how the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth behave and react. In this twisted story about man slaughter and the thirst for power both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth represent all 3 of these behaviors at some point. However, their behaviors progress in very different ways. Throughout the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth gradually evolve into each other bringing out opposite personality traits from their previous opinions. It is well known that simply wanting something is not enough to actually get it. One must have the desire, the ambition and must work towards obtaining a certain goal. In the beginning of the play Macbeth has the desire to become king, but lacks the motivation and ambition to work for it. He doesn’t have the violent drive that Lady Macbeth possesses and is frankly just a moral man with moral values. He acquires the ability to see right from wrong and shows that he has a very strong conscience when he says, â€Å"I am Thane of Cawdor. / If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/[thought of killing Duncan] whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/ and make my seated heart knock at my ribs/ against the use of nature? â€Å"(1. 3. 146-150). Here Macbeth shows that the thought of killing Duncan makes him uneasy, nervous and frightened. Already his senses are warning him that what he is thinking is wrong, but unfortunately enough for Macbeth he is mentally weak and easily convinced. Lady Macbeth on the other hand has all the strength, ambition, motivation and desire to become royalty. She knows her husband well and knows that he will not take action against Duncan, so she decides to take matters into her own hands. Lady Macbeth calls upon the forces of evil to â€Å"unsex [her] here, / and fill [her] from the crown to the toe top- full/ of direst cruelty. Make thick [her] blood, / stop the passage to remorse† (1. 5. 48-51). In this speech there is no perplexity that Lady Macbeth is clearly willing to do whatever necessary to take hold of the throne. Her strength of purpose is contrasted with her husband’s tendency to waver and it will be her ambition and strength that questions his manhood, which will drive him forward to a life of misery and violence. Macbeth is a mentally weak character that undergoes a drastic mental change after committing cold blooded murder. He is progressively becoming more evil as his inhuman deeds allow his evil nature to take control of his thoughts and actions. Macbeth becomes paranoid about losing power and obsessed with proving his manhood. He associates manhood with fighting and bloodshed when he says, â€Å"What man dare, I dare. / Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,/ The armed rhinoceros, or th’ Nyrean tiger,/Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves/ Shall never tremble. † (3. 4. 121-125) Just as Lady Macbeth was, Macbeth becomes a manipulative mastermind who is so power thirsty and driven by violence that he would kill anyone, even his best friend, to get what he wants. As Macbeth’s mind relocates to a state of paranoia and violence, Lady Macbeth’s conscience slowly starts to eat her away forcing her to resort to a life of misery, insanity, and eventually death. Her guilt is so strong that she is haunted in her sleep by the image of blood. Lady Macbeth could not rest peacefully without trying to wash all the blood off of her hands, â€Å"Out, damned spot; out, I say†(5. 1. 30) she would mutter as she wandered around the castle carrying a candlestick for light and rubbing her hands together trying to rub off all of the guilt. Shakespeare makes a valid point in this play that the future of your life does not depend on someone else, but is in entirely your hands. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth could have avoided their own misery and downfall if only they did things differently. Don’t get too caught up in yourself but be patient and be grateful for what you have because a lot of people would love to be in your position than their own. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth gradually become different people, one for the better and one for the worse.

The Medieval Education System

It seems evident that due to it's limited access via social castes as well as it's provincial ideology once attained, education before the 1800's played a limited role in the history of Education. From the rhetoric-based Greek age of Plato and Aristotle to colonial America, education was mostly an elitist institution that was inaccessible to most and, if one was so privileged as to attain it, full of hackneyed, non-progressive ritual; thus making its' impact evident mostly in history textbooks. In Greek times it is clear that true education was limited those with much free time and/or the means to pay for private tutors. Due to this, the vast majority of those who were educated were among the small upper class. Elitist â€Å"education† was largely based on the ability to speak and persuade; a tool only truly necessary to those who were socially powerful. The later Roman education system was, although theoretically more accessible due to more schools, very similar to that of the Greeks. Those who were â€Å"truly educated† were well versed in Latin and were able to speak efficiently. However, when the Roman power system shifted from political to military, the valued vocation changed in correlation with the valued focus of education. The role of the orator diminished as the role of the soldier increased. In the Greco-Roman times education as an institution was geared to those with time and money, therefore few were able to partake. Clearly if only a small percentage of the populace, in any culture or time-period, has access to information, the impact of that information on society and future generations, as a whole, will be limited. The medieval education systems' institutions have impacted Education comparably to those of the Greco-Roman period; which isn't saying much. This is due, once again, to the grossly exagerated social caste system that existed during this period. The immense majority of the population had no time for education their lives were consumed by a constant struggle to survive. With all wealth concentrated on the minute land owning populace as well as the Church, education for most was the passing down of a trade from generation to generation as well as basic communication skills. The only â€Å"institutions† were those that were established by, or in order to promote, the good of the Church. Parish, monastic, chantry, and cathedral schools were the extent of medieval education. With all four of these types of schools contributing to one common it is easy to see that the influence of education was limited. Although the ideas taught during the medieval period were, for the most part, rehashed tradition fueled by religious propagandists, highlights such as studium generale and universitas planted seeds for future growth. Once again, however, due to the exclusiveness of educational opportunities concentrated on those with status, power and, money, the impact on Education that the middle ages had was limited. In contrast to its' insular curriculum of the Greco-Roman period and its' monopolization by the church during the medieval period, education during the renaissance became â€Å"enlightened. † As religion was called into question, and the middle class began developing, the educational stagnation of the middle ages also evolved.

Epidemiology: Psychiatry and Mental Health Professionals Essay

According to â€Å"World Health Organization† (2012), † Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems.† (para.1). There are many approaches for collecting this beneficial data, and there are three basic standard methods. These three methods include routinely collected data, data collected for other purposes, and epidemiologic data (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Routinely collected data is secondary data that is collected routinely from the general population, which may include births, deaths, fertility or infectious disease notifications (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). The quality of this data may vary depending on time and region (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Data collected for other purposes are also secondary data, collected within a region or area of interest, and may be used for research and investigative purposes (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiologic data is primary data that uses sample populations to answer specific questions of interest or concern, surveys and new cutting edge GIS technology are often used (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Epidemiology uses these methods of data to study health related states and events. There are three factors that must be present in order to create or maintain these health related events. These three factors include an agent to carry and disperse the disease, a host to carry and maintain the disease, and the environment that facilitates the interactions between the host and the agent (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Together these three factors are called the epidemiological triangle, and without these three factors there is no health related state or event to study. When all three of these factors are present, data can then be collected, and an investigation of this data may take place. The two basic types of methods for these investigations are descriptive epidemiology and analytica l epidemiology. These two methods rely on each other. As descriptive epidemiology focuses on the concrete, such as who is affected, where they are affected, and when they are affected; analytical epidemiology focuses on how and why the population is affected. The purpose of this paper is to provide both analytical and descriptive views on the prevalence of obesity in people who suffer from mental health disabilities. Obesity is widely referred to as an epidemic not only in the United States but in other countries as well. As the study of mental health disabilities and its treatments continues to evolve and progress, research shows a significant link between mental health and obesity. According to Gasper and Tsai (2006) â€Å"Weight gain is a prominent side effect of atypical antipsychotics† (p. 9). When medications used to treat mental illness are combined with lifestyle factors and a low-income, it can be very difficult for people with mental illnesses to overcome the battle to maintain optimal physical health, as well as mental health. Although this link has surfaced and brought light to an important issue, there is still very much progress needed to attack this problem and provide a better quality of life for people with mental health disabilities around the world. In 2012 a research article published by The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, pointed out that in 2007 funding for a mental health commission was launched in Canada, while an epidemic of obesity, affecting one in four adult Canadians failed to receive similar consideration (Sharma, 2012). This statistic was used in this article to illustrate how the two disorders are actually co-epidemics. A worldwide study published by the International Journal of Obesity further illustrates this correlation by clearly finding a stronger relationship between people with severe obesity and mental disorder (Scott, Bruffaerts, Simon, Alonso, Angermeyer, Girolamo, Demyttenaere, Gasquet, Haro, Karam, Kessler, Levinson, Medina, Oakley, Browne, Ormel, Villa, Uda, and Von Korff, 2008). The actual cause of this link in the general population is not yet fully understood (Scott, 2008). However there are a few factors that shed light upon this correlation. The relationship between atypical antipsychotics and weight gain, contributing to hyperlipidemia, and type-two diabetes is common knowledge amongst most mental health professionals. According to an article published by the Australian Journal of Primary Health, a well-known three year clinical antipsychotic trial from 2004 also illustrates a 27-36% increase in hypertension, and a 1% increase in cardiac disease in patients that were on atypical antipsychotics for fourteen years prior to the study (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). The article also sheds light on how people that are taking anti-depressants and mood stabilizers are also experiencing there a higher rate of chronic physical health problems (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). In addition this article touches on a study using 160,000 patients with a diagnosis of depressive disorder using antidepressants for at least two years that exhibited an 84% increased risk for diabetes. This article not only exemplifies the obvious association between psychiatric medications and weight gain, it also demonstrates how lifestyle further amplifies the risk of obesity, and chronic disease in these patients. A survey of 200,000 people in the United States was used to support this association; the population reported that the higher their depression, the higher their likelihood of physical inactivity, obesity, and cigarette smoking (Stanley, Laugharne, Jonathan, 2012). All of these factors in combination with a poor diet suggest the need for lifestyle interventions for these patients. The implementation of these interventions may be tricky as the symptom profile of mental health patients comes in to play. In addition to unhealthy lifestyles, mental illness is also known to impact ones motivation, energy, and appetite (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). The Canadian Journal of psychiatry emphasizes three basic methods, psychological counseling for weight management, psychotherapies for managing obesity, and pharmacology for obesity management (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Psychological counseling consists of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is a widely supported therapy that focuses on guiding the individual towards self-help (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Psychological counseling includes mindfulness therapy, interpersonal therapy, and motivational interviewing; these are all client centered approaches that use a combination of patient awareness, recognition, education, mindfulness, and motivation to assist the patient in overcoming an unhealthy lifestyle (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Pharmacological treatment is used with caution due an associated risk with cardiovascular complications, potential for interaction with psychiatric medications, and addiction. Bariatric surgery is known to be an effective treatment for obese patients (Taylor, Stonehocker, & Steele, 2012). Taylor, Stonehocker, and Steele (2012) use a study from 2009 to reveal that people seeking this procedure are often overrepresented by patients with mental illness, and most morbidly obese patients who have a controlled diagnosis are candidates for this surgery. It appears that these significant interventions should be available to all mental health patients. In combinations with the tools needed to actually make these changes, mentally ill patients may increase their chance to lead a healthy lifestyle both mentally and physically. It was with this thought that a nurse-led intervention to meet this need was put into place. An overview of this method was published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing; its efficacy is still being studied, but the work appears to be promising. Passport 4 Life incorporates the six stages of change into a twelve week program, to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a healthy lifestyle (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). The weekly sessions led by a nurse include thirty minutes of discussion and thirty minutes of activity (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). Patients are provided with diet and exercise booklets, pedometers, and participate in easy, low-cost exercise activity such as walking in the park, or sports (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). The sessions use menu planning, goal setting, and motivational interviewing as tools to teach clients how to track progress and maintain a healthy lifestyle (Park, Usher, & Foster, 2011). Good health, long life, and longevity, are important aspects desired by cultures and sub-cultures all over the world. People afflicted with mental illness are not exempt from possessing this human desire. Unfortunately for them regardless of this desire they may not be equipped with the knowledge base, motivation, or resources needed to maintain the lifestyle associated with these worldwide aspirations. Mental health providers possess the ability to make significant changes in quality of life for people that cannot make these changes on their own. Utilizing significant research information, survey results, randomized studies, and interventions allows mental health professionals to implement changes in a person’s life with the confidence that the potential impact is based on scientific evidence. In addition, building off of previous work of self or others allows a chance to progress in the advancement in the knowledge of diseases that affect the human body, pinpoint the exact cause of the disease or combination of causes, and treatments that can eradicate or hinder diseases and their progression. A famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi encourages people to â€Å"Be the change you wish to see in the world.† With the proper resources and accurate information that change can be greater, and its impact more valuable. References Gasper, J., & Tsai, C. (2006, October). Guidelines for Atypical Antipsychotic Use in Adults in Adults. City and County of San Francisco, Department of Public Health, 1-18. Park, T., Usher, K., & Foster, K. (2011, December). Description of a healthy lifestyle intervention for people with serious mental illness taking second-generation antipsychotics. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing , 20(6), 428-437. Scott, K., Bruffaerts, R., Simon, GE., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M., Girolamo, G., Demyttenaere, K., Gasquet, I., Haro, JM., Karam, E., Kessler., RC, Levinson, D., Medina ME., Oakley, MA., Browne, Ormel, J., Villa, JP, Uda, HP., and Von Korff, M., (2008, January). Obesity and mental disorders in the general population: results from the world mental health surveys. International Journal Of Obesity , 32(1), 192-200. Sharma, A. (2012, January). Obesity and mental health–a complicated and complex relation. Canadian Journal Of Psychiatry, 57(1), 3-4. Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public Health Nursing (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Mosby. Stanley, S, Laugharne, H., Jonathan D. E., (2012, September). Obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in people with a mental illness: a need for primary health care. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 18(3), 258-264. Taylor, V. H., Stonehocker, B., & Steele, M. (2012, January). An Overview of Treatments for Obesity in a Population With Mental Illness. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 57(1), 13-20. World Health Organization. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/topics/epidemiology/en/

TESCO Marketing and Healthy Living Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

TESCO Marketing and Healthy Living - Essay Example In 1979, TESCO attained a landmark by having sales of up to one billion pounds. In 1982, the sales of the business doubled, and it had sales of up to two billion pounds. In the same year, the company put up some of the computerized checkouts. The company also was the first to initiate nutritional value of its brand through an initiative referred to as ‘Healthy Eating’. The initiative made the company obtain more consumers because people were interested in the services that it offered. As a result, in 1991, it became one of the biggest independent and petrol retail sellers in Britain. Within few years, the company launched new services and products that included computers for schools, ‘Every little Helps’, and TESCO Organic range. Within a year, TESCO was in a position to improve its customer services through the customer champion’s policy stores. Through the policy, the company became an organic retailer in the UK market (Kingd, Lannon & Baskin 2007, p.90). Healthy brandIn 1985, TESCO launched the healthy eating initiative. The aim of the initiative was to provide customers with information on nutrition and health and the foods that are made for a healthier diet. The company was classified as the leading food retailer in Britain. TESCO also obtained a unique position to communicate with its customers and receive feedback. The customers gave feedback on their current needs and attitudes. TESCO provided information on the food that they eat and where they shop.

Intro MGT Informat Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Intro MGT Informat Systems - Essay Example Despite proper planning of the initiation phase, continuous evaluation of the implementation process is vital in project implementation. During the implementation phase, communication is vital in the project implementation process (Kerzner). Communication ensures that the transfer of information within the work force is effective thus improving the implementation process. The various phase of implementation process involves the combination of different departments in the implementation process. The communication process in the project work must accommodate various technological changes such as use of latest communication technology such as the use of Email and social networks. The selection of the best possible technology for use in the project work must consider the budgetary allocation of the project. It deals with the understanding of the information management and system available and the implementation process demands. The leadership of an organization can influence the motivation of the people leading better performance in project management. Emotional intelligent is vital in the leadership success. To have a successful project leader, the understanding of the leadership styles and emotional intelligence is mandatory allowing for exclusive understanding of the organization structure. Leadership in project management must always have the mission and vision of the project to avoid management crisis such as loss of organizational focus and goals. The goals of the project are vital because they facilitate the development of organizational structure and organization. Additionally, the planning phase of the project must ensure that all factors that may influence implementation are evaluated. The creation of plans ensures that all activities are considered in the process of planning and the magnitude of activities, threats and opportunities existing during the

The way of duty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The way of duty - Essay Example Women are the ones that suffered the most by losing their loved ones during the American Revolution period since they were to be left alone to take care of both those who were fighting and also the family that remained at home As portrayed, in ‘The Way of Duty’, it was a time to practice their loyalty and patriotism to their country. Women were also to step up and take charge of all the family responsibilities while their men were away. Just like in the case of Mary, women lost their loved ones to diseases and some ended up being alone but they knew very well that losing hope was not an option. Life was to continue. Women were the ones that were much concerned and worried about what would happen to those in the fields. They involved them in prayers trusting and believing that all will be well. Most women became spiritual in the sense that they were to make ends meet.2 Women were the ones to endure broken marriages and separations not to mention tem being not in a position to enjoy their conjugal rights. Men were taken to different places as militia during the Revolution era and thus never were they close to their wives. Men who showed interest in politics were kidnapped and jailed for a significant number of days that will end up being even a year long. And when they were released men couldn’t help since they were ever in fear that they would be recaptured thus reducing their productivity. 3 Women had to take care of the rest of the family and persevere the pain of the struggle. They became the bread winners. They were to manage the farms so as to see that food was brought on the table. This was even made worse when their husbands, who were captured in the line of duty, to get their job benefits were turned down. If it happened that their husband were working in the public service and lost or couldn’t account for the money at their disposal this were to be taken in as debts

The rise and Fall of American Economics Term Paper

The rise and Fall of American Economics - Term Paper Example Considering that macroeconomics characteristically focuses on a nation’s economic performance including the manner in which the nation’s economy interacts with other economies globally, it is worth noting that the economy of the United States is not only the largest but also the most complex in the world history, with 87,600 separate government jurisdictions, approximately a hundred and fifteen million households, and thirty million profit organizations/businesses. The U.S. economy is therefore comprised of millions of decision makers who though acting with some autonomy, are all linked with the entire economy. The economy is dynamic – keeps continually renewing itself with new businesses, customers, foreign competitors, households and public official groups among others. Currency circulates throughout the U.S. economy, which facilitates the exchange of products as well as resources among the individual economic units – it is constantly in a circular flow (McEachern, 2008). Historically, just like other industrial market economies, the economy of the United States has gone through sporadic contraction and expansion periods. The rise and fall of the economy refer to the economic fluctuations relative to the economy’s long term growth tendency.... The rise and fall of the economy refer to the economic fluctuations relative to the economy’s long term growth tendency. These variations/business cycles vary in intensity and length, although some elements are universal to all. Usually, the fluctuations involve the whole nation and frequently several other world economies. Additionally, the fluctuations affect almost every economic activity dimension – not just employment and production (Hirschey, 2009). McEachern (2008) notes that the simplest way of comprehending the business cycle is by exploring its elements. He explains that in the 1920s and 1930s, the national Bureau of Economic research director carried out an analysis of business cycles and identified two phases of the economy namely â€Å"contractions† and â€Å"expansions.† He elucidated that the output of the economy declines during a contraction while it increases during an expansion. Prior to WWII, a contraction occurred – this was as severe as to be termed a depression. A depression is a sharp decline in the entire production of the nation going for over a year and accompanied by high rates of unemployment. When a contraction is milder, it is reffered to as a recession – characterized by a reduction in overall output over a period of at least six months or two consecutive quarters. Unlike prior to the world war II when the United States experienced both depressions and recessions, in the period after and until the year 2008, there have not been depressions; only recessions, which is an indication of an improved economy. The quarter-century after World War II appears more like a golden age for the economy of

Comparison of To Live and farewell to my concubine Essay

Comparison of To Live and farewell to my concubine - Essay Example It highlights the achievements that have been developed in these nations in competing in the industry to contribute towards entertainment industry. Zhang in the book analyzes the contribution of the film industry in promoting cultural values and ideologies (Zhang 103). The depictions of actual values within the plot of the cinemas have issued contribution towards the development within the society and a rich history that has been highlighted in production. In these regions, there is a strong provision to uphold cultural values that define the basis of formation in the nations. The development of the plot and the characters uphold societal values and help in selling the culture as are characteristic of the society. This paper is based on a comparison of two such films, To Live, and Farewell My Concubine, to compare the contents that they present. This was Zhang Yimou’s sixth production whose plot development is centred on the struggles presented in the union of a married couple. The setting is based on a period that was marked with the tyrannical rule of the ruthless Mao Zedong, as had been presented in some movies of the time. Zhang (287) explains, â€Å"To Live highlights the absolute necessity of tolerance as a time honoured survival skill for ordinary people in socialist China†. The other films from Beijing film graduates had stressed on the regime of the turbulent era in China highlighting; the positions held in the government that promoted the unjust presentations. However, the film had been based on the consideration placed on the people under the government. Zhang breaks the tension as he prepares a plot that is based on the family level in the struggling individual. The film delves on the intimate thee as it presents the effects of the struggling family class. Through the family of Fugui and Jiazhen, the effects of the affected economy and societal struggles of the Chinese

Individual assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Individual assignment - Essay Example On such accords, the respective adoption of entrepreneurial behaviour may be associated to the increased desire of improving the economy via paths that are regarded fair for all. Entrepreneurial behaviour involves the development of novel solutions in the market with hope of capitalizing on the untapped consumer habits. Successful entrepreneurs are regarded to be able to deduce ideas that match the interests of their market in a rewarding and prolonged manner. The basis of an entrepreneurial behaviour remains on its ability to shape the considered consumerism towards the considered aspect of development and growth. Enticing growth of the economy is thus perceived to be an entity that comprises of differing elements of wealth generation. Arguably, entrepreneurship is listed among such trends and behaviours. The promotion of the various characteristics of entrepreneurship is perceived as an ideal path towards the address of the respective concerns of unemployment on any economy. Various authors have embarked onto various missions of presenting the respective role of entrepreneurship in any economy. Their publications have considered the plight of both developing and transitioning economies as the ideal candidates upon which their respective concern of entrepreneurship may be adopted. Additional concerns including the prospective role of such ventures in the shaping of these economies remains central in the description of their work. The perception of entrepreneurship being regarded as a tool of expression in respect to the development of an economy is regarded as the commencement point of the enterprise growth (Quereshil et.al, 200). The enterprise is described as the sole tool that promises immediate returns and ease in governance in the various states and nations. Such implication allows its elevation into a status that promotes economy improvement along the considered desires of growth and revenue generation (Glancey & McQuaid, 2000).

Current Issues In Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Current Issues In Finance - Essay Example According to the theory of capital structure, the major features of the conception constitute with maximum return with minimum risk, flexibility in resource allocation, adequate liquidity, conservation of reserves, balanced capital flow and leverage, which accumulatively helps in assisting the smooth flow of finances stimulating the overall business operations. It is in this context that according to the theorem presented by Modigliani & Miller, there are various factors on which the managerial decision of configuring an appropriate capital structure is depended (Kumar & Sharma, 1998). The objective of this paper is to discuss about the importance of capital structure with reference to the financial configuration of a Hong Kong based real estate company named Henderson Land Development Company Pvt. Ltd. With this concern, the paper will also attempt to examine the utilisation and importance of capital structure from a generalised points of view narrowing towards its implications on t he company. Modigliani & Miller’s theorem towards capital structure will also be taken into account for the purpose of this study. Description of Capital Structure Capital structure can be defined as the framework or planned method through which a company attempts to control its allocation as well as flow of finances in its operational process mitigating financial interruptions by a considerable extent. According to the theory presented by Modigliani & Miller, capital structure represents the general distinction between leverage and equity describing the conditions under which a firm’s value can prevail unaffected due to the financial decisions taken by the management (Villamil, 2005). It is worth mentioning that from a generalised point of view, it has often assumed that equity propositions and leverage functions of any organisation is highly affected with its financial decisions, both in the short-run and in the long-run as well. As stated by Baker & Martin (2011), à ¢â‚¬Å"capital structure refers to the sources of financing employed by the firm† (pp. 1). It is in this context that there are various available options which are generally availed by organisations to accumulate the required amount of capital or funding for the smooth execution of its organisational operations in the long run. Contextually, the decisions, taken by the organisations in order to accredit its capital structure, have often been witnessed to have a crucial impact over its competencies and the financial risks probably faced by the firm in its long run performances (Baker & Martin, 2011). Although the capital structure related decisions taken by organisations have been frequently considered as one of the major reasons to face noteworthy consequences, especially in the post economic crisis period, the formulation of the capital structure has also been identified to have considerable positive impacts on a company’s financial affairs. Contextually, the major feat ures of capital structure are identified as profitability, flexibility, control and solvency. Profitability can be defined as the process of utilising maximum resources in the business process engaging minimum cost which subsequently gives rise to the profit ratio. In the similar context, flexibility can be discussed as the process in which the capital stru

Illegally evidence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Illegally evidence - Case Study Example Within this framework consideration will be given of the factors that judges have taken into account when deciding whether or not to exclude such evidence. This will involve looking at policy issues in relation to the use of illegally obtained evidence in order to reach a conclusion as to whether in general terms the courts will opt to include or exclude such evidence. In reaching a decision as to the uniformity of the application of this discretion consideration will be given to whether changes that have occurred with regard to the rights of the suspect under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 have impacted on the admissibility of such evidence. Although there have been many changes in the law with regard to the use of evidence that has been illegally obtained many judges still use the case of R v Sang [1980]1 as a yardstick by which to measure whether evidence such be excluded. In this case Lord Diplock commented that "(1) A trial judge in a criminal trial has always a discretion to refuse to admit evidence if in his opinion its prejudicial effect outweighs its probative value. (2) Save with regard to admissions and confessions and generally with regard to evidence obtained from the accused after commission of the offence, he has no discretion to refuse to admit relevant admissible evidence on the ground that it was obtained by improper or unfair means."(at p 437) In this case In this case the court following the comments made by Lord Diplock concluded that the judge would have no power to exclude the evidence on the basis that it had been obtained through the use of an agent provocateur2. In many ways the decision whether or not to exclude illegally obtained evidence seems to centre on fairness. Sang remains as an authority of the rules on the exclusion of evidence as was demonstrated in the case of R v Nadir [1993]3 where Lord Taylor CJ said that if a judge "considers evidence the Crown wish to lead would have an adverse effect on the fairness of the trial, he can exclude it under s 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984....He also has a general discretion to exclude evidence which was preserved by s.82(3) of the 1984 Act which would allow the judge to exclude evidence he considers more prejudicial than probative." In the later case of R v Khan [1994] 4 All ER 4264, Lord Taylor seemed to change his opinion of the use of Sang as an authority stating that "Since, on any view, the discretion conferred on the judge by s 78 is at least as wide as that identified in R v Sang it is only necessary to consider the question of the exercise of discretion under s 78 - which is what the judge did." In general terms although the judge has the discretion to be able to rule the evidence as inadmissible it is more common for the courts to allow the evidence to be adduced. Many judges are of the opinion that the effect of s78 does not make very much difference to the cases brought before the court as most judges seem to decide in favour of inclusion rather then exclusion of such evidence as was the case of R v Mason [1987]5 and in the subsequent case of R v Samuel [1988]6. Mason was later quashed on appeal when it was discovered that the only real evidence against the defendant was the confession and that this had been obtained by telling the defendant that his fingerprints had been found

Political and Socioeconomic Essay Example for Free

Political and Socioeconomic Essay The communication gap between First and Third world feminist, as expressed by Narayan lies within a cultural setting: though Western feminism is still an upholding to the rights of women, Third world feminism speaks towards a culture’s specific issues, as Narayan writes, â€Å"I am arguing that Third-World feminism is not a mindless mimicking of ‘Western agendas’ in one clear and simple sense that, for instance, Indian feminism is clearly a response to issues specifically confronting many Indian women† (13). Thus, feminism is explicit to country and cultural beliefs, not hinging upon a predetermined, or in this case Western view. There are many people, mostly women, who have been fighting for their equal rights – and we now commonly call this as feminism. Feminism started not merely on 19th century, but even during the 17th to 18th century. This is the very reason why feminists have gotten so much attention from well respected organization and government officials. With this idea in mind, many are now asking, who are the women who started the feminist movements and what prompted them to initiate such action? By digging deeper to what the real meaning of feminism is, it can also be identified the first few women who fought and strived really hard just to show the world that feminism is indeed worth fighting for. These women have their own issues that they highlighted and it all boils down to the fact that females are not just a decoration for males, instead, they are people who can be effective even in dealing with other important aspects of he society like the government. Feminists’ ideas started during the time of the infamous Enlightenment, with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and the Marquis de Condorcet who initiated championing womens education. The first scientific society for women was founded in Middleberg, a city in the south of the Dutch republic, in 1785. Journals for women which focused on issues like science became popular during this period as well. Mary Wollstonecrafts A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is one of the first works that can be called feminist, although by modern standards her comparison of women to the nobility, the elite of society, coddled, fragile, and in danger of intellectual and moral sloth, does not sound like a feminist argument. Wollstonecraft believed that both sexes contributed to this situation and took it for granted that women had considerable power over men. Indeed, it was during the late 17th century to the early 18th century that the earliest works on the so-called woman question criticized the restrictive role of women, without necessarily claiming that women were disadvantaged or that men were to blame (Deckard, 1975). When 18th century came, the movement is generally believed to have begun as people increasingly came to believe that women were treated unfairly under the law. The feminist movement is rooted in the West and especially in the reform movement of the 19th century. The organized movement is dated from the first womens rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 (Deckard, 1975). This feminism started not on one place or country, but coincidentally, a lot of women from various countries around the world fought for their rights as and equal and rightful members of the society. Emmeline Pankhurst was one of the founders of the suffragette movement and aimed to reveal the institutional sexism in British society, forming the Womens Social and Political Union (WSPU). Often the repeated jailing for forms of activism that broke the law, particularly property destruction, inspired members went on hunger strikes. Due to the resultant force-feeding that was the practice, these members became very ill, serving to draw attention to the brutality of the legal system at that time. In an attempt to solve this the government introduced a bill that became known as the Cat and Mouse Act, which allowed women to be released when they starved themselves to dangerous levels, then to be re-arrested later. (Deckard, 1975). Meanwhile, the Feminist movement in the Arab world saw Egyptian jurist Qasim Amin, the author of the 1899 pioneering book Womens Liberation, as the father of Arab Feminist Movement. In his work Amin criticized some of the practices prevalent in his society at the time, such as polygamy, the veil, or womens segregation, and condemned them as un-Islamic, and contradicting the true spirit of Islam. His work had an enormous influence on womens political movements throughout the Islamic and Arab world, and is read and cited today (Deckard, 1975). Various women were able to raise their voices during that time. They were able to capture the attention of many and hear out their grievances. Let us take a closer look at each of the famous and most influential women during this Abolition Movement, and create a more prominent appreciation on their ways and methods of fighting for their cause. Among the most influential women whose actions were all aimed at highlighting the feminist rights, the Grimke sisters (Sarah Grimke and Angelina Grimke Weld) topped the list. Motivated by religion and a desire to live a useful life, they were among the first American women to speak in public. They wrote a number of tracts against slavery and for womans rights. To abolitionist acclamations, Angelina became the first American woman to address a state legislature. Both sisters would remain abolitionists and womans rights activists for the remainder of their lives with Angelina concentrating on the abolitionist movement and Sarah concentrating on the womans rights movement (Lerner, 1998). Sarah Grimke offered the best and most coherent Bible argument for womans equality yet written by a woman. She was also able to identify and characterize the distinction between sex and gender; she took class and race into consideration; and she tied the subordination of women both to educational deprivation and sexual oppression. She identified men, individually and as a group, as having benefited from the subordination of women. Above all, she understood that women must acquire feminist consciousness by conscious effort and that they must practice asserting their rights in order to think more appropriately (Lerner, 1998). Angelina, on the other hand, in several of her pamphlets and speeches, developed a strong argument for womens rights to political equality. In her insistence on womens right, even duty, to organize for political participation and to petition, she anticipated the practice and tactics women would follow for the rest of the century. In both her Appeal to Southern Women and in her Letters to Catherine Beecher she fashioned a defense of womens right to organize in the antislavery cause which connected it with the causes of white women and influenced the practice of several succeeding generations (Lerner, 1998). It is therefore in culture that the main difference between First-World and Third-World feminism lays. The treatment of women in India is one filled with hypocrisy. In Narayan’s essay, the India chastises Western civilization for their treatment of women; for instance, Indian women were permitted to attend higher education classes decades before the English even considered the aspect. Indian’s say that they treat their women as goddesses, while the West treats their women far less as equals, but this in turn is duplicitous, in examples Narayan gives of the treatment from men received by her grandmothers, and her mother (chastisement, beatings, and submissiveness, and silence). Narayan gives childhood examples of how she became a feminist, and they are not dominantly rooted in the idea of Westernization, but culturally in a Third-World view, as she writes, â€Å"†¦though I cannot bring myself to it, of her pain that surrounded me when I was young, a pain that was earlier than school and ‘Westernization’, a call to rebellion that has a different and more primary root, that was not conceptual or English, but in the mother-tongue† (7). This then gives insight into how feminism isn’t dependent upon the introduction of Western culture in liberating women, but is in fact contingent upon a witness’s own account of oppression and their reaction to that oppression, that is that Narayan’s own rebellion was a response to her mother’s sadness in being trapped by her mother-in-law and her marriage. This exemplifies the difference between First-World and Third-World feminism, the fact that Narayan must contend with the paradigm of Western feminism instead of simply revered as representing her own culture’s fault; Narayan is not representing Western ideas but is only supporting equality and fair treatment for her fellow Indian women. In the Indian culture, women are perceived to become wives first and their own identity as a person is wiped away by such a paradigm, this is true for the incentive of women’s movements, the West included. Indian wives are submissive and the Third-World culture enhances this notion by parlaying women into marriage at the age of thirteen (as Narayan’s grandmother had done), and treating them as Other rather than as Self. Narayan writes of the predominant sentiment found in India in regards to women, â€Å"They were anxious about the fact that our independence and self-assertiveness seemed to be making us into women who lacked the compliance, deference, and submissiveness deemed essential in good â€Å"Indian† wives† (8). The wife and mother ideas of women are predominant in most cultures, and the concord factor between First and Third world feminism is united in this fact, and their rebellion against such submissiveness. The culture of feminism is presented as one that has great bonds with politics. For both First-World and Third-World feminism there is no difference in the root of feminism when it is in politics, and political campaigns that women are often secluded: in schooling, voting, and citizenship, women have been treated secondarily in both First and Third world cultures. Therefore, Narayan’s generation of Third-world feminist aren’t rebelling because of Westernization, but because in their own politics women have been forgotten in India and in the West, â€Å" It takes political connections to other women and their experiences, political analyses of women’s problems, and attempts to construct political solutions for them, to make women into feminists in any full-blooded sense, as the history of women’s movements in various parts of the world shows us. † Therefore, the dichotomy of First-World and Third-World feminism finds harmony in this political connection. The westernization of Indian has been blamed for the rebellious nature of feminism and even the introduction of the women’s movement, but in fact, it is the own culture’s deviant nature that gives rise to the necessity of feminism. Narayan gives example of her cousin being tortured with cigarettes and being locked away while in another country and keeping silent about it for years until a relative came to visit. The silence is the devastating part of the story; in Indian culture, it is supposed and indeed ingrained in Indian women to hold their tongues, and be submissive, and not innocent, but obedient. Yet, western culture was seen to pervade the Indian traditional way of living, â€Å"Veiling, polygamy, child-marriage, and sati were all significant points of conflict and negotiation between colonizing â€Å"Western† culture and different colonized third-World cultures. In these conflicts, Western colonial powers often depicted indigenous practices as symptoms of the â€Å"backwardness and barbarity’ of Third-World cultures in contract to the â€Å"progressiveness of Western culture. † The figure of the colonized woman became a representation of the oppressiveness of the entire ‘cultural tradition’ of the colony. â€Å" (17) The effect of this colonization of Indian women was one of conflicting progressiveness. Traditions of Indian culture were already bred with English sentiments (such as the sari) and English clothing was continually being upgraded and introduced into Indian culture; in fact men were wearing suits long before women were allowed to change into less traditional clothing. In one example Narayan gives, she and her family went on a vacation in a more rural part of the country and she was instructed to wear her Indian clothing and not her Western clothes because she had hit puberty (though in the city nothing was wrong with such clothes), Narayan writes, â€Å"My story reveals that what counted as ‘inappropriately Western dress’ differed from one specific Indian context to another, even within the same class and caste community†(27). The effects of Westernization therefore and colonization give rise to differing ideas of what constitutes traditional wear from one part of the country to another. In conclusion, Narayan gives insight to how differing opinions of feminism are still spurned from similar ideals. Third-World feminists are not ‘outsiders within’, that is, they are not denying the tradition of their country, but instead, feminists need to challenge some of the more patriarchal rules of India. Third-World feminists are not denying their culture, but are asking for change. Work Cited Ahmed, Sara (2004). â€Å"The Cultural Politics of Emotion†. Routledge Publishing Boydston, Kelley, Margolis, The Limits of Sisterhood, p. 178. Deckard, Barbara. 1975. The Womens Movement: Political, Socioeconomic and Psychological Issues New York: Harper Row. p. 253. Gerda Lerner. 1988. The Grimke Sisters from South Carolina: Pioneers for Womens Rights and Abolition. Oxford University Press. Narayan, Uma. Speech and Silence in the Mother Tongue. Yee. Shirley J. Abolitionist Movement. February 2002. Sunshine for women. http://www. pinn. net/~sunshine/whm2002/abolitn. html

A History Of Air Pollution In Pietermaritzburg Environmental Sciences Essay

A History Of Air Pollution In Pietermaritzburg Environmental Sciences Essay There is enough scientific evidence from various sources to support the fact that Pietermaritzburg is plagued by air pollution, which is worsened by the topography of the city. There is also much research proving the link between air pollution and asthma. Recent trials show, that not only does air pollution exacerbate asthma, it can actually cause asthma. However, there needs to be further research and trials done to scientifically prove this point. Medical statistics are extremely hard to come by in South Africa, which makes proving the link between air pollution causing asthma difficult. However, there is substantial evidence showing how air pollution triggers asthma attacks and makes them more severe. Air Pollution in Pietermaritzburg: History Past to Present day: Air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is not a new problem. There are over two-hundred newspaper articles in the Witness Newspaper Archives, dating back from the 1980s to present day, reporting on this issue. Old and current photographs of the city often show smog hanging over Pietermaritzburg. In the past, air pollution was caused mainly by cooking fires. However, todays pollution has the added toxicity of man-made pollution from factories and motor vehicles (Banfield, 1992). Twenty percent of Pietermaritzburg residents are affected by air pollution compared to five percent elsewhere in South Africa (Banfield, 1992). Pietermaritzburgs air is monitored by the Msunduzi Municipality, which has recorded that the citys air contains the following pollutants: particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen (oxides), ozone, carbon monoxide and many other harmful gases (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). Figure 1: Showing the smog formation over Pietermaritzburg: (The Witness Newspaper, 28 June 2008) (Wilson, 2008) Location of Pietermaritzburg: Pietermaritzburg, owing to bad town planning, has all of its main industry and landfill site in the citys bowl. This has resulted in a worsening of air pollution. The N3 highway runs straight through the heart of Pietermaritzburg, as the number of large trucks and vehicles increase, so do the emissions from these vehicles. The timber plantations on the escarpment of the citys basin and sugar plantations on the hilltops, add to the pollution in Pietermaritzburg as these plantations need to be burnt as routine farming practice. (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) Pietermaritzburgs geographical position in a valley causes a temperature inversion to occur. A temperature inversion is not a normal phenomenon, it only occurs in a valley (such as Pietermaritzburg) and the effect is worsened in winter. The cold air sinks down the sides of the valley and remains on the base of the valley frost may form here. The warm air (along with pollutants) then rises and stops half way up the valley slope to form a thermal belt. This belt traps pollutants and enhances their bad properties and negative health impacts, as the pollutants are not able to escape and they remain over the city and cause health hazardous smog to form. The diagrams below show the effect of the Temperature Inversion in Pietermaritzburg: (Sherriffs, 1989) Major Contributors of Air Pollution: The major contributors of air pollution in Pietermaritzburg are: emissions from industry, motor vehicles, fires at the landfill site and the burning of timber plantations and sugarcane plantations (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). Major industry, such as FFS Refiners, is guilty of adding to the pollution problem of Pietermaritzburgs air. Below are two graphs showing two of the major pollutants specific to the triggering and severity of asthma: Figure 2: Graph showing the daily averages and acceptable level (in red) of Particulate Matter (air pollution) in Pietermaritzburgs air (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) Figure 3: Graph showing the daily averages and acceptable level (in red) of Carbon Monoxide (air pollution) in Pietermaritzburgs air (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) In both graphs pollutants exceed the acceptable national pollution guidelines (highlighted in red) in the months of June and July (winter months) this is owing to the temperature inversion which worsens the pollution problem. Health Problems: Asthma is a chronic health condition, which causes inflammation and narrowing of the lungs airways, which causes difficulty in breathing for the patient and the patient may develop a dry, wheezy cough. Pollutants cause the restriction of the airways, as the pollution particles aggravate the airways of the lungs. Dr R.Gilbert, a general practitioner in Pietermaritzburg with an interest in asthma, states that the number of asthma patients that he treats is much higher than one would expect to find in a town the size of Pietermaritzburg. Dr Gilbert mentioned that Dr W.Robates, an ENT specialist, and Dr A.F.Jooma, a paediatrician, supported his views that the air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is a very real problem, which, without doubt, has a significant effect on the control and severity of asthma. He also states that many of his patients who leave Pietermaritzburg for significant lengths of time and then return often do not suffer from their asthma condition while out of the city. However, on returning, their allergies and asthma symptoms reoccur (Gilbert, 2010, Robates, 2010 and Jooma, 2010). In a telephonic interview with Umbalica Balrashie, the regional sales manager for Glaxo Smith Kline, a leading pharmaceutical company which promotes asthma products, information was provided noting that the three highest sales areas for asthma medication in Kwa-Zulu Natal are Richards Bay, Durban South and Pietermaritzburg. Both Richards Bay and Durban South are highly industrialised areas with significant air pollution emissions, when compared to Pietermaritzburg but owing to Pietermaritzburgs temperature inversion, the pollutants are intensified and therefore, the triggering and severity of asthma attacks in Pietermaritzburg are equal to these two industrialised areas (Balrashie, 2010). Community Views and Issues: Many residents in Pietermaritzburg have complained about the issue of air pollution in the city. In the year 1993, Pietermaritzburg residents spent nearly R1,5 million on asthma medication, stating that the citys pollution has significantly contributed to these costs (Quinlain, 1993). There have been many cases reported of families moving to Pietermaritzburg, and developing asthma or suffering from worsening existing asthma conditions, simply owing to the exposure and intensity of the citys air pollution, which is enhanced and worsened by the temperature inversion. Residents in Pietermaritzburg have complained continuously about the state of the citys air. However, the Msunduzi Municipality have done little about the pollution levels, as these levels of emissions are under the accepted and legal levels during most of the year. What the municipality has failed to promote to National Government is the fact that Pietermaritzburg is situated in a valley which causes a temperature inversion, ultimately worsening the levels of pollutants hanging above the city (in smog). This results in the pollutants being trapped over Pietermaritzburg. Industry and the Local Governments Role: Industry is responsible for the output of toxic emissions, which need to be monitored. Local Government need to take a more stringent and committed stance in relation to industry emission levels. The government needs to create awareness about air pollution and its negative health effects. Car emissions are great contributors to health problems (such as asthma). Pollution warning systems have been taught to the public in the United Kingdom (UK) by the government. South Africa needs to do the same (Hutton, 2010). The South African government has recently (March 2010) invested in a new air quality monitoring system (ODonnell, 2010), which monitors the amount of pollutants in the air and the quality of air (whether good or bad). The major areas of concern that need air-quality assessment and monitoring include transportation areas such as highway routes and main roads, urban areas, municipalities and local community exposure. (ODonnell, 2010) this suggests that Pietermaritzburg should be monitored closely along the main highway through the city and where industry is situated. However, for this to be successful, the local government needs to maintain the monitoring system and it costs a lot of money. This maintenance of the monitoring system needs to be put into South Africas yearly budget for the municipalities. National government needs to constantly assess the problematic pollution cities, such as Pietermaritzburg. This monitoring system should show improvement in the air. If not, the government can ascertain from the monitoring system which pollutants are most rife and where they are being emitted from. National government, together with Local government, could then work on strategies to lower the toxic emissions which ultimately cause health problems. Solutions: N3 Highway The N3 highway is a problem as heavy duty trucks create huge emissions. The railroads should be reintroduced to transport containers from Durban Harbour to Johannesburg. This would dramatically reduce the number of big trucks on the highway and as they often travel in the early hours of the morning, air pollution would be reduced as the temperature inversion is most significant in the early hours of the morning. Industry Local Government needs to work with industry in Pietermaritzburg to improve the amount of emissions that factories produce. As discussed, in an interview with Mr J.Pather, the Head of Environmental Health Services at Msunduzi Municipality, industry have complied in many instances to reduce emissions. From information supplied by Mr C.J.Anthony, Pollution Control Coordinator at Msunduzi Municipality, many specific air pollution issues have been dealt with. For example, Greys hospitals oil furnace has been replaced with paraffin (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). No further industry should be built in the citys bowl, this will contain the present air pollution. Pietermaritzburgs New England Landfill Site The New England Landfill Site needs to be moved out of the citys bowl. The particulate fall out is unacceptable and because of the temperature inversion, the pollution emissions are worsened. The municipality has attempted to improve conditions but the fact is that the landfill site needs to be moved elsewhere. Burning There are strict regulations concerning the burning of forests and sugarcane. These need to be monitored and implemented to prevent fire emissions in the wrong seasons. Monitoring National Government needs to work closely with Local Government and provide funds which will allow the municipality to upgrade and maintain air pollution monitoring equipment. Constraints: Economic Msunduzi Municipality is in a crisis. The control of air pollution is a low priority at present. It would be a huge expense to fix railroads and to move the Landfill Site. Pietermaritzburg lacks both funds and skills to drive the concept of clean air. Environmental Pietermaritzburg is surrounded by timber plantations and sugarcane farms. This cannot be changed. Conclusion: It is scientifically proven that air pollution triggers and increases the severity of asthma attacks. The link between air pollution and asthma is an accepted fact by specialists throughout the world. In recent years scientists have shown that air pollution from cars, factories and power plants is a major cause of asthma attacks. Further research is currently underway in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) to prove this theory. Pietermaritzburg has high levels of particulate matter and ozone which are two pollutants directly responsible for the triggering of asthma attacks. The temperature inversion in Pietermaritzburg is a known geographical fact which worsens the pollution significantly. It is therefore scientifically correct to state that air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is worsened by the temperature inversion and this air pollution triggers and worsens asthma attacks.

Strategic Change in an Organization

Strategic Change in an Organization Introduction: Change management is the process, tools and techniques to manage the people-side of business change to achieve the required business outcome and to realize that business change effectively within the social infrastructure of the workplace. Change Management Learning Center Strategic management is the art and science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that will enable an organization to achieve its objectives. It involves the systematic identification of specifying the firms objectives, nurturing policies and strategies to achieve these objectives, and acquiring and making available these resources to implement the policies and strategies to achieve the firms objectives. Strategic management, therefore, integrates the activities of the various functional sectors of a business, such as marketing, sales, production etc., to achieve organizational goals. Task 1 2.1 Examination the need for strategic change in an organization: 2.1.1 Theory: The complexity of political, regulatory, and technological changes confronting most organizations has made radical organizational change and adaptation a central research issue. This article sets out a framework for understanding organizational changes from the perspective of neo-institutional theory. The principal theoretical issue addressed in the article is the interaction of organizational context and organizational action. The article examines the processes by which individual organizations retain, adopt, and discard templates for organizing, given the institutionalized nature of organizational fields. 2.1.2 Application: There are two possible organizational change models that the Nokia used in establishing their efforts that falls under the Strategic Planning model. There is various kind of approach and two are picked-up for careful examination. The two models are Alignment Model and Scenario Planning Model: 2.1.2.1 Alignment Model: This kind of model ensures the strong alignment among the organizations mission and its resources to effectively operate the organization. This model is useful for organizations that need to fine-tune strategies or find out why they are not working. Nokia might also choose this model if it is experiencing a large number of issues around internal efficiencies. Overall steps include: The planning group outlines the organizations mission, programs, resources, and needed support. Identify whats working well and what needs adjustment. Identify how these adjustments should be made. 2.1.2.2 Scenario Planning: This approach might be used in conjunction with other models to ensure planners truly undertake strategic thinking. The model may be useful, particularly in identifying strategic issues and goals. 1. Comes with the selection of several external forces and imagining the related changes which might influence the organization. 2. For each change in a force, discuss three different future organizational scenarios which might arise with the organization as a result of each change. Reviewing the worst-case scenario often provokes strong motivation to change the organization. 2.1.3 Comment: Nokia examined that; they need to strategic change for their organization because of the organizations mission, programs, resources, and needed support and several external forces and imagining the related changes which might influence the organization. 2.2 Assess the factors that are driving the need for strategic change: 2.2.1 Theory: 2.2.1.1 Political-Legal factors: Political and legal systems vary between countries and often have a direct impact on organizations by placing boundaries on what they can and cannot do. Governments tend to regulate industries such as power supply; telecommunications, postal services and transport and these regulations differ between countries. Merger activity is increasingly subject to the approval of competition authorities by political and legal factors. 2.2.1.2 Economic Factors: Economic factors such as wage levels, inflation and interest rates are critical in driving an organizations cost base. Electronics companies have switched many production facilities to low wage economies in Asia to cut costs. The business cycle or general state of the economy is also a major influence on organizational well-being and changes in one of the major economies have far-reaching effects. 2.2.1.3 Socio-cultural factors: Nokia have managed to be quite environmentally friendly and have not done anything that the consuming public have taken huge offence to, they have been very careful about this and this is one of the reasons they are such a popular brand of mobile phones. A key force for most organizations is demographic change, since changes in the number and age of the population will directly affect the demand for particular products and services. 2.2.1.4 Technological factors: Technology is an important environmental influence and is leading much management to reconsider fundamentally the way they operate. Advances in information technology in particular can affect all aspects of a business, from its overall strategic position through to how it manages marketing, design, production and distribution. 2.2.2 Application: PEST Analysis is done to understand the macro-economic factors that might affect Nokia. 2.2.2.1 Political: Nokia has shifted its manufacturing units to India. Nokia has to be wary of the labor laws and its political implications. For instance, the factory was shut for 2 weeks because of employee strike. In few of the countries, mobile market is still highly regulated and government intervention does take place. 2.2.2.2 Economical: Economy plays a key role in profitability of the smart phone industry. The demand for smart phone is elastic and hence any economic downturn might hamper the sales of the smart phones. 2.2.2.3 Societal: We do not perceive much of societal impacts to Smartphone industry as society are quite receptive to advance technology. Moreover the rise of the so-called information society has made telecommunications increasingly more important to customer, both in terms of work and leisure. 2.2.2.4 Technological: Smartphone industry is marked by drastic technological changes. Innovation and new product launches at faster rate are key attributes for success in this industry. 2.2.3 Comments: Nokia Assess the factors that are driving the need for strategic change by PEST analysis because of PEST Analysis is a useful tool for understanding the strategic change of the environment in which Nokia are operating, and the opportunities and threats that lie within it. By understanding Organizational environment, Nokia can take advantage of the opportunities and minimize the threats. 2.3 Assess the resource implications of the organisation not responding to strategic change: 2.3.1 Theory: Resource implications: There are severe resource implications to an organisation for not responding to strategic change. The respond should be implemented at the right time. Human resources Physical resources Financial resources If the organisation does not respond to changes, this will affect its entire resources adversely Human resources To maintain a healthy, successful and efficient environment Nokia collaborates with its employees under the main goal to create an environment for all its employees where they can fulfill their potential. Motivation, encouragement and maintaining employees satisfaction and well-being at work are vital for Nokia to perform at its best. As a goods manufacturer Nokia collaborates with its employees within formal and informal networks to allow ideas to be exchanged easily. 2.3.2 Application: Nokia count of all the skilled or unskilled staff for the organization hires to work for them. Nokia do hire highly skilled staff due to its nature of technology work and provide them with training to keep them update and create opportunities for program developers who can work from home to compete in a competition to win prices and even offer them jobs. In this time of recession and economy down turn every Nokia is looking to cut cost by making their surplus staff redundant. 2.3.3 Comments: Nokia assess the human resource implications to their organisation for not responding to strategic change because of the Nokia has highly skilled staff due to their nature of technological work and provide them efficient training program. So Nokia no need to assess the resource implication for their strategic change. 3.1 Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change: 3.1.1 Theory: Stakeholder analysis is the process of identifying the individuals or groups that are likely to affect or be affected by a proposed action, and sorting them according to their impact on the action and the impact the action will have on them. Stakeholder analysis is a key part of stakeholder management. There are: 3.1.1.1 Identifying Stakeholders When Stakeholders identified as people or organizations that are concerned about, affected by, have a vested interest in, or are involved in some way with the issue at hand. Intermediary community groups, identified during the capacity-building segment, can help identify a broad pool of stakeholders. Though, it is important to discover the informal stakeholder groups and assess their importance. 3.1.1.2 Stakeholder Mapping Mapping stakeholders is a strategic business tool which identifies and assesses the effect of a different individual or group of stakeholders on a company. It examines the power stakeholders can exert, the relative likelihood of them using that power, and their level of interest regarding the companys activities. The stakeholders in this way are broadly divided into four groups; Low interest/low power high interest/low power low interest/high power and high interest/high power 3.1.2 Application: Nokia develop stakeholders planning to change by using two methods identify and mapping stakeholders. With stakeholder mapping, when Nokia used in combination with the political mapping methodology, they dont have to be as accurate in determining the levels of interest and power in the first analysis. With stakeholder mapping, Nokia can identify people who dont have much interest in, or power over, their issues and can thus be ignored from further analysis. 3.1.3 Comment: Nokia should use the mapping stakeholders method for developing their stakeholders planning to change because of Nokia can identify people, who dont have much interest in, or power over, their issues and can thus be ignored from further analysis of stakeholders change planning. 3.2 Develop a change management strategy with stakeholders: 3.2.1 Theory: Stakeholder Management is an important discipline that successful people use to win support from others. It helps them ensure that their projects succeed where others fail. Stakeholder Analysis is the technique used to identify the key people who have to be won over. C:UsersJewelDesktopstakeholder-management-proc.gif Identify stakeholders: The success of the project depends upon the satisfaction of the stakeholders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the stakeholders before you develop the product. Identifying stakeholders enables a software team to make better decisions and implementation phases of the development process. Document needs: Publish the completed, prioritized Stakeholder Needs Documents to each stakeholder. Include a copy of the original stakeholder meeting document. Ask for any corrections or changes to their needs within one week. Analysis stakeholders interest: Shareholders and employees have a common interest in the success of the organization. High profits which not only lead to high dividends but also job security. Suppliers have an interest in the growth and prosperity of the firm. Manage stakeholders expectation: Three Managing Stakeholders expectations that are given below: Know your stakeholders Know what you are suppose to deliver from the prospective of the stakeholders Hold your stakeholders accountable to the realities of the projects. Take action: A Stakeholder should take this action in stakeholders management analysis, which is given below: Communicating with stakeholders and keeping them informed of matters that are likely to be of interest to them; Obtaining information from stakeholders that will be relevant to the project; Managing the expectations of stakeholders; Involving stakeholders in all key decisions about the project; 3.2.2 Application: Nokia applied develop change management strategy by stakeholders management process. As we discussed on above stakeholders management model, which is helps Nokia to ensure that their change management strategy projects will be succeed. 3.2.3 Comments: Nokia can use the stakeholders management Model for their develop strategy change management because of this is the technique used to identify the key people who have to be won over. Moreover, by using this model Nokia can identify customers needs and expectation and take action in future for their change management. 3.3 Evaluate the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change: 3.3.1 Theory: Resistance to change: Resistances to Change can occur at the organizational level, group level, or individual level. 3.3.1.1 Organizational-Level: Power and conflict: If change benefits one function at the expense of another, conflict Impedes the change process. Powerful divisions, such as IBMs mainframe division, can disrupt change. If sales fall, RD wants funding for product development while sales wants to hire more people. Subunit orientations cause coordination problems and slow decision-making. A high level of task interdependence makes change difficult. It is more complicated at top levels by affecting the entire organization. 3.3.1.2 Group-level resistances to change: Group norms: When change results in different task and role relationships, informal norms may become invalid, making a new set of norms necessary. People may resist this. Group cohesiveness, attraction to the group, is helpful, but if it is too high, the group may resist change. The group may work to maintain its position even at the expense of other groups. 3.3.1.3 Individual-level resistances to change: Uncertainty and insecurity: Resistance to the uncertainty and insecurity of change results in inertia. Selective perception and retention suggests that people perceive information consistent with their views. If change doesnt benefit them, they do not endorse it. Habit: People prefer familiar tasks and tend to return to original behaviors, making change. 3.3.2 Application: Nokia evaluated stakeholders planning to change management by using resistances to change model, which is occurring at the organizational level, group level, or individual level for resistances change. Moreover Nokias stakeholders Group resistance occurs when members ignore negative information to achieve harmony. 3.3.3 Comment: Nokia does not have any organizational resistances to change for their stakeholders change management. 3.4 Create a strategy for managing resistance to change: 3.4.1 Theory: Strategies for managing resistance to change: Identify all parties that have a stake in the outcome? Include a way to get all stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation. Goal in the forefront no matter how maintains Your Focus. Keep the long-term whelmed by the resistance tempting it is to get over. Use opposition as opportunities to invite really think about the proposed beneath the surface and hear what people changes. Respect your stakeholders Value input Validate concerns That resistance will go away. Include ways to keep Do not ignore, avoid, or hope the planning and implementation the doors of communication open throughout of the change. 3.4.2 Application: Stakeholders are applied these responsibilities for managing resistance to change of Nokia, which is given below: Identify the stakeholders whose commitment is required. For each type of stakeholder, describe the needed change, perceived benefits and expected resistance. Develop action plans including ones for the stakeholder groups that are not sufficiently committed. One critical group often ignored is higher-level administration; they must be included one of the key groups. 3.4.3 Comment: Nokia can managing resistance to change by using stakeholders strategy for example, stakeholders describe their needs for change, perceived benefits and expected resistances. Task 2 1.1Discuss models of strategic change: 1.1.1 Theory: Strategic change is defined as changes in the content of a firms strategy as defined by its scope, resource deployments, competitive advantages, and synergy. Hofer and Schendel 1978 Strategic change as a subject has for long become a question of importance, within the strategic management field. The reason to why strategic change is important is because it represents the means through which an organization maintains co alignment with shifting competitive, technological and social environments. Strategic change can though damage existing resources and performance especially among organizations highly dependent on human resources; these organizational resources decrease the propensity to adapt strategic change, because of new roles, tasks and circumstances. Kraatz Zajac, 2001 1.1.2 Application: Nokia developed their organizational strategic change by using a number of mergers and acquisitions (MAs) of other firms with more or less related but different business activities. MA as well as strategic alliances are a means to obtain the necessary capabilities and are meant to improve the overall performance of the firm. Nokia is now gradually shifting from MA to alliances in order to strengthen their core capabilities, and divesting and refocusing its business activities instead of diversifying business activities. 1.1.3 Comments: Nokia can develop their organizational strategic change by using a number of mergers and acquisitions (MA) process because of MA to obtain the necessary capabilities and to improve the overall performance of the organization. 1.2 Evaluate the relevance of models of strategic change to organisations in the current economy: 1.2.1 Theory: Supply chain management Model: Supply chain is operating as efficient as possible and generating the highest level of customer satisfaction at the lowest cost, companies have adopted Supply Chain Management processes and associated technology. Nokia is in a highly competitive market that is very margin/cost sensitive and equipment companies are less and less able to make enough profit on just the sale of boxes alone. The strategy it has adopted is to move to a service and solutions-orientated model, facilitated by the digitalization of the whole telecoms business. Nokias aim has been to create revenue streams from operating the product for the customer or by providing service contracts. 1.2.2 Application: Nokia Networks has done a great job by using all the best practice approaches to supply chain management model and has applied them to a new area of the supply chain an area which is much more important in the current market economy. Nokia using their supply chain to create differentiation in the market place. With this model they are going to be a leader in the transformation of the industry this company has taken a giant step forward. Nokia Networks operates in a highly competitive global market place where low-cost manufacturers and getting more profit. 1.2.3 Comment: Nokia can evaluate the strategic change for their organisations in the current economy by the application of supply chain management model because of Nokia supply chain management to create differentiation in the market place, which highly operates the competitive global market place. As which Nokia able to earn more profit. 1.3 Assess the value of using strategic intervention techniques in organisations: 1.3.1 Theory: Strategic Intervention is a method for assisting people to find empowering meanings for their life circumstances, discover why they do what they do and how they meet their needs in positive and negative ways, the understanding of which helps to promote sustainable change. Tony Robbins Organization Development Interventions: OD interventions are plans or programs comprised of specific activities designed to effect change in some facet of an organization. In general, organizations that wish to achieve a high degree of organizational change will employ a full range of interventions, including those designed to transform individual and group behavior and attitudes. 1.3.1.1 Individual OD Interventions: Role negotiation Management training Job redesign Career planning 1.3.1.2 Team OD Interventions: Team building Process consultation Inter-group team building 1.3.1.3 Organizational-wide OD Interventions: Survey feedback Confrontation meeting Structural redesign Management by objectives (MBO) 1.3.2 Application: Nokia used organizational development strategic intervention techniques in their organisations. As we discuss on above individual OD of Nokia implies several things like management training, job design. Moreover team OD implies team building and process consultation. This is the strategic intervention of Nokia Ltd. 1.3.3 Comment: Nokia should apply individual organizational development strategic intervention techniques in their organisations because of Individual level strategic intervention gives more advantages for the organization. Nokia redesign job and provide management training methods by applying this intervention technique. Thats why this is important for Nokia. 4.1 Develop appropriate models for change: 4.1.1 Theory: Organizational change is the movement of an organization from one situation of dealings to another. Organizational change can take many forms. It may involve a change in a companys structure, strategy, policies, procedures, technology, or culture. The change may be planned years in advance or may be forced upon an organization because of a shift in the environment. Organizational change can be radical and alter the way an organization operates, or it may be incremental and slowly change the way things are done. Nokia applied 5p model for develop their organizational change. 4.1.2 Application: The 5 Ps Model of Nokia Principal and Process People Performance Purpose 4.1.2.1 Purpose: This includes the organizations mission, vision, goals, and objectives, as well as strategies for achieving the vision and mission. Leaders must establish the strategic direction and goals of their organizations as well as the strategies and tactics for achieving them. 4.1.2.2 Principles: Nokia is the honesty base, ethics, and core values to which employees are expected to make a commitment when they are hired. Leaders of Nokia understand the principles upon which their organizations were founded and upon which they currently operate. 4.1.2.3 Processes: Processes are the organizational structures, systems, and procedures that are used to make the products or perform the services that the Nokia provides, as well as the infrastructure and rules that support these systems and procedures. Therefore, Nokia Processes that are well documented and Principles that are well communicated can drive behavior that is necessary to achieve Performance excellence. 4.1.2.4 People: People are the employees who perform work that is consistent with the Principles and Processes of Nokia to achieve its Purpose. Nokia business leaders understand and can align Purpose, Principles, Processes, and People, they are more likely to achieve Performance excellence. 4.1.2.5 Performance: Performance encompasses all the metrics, measurements, and expected results that indicate the status of Nokia and are used as criteria for decision making. It is essential that business leaders understand and establish measurement and feedback systems for their organizations long-term survive and profitability. 4.1.3 Comment: Nokia can develop their organizational change model by using 5ps model because of 5ps model implies the organizations purpose, principal, process, people and performance by which Nokia can achieve their goals and develop organizations structure, producers and performance measurement for strategic decision making. So 5p model is very important for develop organizational change. 4.2 Plan to implement a model for change: 4.2.1 Theory: Implementation of 5p model: Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy. The model that we used in our change management is similar to the 5-P Model implemented in this article, These are: Purpose Principles Process People Performance This model may be appropriate based on the nature of the change, the culture of the organization, and the personalities and style of the change leaders. The important thing is to use a model that serves as an anchor to the day-to-day vagaries of change. Whether were using the 5-P Model, or any number of other change management models, we can be successful. 4.2.2 Application: Implementation of 5p Model of Nokia: The main purpose of Nokia is that, to achieve organizational mission, vision and goals by providing their principal like, good customer service, qualities of product supply, cost reduction and profit maximization. Moreover, Nokias Processes are the developing organizational structures, systems, and procedures that are used to make the qualities of products or perform the best services by providing their expert technologies, Employees and market leaders. Performance is essential because the market leaders of Nokia understand and establish measurement and feedback systems for their organizations long-term survive and profitability. 4.2.3 Comment: The implementation of 5p model of Nokia should apply in the organization because it will show the overview of organizations current objectives, structure and technologies by which company can take further step of change model. 4.3 Develop appropriate measures to monitor progress: 4.3.1 Theory: Developing Monitoring progress is about keeping track of how the work with others is going, making sure you are on task and on time. Monitoring progress in working with others involves you considering your progress in: managing a group activity to enable the group to achieve its goals effectively and efficiently; establishing and maintaining co-operative working relationships, exchanging feedback and agreeing ways to solve difficulties; and Monitoring and critically reflecting on your use of skills in working with others, and adapting your strategy as necessary. 4.3.2 Application: Nokia develop in their organizations monitoring progress by using appropriate measuring tools, which is given below: Identify Problems Surveys are can be very effective in identify problems areas before they become serious, especially those that are hidden from senior management. Training Lack of proper training is a common cause of dissatisfaction among employees and can lead to more serious problems such as stress. Communication For Nokia to run efficiently good internal and external communications are essential, surveys can provide a method to help organizations to monitor and measure how well an organization communicates. Goals and Objectives Nokia can measure and monitor the extent that the personnel are aligned with the senior managements business goals and objectives. 4.3.3 Comment: Nokia can develop organizations monitor progress by measuring tools which is discussed on above. Nokia measures organizations current monitor progress by Identify problems, benchmark, training and goals and objective and can take decision for develop planning to monitor progress.

Change Within Characters in Sophocles Antigone Essay examples -- Soph

Change Within Characters in Sophocles' Antigone Antigone is about how King Creon rules that Polynices the traitor is not to be buried, but his sister Antigone defies the order. She is caught, and sentenced by Creon to be buried alive - even though she is betrothed to his son Haemon. After the blind prophet Tiresias proves that the gods are on Antigone's side, Creon changes his mind - but too late. He goes first to bury Polynices, but Antigone has already hanged herself. When Creon arrives at the tomb, Haemon attacks him and then kills himself. When the news of their death is reported, Creon's wife Eurydice takes her own life. Creon is alone in his life, full of guilt. The major characters in Antigone in my opinion are Antigone and Creon. Both undergo very major dramatic changes in their life. Antigone’s changes are mainly linked to the themes of the position of women as a Greek and the theme of the individual versus the state and divine law versus human law. Creon’s changes are mainly linked to the themes Conscience versus Law and the threat of tyranny. Both of their changes to themselves also inflict a change on the other. Both also undergo changes because of their pride and what actions it causes them to do. Pride and its effects are a central part of Antigone. It is a trait despised by the gods, who bring suffering to the proud, but to the Greek mind pride is also a part of greatness. Both Antigone and Creon are incredibly proud, making it impossible for either one of them to back down once they have taken a stand. Pride is part of what makes Antigone heroic. Creon realizes that in the end when he is completely alone in his life because everyone is dead. His pride had caused him to lose everyth... ... despicable if the order of the state demands it. Antigone's insistence on her desire in face of state power brings ruin into Thebes and to Creon specifically. With the death of his family, Creon is left utterly alone in the palace. His throne even robs him of his mourning, the king and his pace sadly shuttling off to a cabinet meeting after the announcement of the family's deaths. Antigone and Creon both undergo many changes to their personality, their beliefs, and their ways of living. But in the end it is only Creon who has the ability to change his life and keep on living it in a more respectable and more understanding way. But Creon has to live with the deaths and his fatal mistakes that he has made. Antigone has a very short time to adapt to the changes in her life but she does not see much point because she has been sentenced to a very slow death.

Horror of War Exposed in Dulce et Decorum Est Essay examples -- Dulce

Horror of War Exposed in Dulce et Decorum Est We have all heard war stories that seemed exciting and adventurous. Some stories are of men who gladly laid down their lives in the glory of battle and would do so again if given the chance. These stories tickle our sentiment and ease the pain of real war, but they do little to help us understand war's brutality. In his poem "Dulce et Decorum Est," Wilfred Owen does not attempt to pull the blood stained wool over our eyes. Instead of a novel quip, Owen gives us a look into the real horror of war. Using images of pain and sorrow, Owen gives us a taste of the front line that crushes any romantic ideas about war. Most of us envision soldiers marching into battle as upright, steady young men proudly bearing their ruck sacks and singing as they march. Owen paints us a picture of a different hue. Owen describes the men as, "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks." We see figures that are contrary to our preconceived notions ( 1). Owen's men of war are tired from the stress of battle and the weight of the inevitable doom that lies ahe...

Cottle-Taylor

Therefore, original projections will be more beneficial. Also, Mr. Lang had predicted his estimates based on the success in Thailand, but the demographics of Thailand and India are very different. More than 80% of the individuals live on less than $2 per day. So, we recommend that we should follow our original projection of 20% unit sales increase. Regards, Assistant Executives Cottle India Case Analysis Summary Situation analysis: Mr.Lang has asked Brinda Patel to reconsider her projections of 20% for growth in toothbrush sales in India. Lang proposes that a 3% increase in the advertisement budget will lead to a 30% increase in sales. This assumption is based on prior experience and support they received in the Thailand Market. But demographics of India is very different from that of Thailand. Problem Statement: What is the feasibility of achieving a 25% to 30% growth in toothbrush business of Cottle India in 2010?Options: Brinda Patel should present her original marketing plan of 2 0% projection Brinda Patel should revise her marketing plan to achieve 30% sales growth Criteria: Total revenue Profit from operations Accuracy of assumptions Evaluation of Options: From the analysis and projections, it is seen that though revenue would increase in evising the marketing plan and investing in advertising, the profit earned by the company with the original plan of 20% is still more than the revised market plan of 30%.Recommendation: After evaluating the options, it is recommended that Brinda Patel sticks to her original marketing plan of 20% unit sales growth in the toothbrush market. Action plan She should present the original marketing plan to Lang She should convince Lang about the different economic conditions in India as compared to Thailand. Table of Contents Situational Analysis Cottle Taylor company manufactures more than 200 products under three consumer- roduct categories: personal care, home care, oral care. It is a global company and operates in four geogr aphic regions viz. Europe, Latin America, North America and Greater Asia and Africa.In the year 2009, they generated $5. 7 billion out of the total revenue of $1 1. 5 billion from emerging. In India, they are present only in the oral care business and the operations are controlled by Cottle India. India was a massive market with above 1 billion people and was also the largest democracy in the world. In 2009, India had around 37% people living below the poverty line and around 80% lived on less than $2 per day. Majority of the Indian population resided in the rural regions, where the wages were varying, so the consumers in the rural regions were sensitive to prices.The company is trying to focus on both the rural as well as the urban market in India and has hence three products in different price ranges. They are low-end, mid-range and battery operated types. Also, the people living in the rural areas are not well aware of the product toothbrushes. Around 50% of the rural population use chewy twigs from neem tree to clean their teeth and maintain dental hygiene. Cottle India realized the need to educate the people in rural areas regarding ental hygiene and hence the company partnered with Indian Dental Association (IDA) in 2004, to inform and educate people about oral health issues.In 2008, Brinda Patel took over as the marketing director of oral care operations. In 2009, Cottle India had market share of 38% in total oral care. Brinda had a marketing plan which would bring about a 20% increase in sales but her manager has advised her that the company could higher sales growth by investing more in advertisements. Brinda Patel's manager Michael Lang had increased unit sales growth by 25% in Thailand by investing around 3% of sales to advertisement. Langs's suggestion of opting the same strategy as that in Thailand will not suffice the purpose in India because of the huge demographic difference between the two countries.Problem Statement What is the feasibility of achieving a 25% to 30% growth in toothbrush business of Cottle India in 2010? Options Brinda patel basically has two options with her. One was to go with her own option to stick to the original marketing plan and increase her sales by 20% or Another option is to go by Lange's target of 20-25% owtn in unit sales in the tlnancial year by increasing the budget ot advertising. Criteria for Evaluation Financial analysis is one of the main criteria to evaluate the options present in the situation.In the current scenario revenue generation and increasing the profit are the main things to be taken into account. Since there are two criteria for evaluating the criteria we start with is the profit increasing option. Evaluation of options Option 1: Brinda Patel should revise her marketing plan to achieve 30% unit sales growth Lang projected a growth rate of the toothbrush sales by 16% for low end range, by 120% for mid-range and by 25% for the high end range. The total revenue is calculated us ing these fgures (see exhibit 1). The total revenue estimated by Lang is $11705 million.Comparing it with the Patel's estimation the revenue is high. With Langs projection the Revenue increases by 67. 6%. On the other hand evaluating it in terms of profit there is an increase in profit from $12. 6 million to $17. 58 million (see exhibit 2). But Lang is assuming what worked in Thailand will work in India as well. His prediction is on the basis of the market result of Thailand and the demographics of the two countries are quite different. We see, from exhibit 1, that the mid-range toothbrushes are priced at $0. 98 and from Exhibit 3, it is can be seen that pproximately 42. % population live below $1. 37 per day and 40. 7% live below $2. 74 per day. Thus, for a country with about 83. 4 % population below $2 per day, Lang had projected to increase in sales by 120 %. It is quite improbable for a consumer to buy a toothbrush worth $0. 98 when his disposable income is less than $2 per day.