Discuss the classification of the leukaemias and how this can be used Essay

Discuss the classification of the leukaemias and how this can be used to help treat this group of disorders. Use specific types - Essay Example After they immigrate into the peripheral blood, through circulation, they infiltrate into other tissues (Wu, 2010). There are several types of leukemia and based on the lineage of cell that is involved, they can be classified as lymphocytic or myeloid. They can further classified as acute or chronic based on the natural history of the disease. Thus, there are basically, four common types of leukemia and they are (Wu, 2010): 1. Acute lymphocytic (or lymphoblastic) leukemia (ALL) 2. Acute myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia (AML) 3. Chronic lymphocytic (or lymphoblastic) leukemia (CLL) 4. Chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia (CML) This classification of leukemias is very important from treatment point of view, because; presentation, treatment and prognosis for each group is different. Acute leukemias: ALL and AML ALL and AML share many clinical features and hence they are discussed under the same heading. The presentation of these leukemias is abrupt and within 3 months of onset of malignant changes in the bone marrow and lymphoid tissue. Clinical features of these leukemias is mainly related to malfunctioning of the malignant cells, pancytopenia and leukostasis. Leukostasis is a condition in which the microcirculation in the tissues can get occluded by leukemic blast cells. It mainly occurs when the blast cells counts exceed 100 x 109 per liter.. Decrease in red blood cell counts leads to anemia which manifests as pallor, dysnea on mild exertion and easy fatiguibility. When there is thrombocytopenia or decreased number of circulating platelets, the patient presents as easy bruisability, petechiae and excessive bleeding. More often than not, bleeding is seen from oral mucosa, especially gums and gastrointestinal bleeding. The latter manifests as hematochezia, malena or hematemesis. In girls who are menstruating severe blood loss can occur. When coagulation defects are also concomitant, bleeding is severe warranting hospitalization and blood transfusion. Sponta neous bleeding can also occur in the lungs, central nervous system and other organs. Decrease in the macrophage and granulocyte count can cause increased risk of infection,, especially of the perirectal tissues, skin, gingival tissue, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract and lungs. Pathogens which frequently contribute to infections in these patients are gram positive cocci, gram negative bacilli and candida species (Wiernik, 2003). Infiltration of lymphnodes, liver and spleen by leukemic cells leads to lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Organ infiltration is seen more commonly in ALL than in AML. In advanced stages, even other organs can also get infiltrated wtih malignant cells leading to abdominal fullness, nausea, early satiety and loss of appetite. In those with T-cell variant ALL, anterior abdominal mass can be there. Testicular involvement can also occur in ALL. Soft tissue masses of leukemic cells, also known as chloromas can occur in any location in the body. More than 50 percent of patients with acute leukemia present with bone tenderness due to expanding malignant cell mass. Enlargement of the lymph nodes near ureters can cause ureteric obstruction. Other complications include pyelonephritis, nephropathy and renal hemorrhage. Infiltration of leukemic cells into the subarachnoid space may present as leukemic

Customer Service Operations & Excellence presentation. 2 case studies PowerPoint Presentation

Customer Service Operations & Excellence . 2 case studies. 12-16 slides - PowerPoint Presentation Example As opposed to a traditional bricks and mortar grocery store that allows customers access to the shop where they can select the product themselves, online operation requires customers to possess a credit card or other electronic means of payment along with access to a computer (Kornum & Bjerre, 2005). Online grocery retailers also suffer from higher operating costs than brick-and-mortar stores (Ring & Tigert, 2001). The online system can sometimes prove to be slow leading to slow response times (Morganosky & Cude, 2002). Whereas the value chain of online shops comprises of a retailer- customer value chain, traditional bricks and mortar operations usually require intermediaries such as warehousing companies (Spar & Bussgang, 1996). This results in a wholesaler-retailer-customer chain. 2. The supporting activities of the company’s service package pertain to its location on a main road near a college and the close proximity at which University Automotive is located. The facilitati ng products are the provision of a large coffee area as well as stereo music and good reading material offered for customers. As far as the explicit offerings of Xpresso Lube are concerned, the company allows customers to view the problem being inspected by technicians as well as provides reasonably charged services. Finally, the implicit services of music bands and coffee area add to its service package. The distinctive characteristics are conveyed through the customized services offered to customers with the customer taking part in the inspection process along with the technician, the simultaneous provision of oil changing services as well as coffee house experience and no perishability of services offered as is expressed through vacant seats in the coffee house (Fitzsimmons & Fitzsimmons, 2008). The company’s actions are aimed at the people along with their possessions. The company enjoys informal relationship with its customers (as they can participate in the inspection p rocess), offers highly customized services and a fair degree of judgments by customer contracts. There is little volatility in demand and is easily met by Xpresso Lube. There is a single point of delivery where the customer may visit himself/herself to get the job done. The company’s location on a main street near to the college and the traffic it receives from University Automotive greatly contributes to its success. Finally, value-added services that could be offered by Xpresso Lubes consist of the sale of automotive parts, home delivery and check-up facilities, free check-up for tire pressure as well as discounts to customers who come regularly. References Fitzsimmons, J. & Fitzsimmons, M., 2008. Service Management: operations, strategy, information technology. Boston: McGraw Hill. Kornum, N. & Bjerre, M., 2005. Grocery E-commerce: Consumer Behaviour and Business Strategies. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Krajewski, L.J., Ritzman, L.P. & Malhotra, M.K., 2013. Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains. 10th ed. England: Pearson. Morganosky, M.A. & Cude,

Surveillance of US Citizens

Surveillance of US Citizens Will the technology that one day has been used to track enemies of the state and to haunt terrorists be used in domestic surveillance of the U.S citizens on U.S soils. Is it possible that we may see thousands of these drones roaming freely in the skies of the U.S . Actually, According to the federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s expectations the U.S airspace is going to have over 30,000 drones moving freely in less than 20 years. The Usage of drones in domestic surveillance fuels the steaming debate taking place nowadays between advocates of full civil liberties and the proponents of stricter measures to track unlawful acts and especially the ones related to National security threats and terrorism. It also adds more to the controversy of whether the usage of these drones in domestic surveillance is considered a search that needs a warrant according to the U.S constitution’s 4th amendment or not. Due to the dynamism of science, everyday there is something new concernin g this technology. Surveillance drones have several types. They differ in the degree of sophistication and precision. Drones with the ability to see through walls may be available in the very near future. These developments just add more to the concerns over civil liberties and stimulate a legislative interference to end the controversy or at least try to. â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated†. These are the mere words of the constitution in its 4th amendment which forms the basic right of privacy for the U.S American people. In the light of this text, and the many Supreme Court rulings which were accordingly uttered, legislators should find their paths to a legislation which regulates the usage of drones on U.S soil and at the same time be compatible with the U.S constitution. In order to do that they should tackle more than one issue. First, Location of surveillance whether it’s in homes, backyards or public places or even the national borders of the country. Second, the sophistication of the technology used and its lawfulness and finally, the duration of surveillance. Starting with the location, according to the mentioned words from the constitution above and the Supreme court ruling in (Katz v. United States)[1],there is a direct relation between the location of surveillance and the assumption of privacy by the targeted person. In (Katz vs. United States) the court loudly set the perception that as long as the targeted person is not expecting to be publically seen or witnessed and as long as he/she took the considerations not to be seen then any surveillance or search performed without a warrant is considered unlawful. Thus In homes, privacy is expected by public and cannot be invaded unless there is a warrant. Regarding the curtilage of a private property, it is also considered a part of the property secured from unwarranted surveillance. Yet this does not negate the fact that curtilage can be seen and monitored by the naked eye and from several vantage points. As long as the action of monitoring does not involve sophisticated equipment and through a vantage point it is allowed without a warrant. In two main precedents of the Supreme Court (In California v. Ciraolo and In Florida v. Riley) the police officers received tips that both individuals were growing marijuana in their backyard. The officers flew an aero-plane few feets above their backyards where they saw with their naked eyes the action of growing unlawful substances. In both cases, this action was not considered a search that needs a warrant since officers saw the action and the convicted never tried to prevent the action of seeing and they did not assume privacy since the place was already exposed. By applying these two incident s on the usage of drones for surveillance it may be assumed that it would be reasonable enough to consider using them instead of launching planes to monitor an action. As a matter of fact, this assumption may be a bit far from truth simply since there is another factor which was not taken into consideration. This factor is the degree of expectancy by the suspect to be monitored. Due to the rarity of drones in the U.S skies nowadays (around 300 licenses), being watched by a drone would never be deemed by the public as an expected thing in the contrary to planes which normally travel over houses. This would raise questions around the legitimacy of the usage of drones in the first place. Finally, when it comes to the borders of the U.S, one of the main missions of the U.S government is to defend the U.S soil against any kind of attack or illegal entry of aliens or substances. The Supreme Court has been quite conservative when dealing with the issue of borders’ security. They consider it as a holy duty of the U.S law enforcement and army and they try as much as they can not to interfere. The usage of drones to monitor the borders would be of less controversy due to the deep need of all kinds of security measures to prevent the unlawful violations that take place almost daily on the borders nowadays. Regarding the technological breakthroughs each and every moment in the world of drones, a regulation that determines the level of sophistication accepted to be used is severely needed. These drones now have the ability to wander in the air for very long times and it is expected in the near future to theoretically have the ability to stay in air forever. The drones may be equipped with face recognition devices or even laser radars which may allow seeing through walls. On one side this may be good news for law enforcement institutions that things is going to be way easier in capturing the bad guys and would help in diminishing of the budgetary expenses. On the other hand it really raises a factual concern over the constitutionality of anticipating such technological developments or at least shows the need of a strict regulation of usage or things may get messy. As a legislative solution I see that the usage of drones on U.S soil in domestic surveillance should be considered an action of search that needs a warrant under the 4th amendment and any action of surveillance without a warrant should be considered unlawful. A warrant should be initiated according to tangible evidence or plausible suspicions that an individual/group is doing an action that is considered according to the U.S laws unlawful. The court should assess the suspicion and accordingly determine the duration by which after it the warrant expires with maximum of 30 days to be renewed according to new evidence or a probable cause. There may be some exceptions by which law enforcement may automatically respond by using drones without the need of warrants and these exceptions are as follows: The existence of an imminent danger that threaten the U.S borders and needs to be obstructed or monitored closely. By imminent danger illegal entry of aliens/ illegal substances / arms is mean t. Another exception would be in the case of emergencies like (natural disasters or fires etc†¦). Third exception would be a threat to the national security of the country assessed by the department of National security. The secretary of homeland security takes the decision of using the drones. In all exceptions stated above a warrant shall be initiated after 48 hours from the decision of using the drones. The legislative frame work above just offers a compromise between making use of such a fascinating technology and ensuring that civil liberties to the maximum extent possible are safe and sound. I would like to conclude with words of Justice Scalia (Associate Justice  of the  Supreme Court of the United States) which sums up the whole dilemma we’re living through here. He says and I quote† It would be foolish to contend that the degree of privacy secured to citizens by the fourth amendment has been entirely unaffected by the advance of technology †¦.. The question we confront today is what limits there are upon this power of technology to shrink the realm of guaranteed privacy. â€Å" [1] In Katz v. United States, decided in 1967, the Court held that an FBI agent’s use of a bug to listen to the private conversations of Mr. Katz while in a telephone booth violated his Fourth Amendment rights. Although he was in a public telephone booth and there was no physical invasion, the Court noted that what a person â€Å"seeks to preserve private, even in an area accessible to the public, may be constitutionally protected.

The Rise Of Violent Crime In Canada Essay -- essays research papers f

The Rise of Violent Crime In Canada Violent crime in Canada is on the rise in Canada as well as the types of violent crimes being committed against the public. It has been on the rise for many, many years. I believe and intend to prove in the following essay that it is societies responsibility for the rise of violent crime with their unwillingness and inability to effectively deal with the current trend in our society. In the last few years, a slight dip in violent crime has been noted, but we must view this with skepticism as no official statistics are available. As well as this could be an example of society realizing that the Criminal Justice System is not effectively dealing with the trend of violence in Canada. This would be true by way of the fact that people are not reporting these crimes to the police. Generally all the statistics that are gathered and used by the police are based upon reported crime and no conjecture on unreported crime is included in these official statistics. To fully understand what violent crime is, we must first define what violent crime is in actuality. All to often, people in Canadian society refer to general wrongdoing as being a crime. A simple example of this is when grocery stores all raise their prices for certain food products. People then refer very casually to this act as a crime or that these prices are criminal. Individuals in our Society often have a fear of being victimized by others, such as the government, friends and or strangers. This fear is often equated with crime since all crimes have a winner and a loser or victim as would be the legal term. This equation often makes involvement in these acts of "crime" a personal thing. Which results in stronger feelings and sometimes irrational thinking towards the whole subject of crime. Many times people are not reporting these crimes because it is their duty in a society to help uphold the laws of ones society. In actuality, they are reporting the crime for needed compensation whether it be for medical costs or lost wages. Another reason some people report crimes is because they are doing it as an avenging act to extract a revenge they could not otherwise get for themselves. This is a main reason in the fact that police officers need to investigate reported crimes and determine if a crime had actually been committed o... ...otions and problems. Social upheavals have occurred in recent times and gender roles have been obscured causing more problems with the continuity of society. Values and ideas are being taught to new members of a society which are old and out dated methods. This could be a causing factor into which violence is increasing. As frustration increases and a lack of understanding of how to interact among different people in a society is gone, the problems appear to be mounting and getting bigger everyday. The social methods of control are falling behind and chaos is coming out as a leader in our society. Bibliography Fleming, Thomas. The New Crimonolgies in Canada. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1985. Johnson, Holly. Violent Crime. Canadian Social Trends. Larsen,Nick. The Candian Criminal Justice System. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press Inc., 1995. Macionis, John J.. Sociology. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1994 Roberts, Albert R.. Critical Issues in Crime and Justice. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 1994. Siverman, Robert A., Teevan, James J.. Crime in Canadian Society. Toronto, Canada: Butterworth and Co. Ltd., 1975.

Enron Corporate Culture Essay

Bench was founded in the Philippines by Ben Chan in 1987 originally selling men’s t-shirt in small retail stores. The brand is registered under the trademark of Suyen Corporation. The brand also grew on providing ladies’ line, underwear, fragrances, house wares, snacks, and a wide array of other lifestyle products, Kyle Marco P. de Vera, Justin Andrew Lawrence L. Rigor and Jolo Marco R. Tayag are junior students from the Department of Marketing and Corporate Communications in San Beda College AY: 2012-2013. The researchers have equally contributed to the fulfillment of the research with the help and advice of Dr. Jennifer T. Ramos. with the distinction of being present in virtually every retail space in the Philippines, and with a worldwide network of stores and outlets, reaching as far as the United States, the Middle East, and China. It has also been a pioneer to the use of celebrity endorsers, television, and giant billboards to push for a fashion brand that offers premium quality products at affordable prices in the market. By multiple product line and brand extensions, Bench was able to go through demographic divisions such as age, gender, socioeconomic status having â€Å"Bench is forever† as the company’s article of faith. Emerging as a global brand, Bench has 610 stores worldwide, 67 internationally & 543 locally. (Adapted from Bench’s Website) Growing globally resulted to creating new product lines and extensions of the Brand; known for being an apparel brand, Bench as a product-oriented company have evolved into being a market oriented brand not only selling clothes but also extending to the market’s needs in terms of lifestyle such as food and personal care. One of Bench’s promising extensions is Bench Fix, aside from the Fix salon, hair wax is also one of the commonly sought product today in their offerings. Many companies or brand today have been adapting to the trends and needs of the society, by utilizing the brand that they have established in the market, they make their offerings relevant at the fast changing time. Product-line and brand extensions do not only create new markets but it is also one of the strategies in maximizing brand equity to survive in the competitive industry. The intention of the study is to know whether Bench is a strong Brand, by assessing its brand equity, brand positioning and competitiveness in the market and eventually make realizations for other pioneered and extending brand entities. The researchers got interested with this particular study because they want to discover whether a local brand of apparel like Bench, can be a strong brand and if it can be as appealing as those of the foreign brands that Filipinos patronize. Operational Framework Input Process Output Figure 1. 1 showed the three variables that have been assessed to know whether Bench is a strong brand, it can be measured through the independent variables, and these are the brand equity, the brand positioning and how Bench deals with the competition. The dependent variable is Bench being a strong brand because it has been the variable subject for result. The figure also displayed the process that the researchers have worked on. The research is a descriptive type of study. Survey was used to gather quantitative data which had been interpreted by its corresponding verbal interpretations. The person triangulation was intended to check and balance the consumers’ evaluation and be able to supplement qualitative data. Conceptual Framework This concept was adapted from , which suggested that a strong brand is manifested through the following indicators; Strong Brand Equity, Strong and Clear Brand Positioning, and Competitiveness. The main problem of the study is to know whether Bench is a strong brand. It specifically seeks to answer these following questions: 1. What is the assessment of the consumers to Bench’s brand equity? a. Brand Awareness b. Perceived Quality c. Brand Loyalty d. Brand Association 2. What is the consumers’ assessment on Bench’s brand positioning level? a. Attribute b. Benefits c. Beliefs and Values 3. How does Bench deal with the competition? a. The relative strengths and weaknesses of competition. b. The marketing strategies of their competition. Assumptions were used in this study. The researchers assumed that the product line and brand extensions of Bench are only categorized into accessories, apparel, personal care, footwear and food that the consumers have assessed in the questionnaire. They also assumed the determinants used in assessing the brand positioning. The researchers presumed that the close competitors of Bench are Folded & Hung, Mint, Penshoppe, and People are People. The researchers assumed that Bench is not a strong brand. The study will benefit local competitive company brands to push for a more valuable product and service to create stronger brands enabling them to prepare for product and brand extensions so that they can survive long in the competitive market, not only that they will focus on their current products and services but they can also focus on the other needs and interests of the market. This study will also be able to provide companies and researchers a basis for assessing whether a brand is strong or not. The study will also benefit Bench, because the study will be able to provide an insight with regards to the brand’s current standing and be able to help them identify their existing constraints that inhibit their full brand development. To the researchers, the study will serve as ground for development, as future marketers. This research will be a good foundation for their career. In this study they will be able to assess, select, and apply carefully theories and concepts that they have learned and to the future researchers, the study will be a good source of information if ever it will relate to their topic well. The researchers are expecting that this will be available to the public since the current researchers also had a hard time finding local studies, this will be a good reference for them. Hopefully, the future researchers will be able to improve on this study and also be aspired to help other local researchers as well. It will also benefit the consumers, with the study conducted they will be able to learn and explore more of a brand’s offerings in the market. With more choices, variation in the brand, it will likely improve their buying behavior as to how they manage their lifestyle of selection and consumption. The scope of this study was limited on the assessment of the indicators of a strong brand, which was adopted from Armstrong and Kotler, namely; brand equity, brand positioning, and how a brand deals with competition in the market. The researchers were only focused on Bench as subject. With regards to the quantitative data, there is an ideal number of one hundred (100) respondents composed of buyers and nonusers of the brand to avoid conditional sampling; For the qualitative data, one (1) of Bench’s brand manager and one (1) brand manager of Bench’s competitor has been interviewed, particularly Folded & Hung. Because the study is only good for duration of five (5) months, it has to meet with the researchers’ convenience. The researchers are bounded by time financial difficulty, respondents and lack of expertise. Review of Related Literature Building a Brand, a Strong One Brands play an important role in the purchasing decision of the product or service . Companies establish a brand primarily because they want to be considered a reference for customers when purchasing or availing products and services. Like what have said in their study, brands act as shorthand in the consumer’s minds so that they do not have to think much about their purchase decision. Being a reference provider, the brands are the interface between consumers and the company; on the other hand consumers are subject to commit to brands. Since brand is a cluster of functional and emotional values that promises a unique welcome experience (Chang & Liu, 2009) and are fundamentally about relationships, these should form the main source of any company’s connection to the customers so that a brand may be able to avoid negative perception and aim for positive feedbacks. Brand’s influence is not imposed by the company or the business; rather their relevance depends on the needs and wants of the people because â€Å"the power of the brand lies in the minds of consumers† . â€Å"Brand name alone does not make a brand† one has to be strong enough to develop a market-leading brand capacity that is essential for long-term competitiveness. What is a strong brand anyway? In identifying a strong brand, we have to take in consideration some key indicators of such; high brand equity, brand positioning and competitiveness. The Brand’s Labor: Brand Equity Aaker defines brand equity as a set of assets and liabilities inked to a brand’s name and symbol that adds to or subtracts from the value perceived by a product or service to a firm and or the firm’s customer however Keller defines brand equity as the differential effect of the brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand . Aaker’s definition on brand equity is centered on the consumer’s negative or positive perception attached to the brand while Keller described it as the difference between the business’ projection of the brand on the consumer’s interpretation and perception of the brand. Taking it from a study’s perspective, have suggested that brand equity is the outcome that accrues to a product with its brand name compared with those that would accrue if the same product did not have a brand name, simply put it is the outcome of the overall marketing effort of the brand. Since there is already an evaluation of the product and service, brand equity plays a role in how information is learned and then retrieved and used in making choice . That is why brand equity has emerged as a key strategic asset that needs to be monitored and nurtured for maximum long-term performance . Not only that it serves as an important signal to reduce perceived risk but it is also why considers brand equity as the value of a brand to the firm. According to brands with higher equity have an established strength in the market for they are able to generate higher immediate returns from their marketing mix efforts and higher loyalty brands generate greater stockpiling from promotions. Also have mentioned that buyers respond to branding by purchasing the same products or brands or by showing preference toward a particular brand, bringing firms higher in the market share, higher profits or share value. To sum it all up, brands which have higher equity can get the customer’s preference and tendencies and result in higher level of sale . The concept of brand equity has remained a complex phenomenon for many researchers because of the many associated concepts applicable under it. To understand it fully, the researchers would have to identify its key components. Aaker approaches brand equity as a set of fundamental dimensions grouped into a complex system comprising mainly: brand awareness, brand perceived quality, brand loyalty and brand association. The Impression, Brand Awareness For a brand to sustain a presence in the marketplace, people must be aware of it. As such, at its most basic level, knowledge encompasses brand awareness and the extent to which customers recall and recognize the brand. . To define brand awareness, it is the consumer’s ability to identify the brand and can be measured with the help of brand recall and brand recognition. Brand recall is the ability of consumers to retrieve the brand from memory, when the product category, the needs fulfilled by the category, or some other type of probe, is given as a cue. Brand recognition reflects the ability of consumers to confirm prior exposure to the brand . It is also the extent to which a person able to recognize a particular brand given a set of brands according to . According to the role of brand awareness in building brand equity depends on the strength of the brand’s presence in the consumers’ mind and with that brand awareness had become a vital factor to influence the buying decisions and purchase intentions . It also enhances the prospects of being considered in the future purchase situations. . But awareness alone is not enough according to for the initial work was found that awareness alone was not adequate to build brand understanding. It will also need help of the other brand equity’s dimensions. Perceived Quality: The Judgment To sustain one’s presence in the market, awareness had been the founding principle to perform such but is the image just right to deliver positive quality perception that may even push more knowledgeable consumers to buy or purchase products. Perceived Quality is defined as the customer’s judgment of performance of a performance excellence of a product or service relative to the expectations of quality (Balaji, 2011). In other words perceived brand quality represents consumers’ view of how well a brand meets their requirement and expectations . According to , he stated that â€Å"perceived quality also represent consumers’ judgments regarding a brand’s overall superiority†. To add on Huang’s study, said that consumers’ apparel purchase decisions may be more likely to be influenced by their perceptions of apparel attributes such as price, quality, and style than by their concerns about the ethnical conditions under which apparel is or was produced. Perceived quality is a consumer’s subjective judgment about products or services . It is personal and irrational, quality may only equate to a certain features and benefits that are unique or different from others and these qualities may not be of standard or preference of one prospect, meaning a brand may only be able to be successful if they impress the right people or the target market per se. Brand Association: The Synapse Associations represent what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers from the organization members. This means that brand association is something that provides meaning to a brand . In other words, brand association are ideas or descriptions consumers can relate with the product or service offered by the brand. Other definition of brand association stated by and is that it is anything linked in the memory of the consumers to the brand and the thoughts that come up to mind after brand or offering is recalled. Brand associations help consumers retrieve and process information and evoke a positive effect and cognitive considerations of the benefits . By convenience, brand association can actually make the product information more accessible that it can influence faster purchase decisions of consumers. Brand Loyalty: The Corner Stone Another dimension of brand equity is brand loyalty. To define brand loyalty on understanding, it is â€Å"a deeply commitment to rebuy or repatronize a preferred product or service consistently in the future, causing repetitive same brand or same brand set purchasing, despite situational influences and marketing efforts having the potential to cause switching behavior†. In relation to the study, mentioned that loyalty is understood to be a long term attachment to a firm and it is considered to be intimately linked to consumer based brand equity. Now how can brand loyalty be of use, brand loyalty is of strategic importance for companies to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage because it is considered as one of the most important factors affecting consumer choice according to and. In identifying loyalty, satisfaction strength is a vital determinant because it plays a crucial role in the translation of stated satisfaction into customer loyalty and research of indicates that though satisfaction is link to some aspects of loyalty, its impact may depend on facets of the prior relational experience. In addition, the authors anticipate that satisfaction strength will influence both loyalty and the translation of satisfaction into loyalty, also suggested that the willingness of individual consumers, employees, friends the investor personal sacrifices in order to strengthen the relationship may help. One of brand loyalty’s substance is, Brand self-connection wherein according to is the idea that attachment involves a bond with the brand included as part of the self; it suggests that a critical aspect of attachment involves the cognitive and emotional connection between the brand and the self. That’s why trust in a brand is important and is a key factor in the development of brand loyalty according to because it can result to customer retention. In metaphor, brand loyalty is the cornerstone of brand equity and brand itself. Brand Positioning According to marketers need to position their brands clearly to target costumer’s minds at the lowest level; they can position the brand on product attributes. However attributes are the least desirable level for brand positioning. A brand can be better positioned by associating its name with a desirable benefit. The strongest brands go beyond attribute or benefit positioning. They are positioned on a strong beliefs and values. They explained the concept of brand positioning in terms of its three levels. The brand must be aligned to its goals and prospect consumers in order to be positioned well in the market. Like what have mentioned in their study, consistency in value delivered helps brand providers understand the value targets and helps customers understand the brand positioning. In the study of , they stated that it is important for businesses to create attraction in their brand to be better positioned than their competitors. In return, when a brand has a relative advantage in consumers’ mind, its market share should increase or at least not decrease . The study of mentioned that positioning is a very left brained phenomenon, where brands are narrowly defined by either personality or benefits. When one defines brands so rigidly, the advertising gets predictable, and there’s no margin for creativity or expansion. Fluid nature and flexibility is one of the ways for brands to survive. Brand belief works by tracking a particular brand also by trying to see it in the context of other brands of the same category, the comparison creates a distinct positioning. Advantages to Competition

Economic factors Essay

Critical thinking is an individual’s form of judgment that has a particular purpose and reflective judgment. When individuals use critical thinking they reach a decision or solves an issue of judging what to believe or what to do, but reaches this conclusion in a thoughtful way. Critical thinking is a tool that individuals can use to evaluate incoming information. On the other hand, ethics is a branch of philosophy that encompasses right conduct and good life. Ethics has broader in the analyzing right and wrong than the standard conception. Ethics is a set of choices that individuals make on how to live their lives. ARE THE PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF CRITICAL THINKING APPLICABLE TO ETHICAL REASONING? WHY? The rules and principles of critical thinking are applicable to ethical reasoning because they both follow similar guidelines. In ethical reasoning along with critical thinking the individuals will study the details of the case, identify the appropriate criteria, determine possible courses of action, and decide which action is most ethical (Ruggiero, 2012). An example from this week would include the case of the shrinking maneuver. For step one in this case, it has been shown that the statement leaves no unanswered questions. The relevant criteria found in the case shows that laws are violated with the individuals knowingly claiming residence without meeting the requirements. A possible course of action for this case they could have physically moved to Florida or to another state with no-tax or low-tax instead of pretending they moved there. Finally, the most ethical action in the case shows that the Skirkings’ actions were unethical (Ruggiero, 2012). IF EVERYONE FOLLOWED THE RULES AND GUIDELINES OF LOGIC, WOULD THERE BE A NEED FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING? WHY? If everyone followed the rules and guidelines of logic there would still be a need for ethical decision making. The reason is that even though the conclusion may seem logical every individual has different ethics. For instance, if an individual needs a job and needs to obtain money quickly, logically it would make sense to do what would make the most money the quickest. Let us say the logical job would be stripping because the individual makes a large amount of money in a little amount of time. Another individual may say that even though this is the logical was to obtain money quickly, ethically it is wrong. REFERENCE: Ruggiero, V (2012). Thinking Critically about ethical issues (9th ed.). : Mc-Graw Hill.

Multi-Cultural American School

Multi-Cultural American School Multi-Cultural American School At times, I wonder how I threw my staunch Chinese culture for the contemporary American ways. As a child, my parents held me close to their arms to ensure that I do not adopt the superficial ways of the American culture. This took place drastically during the time that I left my Chinese cultured elementary school for the government sponsored schools in my early teenage- that took quite some convincing to my parents. This came as both a relief and a scare to me even though I had longed for this immeasurably. Having spent my early years in school studying the ambiguous Chinese calligraphy and writing using the ancient pen, the moc, a light pen came and basic alphabet relieved my labored brain and fingers. The transition into the American ways was tough as well as it was discouraging, but I never lost my motivation to learn them. My mothers vigilance in raising me up, fellow students ardency in recognizing my mistakes and the support of my enthusiastic teacher, Ms. Jones, encircled the tough transition into the American culture. I had to adjust to the less congested schedule of the new school I was now a part of with different ethnicities to interact with daily. The various stereotypes that came with being a Chinese person manifested in me immensely having known other culture beforehand. The use of articles in sentences had to be hammered into my speech by the various jives and mocking that left me humiliated. The confidence I bore at this point came only from the fleeting moments when I shone in the Mathematics and Physics class that left all the other students jealous of my comprehension of these relatively challenging subjects. The first day of school was a memorable one owing to the dramatic flair with which I made my entrance into the class. I bring my son to join you! said my mother, who was definitely skeptical about my joining such multi-cultural school. This was met by a rejoinder of laughter that the teacher helplessly tried to quell to no avail. The torture had begun. My mother insisted on the minor details of my life that the teacher should watch out for like the inadvertent leak I may take during the afternoon nap. This trivial detail was said at volumes so loud they would call out to aliens from outer space. I hate to remember all the jives I got from my fellow students from that. The teacher found a liking for me during this time due to my deep-seated discipline and focus in class that I adopted from the Chinese school that I was previously a part of before. My seclusion from the incessant burst of energy from the rest of the class made me look like the ugly duckling. It was unbelievable for me when I witnessed the verbal exchange between a student and Ms. Jones in which Ms. Jones resignedly accepted humiliation without retaliation. Please maintain silence when am talking, Ms. Jones politely asked John Simmons, a student in our class. Why dont you shut up when am talking? retorted back John. Excuse me, can you apologize for talking like that this instant! No! Ms. Jones left this inappropriate outburst unattended to from this point on leaving my jaws dropped for the rest of the lesson- and my mind shocked. Back in the Chinese school the repercussions of a simple disrespectful facial expression is severe enough to make you wonder how little you have to do to get the death sentence. The students built an inescapable hell for me during the early days, long enough until I found a way to integrate into their ways of living. The accent, dressing and ever-present, conservative mother gave my fellow student a limitless avenue to make fun of me. This made me cry on most of the days, but with time adaptation set in and I turned all the ridicule into a perquisite. I also enjoyed the fun that they made of me while I came to understand the mentality of the various cultures. This decimated the number of jokes that were thrown my way, and led to the acceptance of my culture with time. Nonetheless, the final assimilation into the cultures of America came with a relief and also with a sense of guilt. The segregation from my culture left me with a sense of emptiness, but the acceptance by my peers came with a satisfaction that a young person so craves for in his/ her youthful years.

Spanish Verbs Morir and Morirse

Spanish Verbs Morir and Morirse Question: I am reading your explanation on caer and caerse and am interested to know if you have addressed morir and morirse. Not being a native speaker, those two verbs are very confusing for me and my students. Answer: Thats a great question. Although some verbs, like caer, are used in the reflexive form to indicate an unexpected action, that isnt the case with morir, which typically means to die (either literally or figuratively). In general, it is always grammatically correct to use morir (the nonreflexive form) to mean to die. Some examples: Mi perrita murià ³ hace 3 dà ­as. My puppy died three days ago. Mi padre murià ³ y no sabemos cul era su contraseà ±a. My father died, and we dont know what his password was. Si elegimos no hacer nada, entonces la esperanza morir. If we choose to do nothing, then hope will die. Muere de cncer la cantante mexicana. The Mexican singer is dying of cancer. Al menos cinco soldados murieron y ocho resultaron heridos. At least five soldiers died and eight were injured. Although not mandatory in such instances, the reflexive form, morirse can be used when speaking about a natural death, especially one that didnt come suddenly. It can also be used when speaking of friends or relatives. Some examples: Los dinosaurios no se murieron de frà ­o. The dinosaurs didnt die of cold. Mi amigo se murià ³ hace dos dà ­as en un trgico accidente. My friend died two days ago in a tragic accident. Yo me morirà © sin tus besos. I will die without your kisses. Me choca cuando se mueren los escritores que me gustan. I am shocked when writers that I like die. Mis abuelos se murieron en Colombia y yo no pude ir a sus funerales. My grandparents died in Colombia and I couldnt go to their funerals. However, this isnt a hard and fast rule. You might also think of morirse as being more informal or less serious-sounding than morir. Or you might think of morirse as a somewhat softer form of the verb. If youre uncertain which one to use, morir is probably the safer choice.

The Difference Between will and shall

The Difference Between will and shall The Difference Between will and shall The Difference Between will and shall By Maeve Maddox Reader Eric wonders about the uses of will and shall. When do you use will and shall? I know that [they] mean the same thing, but I would like to know when to use them in the correct grammatical sense. In modern English will and shall are helping verbs. They are used with other verbs, but lack conjugations of their own. Both are signs of the future tense. The old Walsh English Handbook that I used in high school gives this rule for forming the future: Use shall in the first person and will in the second and third persons for the simple future tense: I shall sing this afternoon. You will succeed. He will stay at home. My observations suggest that shall is rarely used by American speakers. The two words existed as separate verbs in Old English, the form of English spoken from 450-1150 C.E. The verb willan meant wish, be willing, be about to. The verb sculan (pronounced [shu-lan], had the meanings be obliged to, have to, must, be destined to, be supposed to. In modern usage traces of the old meanings persist for speakers who use both forms. Will can imply volition or intention, while shall can imply necessity: I will scale Mount Everest. (and no one can stop me!) You shall take the garbage out before you do anything else. (You have no choice, Junior!) A second element enters into the use of shall and will. As a matter of courtesy, a difference exists according to whether the verb is used with a first or second person subject. Which to use depends upon the relationship between speakers. Parents, teachers, employers, and staff sergeants are within their rights to tell someone You shall complete this assignment by 9 p.m. Such a construction offers no alternative. It is the same as saying You must complete this assignment. In speaking to an equal, however, the choice is left up to the other person: I shall drive to Tulsa today. You will follow on Tuesday. (Its still up to you.) Heres a frequently quoted joke that illustrates the consequences of using shall and will incorrectly: A foreign tourist was swimming in an English lake. Taken by cramps, he began to sink. He called out for help: Attention! Attention! I will drown and no one shall save me! Many people were within earshot, but, being well-brought up Englishmen and women, they honored his wishes and permitted him to drown. All of which is the short answer to Erics question. For the long answer, take a look at Fowler (Modern English Usage) and the OED. By the way, the verb will in the sense of bequeath derives from the noun will in the sense of wish. A will expresses the wishes of the person who writes it. The verb will (bequeath) does possess a complete conjugation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of Humor"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?Careful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

Navajo Nation Water Crisis - Propose a legislation change Essay

Navajo Nation Water Crisis - Propose a legislation change - Essay Example Speaker, Lawrence T. Morgan of the 21st Navajo Nation Council seeks to focus the attention of the Council on the need to enact a new piece of legislation to remedy a long-time anomaly in the Navajo area, i.e. convenient access to safe and affordable drinking water. The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous region of Native Americans and is spread in the northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico, covering just 26,000 square miles of territory. Its unique position of being the largest Native American jurisdiction in the USA, gives it a heightened importance both as a semi-autonomous region and a culturally distinct entity. Thus in the eyes of the external world, it’s a very important civilization with a dynamic cultural dimension. Human existence and survival has been facilitated much more by the presence of water and this need is just second only to the air that humans breathe. Through centuries of human settlement expansion, the available amount of pure drinking water has been depleted and right now sources of such natural drinking water have naturally shrunk to a few spread over a large expanse of the territory. The Navajo Nation is not immune to this creeping problem either. Right now many people in the Nation have to travel considerable distances to fetch drinking water (DeZuane, 1996). Apart from the hazards involved there are such negative factors as costs, inconvenience and loss of time to be taken into account. The relative scarcity of drinking water in the region is a well known problem and so far little or no attention has been paid to possible remedial measures that can be adopted to solve the problem. Before it happens to assume crisis proportions, the Navajo Nation Council ought to actively promote a legislative remedy to bring about a solution. However such a legislative process intended to remedy an existing anomaly or shortcoming of this magnitude requires thorough pre-planning and a rational program of action. As the

The Hazards of taking childeren out to eat Essay

The Hazards of taking childeren out to eat - Essay Example McDonalds, for example, has a clown as its mascot, Ronald McDonald. It has playgrounds for children and special toys that come with its food. Given a choice, children will clamour to go to these special places. The food they will eat there, unfortunately, will not be good for them. These restaurants know that if they can lure children into their restaurants they will get money from the parents. Pandering to children is a good business model for many restaurants. Additionally, it is important to note that children like sugar and junk food. These restaurants ensure that they have these things on their menus. This food is not good for children. Parents who do not take their children out to eat have much more control over their childrens diets. They can cook with fresh food and will know exactly what is in each meal. They can avoid sugary and fat foods and make sure that their children are eating properly. Food packed with vitamins and nutrients notably helped boost mental performance as youngsters got older, the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reports. Researchers said toddlers diets could change IQ levels later in childhood, even if eating habits improve with age. "This suggests that any cognitive/behavioural effects relating to eating habits in early childhood may well persist into later childhood, despite any subsequent changes to dietary intake," the authors wrote (Guardian). The fix is in. Many fast food restaurants have very low standards when it comes to food, and yet their food is incredibly attractive to children. We have to remember just how hazardous this kind of food is to childrens health. As one report recently put it: â€Å"One out of three children will come down with diabetes. One out of five children now has hypertension. Doctors are seeing children as young as 2 and 3 years old with the beginnings of heart disease† (Ringle). Nothing is more

Rational Choice Theory.What is rational in rational choice theory Essay

Rational Choice Theory.What is rational in rational choice theory - Essay Example The factors which derive the utility vary from individual to individual. Rational Choice theory is derived from the theoretical approach of Microeconomics. The rationalizing factor can also be called as the factor which can maximize the happiness or the satisfaction level which an individual derives after consumption. The study of this theory can also be used to determine the long term and the short term results that could be derived from the utilization or the consumption of the product (Archer and Tritter, 2000). This report will be structured to analyze the Rational Choice Theory. The complete theory will be analyzed and discussed relating to the impact of rationality on the choices which the consumers make. The theory and the concept of rationality will be critically analyzed to conclude the relevance and the application of the Rational Choice Theory. The Rational Choice Theory framework studies the societal and the economic factors of a society which determines the level of util ity which the individual determines. Both the factors mentioned are pivotal in determining the level of utility which the individuals derive. The word rationality and the postulates of the Rational Choice Theory differ from each other. Rationality is defined as the sane behavior of the individual to derive maximum utility from the product that is consumed. Rationality differs from Rational Choice Theory because the act of balancing the cost and the advantage that the consumer derives from the use of that product is counted as rational even if the decision made is inappropriate (Zafirovski, 2001). Rationality classifies the decision which is considered to be sane by the complete society but the Rational Choice Theory classifies the utility on the basis of satisfaction derived by the individuals irrespective whether the decision is right or wrong. This factor has been contradicted and debated by most. This report will highlight the importance of understanding the concept of the theory to reach to a conclusion. For this the theory will be critically assessed and commented (Zafirovski, 2001). RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY AND ITS EMPHASIS The emphasis of the Rational Choice Theory is to gain maximum understanding of the human behavior. The postulates that have been proposed in the theory are very vital for deriving the concepts of economics. The use of this theory is not limited only to economics but its application can be prominently admired in disciplines like sociology, political sciences etc. where human behavior plays a very vital role. By studying the behavior of the individuals the choices which they make and their preferences for particular products can be studied (Brinton and Nee, 2001). Assumptions of Rational Choice Theory To summarize the Rational Choice Theory it can be said that the individuals try their level best to make the best buying decisions which they can under the circumstances which they are facing. The assumptions for the application of the theor y are (Carling, 1991): 1. The human behavior and their action are destined for a purpose. The decision of the individual is to sight a goal that is to be achieved. 2. The decisions which the individuals make are prioritized. These set of priorities vary from individual to individual. 3. The decisions made by the individuals are on the basis of rationality. The level of preference of the products varies from individual to individual. This variation is subject to the factors like the utility derived from the consumption of the product, the cost variation of the alternates that are available, the option that is selected is considered to be the best way of maximizing the utility. 4. Social involvements of the individuals

Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mathematics - Essay Example If we let "s" stand for the number of kth powers, then g(k) is the least such "s" powers. Some examples of g(k) are: g(1) = 1; g(2) = 4, since from Lagranges 4-square theorem, every natural number is the sum of atleast 4 squares. In addition it was found that 7 requires 4 squares and 23 requires 9 cubes. Progress was made on Warings Problem by establishing bounds, or the maximum number of powers. For instance, Liouville found that g(4) is at most 53. The work of Hardy and Littlewood also led to other bounds; in particular, they found the upper bound for g(k) to be O(k2k+1). The work of Hardy and Littlewood also led to the realization that the number G(k) is more fundamental than g(k). Here, G(k) is the least positive integer s such that every sufficiently large integer (greater than some constant) is a sum of at most s kth powers of positive integers. A formula for the exact value of G(k) for all k has not been found, but there have been many bounds established. 1, 4, 9, 19, 37, 73, 143, 279, 548, 1079, 2132, 4223, 8384, 16673, 33203, 66190, 132055, 263619, 526502, 1051899, 2102137, 4201783, 8399828, 16794048, 33579681, 67146738, 134274541, 268520676, 536998744, 1073933573, 2147771272 Hilberts proof of Warings Problem for all positive k can be seen as proving an equivalent theorem: There are positive integers A and M and positive rationals 1, ..., M, depending only on k, such that each integer N A can be written in the form Many generalizations of Waring’s Problem have been made. For instance, there is the prime Waring’s problem, and generalizations of the problem to algebraic number fields and arbitrary fields. The problem known as the â€Å"easier† Waring’s Problem takes the integer n to be a sequence of numbers x, each to the kth power. All of these variations have led to a Mathematics Subject Classification 11P05 entitled â€Å"Waring’s Problem and variants.† In 1742, Goldbach suggested that every

Should state legislatures be removed from the redistricting process Essay

Should state legislatures be removed from the redistricting process for congress and their own seats and would doing so improve - Essay Example In the US, redistricting is fundamentally political because legislators are responsible to draw electoral districts in many states. Courts have been intervening in the process to a great extent. These aspects of redistricting are inter-related and have made the process highly controversial because the outcomes are mostly prejudiced in favoring one political party over another. Redistricting matters a lot because people’s representatives in the state and federal governments frame regulations, which impact several issues such as taxes, security, prices and the environment in which people live. This paper will examine whether state legislatures should be removed from the redistricting process for Congress and whether doing so will improve the public policy process. Main Body Elections are held at regular intervals in ensuring that people’s representatives work towards welfare activities. All state legislators and many legislators in the Congress represent districts that pa rtition states and voters into geographical regions. In majority districts, voters are eventually represented by legislators that win the maximum votes. The manner in which voters are assembled into districts has a strong bearing on the people that will represent them and the kind of policies they will follow. For instance, a district comprising mainly of farmers will, in all probability elect a legislator who will work towards their cause. But a district that comprises of mainly urban citizens would in all probability elect a person who has different concerns. In similar vein, regions characterized with groups of similar language, ethnicity, race and political lineage will probably elect a person with similar characteristics. Therefore, the manner in which the districts are created can impact the constitution of the legislature. It is thus apparent that there would be different legislators if the districts are drawn in different ways. The process of redistricting mostly draws a lot of attention and controversies are created because the process determines the communities that will be represented and the laws that will be made (Griffith, 2011). Redistricting is resorted to in the United States in reacting to change in populations that are determined by the outcomes of the census. The state legislature is vested with the authority to create redistricting plans that are in some cases subject to the governor’s approval. Every state in the US has its own law and constitutional requirements to redistrict. There are some aspects of the law concerning the federal government that have been introduced following decisions by the US Supreme Court. The Congress established the Voting Rights Act in 1965 that was amended in 1982. The Congress also exerts some control in the context of putting restrictions on the creation of electoral boundaries during the redistricting process. The courts in the US have played a major role in developing and interpreting redistricting laws. Essentially, a redistricting plan should create districts that have a balanced population and should not reduce the say of minority voters. In order to improve upon the public policy process, the redistricting plan should give credence to conventional redistricting issues such as contiguity, density and respect towards political subdivisions and communities (Canon, 1999). According to Halper and Simon (2011), removing state

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Research Paper Example Another reason for pursuing admission in SIU is the extensive scholarship programs that are used by the university to help its students. The scholarships provided by the university are on a rise and these scholarships promote students in working hard in order to attain scholarships. The university has high number of accreditations from several different accreditation agencies which is a solid reason to become a part of SIU. Other than the popularity of the University among dental students, the university has huge number of programs for the development of those who want to pursue a career in the field of dentistry. It provides students with both practical and theoretical knowledge and application for the development of high quality dental professionals. The university does not only develop the cognitive skills of its students, it even participates in physical development of its students. Due to their educational and athletic offerings I am persuaded to be a part of SIU and look forwar d towards the accomplishment of my

Should state legislatures be removed from the redistricting process Essay

Should state legislatures be removed from the redistricting process for congress and their own seats and would doing so improve - Essay Example In the US, redistricting is fundamentally political because legislators are responsible to draw electoral districts in many states. Courts have been intervening in the process to a great extent. These aspects of redistricting are inter-related and have made the process highly controversial because the outcomes are mostly prejudiced in favoring one political party over another. Redistricting matters a lot because people’s representatives in the state and federal governments frame regulations, which impact several issues such as taxes, security, prices and the environment in which people live. This paper will examine whether state legislatures should be removed from the redistricting process for Congress and whether doing so will improve the public policy process. Main Body Elections are held at regular intervals in ensuring that people’s representatives work towards welfare activities. All state legislators and many legislators in the Congress represent districts that pa rtition states and voters into geographical regions. In majority districts, voters are eventually represented by legislators that win the maximum votes. The manner in which voters are assembled into districts has a strong bearing on the people that will represent them and the kind of policies they will follow. For instance, a district comprising mainly of farmers will, in all probability elect a legislator who will work towards their cause. But a district that comprises of mainly urban citizens would in all probability elect a person who has different concerns. In similar vein, regions characterized with groups of similar language, ethnicity, race and political lineage will probably elect a person with similar characteristics. Therefore, the manner in which the districts are created can impact the constitution of the legislature. It is thus apparent that there would be different legislators if the districts are drawn in different ways. The process of redistricting mostly draws a lot of attention and controversies are created because the process determines the communities that will be represented and the laws that will be made (Griffith, 2011). Redistricting is resorted to in the United States in reacting to change in populations that are determined by the outcomes of the census. The state legislature is vested with the authority to create redistricting plans that are in some cases subject to the governor’s approval. Every state in the US has its own law and constitutional requirements to redistrict. There are some aspects of the law concerning the federal government that have been introduced following decisions by the US Supreme Court. The Congress established the Voting Rights Act in 1965 that was amended in 1982. The Congress also exerts some control in the context of putting restrictions on the creation of electoral boundaries during the redistricting process. The courts in the US have played a major role in developing and interpreting redistricting laws. Essentially, a redistricting plan should create districts that have a balanced population and should not reduce the say of minority voters. In order to improve upon the public policy process, the redistricting plan should give credence to conventional redistricting issues such as contiguity, density and respect towards political subdivisions and communities (Canon, 1999). According to Halper and Simon (2011), removing state

The Benefits of Organic Food to Human Health Essay Example for Free

The Benefits of Organic Food to Human Health Essay Organic refers to the way agricultural foods is produced and processed. It is using methods and materials that are of low impact to the environment. And the primary goal is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants and people. Research published in a 2001 study showed that the current fruit and vegetables that are conventionally grown in the United States have about half the vitamin content of their counterparts in 1963. The study was based on a comparison of published USDA figures. Produced in organic farm, organic food is grown under government supervision. Therefore it is healthier for the environment which it is produce with an organic farming method that are less disruptive to the ecosystem and less dependent on chemical. . In today society, people are always in search of factors that give them an edge in maximum their health. As we all known a healthy diet and appropriate rest all has an impact on our health. Therefore there has been an overwhelming group of people that believe the benefits of organic food. Many people purchase organic food because it contains more nutrient than conventionally grown food. Its true there have been more than a hundred studies comparing the nutrient content of organic and non-organic foods. Official food composition tables, including data compiled by the US Department of Agriculture, reveal that since the 1940s the mineral levels in fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy have declined substantially in conventional foods. Combine this with longer storage, and more processing of crops and its not surprising that we may be getting fewer nutrients in our food than we were 60 years ago. The artificial fertilization associated with conventional crops produces lush growth by swelling produce with more water. On a pound-for-pound basis, organic food has more dry matter (i. e. iron). We can expect also that phytonutrients, which are antioxidants involved in the plants own defense system, will be higher in organic produce because crops rely more on their own defenses in the absence of regular applications of chemical pesticides. Evidence is emerging that confirms this expectation. Higher levels have so far been found of lycopene in organic tomatoes, polyphenols in organic potatoes and flavonols in organic apples. A recent review of the subject estimated that organic produce will tend to contain 10-50% higher phytonutrients than conventional produce. ( Mark Jeantheau,2005) Partly because of this and for other reasons too, there are higher levels of nutrients in organic produce. Research by American nutritionist Virginia Worthington has confirmed that, based on the dietary patterns, the differences can be enough to help you achieve certain nutrients that you otherwise might not get. Despite of improve a person nutrient level intake, organic food also has a lower pesticides residue. A Consumer Union report found that fresh peaches, frozen and fresh winter squash, apples, grapes, spinach, pears, and green beans had some of the highest Toxicity Index ratings. (Edward Groth III,February 1999). However conventional-food provider also claims that pesticide residues are no threat to human health. Yet consumers intuitively know this is a false assurance. In 1999, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimated that nationwide there were at least 10,000 to 20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide illnesses and injuries per year in farm work. Exposure to pesticides can cause a range of ill effects in humans, from relatively mild effects such as headaches, fatigue, and nausea, to more serious effects such as cancer and neurological disorders. (U. S. General Accounting Office, GAO-01-815, Page 4, August 2001). Researchers have linked symptoms such as headaches, tremor, and lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrhea with dietary intakes of pesticides. It also has claimed that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstreams compared to women who did not have breast cancer. Organic food also has no harmful and less food additives. Antibiotics, growth promoters and other additives are added to non-organic meat during the animals life and while the meat is prepared for consumption. Normal intensive farming methods mean that animals live in overcrowded, unhealthy conditions where disease would quickly spread through the herd where antibiotics not used. Although antibiotics are still used to treat organically reared animals, the healthier living conditions of the animals mean that antibiotics are used prudently to treat specific ailments, rather than as a preventative method. Once the animal has been slaughtered and the meat is being prepared for human consumption, additives are often added to it to improve the flavour, colour or texture of the meat, or to make it stay fresh longer. (T. H. Carson,2005). Organic food producers are prohibited from using additives that research has shown may be harmful to human health, such as sulphur dioxide or artificial colourings. But as our organic meat is reared more naturally, the meat has its own natural flavour, texture and colour, and does not need any artificial enhancers! Besides that, children also need organic food the most as childrens are generally fast on developing organs, brains, and detoxification, however weak on immune systems. Children also have a large intake of food per kilo of body weight. Children may be at risk of higher exposure to the toxins found in nonorganic food because the food is often made up of condensed fruits or vegetables, potentially concentrating pesticide residues. Pesticides pose special concerns to children because of their high metabolisms and low body weights. More than 1 million children between the ages of 1 and 5 ingest at least 15 pesticides every day from fruits and vegetables. More than 600,000 of these children eat a dose of organophosphate insecticides that the federal government considers unsafe, and 61,000 eat doses that exceed benchmark levels by a factor of 10 or more. (Ranchers and Foresters,1998, pp. 1-3. ). Meanwhile, artificial colorings and preservatives in food and drink are thought to contribute to hyperactivity in pre-school children, and while many still contest this issue, a recent study in the UK found that the proportion of hyperactive children was halved when additives were removed from their diets. Many additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colorings and flavorings, MSG, hydrogenated fat, and phosphoric acid are prohibited in organic food production. As a conclusion, it is so important that the organic food benefits be made aware to the people as it offers a lot of good benefits to human health. Many people usually wonder why there are so many diseases these days. Therefore, making a commitment to organic food means making a commitment to your health. Organic food is how foods supposed to be, a valuable part of any regimen intended to maintain, improve, or restore health. Although there are many different benefits that we can get from the consumption of organic food, the most basic organic food health benefit that we get is pure, clean fruits, vegetables and other foods and a lot more healthier.

Mergers and Acquisitions in Pharmaceutical Industry

Mergers and Acquisitions in Pharmaceutical Industry Businesses grow externally by acquiring, or combining with, other ongoing businesses. When two companies combine, the acquiring company generally pays for the acquired business either with cash or with its own securities, and the acquired companys liabilities and assets are transferred to the acquiring company. A merger is technically a combination of two or more companies in which all but one of the combining companies legally cease to exist and the surviving company continues in operation under its original name. A consolidation is a combination in which all of the combining companies are dissolved and a new firm is formed. The term merger is generally used to describe both of these types of business combinations. An acquisition is also used interchangeably with merger to describe a business combination. 1.1 Types of Merger Mergers are generally classified according to whether they are horizontal, vertical, or conglomerate. A Horizontal merger is a combination of two or more companies that compete directly with one another. A vertical merger is a combination of companies that may have a buyer-seller relationship with one another. A conglomerate merger is a combination of two or more companies in which neither competes directly with the other and no buyer-seller relationship exists. 1.2 Form of Merger Transactions A merger transaction may be a stock purchase or an asset purchase. The acquiring company buys the stock of the to-be-acquired company and assumes its liabilities. In an asset purchase, the acquiring company buys only the assets (some or all) of the to-be-acquired company and does not assume any of its liabilities. Normally, the buyer of a business prefers an asset purchase rather than a stock purchase, because unknown liabilities, such as any future lawsuits against the company, are not incurred. 1.3 Joint Ventures Some companies who dont want to merge are choosing an option of joint ventures. In joint venture two (unaffiliated) companies contribute financial and/or physical assets, as well as personnel, to a new company formed to engage in some economic activity, such as production or marketing of a product. 2.0 Pharmaceutical MA Mergers are not new in the pharmaceutical industry; however, in last few years there is lot of heat at the level of pharmaceutical merger activity and many firms are using joint ventures and strategic partnerships to develop and market new products. The pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated, extremely complex, and filled with financial and economic challenges and points of interest. Finance managers in the industry are faced with many issues including; managed care, insurance, reimbursement, patents and generic competition, licensing, royalties, co-promotions, joint ventures, co-marketing rights, high risk and high cost research and development, parallel import issues, and international regulations. These issues need to be explored in an effort to understand the reasons for the industrys current structure and how that structure is driving increased consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. The pharmaceutical industry is by most standards a mature industry and highly profitable for those companies lucky enough to develop blockbuster medical treatments which are patent protected for lengthy periods to help companies recover their research and development investments. The pharmaceutical industry has experienced a high rate of MA activity in the 1980s and 1990s. Most of the leading firms in 2003 are the result of one or more horizontal mergers for example, GlaxoSmithKlines merger includes GlaxoWellcome and SmithKline Beecham; Pfizer is the combination of Pfizer, Warner-Lambert, and Pharmacia, which included Upjohn. 3.0 Reasons for MA To increase market share   To gain control of a blockbuster drug   existing or potential   To gain entry into a high growth therapeutic area   To enhance RD productivity   Access to new technology platform   To expand Geographic scope Patent expiration Pipeline Stuffing At pharmaceutical firms both large and small, profits are under constant pressure because blockbuster drugs that have made immense profits for many years eventually lose their patent protection and face vast competition from generic versions. In the U.S., generic drugs now hold between a sixty and seventy percent market share by volume. This puts pressure on large research based drug firms to develop new avenues for profits. One such avenue is partnerships with and investments in young biotech companies, but profits from such ventures will, in most cases, be slow to appear. Meanwhile, the major, global drug firms are investing billions in-house on biotech research and development projects, but new blockbusters are elusive. For example, Pfizer historically invested about $7.8 billion yearly on RD. That money is invested in carefully designed research programs with specific goals. As of early 2010, Pfizer had about 500 projects in development, with 133 of those in Phase I trials or beyond. Biologic drugs accounted for 27 projects under development, and they were part of the firms invest to win areas that focus on potential blockbuster drugs. Much of the future success for the worlds major drug companies will lie in harnessing their immense financial power along with their legions of salespeople and marketing specialists to license and sell innovative new drugs that are developed by smaller companies. There are dozens of exciting, smaller biotech companies that are focused on state-of-the-art research that lack the marketing muscle needed to effectively distribute new drugs in the global marketplace. To a large degree, these companies rely on contracts and partnerships with the worlds largest drug manufacturers. In addition to money to finance research and salespeople to promote new drugs to doctors, the major drug makers can offer expertise in guiding new drugs through the intricacies of the regulatory process. While these arrangements may not lead to blockbuster drugs that will sell billions of pills yearly to treat mass market diseases, they can and often do lead to very exciting targeted drugs that can produce $300 mi llion to $1 billion in yearly revenues once they are commercialized. A string of these mid-level revenue drugs can add up to a significant amount of yearly income. One of the most obvious reasons to merge or acquire is a shortfall in the RD pipeline. This was the position Glaxo faced in 1995 when Zantac, the worlds best-ever selling drug at the time was coming to the end of its lifespan. Following its timely acquisition of Wellcome, the company renewed its pipeline to create a substantial and innovative asset, which included drugs like Seroxat still in the global top ten seven years after the deal. Astra and Zeneca achieved geographic expansion and increased critical mass and, above all, shored up two increasingly vulnerable portfolios with their 2000 merger. 4.0 Risks of MA The payoff of growth resulting from a merger can be enormous for pharmaceutical companies. However, some statistics about mergers and acquisitions across industries and in general communicate the inherent risks in choosing to proceed with the integration of two different companies. Some of the researched statistics, noted in Pharmaceutical Executive in January 2001, are as follows: 75% of large mergers fail to create shareholder value greater than industry averages Productivity drops 50% following the announcement of a merger Leadership attrition soars to 47% within three years following a merger Employee satisfaction drops 14% following mergers 80% of employees feel senior management cares more about economics than about product quality or people 5.0 History of Pharmaceutical MA In 1927, Merck merged with Powers-Weightman-Rosengarten, which used to produce antimalarial quinine. In 1959, Johnson Johnson acquired McNeil laboratories and added Tylenol to its product list. In 2000, Pfizer acquired Warner- Lambert Company and Lipitor was added to Pfizers portfolio.The trend continues till today with Sanofi and Aventis and last year, we saw mega mergers like Pfizer acquired Wyeth for $68 billion and after six weeks of the mega merger, Merck acquired Schering Plough for $41.1 billion. Moreover, Roche inked a deal of $47 billion deal with Genentech and small player Biotech heavyweight Gilead (GILD) also paid $1.4 billion for CV Therapeutics (CVTX). 5.1 Merck and Schering-plough Merger Merck has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Schering-Plough. According to the agreement, Merck and Schering-Plough has combined, under the name Merck, in which the surviving entity is Schering plough and because of that the merger is known as reverse merger transaction. This transaction valued at approximately $41,100 million ($41.1 billion) payable in cash and stock. Under the terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders receive 0.5767 shares and $10.50 in cash for each share of Schering-Plough. Each Merck share will automatically become a share of the combined company. In the merger, Merck shareholders own approximately 68% of the combined company, and Schering-plough shareholders own 32%.The aggregate consideration will be comprised of a combination of approximately 44% cash and 56% stock. This merger had benefited Merck in several ways. It added up to 18 products in Mercks pipeline. This merger is structured in an unusual manner, this is generally done for tax saving purposes but here is some other reason. Schering Plough and Johnson and Johnson has contract over the sale of Ramicade and Sympony. The contract said that if ownership of any of the company changes then the other company is entitled for both the products but as the merger is reversely structured and Schering Plough is the surviving corporation the chances to breach the contract is less; though the surviving corporation as the name Merck . Then also Johnson Johnson has filed for arbitration over the contract. The legislation is still in the process and Merck is having the advantage of both the products. 5.2 Pfizer and Warner-Lambert merger Pfizers hostile bid for Warner-Lambert resulted from Warner-Lamberts attempt to merge with American Home Products. Actually, Pfizer was not looking at taking over Warner-Lambert and was happy with them as an independent company. However, Warner-Lamberts actions put the company at play. The result of the hostile merger resulted in Pfizer as the clear leader of the two companies. The difficult merger included the trading of stock for stock and the breaking up of the other deal. Warner-Lambert was also happy as an independent company. However, even though the merger was hostile, Warner-Lambert did seem to like Pfizers products, reputation, and values. Prior to this merger, basically all of the industry mergers of the past decade failed to increase, or even maintain, market share and value. As a result of ongoing productivity initiatives and cost savings from the Warner-Lambert integration, Pfizers operating margin has improved more than eight full percentage points since 1995. This is o ne of the best performances in the industry. 5.3 Sanofi-Aventis Merger On January 26, 2004, Sanofi-Synthelabo announced an unsolicited exchange offer for shares of Aventis Pharmaceuticals. They offered fifty five billion dollars, or forty-seven billion euros for Aventis shares. This offer price came along with estimation that they could create two billion dollars in synergies by combining the two firms. They also reaffirmed that the offer was based on the total portfolio, and that they didnt intend on divesting any products that didnt have any anti-trust conflicts. The Supervisory Board of Aventis unanimously rejected the bid from Sanofi responding that it was not in Aventis shareholders and employees best interest to allow Sanofi to acquire Aventis shares. French newspapers buzzed with rumors that several firms might step up and try to be a white knight to Aventis. Those firms included Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, and Novartis. Sanofis management was confident that they would not have to increase their offer for Aventis since most firms would not be in a position to merge with Aventis. It was also rumored that if Sanofi was not successful in buying Aventis, that they would be subject to an acquisition from another firm. Glaxo was rumored to be interested in buying Sanofi for their pipeline. Aventis had been repeatedly rejecting the offer from Sanofi arguing that the bid is severely undervaluing their company. Aventiss management believed that they were better off as a stand-alone firm so that they can focus on organic growth. Aventiss chief executive, Igor Landau, openly disputed the offer from Sanofi saying that they would have to improve the bid by at least forty or fifty percent to make Aventis interested. However, Aventis tried to find a white knight to enter into a friendly merger with to fend off Sanofi. The potential white knight that showed the most interest was Swiss drug maker Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Novartis said that they would be interested in entering merger negotiation with Aventis, if the French government would remain neutral. Sanofi wasnt too concerned about any white knight scenarios being that they had the support from the French government. In late April, Novartis agreed to enter into talks with Aventis regardless of the French governments public opposition to a Swiss firm ruining their chances for a French national champion. Rumors were circulating that Novartis was prepared to offer a bid of up to eighty-three billion dollars, or seventy billion euro. This would be a significant improvement for the shareholders compared to the Sanofi offer. These rumors caused the French government to encourage talks between Sanofi and Aventis board members. Finally on April 26, Aventis accepted an improved bid from Sanofi to create the third largest drug company in the world. The improved bid is valuing Aventis at sixty-four billion dollars, or fifty-four billion euros. The improved stock and cash offer was approximately a fourteen percent increase from the original takeover offer. This is the conclusion to three-month takeover battle between these two companies. Aventis has been trying to defend their company against Sanofi for the past three months. They both entered into a cooling off period after three months of publicly sniping at each other and filing lawsuits. On April 27 the European Commission approved the planned merger, followed by the Federal Trade Commissions approval on July 29. By early August it was known that the tender offer had been a success leading to the birth of Sanofi-Aventis on August 20. 6.0 Ten-Year Data on Pharmaceutical Mergers and Acquisitions During the 10 years ended December 31, 2009, a total of 1,345 mergers and acquisitions of pharmaceutical assets and pharmaceutical companies were announced, with disclosed prices totaling more than $694 billion, according to DealSearchOnline.com. GlaxoSmithKline was responsible for the largest of the pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions. GlaxoWellcome announced a $74 billion merger with SmithKline Beecham in 2000, resulting in the entity now known as GlaxoSmithKline. Pfizer, Inc. announced two of the largest pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions of the decade, including its $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth, Inc. in 2009 and its $56 billion acquisition of Pharmacia Corporation in 2002. Five of the pharmaceutical companies that were acquired in the past 10 years posted revenues in the tens of millions at the time of acquisition: SmithKline Beecham, Wyeth, Aventis, Pharmacia and Schering Plough. Further, in all but one of the 55 largest pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions announced during the past decade, each of which is valued at a price exceeding $1.5 billion. Most of the 25 largest pharmaceutical mergers acquisitions announced in the past 10 years feature an acquirer that made five or more deals during the decade ended December 31, 2009, including Pfizer. In addition to Pfizer, these pharmaceutical acquirers include Abbott Laboratories, Johnson Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Teva Pharmaceutical acquired Barr Pharmaceuticals for $8.96 billion in 2008 and Teva Pharmaceutical acquired Ivax Corporation for $7.96 billion in 2005. Abbott Laboratories acquired Solvay Pharmaceuticals for $7.6 billion in 2009 and Abbott Laboratories acquired Knoll Pharmaceutical for $7.2 billion in 2000. Johnson Johnson acquired Pfizers consumer health care unit for $16.6 billion in 2006 and Johnson Johnson acquired ALZA Corporation for $12.3 billion in 2001. Three of the top 25 pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions announced in the past decade were announced during 2009, In addition to Pfizers acquisition of Wyeth and Abbott Laboratories acquisition of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, 2009 saw Merck Co.s acquisition of Schering-Plough Corporation for $41.1 billion. The mega-deals that comprise the top 25 pharmaceutical mergers and acquisitions of the past decade were announced at the rate of one or two per year from 2000 to 2004, but from 2005 to 2009 increased to the rate of three to four per year. Other notable deals announced in 2000 through 2009 include Sanofi-Synthelabos $65.5 billion acquisition of Aventis in 2004 and Bayer AGs $21.5 billion acquisition of Schering AG in 2006. Pharmaceutical Mergers and Acquisitions, 2000 to 2009 Year  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dollar Total  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Number of Deals 2000  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $97,424,934,321  Ã‚   41 2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $27,749,309,161  Ã‚   87 2002  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $66,093,147,595  Ã‚   147 2003  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $23,625,371,126  Ã‚   173 2004  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $95,213,138,700  Ã‚   171 2005  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $46,553,632,500  Ã‚   128 2006  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $74,806,033,300  Ã‚   138 2007  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $71,600,790,685  Ã‚   180 2008  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $40,664,107,740  Ã‚   140 2009  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   $147,237,047,186   140 10-Year Total   $690,967,512,314   1,345 Its been a busy decade for pharma dealmaking. During the 10 years that ended Dec. 31, 2009, a total of 1,345 mergers and acquisitions of pharmaceutical assets and companies were announced, with disclosed prices totaling more than $694 billion, according to DealSearchOnline.com. The biggest deal: GlaxoWellcomes $74 billion merger with SmithKline Beecham in 2000 that created GlaxoSmithKline. That year, pharma did more than $97 billion worth of deals. 7.0 Future of MA from CEO perspective    Former Schering-Plough Corp. Chief Executive Officer Fred Hassan, who presided over the companys $41.1 billion sale, last year, said he expects to see more consolidation in the pharmaceutical industry. Large drugmakers will need to merge in order to fund expensive, complex areas of research, such as Alzheimers disease. Smaller companies also will be forced to sell themselves as they run out of cash in the tight credit markets. One reason deals are necessary is because the innovation investments are becoming larger and larger and it makes it easier when people can combine their resources to make the big, deep bets that you need to make for difficult diseases, Hassan said. That is why you are going to see more of these deals. 8.0 Top MA activity in 2010: While things have cooled off a bit in big pharma, there is still some major acquisition action going on in 2010. Though year 2010 was not of big mergers but there were still some MA activity have seen. List of 2010 MA is shown in table 3. 8.1Teva- Ratiopharm Teva, the generics giant bought Ratiopharm for just under $5 billion, beating out  Pfizer  and Actavis for the German company.  Ratiopharm is Germanys second largest generics producer and the sixth largest generic drug company worldwide. The Ratiopharm purchase marks the biggest takeover in the generic drugs market since Teva bought Barr Pharmaceuticals for $7.46 billion in 2008. The combined entity will hold the leading market position in 10 European markets, including the U.K., Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, as well as a top three ranking in 17 countries, including Germany, Poland, France and the Czech Republic. Teva also expects its sales to nearly double in Canada as a result of the deal. Shlomo Yanai, Tevas president and CEO, said during an investors call that the acquisition was key component in its 2015 strategy. By that time, the company expects $31 billion in revenue and $6.8 billion in net income. Pfizer had been very interested in Ratiopharm, but wasnt prepared to put significantly more than 3 billion on the table, according to the  Wall Street Journal,  citing sourcesSources say that Pfizer might cast its eye on Stada, another German generics maker. Stadas stock shot up 2 percent to an 18-month high after news of the Teva-Ratiopharm deal broke, according to  Reuters. 8.2 Merck-Millipore Merck completed the acquisition of life science company Millipore on Feb. 28.   Millipores products and services are used for drug discovery, process development and drug manufacturing. Merck acquired Millipore for approximately $7.0 billion.The companies decided on a price of $107 that was paid in cash per share for Millipores common stock.   Table 1: Top 20 MA deals since 2000 Rank Partners Date Value, US$m 1 Pfizer Warner Lambert Feb 00 $90,000 2 Pfizer Wyeth Jan 09 $68,000 3 Sanofi Aventis Apr 04 $65,000 4 Pfizer Pharmacia Jul 02 $60,000 5 PG Gillette Jan 05 $57,000 6 Roche Genentech Jul 08 $46,800 7 Merck Schering-Plough Mar 09 $41,000 8 Boston Sci. Guidant Dec 05 $27,000 9 Bayer Schering AG Mar 06 $21,500 10 Dow Rohm Haas Jul 08 $18,800 11 JJ Warner Lambert Jun 06 $16,600 12 AstraZeneca MedImmune Apr 07 $15,600 13 Amgen Immunex Dec 01 $14,800 14 Schering-Plough Organon Mar 07 $14,500 15 Merck KgaA Serono Sep 06 $13,300 16 Novartis Alcan Apr 08 $11,000 17 Fisher Sci. Thermo Elec. May 06 $10,600 18 JJ Alza Mar 01 $10,500 19 General Elec. Amersham Oct 03 $9,500 20 Takeda Millennium Apr 08 $8,800 Table 2: Top MA deals 2009 Rank Partners Date Value, US$m 1 Pfizer Wyeth Jan 09 $68,000 2 Roche Genentech Mar 09 $48,000 3 Merck Schering-Plough Mar 09 $41,000 4 TPG IMS Health Nov 09 $5,200 5 GSK Stiefel Apr 09 $3,600 6 Dainippon Sepracor Sep 09 $2,600 7 BMS Medarex Jul 09 $2,400 8 Sanofi-Aventis Chattem Dec 09 $1,900 9 Watson Arrow Group Jun 09 $1,750 10 Varian Agilent Jul 09 $1,500 11 Gilead CV Therapeutics Mar 09 $1,400 12 Abbott Adv. Med. Optics Mar 09 $1,300 13 JJ Cougar May 09 $970 14 Lundbeck Ovation Feb 09 $900 15 Onyx Proteolix Oct 09 $850 Table 3: Top MA deals 2010 Rank Partners Date Value, US$m 1 Novartis/Nestle Alcon Aug 10 $28,300 2 Sanofi Genzyme Aug 10 $18,500 3 Merck KgaA Millipore Feb 10 $7,000 4 Teva Ratiopharm Mar 10 $4,925 5 OSI Astellas May 10 $4,000 6 Reckitt SSL Jul 10 $3,900 7 NBTY The Carlyle Group Jul 10 $3,800 8 Abbott Piramal May 10 $3,700 9 Pfizer King Oct 10 $3,600 10 Grifols Talecris Jun 10 $3,400 11 Biovail Valeant Jun 10 $3,300 12 Celgene Abraxis Jun 10 $2,900 13 Covidien ev3 Jun 10 $2,600 14 Crucell JJ Sep 10 $2,300 15 McKesson US Oncology Nov 10 $2,000 16 Wuxi C. River (term.) Apr 10 $1,600 17 Cardinal Kinray Nov 10 $1,300 18 Aspen Sigma (term.) May 10 $1,240 19 Qualitest Endo Sep10 $1,200 20 Inventiv Thomas H Lee May 10 $1,100 21 3M Cogent Aug 10 $943 22 Boehringer Ing. SSP Feb 10 $913 23 BMS ZymoGenetics Sep 10 $885 24 Perrigo PBM Holdings Mar 10 $808 25 Avid Eli Lilly Nov 10 $800