Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example nd names and private label brands under the Next name, including a variety of menswear, womenswear, child-focused clothing and accessories, and limited houseware products. Next has captured the attention of its target market, which is generally the 18 to 40 year old markets, by providing moderately-priced, contemporary clothing and accessory products that are comparable to the higher quality and higher priced merchandise offered by many High Street stores in the United Kingdom. Next has, since 1999, focused strongly on its online sales division, NextDirect, which recently provided the business 44 percent of its total operating revenues (Next Plc 2012). The business is strategically positioned in terms of service quality excellence, which is supported by considerable capital investments into improving convenience and the home delivery service processes (Next Plc 2012). The business utilises a focused low-cost strategy which allows the organisation to dedicate its service and product-c entric resources to specific markets drawn to the trendy and fashionable merchandise offerings that cater to the younger, contemporary target markets. In a hyper-competitive retail environment, Next is able to outperform even High Street stores and long-standing retailer brands, such as Marks and Spencer, by effectively meeting the needs of a narrower market segment. Many of Next’s competitors, which include Zara, Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, New Look and Matalan (to name only a few), operate in highly competitive retail environments and seek to utilise broad differentiation strategies to create an effective market position in the minds of desired target consumers. The difficulty that many competitors face in this differentiation strategy is that many marketing tactics under this strategy are easy to replicate, with product quality and pricing no longer being viable methods of differentiation (Bennet and Rundle-Thiele 2004; Nandan 2005). However, many of these competitors cater to

Koyo Jean Internationalization Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Koyo Jean Internationalization Strategy - Essay Example The acronym PESTEL bears its origin from the combination of the first letters of these factors. Discussed under, are the various roles played by each one of these factors in the marketing of premium jeans in both South Korea and Brazil. To begin with the PESTEL Analysis of South Korea, the country enjoys political stability, though in the year 1997, there was a financial crisis in the same country, something which affected the country’s economic status. However, some strategies were laid down and in 1998, one year thereafter, the country’s economic status stabilized again. A few years later, the country’s technology also grew making it one the world’s largest technological markets. Socially, the country is characterized by an aging population due to both low fertility and population growth. Despite the low population, the country has a highly competent labour force that facilitates the production and commercialization of advanced technologies which in turn lead to the flourishing of the marketing of the Koyo Jeans designed by William Cheung. The complex and lengthy legal procedures discourage investors. When it comes to the environment of the country, there is unreasonable breach of emission standards. PESTEL Analysis of Brazil shows some similarities though, at the same time brings a few out some differences. Economically, the prices of premium jeans are high due to taxes. Socially, Brazil has a high population than South Korea, hence presenting a strong work force. The country is also technologically advanced hence able to compete favourably with other errant countries including South Korea (Keller & Price, 2011). Porter’s Diamond, named after Michael Porter is an analysis tool for assessing the ability of a country to compete internationally with respect to: factor endowments, firm strategy, structure and rivalry, related and supporting industries, Demand conditions. As discussed earlier, the populations of the two countrie s are contrasting in that South Korea’s Population is small while Brazil’s is large. The large population of Brazil plays a role in labour provision hence making it compete favourably. On the other hand, South Korea despite having a small population, the population is informed in matters relating to technology. This helps the countries to compete favourably. There is need for both countries to come up with long-term objectives so as to help them cope up with completion not just from each other but even from other like-minded countries; those dealing in the designing and marketing of premium jeans worldwide. One of the major strategies is the evident economic and political stability in both countries. The existence of other clothe industries in these countries also plays a significant role. The benefits accruing from the investment in both basic and advanced factors by related firms can spill over. This is characterized by the existence of other industries designing oth er kinds of clothes, which can be worn together with these premium jeans. The worldwide high demand for premium jeans, starting from the citizens of the designing countries (South Korea and Brazil) stimulates the production since this ensures availability of the market. Mode of entry Market mode of entry is a detailed plan designed by a company that shows how it endeavors to enter into a new market (Root, 1994). It is normally a complex decision to make because of its associated risks creating fear for most companies. Koyo jean's entry to South Korea and Brazil should opt to employ exporting, licensing, franchising or joint ventures. Joint ventures normally start

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Methods

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Methods INTRODUCTION Autoimmunity is the inability of an organism in recognizing its own parts as  self, which triggers an abnormal immune response against its own cells or tissues. Due to such a response, autoimmune diseases occur. Autoimmune diseases are broadly divided into the following: Systemic autoimmune diseases: The symptoms and damage occurs throughout the body, i.e the antigen is not tissue-specific. Localized autoimmune diseases: The damage is localized, i.e., the antigen is tissue specific. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic  inflammatory, systemic autoimmune disorderthat may affect many tissues and organs, but mainly attacks the flexible (synovial) joints. 75% of the reported cases of RA occur in women, especially at age: 30 and 40 years and between 50 and 60 years (Bach, 1982). It can be a disabling and  painful  condition, which can lead to consequential loss of mobility and function if not treated adequately. But it is still unclear whether T-cells primarily respond to a microbial antigen, or a self-constituent antigen (Chiniet al., 2002). Lesions developed in RA appear to be involved in both cell-mediated and humoral responses. Prior research work focused on identifying the cells present in the affected synovium, and has been concluded that CD4+ T lymphocytes, active B lymphocytes, and plasma cells, combined with well-formed lymphoid follicles having germinal centers (in more serious cases), are present in the synovium of the patients (Abbas et al., 1994). Major cells present in the synovial filtrate of patients are T-cells, and a partial therapeutic effect was observed due to depletion of T-cells in these patients (Berneret al., 2000). Present understanding of RA conveys that TH1 cells which are specific for a particular antigen (which hasn’t been identified yet) are present in the joints of the patients. Pathogenesis and symptoms Fig1.1: Release of cytokines due to T-cell activation causing an inflamed synovium and pannus. Cytokines released in the synovium are Interleukin(IL)-1, IL-8, Interferon-gamma (INF-gamma), and Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha(TNF-alpha). But the clinically important ones are IL-1 and TNF-alpha. These cytokines stimulate increase in collaginases, IL-6, chemokines, nitric oxide and Cyclo-oxigenase-2(COX-2) production. The combined action of these and a few others like IL-2 and IL-4 lead to the pathogenesis of the disease. Other than antigens, RA also involves antibodies- this is most likely due to formation of immune complexes. The auto-antibodies produced are called ‘rheumatoid factors’ and are specific to the Fc region of IgG. This rheumatoid factor is an IgM antibody and hence the immune complex consists of IgG-IgM which cause the damage (Janeway et al., 2001). Symptoms include stiffness, pain, swelling, and erythema, joints become tender, swollen, and warm. As it progresses, multiple joints would be affected (polyarthritis). The clinical manifestations are collection of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages at the inflamed region, cartilage damage, and, destruction of the joint Synovitis (inflammation of the synovium) can lead to  tethering  of tissue, lack of movement and erosion of the surface leading to deformity and loss of function. Systemic complexities are damage to various other organs like lungs, myocardia, pericardia pleura, eyes, and Central Nervous System as a result of inflammatory reactions (fig-1.1). Many agents are now available to treat RA, and many of them are monoclonal antibodies. Several new monoclonal antibodies are currently under development and hopefully will be available as other alternatives The focus of this paper is to state the latest therapeutic monoclonal antibodies being used for RA treatment, to state their merits and demerits and whether they are better than normal drugs/medication. Monoclonal antibodies with different mechanisms of action and route of administration are discussed and whether they pose as good therapeutic agents with an acceptable safety profile. 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1  Treatment of Rhematoid Arthritis Some of the treatments for RA are: Anti-TNF-alphaTreatments Medications Therapeutic monoclonal antibody treatment Earlier it was believed that if one cytokine signal cascade was blocked then another cytokine would takeover. It was hypothesized that IL-1 caused the cartilage and bone damage.Through a study(at Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology), it was found that IL-1 bioactivity had stopped due to TNF-alpha blocking. This led to the development of anti-TNF-alpha treatments like- cyotokine antibodies and soluble-receptor antagonists (Feldmann et al., 1999). There are mainly four types of medications being used- Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), immuno-suppressants, and corticosteroids (glucocorticoids).(Rang et al.,1995). DMARDs include pencillamines (Cuprimine ®, Depen ®), gold compounds (Myochrysine ®, Ridaura ®) and chloroquine (Plaquenil ®). Although their mechanism of action is not properly understood, they have a very significant effect on RA patients. NSAIDs like asprin, ibuprofen (Advil  ®), ketoprofen (Orudis ®), naproxen (Naprosyn ®), etc.. have a variety of effects like anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, and analgesic effects.Immuno-suppressants like cyclosporine and cytotoxic agents like azathioprine suppress both humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Corticosteroids like prednisone, hydrocortisone, etc., have immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects (Rang et al.,1995). 2.1.1 Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies: Each B-cell synthesizes only one kind of antibody and every organism has various populations of B-cells which secrete various antibodies specific to various antigens being recognized. But in order to turn this function into a helpful tool, we need huge amounts of a same antibody. So we need to culture a B-cell population originating from the same ancestral B-cell and hence obtaining the same kind of antibodies.Such a population of cells are called ‘monoclonal’ and the antibodies are‘monoclonal antibodies’(mAbs).Such monoclonal antibodies used for various therapeutic purposes are referred to as ‘therapeutic monoclonal antibodies’. If a specific antibody of a B-lymphocyte is needed, that B-cell should be secreted in an organism. So the antigen for which the antibody is needed is injected into a mouse and it secretes the B-cell antibodies against the antigen. Such B-cells are isolated from the spleen and fused with myeloma cells (using Poly Ethylene glycol, or electroporation), forming hybridomas. To selectively isolate the hybridoma cells, they are grown in HAT(Hypoxanthine AminopterinThyamidine) medium. (Fig 2.1.1) The cancer cells are HGPRT- and the B-cells are HGPRT+(HGPRT is an enzyme Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase which helps in the synthesis of nucleotides from hypoxanthine). Therefore, all the unfused myeloma cells die in the HAT medium and all the unfused B-cells can’t divide for long and only the hybridoma cells survive indefinitely. It is from these cells that the antigen-specific antibodies are labelled and isolated using radioactivity or immunofluorescence. Fig 2.1.1- A summary of the process of monoclonal antibody production. Types Till date there are four types of therapeutic mAbs- Murine Chimeric Humanized Human Murine antibodies (suffix omab)refer tomAbs made from any mammal of the family muridae (like mouse, rat). These mAbs were produced using hybridoma technology and were analogous to murine antibodies. But these were not a success because immune complexes formed due to which they only had a short half-life in vivo and caused cytotoxicity resulting in allergies and anaphylactic shocks .Hence these were replaced by chimeric and humanizedmAbs.Chimeric mAbs (suffix ximab) has variable regions of murine and constant region of humans fused together (they are 65% human). This decreases immunogenicity. Humanized antibodies (suffix –zumab) are made by grafting murine hyper-variable region onto the amino acid region of the human Abs (they are 85% human). However, these antibodies lacked the specificity of their parent murine mAbsso, affinity was increased by introducing mutations in the CDR (complementarity determining region). Phage display libraries or transgenic mice are use to produce human mAbs (suffix –umab). In this the murine genome is injected with the human immunoglobulin genes due to which it becomes transgenic. This mouse is injected with the desired antigen to yield the subsequent mAbs(Hudson PJ, Souriau C., 2003). 2.1.1.1 Monoclonal Antibodies Directed Against TNF-ÃŽ ± TNF-ÃŽ ± is a key mediator of the inflammation-induced joint damage that is a hallmark of this disease. Monoclonal antibodies to TNF bind soluble and transmembrane TNF, thereby down-regulating TNF-induced immune responses including adhesion molecule expression, cytokine production, matrix metalloproteinase production, neutrophil activities, dendritic cell function and osteoclast differentiaion. (Blumi S, Jet al.,2012) Monoclonal antibodies to TNF, except for certolizumab have the ability to lyse TNF-expressing cells in the presence of complement. (Kukar M, et al.,2009). Currently there are four mAbs approved for the treatment of RA Infliximab This is a chimeric IgG1 mAb and has human constant region with murine variable regions.(Perdriger A., 2009). This is best used with methotextrate(MTX) and is available only in the intravenus form. In 2001, it was approved by the FDA in combination with MTX to treat moderate to severe RA. Effectiveness and improvement in the disease compared to placebo was shown in multiple, randomized trials(Elliott MJ, et al., 1993) ,( Lipsky PE, et al., 2000), (MainiRN, et al., 2004). It was proven to be effective in early stages of the disease (et al., 2004).Given that influximab is comprised of a significant proportion of murine protein it was anticipated that patients would develop antichimeric antibodies that could impair the efficacy and increase the risk of infusion reactions. The combination of infliximab and MTX results in a substantial reduction in antichimeric antibody and increased serum infliximab levels.. Adalimumab Adalimumab is a human recombinant IgG1 mAb that has no murine component and is produced by phage display technology. It was FDA/EMA approved in, or soon after, 2002 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA as monotherapy or in combination with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). It is available in the subcutaneous form at a dose of 40 mg every 2 weeks. Despite adalimumab being a fully human antibody, anti-adalimumab antibodies have been detected in a significant number of patients(Vincent FB, Morland EF, Murphy Ket al.2013). Adalimumab responses and long-term sustainability may be reduced by anti-adalimumab antibodies, but adalimumab generally has good sustainability similar to that of etanercept and generally better than infliximab. Golimumab Golimumab is a fully human IgG1 anti-TNF-ÃŽ ± antibody that was generated and affinity matured in an in vivo system. It is very similar in structure to infliximab without the mouse protein. It was approved by the FDA/EMA in or soon after 2009 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA in combination with MTX(Kremer J, et al,2010). Certolizumab Certolizumabpegol is a humanized Fab fragment (Fc free) fused to a 40-kd polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety. It was FDA/EMA approved in 2009 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA as monotherapy or in combination with MTX. It is available in the subcutaneous form at a dose of 400 mg at 0, 2 and 4 weeks, then every 2 weeks or 400 mg every 4 weeks. 2.1.1.2 Antibodies against B Cells B cells are critical to the pathogenesis of RA. Mature B cells may evolve into antibody producing plasma cells. Although the precise role of B-cell-producing autoantibodies in RA remains unclear, B cell and plasma cell infiltration into synovium has consistently been found.In addition to their role as precursors to antibody producing plasma cells, B cells may function as antigen-presenting cells and may also produce inflammatory cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules important for T-cell function.(TngYKO,et al., 2007). Rituximab As rituximab is a B-cell-depleting agent, chimeric/IgG1 monoclonal antibody which binds to the CD20 cell surface marker found on several maturation stages of B lymphocytes. It gained FDA/EMA approval in 2006 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA in combination with MTX in patients with inadequate response to anti-TNF. Rituximab is given via the intravenous route at a dose of 1000 mg for two doses 2 weeks apart for each cycle. The first study evaluated rituximab in RA was reported by Edwardset al., 2004.Four treatment groups consisting of MTX monotherapy, rituximab monotherapy, rituximab plus cyclophosphamide and rituximab plus MTX were compared, and all rituximab groups had a better ACR20 response compared with MTX monotherapy, with a comparable safety profile. 2.1.1.3 Antibodies That Interfere With IL-6 Function IL-6 is a cytokine produced by immunologically important cells that has an important role in T-cell activation and immunoglobulin secretion.It also stimulates synovial fibroblast differentiation and osteoclast activation.Dysregulation of IL-6 is also, in part, responsible for many of the generalized systemic effects of RA, including anemia of chronic disease as well as the acute phase reactants seen in this disease(Tanaka.Tet al. , 2010). Tocilizumab Previously called MRA, tocilizumab is a humanized/IgG1 mAb directed against IL-6 receptor in its soluble and transmembrane form. It was approved by the FDA/EMA in early 2010, or slightly before, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA in patients with an inadequate response to DMARDs and/or anti-TNF. A subcutaneous form of tocilizumab is currently under study. It is also indicated in patients with anemia of chronic disease since it dramatically increases hemoglobin as a consequence of reduction in hepcidin – the protein that inhibits iron utilization in RA. 2.1.1.4 Antibodies That Interfere With IL-1 Function IL-1 is produced by many cell types in response to myriad inflammatory stimuli and mediates multiple immunologic and inflammatory pathways. In patients with RA, the levels of naturally produced IL-1 receptor antagonist in the synovium is thought to be insufficient to counteract the increased levels of IL-1 produced in this disease (Arend WP., 2002) Anakinra Anakinra is the recombinant form of a human receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), and was approved by the FDA/EMA in, or slightly after, 2002 at a daily dose of 100 mg subcutaneously for moderate-to-severe RA that has been unresponsive to initial disease DMARD therapy. It has been studied in RA in several trials. (Fleischmann RM.et al,  2003) 2.1.1.5 Safety Infections Infections are the most common adverse event associated with the use of all biologics. Infection risks with anakinra and tocilizumab are probably similar to the TNF inhibitors, with rituximab perhaps having slightly less risk.Infection risk may be higher with the use of increased doses of infliximab and anakinra.Respiratory tract infections are most commonly reported. The risk of granulomatous infections, such as tuberculosis, is also increased in patients using monoclonal antibody TNF inhibitors. Malignancies The use of TNF inhibitors in patients with RA has not been associated with an increased risk of solid cancers, with the exception of cutaneous malignancies.. Malignancies have been reported with anakinra, tocilizumab and rituximab, but the risk does not seem higher than predicted in RA patients.(Ding T et al., 2010)Longer-term follow-up is required to more clearly understand the risk of malignancies with these drugs. Demyelinating diseases Symptoms of demyelinating neurologic dysfunction have been associated with TNF inhibitors. Resolution of these symptoms with drug withdrawal is common. TNF inhibitors should be withdrawn immediately if neurologic symptoms occur with use, and probably should be avoided in patients with pre-existing demylelinating symptoms(Ding T, Ledinghamet al., 2010).   3. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 3.1 Drugs vs mAbs Just as monoclonal antibodies have various side effects the medication used for RA also have various complications There have been many news reports about how pain-killing drugs known as COX-2 blockers increase heart attack and stroke risks. Additional studies suggested that older non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen could also elevate heart risks.One of the culprits: methotrexate. It’s the most commonly prescribed disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, orDMARD, for rheumatoid arthritis. It’s also responsible for hair loss in about 1 to 3 percent of people. The hair loss happens because methotrexate is doing what it’s supposed to do – stop cells from growing, including cells causing inflammation and, unfortunately, hair follicles. Folic acid, which is commonly prescribed with methotrexate to mitigate some of its side effects, is a synthetic form of folate, a B-complex vitamin. It can help keep hair healthy, but it has not been fou nd to promote hair growth.Generally as a drug-related side effect, the hair loss is not drastic and the hair does not fall out in patches. And it usually grows back once the patients stop taking the drug.So as of now, most of thesuccesful treatments for RA using monoclonal antibodies are in combination with methotrexate. 3.2 Conclusion and future prospects Monoclonal antibodies with different mechanisms of action and route of administration are highly effective therapeutic agents in the treatment of RA with an acceptable safety profile. Choosing the appropriate treatment is a complex decision that is affected by clinical data, physician and patient preference, and payers. Almost undoubtedly, these types of agents will continue to be important agents in the rheumatologists armamentarium. How to use these agents more selectively, particularly regarding which agents are best for which patients, hopefully will be better established in the future with new biomarkers. Prediction as to what agent to use in the right patient at the right time is clearly a research priority. Monoclonal antibodies as new agents are expensive, and the cost/benefit analysis justifying their use is also critical to practitioners. . Many aspects regarding the efficacy and safety of the supposedly cheaper biologics need to be evaluated before they are available for w idespread use, but their availability and the emergence of new agents in the future may substantially change the RA treatment landscape. Although current therapies can reduce the signs and symptoms of RA for many patients, the quest for a cure (or a more complete blockade of the structural damage) in RA is still ongoing and will need treatment approaches, which are not exclusively confined to blocking a particular cytokine, receptor, or auto-reactive B or T cell involved in disease progression. To this end exciting treatment alternatives and drug targets are on the horizon that may become available to patients in the future.

Behavioral and Side Effects of Caffeine :: Coffee Caffeine Science Chemistry Research Papers

Behavioral and Side Effects of Caffeine Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive drug in the world (Solinas et al, 2002). Caffeine has been known to have many side effects on hour external behavior and our internal physiological behavior. We use caffeine in our lives to sometimes stay awake to study or just get through the day. Caffeine decreases the blood flow to the brain by constricting the blood vessels but can also increase blood flow after continuous intake that may cause headaches (Kalat, 2004). Caffeine has a tendency to block adenosine (A1-, A2A-, A2B-, A3), which increases throughout the day to allow us to sleep and then decreases as we sleep which allows us to wake. Thus, if caffeine blocks adenosine we are unable to sleep when feeling the urge or wanting to sleep, which may cause us to decrease our caffeine intake. Caffeine acts to antagonize adenosine receptors, which then affects cell populations because it counteracts many adenosine effects. The caffeine mainly has an effect on the A2a adenosine receptors which then elevates the energy metabolism in the brain and also causes a decrease in cerebral blood flow (Cameron,et.al, 1990; Ghelardini, et.al, 1997; Nehliget.al,1992; Neuhauser-Berthold et.al, 1997). Along with caffeine affecting the adenosine it also has an effect on GABA receptors and the release of dopamine (Nehlig et.al, 1992). Caffeine not only blockades adenosine it also releases intracellular calcium, inhibits phosphodiesterases and blockade or regulatory sites of GABAa-receptors (Gupta and Gupta, 1999). Withdrawal symptoms of caffeine are headache, drowsiness, fatigue and lethargy (Gupta and Gupta, 1999). Dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission is modulated by adenosine in the striatum. Adenosine A1 in the nerve terminals inhibits dopamine and glutamate from being released. Caffeine has an effect in this system by antagonizing of adenosine, which can then stimulate neurotransmitters to release dopamine and stimulate dopamine receptors (Solinas et al, 2002). A study done on rats showed that caffeine increased extracelluar concentrations of dopamine and glutamate in the shell of the nucleus accumbens (Solinas et al, 2002). These results of dopamine and glutamate in the shell of the nucleus accumbens might be related to the psycho stimulant effects of caffeine (Solinas et al, 2002). Studies show that Dopamine2 receptors are needed for caffeine activation in the brain (Zahniseret al, 2000). Adenosine receptors, dopamine receptors and GABA have been shown in studies to be involved in

Supplier and Partnering Processes Essay

For many businesses, goods and services provided by suppliers or partners account for a significant portion of the cost and value of the final product. Suppliers include not only companies that provide materials and components, but also distributors, transportation companies, and information, healthcare, and education providers. Key suppliers might provide unique design, technology, integration, or marketing capabilities that are not available within the business, and therefore can be critical to achieving such strategic objectives as lower costs, faster time-to-market, and improved quality. Organizational partners might include educational institutions that collaborate on research and training. (Conversely, a company might be viewed as a partner for an educational institution.) Increasingly, suppliers are viewed as partners with customers, because there usually is a co-dependent relationship. A powerful example of supplier partnerships is the response that occurred when a fire destroyed the main source of a crucial $5 brake valve for Toyota.1 Without it, Toyota had to shut down its 20 plants in Japan. Within hours of the disaster, other suppliers began taking blueprints, improvising tooling systems, and setting up makeshift production lines. Within days, the 36 suppliers, aided by more than 150 other subcontractors, had almost 50 production lines making small batches of the valve. Even a sewing-machine company that had never made car parts spent 500 person-hours refitting a milling machine to make just 40 valves a day. Toyota promised the suppliers a bonus of about $100 million â€Å"as a token of our appreciation.† Strong customer/supplier relationships are based on three guiding principles: 1.Recognizing the strategic importance of suppliers in accomplishing business objectives, particularly minimizing the total cost of ownership, 2.Developing win-win relationships through long-term partnerships rather than as adversaries, and 3.Establishing trust through openness and honesty, thus leading to mutual advantages. One example of these principles is the Baldwin Piano & Organ Company, which set up a 10-year agreement with Southland Marketing Inc. for piano plates to get  Ã¢â‚¬Å"higher quality, more consistent supply, and lower cost.†2 Baldwin helped finance the purchase of the equipment needed to finish the plates. The contract is expected to save Baldwin 10 percent a year on its plate costs. Successful suppliers have a culture where employees and managers share in customers’ goals, commitments, and risks to promote such long-term relationships (recall one of Deming’s 14 Points about supplier relationships–not purchasing solely on the basis of price). In many companies, suppliers are treated as if they were actually a part of the organization. For example, functions such as cafeteria service, mailroom operations, and information processing are being performed by suppliers at their customers’ facilities. As more and more of this type of outsourcing is done, the lines between the customer and the supplier become increasingly blurred. Many companies segment suppliers into categories based on their importance to the business and manage them accordingly. For example, at Corning, Level 1 suppliers, who provide raw materials, cases, and hardware, are deemed critical to business success and are managed by teams that include representatives from engineering, materials control, purchasing, and the supplier company. Level 2 suppliers provide specialty materials, equipment, and services, and are managed by internal customers. Level 3 suppliers provide commodity items and are centrally managed by purchasing.3 Measurement plays an important role in supplier management. Texas Instruments measures suppliers’ quality performance by parts per million defective, percentage of on-time deliveries, and cost of ownership.4 An electronic requisitioning system permits a paperless procurement process. More than 800 suppliers are linked to Texas Instruments through an information exchange system. Integrated data systems track the incoming quality and timeliness of deliveries as materials are received. Analytical reports and on-line data are used to identify material defect trends. Performance reports are sent each month to key suppliers. Joint customer-supplier teams are formed to communicate and improve performance. A supplier management task force of top managers directs current and strategic approaches to improving supplier management practices. Finally, communication, feedback, and recognition or awards are important practices in supplier and partnering processes. For instance, the Fastener Supply Corporation, which distributes fasteners, electronic hardware, and other products to over 300 customers makes frequent contact with its 250 suppliers, invites them to company functions and shares such information as customers’ forecasted requirements.5 Feedback should provide timely and actionable information to suppliers to lead to improvement and ensure that suppliers meet the organization’s performance requirements. At Fastener, any potential performance problems are brought to attention with prompt notice and immediate feedback. An annual award dinner recognizes outstanding suppliers for quality and continuous improvement. Many companies such as Bethlehem Steel, Miller Brewing, and Honda, make a point of delivering supplier awards not only to upper management at a fancy banquet, but also to the workers on the shop floor. â€Å"It’s one thing for the boss to say that quality is important, but another thing entirely for the customer to come out and say it,† says Jerry Schiedt, corporate purchasing director for Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee. â€Å"When we actually visit a plant to present an award to the folks who made the award possible, then we build a relationship with the company and the folks on the floor who do the work to ensure the quality of the products we buy.†6 Supplier Certification Many companies use some type of supplier certification systems as the focal point of their supplier management system. These systems rate and certify suppliers who provide quality materials in a cost-effective and timely manner. For example, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association defines a certified supplier as one that, after extensive investigation, is found to supply material of such quality that routine testing on each lot received is unnecessary. Certification provides recognition for high-quality suppliers, which motivates them to improve continuously and attract more business. The details of supplier certification processes vary by company. For instance, Florida Power and Light has a three-tier certification program.7 Vendors (another term for suppliers) can be certified as a â€Å"Quality Vendor,† â€Å"Certified Vendor,† and â€Å"Excellent Vendor.† To become a Quality Vendor, a  supplier’s products or services must meet basic requirements of quality, cost, delivery, and safety. In addition, the supplier must have a quality improvement process in place and be able to demonstrate that this has achieved significant improvements. It must also have an audit system to certify the process and the results. To become a Certified Vendor, the supplier must have demonstrated the use of statistical process control and prove that its processes can meet FPL’s specification requirements. It must also be able to document capability and have a plan for continuous quality improvement. To achieve Excellent Vendor status, suppliers must demonstrate the ability to exceed FPL’s specification requirements, employ reliability assurance techniques, and show that quality improvement is a central part of their management system. At the Gillette Company, the supplier certification program begins with Gillette identifying those suppliers with a proven ability to meet its specifications.8 Once a supplier is selected to participate, Gillette expects them to establish a pre-production planning system to assess the capability of their process to meet Gillette’s specifications. Feedback is offered in the form of recommended changes that will improve quality, reduce cost, or facilitate ease of manufacture. Supplier certification programs can be time-consuming and expensive to administer. One approach to avoiding unnecessary audit costs and helping to assure buyers that specified practices are being followed is to create a uniform set of standards–an independent and transportable supplier qualification system, such as ISO 9000.

The Ultimate Punishment: a Defense by Ernest Van Den Haag

The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense by Ernest Van Den Haag In The Ultimate Punishment, Van Den Haag talks about the death penalty in the United States and takes the stance that it is morally justifiable and sometimes needs to be a punishment that is used to gain retribution. He states, â€Å"It ends the existence of those punished, instead of temporarily imprisoning them. † A murderer has taken away the lives of other people, as well as punishing the family members indirectly causing them pain. Therefore not only is this retribution to the person who was killed, but also to the people that the victim was survived by.The first section of this article is about distribution of equality. Van Den Haag states, â€Å"The ideal of justice demands that justice be equally distributed, not that it be replaced by equality. Justice requires that as many of the guilty as possible be punished, regardless of whether others have avoided punishment. † In other words justice to him is the idea that everyone will ‘get what they deserve’ or ‘an eye for an eye’ type of treatment. And even if somehow others have slipped through the cracks that doesn’t mean we should let more people do it too.Also that just because a few people have been wrongfully murdered it is part of the better good because of the number of people that have been rightfully convicted. Deterrence is also a big part of his views on the death penalty. â€Å"I believe the death penalty, because of its finality, is more feared than imprisonment, and deters some prospective murders not deterred by the threat of imprisonment. † Therefore if one person’s life is saved by the deterrence factor of a potential murderer not killing due to being afraid of the death penalty it is well worth it.Justice is also brought up in the last section of his article. Ernest believes that if you decide to commit the crime and still knowingly commit it when you know your consequences then why would you not be forced to suffer them? The following quote from Van Den Haag sums up his thoughts on the topic in one line, â€Å"By murdering, the murderer has so dehumanized himself that he cannot remain among the living. The social recognition of his self-degradation is the punitive essence of execution.

The Manhattan Project Essays - Manhattan Project, Code Names

The Manhattan Project Essays - Manhattan Project, Code Names The Manhattan Project On the morning of August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber named Enola Gay flew over the industrial city of Hiroshima, Japan and dropped the first atomic bomb ever. The city went up in flames caused by the immense power equal to about 20,000 tons of TNT. The project was a success. They were an unprecedented assemblage of civilian, and military scientific brain power?brilliant, intense, and young, the people that helped develop the bomb. Unknowingly they came to an isolated mountain setting, known as Los Alamos, New Mexico, to design and build the bomb that would end World War 2, but begin serious controversies concerning its sheer power and destruction. I became interested in this topic because of my interest in science and history. It seemed an appropriate topic because I am presently studying World War 2 in my Social Studies Class. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were always taught to me with some opinion, and I always wanted to know the bomb itself and the unbiased effects that it had. This I-search was a great opportunity for me to actually fulfill my interest. The Manhattan Project was the code name for the US effort during World War II to produce the atomic bomb. It was appropriately named for the Manhattan Engineer District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, because much of the early research was done in New York City (Badash 238). Sparked by refugee physicists in the United States, the program was slowly organized after nuclear fission was discovered by German scientists in 1938, and many US scientists expressed the fear that Hitler would attempt to build a fission bomb. Frustrated with the idea that Germany might produce an atomic bomb first, Leo Szilard and other scientists asked Albert Einstein, a famous scientist during that time, to use his influence and write a letter to president FDR, pleading for support to further research the power of nuclear fission (Badash 237). His letters were a success, and President Roosevelt established the Manhattan Project. Physicists from 1939 onward conducted much research to find answers to such questions as how many neutrons were emitted in each fission, which elements would not capture the neutrons but would moderate or reduce their velocity , and whether only the lighter and scarcer isotope of uranium (U-235) fissioned or the common isotope (U-238) could be used. They learned that each fission releases a few neutrons. A chain reaction, therefore, was theoretically possible, if not too many neutrons escaped from the mass or were captured by impurities. To create this chain reaction and turn it into a usable weapon was the ultimate goal of the Manhattan Project. In 1942 General Leslie Groves was chosen to lead the project, and he immediately purchased a site at Oak Ridge, Tenn., for facilities to separate the necessary uranium-235 from the much more common uranium-238. Uranium 235 was an optimal choice for the bomb because of its unusually unstable composition. Thus, the race to separate the two began. During that time, the work to perfect the firing mechanism and structure of the bomb was also swiftly underway. General Groves? initial task had been to select a scientific director for the bomb project. His first two choices, Ernest O. Lawrence, director of the electromagnetic separation project, and Arthur H. Compton, director of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, were not available. Groves had some doubts regarding the next best candidate, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Wood 2). Finally, Groves gambled on Oppenheimer, a theoretical mathematician, as director of the weapons laboratory, built on an isolated mesa (flat land area) at Los Alamos, New Mexico. After much difficulty, an absorbent barrier suitable for separating isotopes of uranium was developed and installed in the Oak Ridge gaseous diffusion plant. Finally, in 1945, uranium-235 of bomb purity was shipped to Los Alamos, where it was fashioned into a gun-type weapon. In a barrel, one piece of uranium was fired at another, together forming a supercritical, explosive mass. To achieve chain-reaction fission, a certain amount of fissile material, called critical mass, is necessary. The fissile material used in the Hiroshima model was uranium 235. In the bomb, the uranium was divided into two parts, both of which were

Ergonomics1 essays

Ergonomics1 essays Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the worker. When there is a mismatch between the physical requirements of the job and the physical capacity of the worker, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) can result. Workers who must repeat the same motion throughout their workday, work in an awkward position use a great deal of force to perform, repeatedly lift heavy objects or face a combination of these risk factors are most likely to develop WMSDs. In this report, I will outline the main factors in having a safe workstation. There are certain ways in which you may choose an ergonomically correct chair. Does the seat feel comfortable and fit you shape? When you sit in the chair the seat should be at least one inch wider than your hips and thighs on either side. The seat should not be too long for your legs otherwise it will catch you behind the knees or it will prevent you from leaning fully back. Most ergonomic chairs have a seat with a front that prevents the seat from catching you behind the knees. The seat should also be contoured to allow even weight distribution and it should be comfortable to sit on. Is the seat chair height adjustable? The chair should be adjustable so that you can adjust seat height while you are sitting on the chair. Some chairs have a mechanical height adjustment (spinning) mechanism. Does the chair have a comfortable lower back rest? Many chairs have cushioned lower back supports that can be adjusted up and down and forwards and backwards to fit your shape. If the chair has a fixed height lower back support and it feels comfortable when you sit back against this then a fixed lower back support may be acceptable. When you sit back against the lower back support is there space for hips? Insufficient hip room can make you sit too far forwards on the seat so that you will not have enough thigh support. Does the seat still feel comfortable after you've been sitting in it for 30 - 60 minutes? If...

Build a Bear, Build a Memory

They also demonstrate the underlying need that people have to entertain themselves. Wants: Although Build-A-Bear clients need to find a way to self-express and entertain themselves, they want to â€Å"step into a (†¦ genuine fantasy world organized around a child-friendly assembly line comprised of clearly labeled work stations†, where they can choose unstuffed animals from a bin, stuff them, include voice boxes, stitch them, dress them, name them, and even receive a birth certificate for their creation. This example is aligned with the idea that wants are the form human needs take as shaped by culture and individual personality. Demands: Giving their wants and resources, Build-A-Bear customers demand specific products that add up to the most valuable and satisfaction. Among the most relevant examples we can mention are both new store locations and accessories. â€Å"Mini-scooters, Hello Kitty bears, mascot bears at professional sport venues, and sequined purses† are also specific ideas that were interpreted as customers? demands by the company. Implication of each (needs, wants, and demands) on Build-A- Bear actions Needs, wants and demands have huge implications on Build-A-Bear actions. Not only by walking where customers walk, periodically checking its stores and assessing its customer service, but also by employing a mix of low-tech and high tech communication methods to interact with customers, Build-A-Bear demonstrates it is a truly customer-centric organization. This allows the company to fulfill their customers? needs, wants, and demands through successful market offerings, orchestrating several products and services to create brand experiences for customers. In detail, describe all facets of Build-A-Bear? product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear? s product has two different facets. There is a main facet formed by the intangible â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment† and there is also a second facet formed by a tangible bear that â€Å"children clutch as they leave the store†. The main facet begins when children step into a â€Å"cartoon land† and interact with the different stations of the â€Å"child-friendly assembly line†. The second one, in turn, has the distinctive sign of being unlike any they other object Build-A-Bear customers have ever bought or receive, â€Å"they have a product that they have created†. Identifying these two facets helps us determine what is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction. Base on the idea that an exchange is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something in return, we can say that Build-A-Bear presents both an experience and a tangible object to fulfill its customers? needs, wants, and demands. In return, the company receives an average of 25$ per built bear. However, it goes beyond simply attracting new customers and creating transactions. It truly builds and maintains desirable exchange relationships with its target audiences, retaining customers while growing their business. Which of the five marketing management concept best describes Build-A-Bear workshops? In my opinion, The Marketing Concept is the one that best describes Build-A-Bear workshops. By looking for innovative ways to interact with customers and using both low-tech and high-tech methods, Build-A-Bear? s demonstrate that knowing its customers? eeds, wants and demands and then delivering the desired satisfaction are key activities within the organization. As stated before, Build-A-Bear is a truly customer-centric organization. Discuss in detail the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Because customer-perceived value is the customer? s evaluation of the differences between all the benefits and all the costs of a marketing offer relative to those competing off ers, we will use the marketing offer of Vermont Teddy Bear Company to discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. On the one hand, Vermont Teddy Bear Company promotes its product as the only hand-made bear in America that is guaranteed for life. Thus, it is safe to assume that high quality is an important element of their market offer. On the other hand, Build-A-Bear value for customers comes not only from the tangible object, the bear, but also from â€Å"the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†, which led us to the following conclusion: Although bears are final outcomes for both companies, Build-A-Bear is giving more at a lower price. And that is why an average of 25$ for a customized product and for the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment is perceived as a marketing offer that gives more value to the customer compared with to the 50$ to 100$ that customers of Vermont Teddy Bear Company have to pay for a high quality bear. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships? Why or why not? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear is indeed likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships. Why? Because behind the actions the company? is taking to: (i) further expand the Build-A-Bear experience beyond the retail stores using its new website, and (ii) entering into new markets by opening at least 350 stores in the US, 120 stores in Europe, and 300 stores in other parts of the world, are two underlying efforts: build a personal connection with customers, and at the same time understand is clients needs, wants, and demands. Universidad L atinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia San Jose, Costa Rica Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales January, 2010 Bilingual Business Administration Principles of Marketing Cesar Eduardo Gonzalez My needs, wants and demands. As the title suggests, the purpose of this paper is to set forth my needs, wants, and demands. Because a common conceptual framework is very useful in every analysis, the first thing I? m going to do is refer to a brief definition of those terms. I will then explain what my needs are, dividing them into three categories: Physical needs, individual needs, and social needs just to make it easy for my readers. Right after, I will take a look at my wants. And I will finish with my demands. Common conceptual framework: Throughout this paper, I will understand needs as â€Å"states of felt depravation† and stick to the idea that they are not â€Å"created by marketers† but â€Å"a basic part of the human make up†. Wants, in turn, will be treated as â€Å"the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality†. They will also be described in terms of objects that will satisfy them, focusing only on those objects I can`t afford. I will do this to distinguish my wants from my demands. This means that I will understand demands as those wants that are actually backed by my purchasing power. My needs: Let? s start with the physical ones. Definitively, food and water are on the top of the list. As every human being, I need food to provide my body with the energy it will use each day. I need also to provide it with water to hydrate it properly. But there is a key point here. I? m just referring to limited portions of food and water or let`s say those that are essential for the human body to work. Thus, a 5. 000-calories-per-day diet seems either as a want or as a demand for average people but not as a need. Maybe not behind but next to food and water I would put air and sunlight. Definitively, those two are also among the essential physical needs every human has; and because I? m not the exception, I thought it was important to include them in my list of needs. I understand, though, that in the world not everyone is satisfying this need at a 100%-rate. Good examples of that can be found just by thinking of really air-polluted cities, such as Mexico DF, or thinking of those countries that receive little or no sunlight during several month every, such as Russia or Canada. But let`s thank we are not in any of those groups and move forward. After food, water, air, and sunlight, I would put cloth and shelter. As I mentioned before, I am just talking about basic stuff. Some examples could be a couple of pants, shirts, and sweaters to protect me from the weather and to cover the cloth section. A small house or flat, in turn, will be sufficient to cover the need of shelter. Thus, design cloth and luxury properties would be definitively in people? s wants or demand section, depending on his or her purchasing power. To finish with my physical-needs section, I would mention not only rest but movement and exercise. As every human being, I need to safe hours every day to sleep and rest. I understand the number of hours needed vary from one person to another, but in my case, 7 to 8 hours work perfectly well. Movement and exercise are important needs too. And although it seems that there are a lot of people out there that are not really aware of that, for me, 4 to 6 hours of exercise per week also work for me. Looking now at my individual needs, I would say that freedom and independence along with creativity and self expression are among the top of this list. As most human beings, I need to feel I can express my ideas and take my own decisions without having someone else telling me what to do or how. Here, I am not talking about homework or other duties at work; I am talking about more deep things, such as having someone telling you what to buy, sell, study, or work, where to live, with whom, or how. Sadly, if we look at political extremists, such as communist, not only in history but around us, we could find good examples of that. I consider that having the possibility of learning new things is also an important need, and as such, I included in my list. Here I am not talking about schools or universities, because, in my opinion, those would be wants or needs depending on everyone`s purchasing power. I am talking about learning in general terms. Last but not least, I would include having fun in my individual-need list. I think this is important in people`s life, and for me is not the exception either. I understand of course that for some people more than for others, this could be tough. But even under the worst circumstances people should try. Now, I will proceed with my social needs. In this category I would include affection, sense of belonging and friendship. For me and for every person I know all of them are very important needs that must be somehow satisfied. I would add to this point that satisfying them is not a matter of quantity of friends or people sharing your thoughts and ideas but a matter of quality and how strong are the bounds that you can create with others. Right after I would add respect. For me, this element plays a key role; and just as others, I need to be treated with respect. Acceptance, communication and understanding are also social need. My wants As everybody else, I have different wants. What interested me the most about them is that, apparently, they have no limits; or at least, that seems to be the consensus among most of the economist, especially when they give a look at the principles of the economic problem. Starting with food, and thinking about it not only in terms of tangible products but also in terms of services that would satisfy my wants, I would say that (at least for weekdays) a varied, healthy, home-style menu of food delivered right to my office would be great would probably satisfy my wants. For weekends in turn, I would say that Gourmet restaurants would also be on the list. In terms of cloth and shelter, my wants are also relatively big and considered as a group, they are also unaffordable, at least at this point. I can start by mentioning some tailored suits, long-sleeve shirts and a couple of pair of Italian shoes that match them would also be included. I would also add several ties, made of silk could be included to finish with the formal outfit. Then, for a more casual look, I would by tens of Hollyster Co. hirts. The reason why I want them is because they have a special fabric that makes it VERY easy to iron them, which safe me a lot of time. Some expensive, and durable black, beige, blue, and brown cotton pants, and jeans could be also on the list. This way I would leave Zara? s cloth behind, which is nice made to last just for a few months. Moving to the sport section, I would include special tennis for runners and several sport outfits. At this point Addidas o r new balance will be on the top of the list. Why? Again, is a matter of the perceived quality of fabrics, those brands (and of course others) have invested huge amounts of money to create high-tech cloth that regulate your internal temperature while you are performing any physical activity. Taking about shelter-related wants, I would put a 3 bedroom flat with a nice view, pool, and a tennis court. I can be here in Costa Rica or anywhere else, for example, at Vancouver, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc. At the end it will depend on where job opportunities are. But now, a flat with this description will fit perfectly well with my wants because I would have a room for me and my girlfriend, a room to use as a private office/library, and finally a guest room for family living overseas. Talking about the possibility of learning new things, I want to start a master program in a European university, especially if it is located in the UK or in the Netherlands. Why? Because I really like those countries and their universities are ranked among the top of the list. I would also add many books to my wants list, and here I? talking about really expensive ones. And finally looking forward to satisfy my both social needs of communication and individual needs of creativity, I would definitively add a Mac book air to my list of wants. The reason I choose this product is because it will give me not only the built-in camera and microphone that I use to call them through the internet (because today almost every computer include this feature) but because it wi ll give me the mobility and flexibility I need due to its light weight. Carrying my laptop at the airports won’t be a nightmare. And finally I will be more efficient at one of my hobbies, which is creating graphic material using Macromedia `s programs, because I will not have to wait for my slow PC. My demands: Sticking here to the idea that demands are the type of needs backed to my purchasing power, I have to admit that my list of demands has been self-limited almost to the basics. This means I have voluntarily decreased my level of consumption because I am a point where the act savings became a necessary step to achieve some of the goals I have set. For example, I would definitively include access to sport facilities to train between 3 to 4 times per week (or even more in those weird cases that I have the time and the will) to my list of demands. A gym membership, for example, could work perfectly well. Products and services that give me more useful time and increase my efficiency are also on my demand list. Here I`m talking about a Smartphone and the Voice Data packages that are offered by the phone company, which gives me exactly what I? looking for: High-speed internet access, interconnected email accounts, access to overseas radio stations, maps, calendar, address book, alarms, cameras, videos, the etc. Even though it is absolutely not among my favorite demands, gas is also on this list. I understand that public transport represent an alternative. But sadly it is slow and time-consuming, so to my regret public transportation services do not work for me. I also demand ingredients to prepare easy-to-cook, home-style food. Let`s say, fruits, frozen vegetables, chicken breasts, meat, milk, cereal, bread, cheese, juice, etc. Thinking about my individual need of learning new things, I demand related products and services that help me to satisfy it. Among the products, books usually play a central role. When it comes about services, in turn, high-speed internet access and being enrolled in university studies are crucial for me. To finish with my demand list, I would include my apartment, which is rented, and all the related public services. Water, light, land phone, is what I? m talking about here. Build a Bear, Build a Memory They also demonstrate the underlying need that people have to entertain themselves. Wants: Although Build-A-Bear clients need to find a way to self-express and entertain themselves, they want to â€Å"step into a (†¦ genuine fantasy world organized around a child-friendly assembly line comprised of clearly labeled work stations†, where they can choose unstuffed animals from a bin, stuff them, include voice boxes, stitch them, dress them, name them, and even receive a birth certificate for their creation. This example is aligned with the idea that wants are the form human needs take as shaped by culture and individual personality. Demands: Giving their wants and resources, Build-A-Bear customers demand specific products that add up to the most valuable and satisfaction. Among the most relevant examples we can mention are both new store locations and accessories. â€Å"Mini-scooters, Hello Kitty bears, mascot bears at professional sport venues, and sequined purses† are also specific ideas that were interpreted as customers? demands by the company. Implication of each (needs, wants, and demands) on Build-A- Bear actions Needs, wants and demands have huge implications on Build-A-Bear actions. Not only by walking where customers walk, periodically checking its stores and assessing its customer service, but also by employing a mix of low-tech and high tech communication methods to interact with customers, Build-A-Bear demonstrates it is a truly customer-centric organization. This allows the company to fulfill their customers? needs, wants, and demands through successful market offerings, orchestrating several products and services to create brand experiences for customers. In detail, describe all facets of Build-A-Bear? product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear? s product has two different facets. There is a main facet formed by the intangible â€Å"experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment† and there is also a second facet formed by a tangible bear that â€Å"children clutch as they leave the store†. The main facet begins when children step into a â€Å"cartoon land† and interact with the different stations of the â€Å"child-friendly assembly line†. The second one, in turn, has the distinctive sign of being unlike any they other object Build-A-Bear customers have ever bought or receive, â€Å"they have a product that they have created†. Identifying these two facets helps us determine what is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction. Base on the idea that an exchange is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something in return, we can say that Build-A-Bear presents both an experience and a tangible object to fulfill its customers? needs, wants, and demands. In return, the company receives an average of 25$ per built bear. However, it goes beyond simply attracting new customers and creating transactions. It truly builds and maintains desirable exchange relationships with its target audiences, retaining customers while growing their business. Which of the five marketing management concept best describes Build-A-Bear workshops? In my opinion, The Marketing Concept is the one that best describes Build-A-Bear workshops. By looking for innovative ways to interact with customers and using both low-tech and high-tech methods, Build-A-Bear? s demonstrate that knowing its customers? eeds, wants and demands and then delivering the desired satisfaction are key activities within the organization. As stated before, Build-A-Bear is a truly customer-centric organization. Discuss in detail the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. Because customer-perceived value is the customer? s evaluation of the differences between all the benefits and all the costs of a marketing offer relative to those competing off ers, we will use the marketing offer of Vermont Teddy Bear Company to discuss the value that Build-A-Bear creates for its customers. On the one hand, Vermont Teddy Bear Company promotes its product as the only hand-made bear in America that is guaranteed for life. Thus, it is safe to assume that high quality is an important element of their market offer. On the other hand, Build-A-Bear value for customers comes not only from the tangible object, the bear, but also from â€Å"the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment†, which led us to the following conclusion: Although bears are final outcomes for both companies, Build-A-Bear is giving more at a lower price. And that is why an average of 25$ for a customized product and for the experience of participating in the creation of personalized entertainment is perceived as a marketing offer that gives more value to the customer compared with to the 50$ to 100$ that customers of Vermont Teddy Bear Company have to pay for a high quality bear. Is Build-A-Bear likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships? Why or why not? In my opinion, Build-A-Bear is indeed likely to be successful in continuing to build customers relationships. Why? Because behind the actions the company? is taking to: (i) further expand the Build-A-Bear experience beyond the retail stores using its new website, and (ii) entering into new markets by opening at least 350 stores in the US, 120 stores in Europe, and 300 stores in other parts of the world, are two underlying efforts: build a personal connection with customers, and at the same time understand is clients needs, wants, and demands. Universidad L atinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia San Jose, Costa Rica Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales January, 2010 Bilingual Business Administration Principles of Marketing Cesar Eduardo Gonzalez My needs, wants and demands. As the title suggests, the purpose of this paper is to set forth my needs, wants, and demands. Because a common conceptual framework is very useful in every analysis, the first thing I? m going to do is refer to a brief definition of those terms. I will then explain what my needs are, dividing them into three categories: Physical needs, individual needs, and social needs just to make it easy for my readers. Right after, I will take a look at my wants. And I will finish with my demands. Common conceptual framework: Throughout this paper, I will understand needs as â€Å"states of felt depravation† and stick to the idea that they are not â€Å"created by marketers† but â€Å"a basic part of the human make up†. Wants, in turn, will be treated as â€Å"the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality†. They will also be described in terms of objects that will satisfy them, focusing only on those objects I can`t afford. I will do this to distinguish my wants from my demands. This means that I will understand demands as those wants that are actually backed by my purchasing power. My needs: Let? s start with the physical ones. Definitively, food and water are on the top of the list. As every human being, I need food to provide my body with the energy it will use each day. I need also to provide it with water to hydrate it properly. But there is a key point here. I? m just referring to limited portions of food and water or let`s say those that are essential for the human body to work. Thus, a 5. 000-calories-per-day diet seems either as a want or as a demand for average people but not as a need. Maybe not behind but next to food and water I would put air and sunlight. Definitively, those two are also among the essential physical needs every human has; and because I? m not the exception, I thought it was important to include them in my list of needs. I understand, though, that in the world not everyone is satisfying this need at a 100%-rate. Good examples of that can be found just by thinking of really air-polluted cities, such as Mexico DF, or thinking of those countries that receive little or no sunlight during several month every, such as Russia or Canada. But let`s thank we are not in any of those groups and move forward. After food, water, air, and sunlight, I would put cloth and shelter. As I mentioned before, I am just talking about basic stuff. Some examples could be a couple of pants, shirts, and sweaters to protect me from the weather and to cover the cloth section. A small house or flat, in turn, will be sufficient to cover the need of shelter. Thus, design cloth and luxury properties would be definitively in people? s wants or demand section, depending on his or her purchasing power. To finish with my physical-needs section, I would mention not only rest but movement and exercise. As every human being, I need to safe hours every day to sleep and rest. I understand the number of hours needed vary from one person to another, but in my case, 7 to 8 hours work perfectly well. Movement and exercise are important needs too. And although it seems that there are a lot of people out there that are not really aware of that, for me, 4 to 6 hours of exercise per week also work for me. Looking now at my individual needs, I would say that freedom and independence along with creativity and self expression are among the top of this list. As most human beings, I need to feel I can express my ideas and take my own decisions without having someone else telling me what to do or how. Here, I am not talking about homework or other duties at work; I am talking about more deep things, such as having someone telling you what to buy, sell, study, or work, where to live, with whom, or how. Sadly, if we look at political extremists, such as communist, not only in history but around us, we could find good examples of that. I consider that having the possibility of learning new things is also an important need, and as such, I included in my list. Here I am not talking about schools or universities, because, in my opinion, those would be wants or needs depending on everyone`s purchasing power. I am talking about learning in general terms. Last but not least, I would include having fun in my individual-need list. I think this is important in people`s life, and for me is not the exception either. I understand of course that for some people more than for others, this could be tough. But even under the worst circumstances people should try. Now, I will proceed with my social needs. In this category I would include affection, sense of belonging and friendship. For me and for every person I know all of them are very important needs that must be somehow satisfied. I would add to this point that satisfying them is not a matter of quantity of friends or people sharing your thoughts and ideas but a matter of quality and how strong are the bounds that you can create with others. Right after I would add respect. For me, this element plays a key role; and just as others, I need to be treated with respect. Acceptance, communication and understanding are also social need. My wants As everybody else, I have different wants. What interested me the most about them is that, apparently, they have no limits; or at least, that seems to be the consensus among most of the economist, especially when they give a look at the principles of the economic problem. Starting with food, and thinking about it not only in terms of tangible products but also in terms of services that would satisfy my wants, I would say that (at least for weekdays) a varied, healthy, home-style menu of food delivered right to my office would be great would probably satisfy my wants. For weekends in turn, I would say that Gourmet restaurants would also be on the list. In terms of cloth and shelter, my wants are also relatively big and considered as a group, they are also unaffordable, at least at this point. I can start by mentioning some tailored suits, long-sleeve shirts and a couple of pair of Italian shoes that match them would also be included. I would also add several ties, made of silk could be included to finish with the formal outfit. Then, for a more casual look, I would by tens of Hollyster Co. hirts. The reason why I want them is because they have a special fabric that makes it VERY easy to iron them, which safe me a lot of time. Some expensive, and durable black, beige, blue, and brown cotton pants, and jeans could be also on the list. This way I would leave Zara? s cloth behind, which is nice made to last just for a few months. Moving to the sport section, I would include special tennis for runners and several sport outfits. At this point Addidas o r new balance will be on the top of the list. Why? Again, is a matter of the perceived quality of fabrics, those brands (and of course others) have invested huge amounts of money to create high-tech cloth that regulate your internal temperature while you are performing any physical activity. Taking about shelter-related wants, I would put a 3 bedroom flat with a nice view, pool, and a tennis court. I can be here in Costa Rica or anywhere else, for example, at Vancouver, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc. At the end it will depend on where job opportunities are. But now, a flat with this description will fit perfectly well with my wants because I would have a room for me and my girlfriend, a room to use as a private office/library, and finally a guest room for family living overseas. Talking about the possibility of learning new things, I want to start a master program in a European university, especially if it is located in the UK or in the Netherlands. Why? Because I really like those countries and their universities are ranked among the top of the list. I would also add many books to my wants list, and here I? talking about really expensive ones. And finally looking forward to satisfy my both social needs of communication and individual needs of creativity, I would definitively add a Mac book air to my list of wants. The reason I choose this product is because it will give me not only the built-in camera and microphone that I use to call them through the internet (because today almost every computer include this feature) but because it wi ll give me the mobility and flexibility I need due to its light weight. Carrying my laptop at the airports won’t be a nightmare. And finally I will be more efficient at one of my hobbies, which is creating graphic material using Macromedia `s programs, because I will not have to wait for my slow PC. My demands: Sticking here to the idea that demands are the type of needs backed to my purchasing power, I have to admit that my list of demands has been self-limited almost to the basics. This means I have voluntarily decreased my level of consumption because I am a point where the act savings became a necessary step to achieve some of the goals I have set. For example, I would definitively include access to sport facilities to train between 3 to 4 times per week (or even more in those weird cases that I have the time and the will) to my list of demands. A gym membership, for example, could work perfectly well. Products and services that give me more useful time and increase my efficiency are also on my demand list. Here I`m talking about a Smartphone and the Voice Data packages that are offered by the phone company, which gives me exactly what I? looking for: High-speed internet access, interconnected email accounts, access to overseas radio stations, maps, calendar, address book, alarms, cameras, videos, the etc. Even though it is absolutely not among my favorite demands, gas is also on this list. I understand that public transport represent an alternative. But sadly it is slow and time-consuming, so to my regret public transportation services do not work for me. I also demand ingredients to prepare easy-to-cook, home-style food. Let`s say, fruits, frozen vegetables, chicken breasts, meat, milk, cereal, bread, cheese, juice, etc. Thinking about my individual need of learning new things, I demand related products and services that help me to satisfy it. Among the products, books usually play a central role. When it comes about services, in turn, high-speed internet access and being enrolled in university studies are crucial for me. To finish with my demand list, I would include my apartment, which is rented, and all the related public services. Water, light, land phone, is what I? m talking about here.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Assignment Example Consequently, McDonald’s is liable to pay to Liebeck for all the damages. In this scenario, I would analyse this situation from the Communitarian point of view. It speaks of shifting the balance of rights and responsibilities from the individual to the society. Liebeck here is at the same time trying to enjoy the liberty of being a free individual and is also trying to shift the blame of her individualistic errors in actions and judgement on to McDonalds. But still under the principle of compensatory justice, McDonalds by giving compensation to Liebeck, tried to restore her for the burns she received by the coffee spill over. (Bohlman and Dundas, 2004) However, there are no hard and fast rules when determining the compensation. But ethics and law make an effort that the tortfeasor is able to restore an amount equal to the loss incurred. But Liebeck here got compensation not on basis of her damages but on the basis of earnings which McDonalds makes. Important here is that Liebeck here received such generous amount in damages not because she got injured. Bu t because McDonalds acted rash and used statistics over ‘ethics of care’ in dealing with Liebeck; which made the jury decide the verdict in her favour. 2) In light of the above case, what would you propose as an outline plan if you were in charge of business that supplied scientific equipment to engineering laboratories? Assume you have a contract in place to supply the laboratory for 10 years. When assuming the role of a supplier of scientific equipment to the engineering laboratories. The most important law that I must be aware of is the ‘Contract Law’. A contract is made between two parties by the process of offer and acceptance. In this case, engineering laboratories would have made an offer of to my firm for supply of equipment. The offer would have had clearly written down the details of equipment needed and all details pertaining to the business should be written. Then, my

Scan of Emerson, American Scholar and Factory Life As It Is Assignment

Scan of Emerson, American Scholar and Factory Life As It Is - Assignment Example an amendable constitution, which can be revised by the people as they please, is a political innovation that guarantees peace and happiness through self-governance. James Winthrop, a public official from Massachusetts, emphasized on the importance of the constitutional Bill of Rights. In reference to theoretical frames of politics, Winthrop asserted that systems of government belonging to the majority have inherent tendencies to disregard fundamental rights of the minority. Majority rulers exert tyrant principles upon minority subjects (Winthrop, 269). In order to safeguard the fundamental freedoms of the minority, Winthrop opposed the federal ratification of the constitution. Winthrop maintained that ratification of the constitution would consolidate constitutional powers to tyrant majorities, thus threatening the self-governance of American states. In order to prevent governmental despotism and usurpation against citizens, Winthrop proposed that the Bill of Rights should remain an essential constitutional component. With respect to the principle of representation, David Ramsay favors proportional representation of citizens in deliberation assemblies. Ramsay stated that proportional representation is a miniature form of communities; hence the representatives have interests and feelings of the majority (Ramsay, 268). On the contrary, James Winthrop opposes the concept of proportional representation. According to Winthrop, proportional representation does not guarantee preservation of minority rights against the wanton use of numerical tyranny by the majority (Winthrop, 269). Instead of proportional representation, Winthrop says that laws should be made by local officials who can establish immediate contact with their

Environments of organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environments of organization - Essay Example To create the fruit of this cooperative enterprise, LEJ employs about eleven full time staff and employs approximately fifty paid youth interns each year. Pfeffer & Salancik argue that Organizations are inescapably bound up with the conditions of their environment & they engage in activities which lead them to quicker adjustment in their environment (Pfeffer p.233). The Resource Dependency Theory (RDT) developed by Pfeffer & Salancik highlights that most important task of an organization is to survive & the most influencing factor on the shape of an organization is not how it consumes resources but how it acquires it (Pfeffer p.234). Therefore according to Pfeffer & Salancik, the effective organization is the one which satisfies the demand of those in the environment from whom it requires support for its continued existence (Pfeffer p.242) DiMaggio & Powell similarly argue in their seminal article on institutional isomorphism & collective rationality that organizations tend to look more and more similar the more an organizational field develops (DiMaggio & Powell, P.147). This process which they name Isomorphism in organization not necessarily drives it towards more efficiency but more acceptability. They argue that the major factor which organizations must take into account is other organizations as they not only compete for resources and customers but also political power & institutional legitimacy (DiMaggio & Powell, P.150). They suggest three mechanisms for this change which they term as coercive, mimetic & normative isomorphism. The biggest survival issue for any non-profit organization like LEJ is the constant supply of funding to various projects. With propping up of new non-profit organization with the same domain of work & the temporary down turn in economy post 9/11 caused LEJ to reconsider its funding issues. The leadership decided to stick to its mission principle and reject any funding & project proposals which are outside its scope to create an image of a principled organization which appeals to donors having environment related donations. This required restructuring, introducing processes within the organization which makes channelizing of ideas easily into grants proposals and actively pursuing potential donors for grants and ideas which can quickly be converted to grant proposals. This resulted into creation of a slot for full time grant writer, who can convert ideas into grant proposals. This was a classical attempt to improve their chances of securing their resources which in case of non-profi ts is extremely important. As Pfeffer & Salancik have argues that organizations always attempt to secure their resources without owning it (Pfeffer & Salancik, p. 236) in the environments once continuous availability of a resource is a problematic issue. Coercive Isomorphism always comes into play while dealing with Government & Donors (in case of non-profits). The constant change of government's procedures to ensure check and balances in non-profit organizations, LEJ has to constantly transform how it works through employee orientation and training for the departments which deal with government like taxations and audits etc. Moreover funding by donors also comes with certain compulsions in denial of donations to certain projects and emphasis on certain others, LEJ has to ensure that they constantly satisfy their

The legalization of marijuana in the United States Research Paper

The legalization of marijuana in the United States - Research Paper Example However, there is also a giant percentage of public which believes that criminalization of marijuana possession has always been a defeated objective. It is a kind of government objective which has consumed a lot of manpower and valuable limited resources. However still, the government is nowhere close to discouraging the public from smoking marijuana. Basically, this research paper seeks to argue that cannabis should be legalized or decriminalized in the US. The paper will present and explicate multiple reasons to augment the argument that marijuana is a drug with a variety of uses and minor risks. To validate the argument, marijuana will also be compared with alcohol and tobacco as a way of demonstrating how marijuana is so much less detrimental than the latter substances and still looked down upon by the government with such intensity, which is absolutely unjustified. War on drugs, particularly marijuana, is a complete failure. It has consumed trillions of dollars to date and continues to exert more financial pressure on the American government with every passing day. Prohibition on this drug has affected society very badly because more people are reported or jailed for minor drug offenses and people have to go to extreme measures to get this drug. Many such measures often affect their self-esteem in a very bad way given the circumstances and the places they have to bear to get the drug discreetly. Research also claims that the main reason marijuana often affects users’ lives negatively is not because of the drug really, but â€Å"because of the consequences attached with using the drug† (Pitts cited in Millat). Research shows that the US government has wasted a lot of money to keep marijuana from reaching the market in the past. According to an estimate, the US government suffers a total cost of about $10 billion on an annual basis in myriad efforts to make the country free of this drug. On the other hand, the State of California produces

Natural resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Natural resources - Research Paper Example So, there are several industries that are considered as natural resource industries such as mining, fishing, forestry and many others but agriculture is barred from this list. The name ‘natural resource’ was suggested, by E.F. Schumacher in the book published in the era of 1970s called as Small is Beautiful (Longstreth, 2011, p.4). Categorization of Natural Resources Natural resources are categorized into renewable and the non-renewable ones. Renewable resources are the ones, which can replenish themselves, provided that they are not over-harvested and are utilized wisely (Perman, 1999, p.9). The examples include fishes, forests, trees and other things. Once, these renewable resources are utilized at a speed which is greater than their normal tempo of replacement, the entire reserves will decrease in quantity and ultimately be depleted. The speed of utilization of a natural resource should be equal to the replacement speed and the quantity of reserve stock of a particula r natural resource. Inorganic renewable natural resources comprise of soil and water. Flow renewable resources can be harmonized with renewable resources but the difference is that they do not require renewal like the renewable ones. Renewable power sources that are incorporated in the list of Flow renewable resources are of sun: solar, of earth: geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, of sea: tides and wind. Resources can be further categorized on the grounds of their source of origin: biotic ones and the abiotic ones (Perman, 1999, p.9). Biotic resources result from the living beings but the abiotic resources are originated from the non-living components of the earth such as land, air and water. Other resources such as those related with minerals and power are also in the abiotic category, though some of them are derivative of the natural resources. Non-renewable resources A natural resource, which is present in rigid amounts and cannot exist, grow or renew itself at a speed as it is u tilized, is a non-renewable resource. Few of the non-renewable resources can become renewable but they require very long time duration to come into this category such as the fossil fuels which need millions of years to build up in moderate amount but they cannot be called as exactly renewable. Natural capital Natural resources can become natural capital when they are used up as a commodity that can help to increase the infrastructural capital developments (Perman, 1999, p.9). These can comprise of loam, timber wood, various oils, different minerals and some other sort of products that are digged from the earth. Both the mining of the essential resource and then refining them to an unpolluted, straightly functional form, for example, some metals and the refined oils, are usually designated as the natural resource capitals, although the latter may perhaps not essentially happen next to the former one. A country’s natural resource, sometimes, verify its capital and the repute in the world economic structure, via depicting the political affect in it. Urbanized states in the world are actually not reliant on natural resources for riches, because of their increased dependence on infrastructural capital for fabrication of new products. Though, some view this resource nuisance which might harm the future vistas of a nationalized country because of the time that is wasted in offering bribes for other similar sort of economically non-productive activities that do not lead

Discuss the problem of compounding Type I error and explain how the Essay

Discuss the problem of compounding Type I error and explain how the ANOVA addresses this problem - Essay Example In most cases, the effects of multiple tests are ignored and their interaction in the two-way ANOVA. According to Huck (2014), chapter eleven, some of the recommended solutions to compounding the Type 1 error is through ignoring them or by the use of ANOVA. The ANOVA works by comparing the variance within each sample population and the variance between different samples. The variance between and within the samples are computed by getting the sum of the squares then using different formulas to obtain the final result. First, compute the variance between the samples then compute the variance within the samples. Next, computation of the ratio that exists between the variance obtained from between and within to obtain the F ratio. If the null hypothesis is true it implies that the variance between the samples should be equal to zero. Is the converse is the case, the F ratio is larger and the bigger the value gets, the more the chances of rejecting the null hypothesis. Another solution is through the Bonferroni adjustment in which case the alpha is divided by the number of tests. This helps in minimizing on the effects of factorial issue on the final result (Ware & Brewer,

Natural resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Natural resources - Research Paper Example So, there are several industries that are considered as natural resource industries such as mining, fishing, forestry and many others but agriculture is barred from this list. The name ‘natural resource’ was suggested, by E.F. Schumacher in the book published in the era of 1970s called as Small is Beautiful (Longstreth, 2011, p.4). Categorization of Natural Resources Natural resources are categorized into renewable and the non-renewable ones. Renewable resources are the ones, which can replenish themselves, provided that they are not over-harvested and are utilized wisely (Perman, 1999, p.9). The examples include fishes, forests, trees and other things. Once, these renewable resources are utilized at a speed which is greater than their normal tempo of replacement, the entire reserves will decrease in quantity and ultimately be depleted. The speed of utilization of a natural resource should be equal to the replacement speed and the quantity of reserve stock of a particula r natural resource. Inorganic renewable natural resources comprise of soil and water. Flow renewable resources can be harmonized with renewable resources but the difference is that they do not require renewal like the renewable ones. Renewable power sources that are incorporated in the list of Flow renewable resources are of sun: solar, of earth: geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, of sea: tides and wind. Resources can be further categorized on the grounds of their source of origin: biotic ones and the abiotic ones (Perman, 1999, p.9). Biotic resources result from the living beings but the abiotic resources are originated from the non-living components of the earth such as land, air and water. Other resources such as those related with minerals and power are also in the abiotic category, though some of them are derivative of the natural resources. Non-renewable resources A natural resource, which is present in rigid amounts and cannot exist, grow or renew itself at a speed as it is u tilized, is a non-renewable resource. Few of the non-renewable resources can become renewable but they require very long time duration to come into this category such as the fossil fuels which need millions of years to build up in moderate amount but they cannot be called as exactly renewable. Natural capital Natural resources can become natural capital when they are used up as a commodity that can help to increase the infrastructural capital developments (Perman, 1999, p.9). These can comprise of loam, timber wood, various oils, different minerals and some other sort of products that are digged from the earth. Both the mining of the essential resource and then refining them to an unpolluted, straightly functional form, for example, some metals and the refined oils, are usually designated as the natural resource capitals, although the latter may perhaps not essentially happen next to the former one. A country’s natural resource, sometimes, verify its capital and the repute in the world economic structure, via depicting the political affect in it. Urbanized states in the world are actually not reliant on natural resources for riches, because of their increased dependence on infrastructural capital for fabrication of new products. Though, some view this resource nuisance which might harm the future vistas of a nationalized country because of the time that is wasted in offering bribes for other similar sort of economically non-productive activities that do not lead

Habitat for Elephants Essay Example for Free

Habitat for Elephants Essay After observing the giraffe exhibit, my partner Nan Chen and I decided to make our way to observe the Janice Suber McNair Asian Elephant Habitat which was built in 2008; an exhibit, home to seven different elephants, both young and old. The exhibit is home to adult bull Thai, adult cows Methai, Shanti, and Tess, juvenile bull Tucker (Tess son), and calves Baylor (Shantis son) and Tupelo (Tess daughter). Janice Suber McNair Asian Elephant Habitat exhibit covers an enormous three acres, provides many amenities to its residents; the elephants. THE amenities include an eighty thousand gallon pool as well as a seven thousand square foot elephant barn where the elephants are given daily public baths. I think that the zoo management has done a really spectacular job in bringing some elephant cultural behavior to the zoo. According to the Houston Zoo, â€Å"Since adult males and females live apart in the wild, you’ll see the same living arrangement here at the Zoo: our females are in one yard with their calves, while our older male, Thai, and younger Tucker enjoy space to themselves†. Also the landscaping of trees, natural grasses and varied elevated terrain create a wonderful environment for the elephants and the open design and viewing areas provide an enhanced guest experience as well. We were also lucky to observe the elephants get bathed in the barn where a Houston local news anchor also happened to be there. We first observed the oldest elephant Thai get bathed and he quite enjoyed it. He was also used to the bathing procedure as he knew how to turn as well as which foot to lift to wash. During this process we got to view the elephants bathe. The zoo keepers scrubbed off the elephant with soap as well as water. All of the elephants were confined into separate caged cabins, and the elephants were getting bathed one at a time. The elephant in the first cage was bathed first, I believe his name was Thai and I believe behind him were Tess and Tupelo. Since Thai was getting all the attention, Tess behind him was getting mad and she was banging her head on to Thai ’s cage crying for attention. The one thing I noticed that the zookeepers were not doing much to calm and play with Tess. She banged her head several times which may have injured her after some times. I felt like the zoo keepers should have paid some attention to Tess especially since the public was watching and that a lot of the visitors including myself were video recording this incident. It is a proven fact that elephants can live in nearly any habitat that has adequate quantities of food and water. Their ideal habitat consists of plentiful grass. At the Houston Zoo in the elephant exhibit I did not see â€Å"plentiful grass†. The elephant’s trunk serves as a nose, hand, extra foot, signaling device and tool for gathering food, siphoning water, dusting, and digging. To tend to these characteristics of the elephant the Zoo was successful in providing dust, water and a muddy ground for digging. I think the zoo can improve on the direct interaction between the elephants and the visitors at the zoo. They can give a supervised interaction with the elephants. The visitors can maybe feed them or offer them peanut or maybe the visitors can also bath the magnificent and adorable elephants. After a lot of research I found that the best manmade elephant habitat can be found at the famous Cincinnati Zoo. Since they adjust their exhibit to cater the needs of each and every species or kind of elephants they recognize the fact that the Asian and the African elephants have lived in two different environments. The African elephants are naturally used to dry grass lands and savannahs, however the Asian and elephants are used to in the jungle, but generally on the edge where open, grassy areas are accessible. They prefer areas that combine grass, low woody plants, and forest. This is something I did not see in the Houston Zoo. I think if the exhibit is true to the natural elephant habitat the environment will be friendlier and the Elephants will not have the need to adapt as much into the zoo. I believe that an ideal habitat for the elephants should have no virtually no visible barriers between you and the animals, this habitat puts you right in the thick of things. Also the habitat should serve as an exhibit hub, offering opportunities to understand and appreciate the diverse array of Elephants’ and their complex relationships with human populations. And Last but not least there should be a visual in which the concept of loss of habitat, the main reason why several Elephant species are being extinct, should be portrayed. This will allow the visitors to reflect back on to their role in the world to preserve the endangered species. In conclusion, I believe that the Janice Suber McNair Asian Elephant Habitat at the Houston zoo does not cater to the natural needs of the elephants. Since the McNair Exhibit is tries to create a universal habitat for all the elephants that reside there. The Zoo does not take the fact that they have elephants that come from different parts of the world, and are used to different habitats as well as climates. The Houston zoo should observe the true habitat of the elephants as well as observe other exhibits and recreate the exhibit.