Analyse an aspect of organisation using realist and relativists Essay

Analyse an aspect of organisation using realist and relativists perspectives - Essay Example The realist and relativist viewpoints can both lead to different perspectives and approaches which are a part of various types of business perspectives and organizational behaviors (Dwyer, 39: 2001). One of the aspects that are created from these perspectives is an understanding of how communication works within the internal structure of a business. This is essential for the success of the business as well as the way in which the corporation can continue to grow. From a realist viewpoint, there are specific ways of approaching communication, specifically by leaders and managers of a corporation. However, this is one which comes from the individual personality and understanding of diversity (Ng et al, 474-2006). The incorporation of this viewpoint first comes from a relativist viewpoint which allows individuals to begin practicing specific theories while trying to build an understanding of how to community. When examining this topic, there will be an analysis of how communication work s in the corporation through both viewpoints. This will be followed by a discussion of the literature and an organizational analysis that shows how specific corporations can use this element for their success or failure. Through these different analysis and reviews, there will be an understanding of how both viewpoints are required for communication to work in favor of the corporation. The concept of communication in the workplace is one which is first defined by the concept of the relativistic perspective. This states that everything is relative, or theoretical in nature. The relativism which is created in the workplace is one which is essential to notice, specifically because it is known to cause the main conflicts and disputes within a workplace. The lack of communication is one which is based on the perspective associated with a given organization. The perspective

Protestant Reformation Essay Example for Free

Protestant Reformation Essay In the early sixteenth century, Western Europes religious face was dominated by the Roman Catholic faith. The Catholic Church was the sole athority power of day to day values, and before long, conflicting social and political issues began to shake the foundation of the corrupt Catholic Church. Moreover, Western Catholics began to realize the corrupt nature of the Church; as the selling of indulgences was challenged by Martin Luthers 95 Theses, the hierarchal nature of the Church was displayed via blatant acts of simony, and the concept was purgatory was outwardly questioned. Ultimately, as westerners caught wind of the aforementioned doings, an attempt to reform the Catholic Church began brewing: the Protestant Reformation. This Reformation ultimately led to several significant social and political consequences. On one note, the Reformation led to the once-all Catholic western Europeans being separated into several demographics: Catholic Christianty, Protestant Christianty, and Orthodox. As a result, the belief of the founder Jesus Christ was magnified, as well as the belief of the Bible as a doctrine of salvation (in the Protestant faith). Consequently, the popularity of the Bible led to it being printed in vernacular rather than Latin, and thus the Bible began to appeal to a larger audience rather than solely the wealthy and educated. This accessiblity to the lower class revealed the teachings of faith to a previously uninformed demographic. Also, Protestantism had created a new, highly individual spirituality. Survival and salvation depended upon inner faith and self-disclipline, thus a larger emphasis was made on personal commitments and values. As the teachings of the Bible were made more widely availible, the aforementioned notions became more widely available. With this newfound knowledge, and with the economic power of the church now lessened, there came a growth of induvidual liberty. These newfound attitudes and economic turn-around consequently reflected principes of, and led to, capitalism. On another hand, another consequence of the Reformation was many dispays of intolerance. More specifically, King Phillip II of Spain and Bloody Maryof England actively persecuted Protestants. Also, with the Reformation leaving the Churchs power teetering, several Rulers were empowered against the Church. Henry VII, for example, nullified the Popes powers, and in turn the Rulers of Europe had the power to rule their countries however they wished, from square one. This, ultimately, gave rise to the notion of nationalism, which gave rise to the growth of the modern state. Conclusively, the effects of the Protestant Reformation were very much significant. Starting in the hands of Martin Luther, the reform not only tore apart the religious unity of Europe at the time, but also contributed to induvidual attitudes and values, the growth of nationalism and the modern state, but also shined a light on the path to a capitalistic society.

Job Offset in a CNC Milling Machine

Job Offset in a CNC Milling Machine (a) Introduction 3.1 This narrative is based on my final year project, completed as a part of my bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering at Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering (Anna University affiliated) Tamil Nadu, India. The project on Job offset in a CNC milling machine was carried out at Tractors and Farm Equipment Private Limited (TAFE), Tamil Nadu, India and was performed between the months of Jan, 2014 to April, 2014. (b) Background The final year project is a mandatory unit for the bachelor of engineering degree which has to be completed in a group of four as a part of the curriculum. I did this along with three others who were with me during the last semester of my degree. During the course of the project, I presented several presentations and seminars according to the guidelines of Anna University. The project was done in order to reduce the defects during production at Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE). With increasing competition in all fields and industries, the market demands zero defect products. In order to facilitate this, I implemented the poka-yoke scheme to reduce the production defects by using simple cost effective techniques. In a machine cell, the quality of machining should be inspected after each machining. After every machining, the quality of product gets reduced due to the formation of the burr which further leads to an offset in the next job. This offset causes the quality loss in machining and hence the product dimensions have a slight deviation from the actual dimension. The nature of my work was to design a pneumatic system which alerts the machine operator if an offset was detected. The project was supervised under Mr. Manoj Kumar Roy, the assistant professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering. I also did extensive literature research on total quality management techniques and came up with this poka-yoke strategy for mistake proofing to prevent defects. Some of the core principle duties of this project incorporated the following: During the course of the project, I attended meetings with my project coordinator and my team mates to discuss the progress of our project. I also coordinated several formal and informal group meeting with my group members to discuss on any problems encountered during the course of the project. I presented seminars and reports as a part of my bachelors degree curriculum. I referred to a number of papers to collect information on the poka-yoke scheme. I performed a plant quality analysis to analyze the number of product defects in a particular year. I prepared a report on the observations made by each member of the team. (c) Personal Engineering Activity The ever increasing production demands for a zero defect product quality. This has given rise to various techniques for quality management. Among different techniques, I selected the poka-yoke technique which is a Japanese improvement strategy for mistake-proofing to prevent defects from arising during production processes. I selected this technique because of its simplicity and efficiency in a cost efficient manner. I performed an analysis to determine the major causes of defects in order to device ways to reduce or eliminate them. I found that, the errors are often due to the misunderstanding, incorrect identification, could be good intentions but improperly implemented such as processing errors, error in setting up the work piece, assembly omissions, a wrong part was included, wrong work piece, errors in preparation of tools, equipment maintenance errors, operational errors, dimensional errors, fixtures, blades. etc. All these errors was prevented by the application of the poka-yoke technique. I prepared a flow chart (figure 1) for the methodology to be followed for mistake proofing. I referred to a number of papers to learn more about the concept of poka-yoke. I found out that poka-yoke can be classified into three types as shutdown poka-yoke, warning poka-yoke and control poka-yoke. I analyzed the sales profile of the company for its various products: transmission casing, front axle line, centre housing line and differential casing line. Figure 1: Methodology of mistake proofing I applied the poka-yoke technique for the elimination of errors in a CNC milling, drilling and boring machines. A milling machine is a fully computer controlled vertical mill with the spindle moving vertically along the Z axis. The first equipment that I designed for the elimination of errors in the CNC milling machine was the pneumatic air filter. Figure 2: Pneumatic air filter In the compressed air system, hard particles tends to damage the equipment and piping. The result is damage to the system and more particles are generated. The pneumatic air filter helps eliminate these impurities. The next equipment which I suggested for the machine was the mist collector. The mist collector works on mechanism of inertial impaction, interception and Brownian diffusion. I also included the use of an air pressure regulator which is a valve that automatically cuts off the flow of a liquid or gas at a certain pressure. I designed an air micro switch which is a switching device used for detecting the displacement of work piece and is kept on a machine while machining. It applies the principle of air micrometers, and can detect the seating of the objects without contact. It is designed in such a way to work in any harsh conditions, so that it can be placed inside the drilling machine. The back pressure that is received from the sensed components was allowed to hit a diaphragm which then deforms to give the pressure output. If the pressure received was large enough to move the air switch upwards, it closed the circuit and hence the operator could be alerted. However, the output current that was produced by the sensor was very low and hence to amplify the output signal, I placed a PNP transistor inside the sensor. The transistor amplifies the current and sends it to the output. Figure 3: Circuit diagram and specification of PNP transistor Similarly, pneumatic coupler, pneumatic manifold, rest pad and relay circuits were also added. Figure 4: Schematic of the components used in the machine The project was mainly intended to alert the machine operator if a job was not seated correctly on the CNC machine. The clamps that hold the job in the CNC milling machine would not work unless the proper seating takes place. The minimal gap allowed was 10 microns. Beyond that the relay switches off the clamping circuit. The shut off valve cuts off the pneumatic circuit in case of any emergencies. The mist separator was used to absorb the moisture content present in the air. The purpose of air filter was to remove the impurities present in the air which could cause damage to the machine during operation. The air pressure is regulated by the regulator passing through the air filter. This prevents damage to the machine. The air micro switch acts as the sensor. If the pressure that was received from the device was not sufficient enough, then the clamping circuit would be disengaged. Pneumatic coupler connects the air supply with the pneumatic manifold. The purpose of the manifold was to divide the supply of air to multiple channels. Rest pads or Butt pads are the provisions provided on the machine for the job to be seated. The main objective of this project was to provide mistake proofing to a CNC machine. I was able to execute this by making changes to the existing horizontal milling machine. I analyzed the defective product after the implementation of the project. The implementation of the project leads to the decrease in rejection of the machined products by 3% and have considerably increased the production rate. Finally, a master report was submitted to our department head. I also underwent an oral viva voce examination where I had to present my part of the project briefly and answered questions about various aspects of the project. (d) Summary This project in my engineering career helped me comprehend valuable principles of working together as a team and presented me the opportunity to understand and implement my theoretical knowledge into practice. I understood the importance of working as team and the need to step up as a leader when necessary. I gained profound knowledge in total quality management, seminars and presentations which boosted my confidence during the course of the project. The project was completed in time and well within budget. It also provided me a great exposure with company personnel and I benefitted a great deal from the interactions with company superiors.

Abortion :: essays research papers

Extreme conservatives would have abortion made illegal. If we outlaw abortion it would not stop women from having them   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"A Defense of Abortion† Judith Thomson does a good job of poking holes in the extreme conservative argument, she is a moderate liberal. Even though she is defending abortion she states there are still times when it is impermissible. . Her first analogy she compares a growing fetus to a famous violinist who has unknowingly been attached to a person’s circulatory system. Is the person morally responsible to remained attached to the violinist? Thomson says no, because the person was kidnapped and they didn’t volunteer for the violinist to be attached. Thomson states â€Å"it would be very nice of you if you did, a great kindness†. I agree with Thompson here no one should be forced to have a stranger plugged into them unknowingly for nine months. A growing fetus inside a woman is hardly a stranger to her it is her own flesh and blood. Secondly, a fetus is not unknowingly plugged into a woman Except for in the cases of rape no one wa s kidnapped or forced to have sex. When people have sex there is always a risk that the woman might get pregnant. I agree a woman has a right to her body but, I disagree with Thompson’s analogy of a violinist to a fetus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She then speaks on the right to life, some say it is the right to not to be killed she says it is the right not to be killed unjustly. So when you unplug yourself from the violinist you are taking away his right to life. Thomson says you are not because you are not killing him unjustly. I agree, it is not your place to keeps   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extreme Conservatives would say that an abortion even to save the mother’s life would be impermissible. They have an equal right to life and an abortion would be killing the baby, and doing nothing would be letting the mother die. Thomson does an excellent job of arguing against the conservative point of view with the analogy of the rapidly growing child in a tiny house. Thomson asks us to suppose we are in a tiny house with a child who is growing rapidly and is going to crush us and he will simply bust out of the house and walk off unscratched.

Literary Concepts of Concord Hymn

The details in â€Å"Concord Hymn† really give great image of the characters and setting of this time period. The poem exalts a general spirit of revolution and freedom. â€Å"Concord Hymn† was written by Ralph Waldo Emerson and was originally sung at the completion of the Battle Monument known at the Old North Bridge. The monument is also known as Obelisk and is believed to the country’s first memorial to its war casualties. The first stanza is the key to the poem: By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood. And fired the shot heard round the world (Roberts and Zweig, 891). Emerson knows the outcome and can describe in detail the emotions around the War. â€Å"By the rude Bridge that arched the flood† lets readers know that the author is describing the bridge as one that is very basic and simply structured and positioned over the Concord River which was at its highest level in April. â€Å"Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled† lets us know clearly that this occurred in April and the wind was blowing. The â€Å"Embattled farmers† refers to the men, which consisted of townsfolk and where not part of any regular army. The shot heard' round the world† refers to the fact that the American Revolution inspired not just Americans, but inspired people all over the world to fight against injustice The second stanza which follows gives detail as to the participants in the War whom are dead: The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps (Roberts and Zweig, 891). In stanza two the poem is stating that the participants on both sides of the battle have long been deceased described as â€Å"sleep† which is a common metaphor for dead. The reader also learns in stanza two the bridge was ruined and swept down the Concord River. (PoertyFoundation, 2013) The following stanza is details of the monument being placed in Concord, Massachusetts: On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set today a votive stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone (Roberts and Zweig, 891&892). â€Å"Votive stone† is the Obelisk Monument that was placed by the Concord River as a memory of all the people whom fought and died in the Battle of Concord. The town of Concord is now a popular attraction for both history and literature. The last stanza of the poem which follows the readers can see this Battale was about freedom: Spirit, that made those spirits dare To die, and leave their children free, Bid Time and Nature gently spare The shaft we raise to them and thee (Roberts and Zweig, 892). Emerson writes about the spirits, noting that there were deaths involved, leaving behind family but doing so for their families to now be free. The remembrance flag that is being raised is to honor those who have gone and also to remind those who are now left to carry on never forgetting the history of these brave Americans and what happened that day.

Operations Management – Core Capabilities

Review core capabilities. Core capabilities are critical issues in operations management. Why are core capabilities an asset? Are there any instances in which a firm’s core capabilities can be a liability rather than an asset?In general, core capabilities are an organization’s key ability that sets it aside from competitors. According to Qfinance, the definition of core capabilities is a key ability or strength that an organization has acquired that differentiates it from others, gives it competitive advantage, and contributes to its long-term success (Qfinance, 2009). Core capabilities are essential to operations management by contributing to an organization preforming its business activities at a higher level of efficiency on a consistent basis, which are critical to their competitive position in its market. An organization can attempt to dominate its field by focusing on their core capabilities.Core capabilities are an asset in operation management through providing an organization the opportunity to produce profits. Resources and core capabilities are the backbone in which an organization can add value through creating and executing strategy in order to earn reasonable returns and accomplish a competitive advantage (MSG, 2013). Resources are contributions to an organization’s operations. These could be employees, financial, technology, or organizational resources. The more valuable, unique, and specialized the resource is, the more likely the organization will achieve it core capabilities. Core capabilities are all about an organization’s ability to incorporate its resources in an attempt to utilize them more effective and efficiently, as well as distinguish itself from its rivals, which ultimately leads to a competitive advantage.Once established, core capabilities allow an organization to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. However, there are some drawbacks with core capabilities. One factor regarding core capabilities th at could lead to a liability rather than an asset is that core capabilities cannot stay the same over time. An organization would need to adjust its core capabilities in order to adapt to market changes and the environment. Core capabilities  are unique sets of skills that confers competitive advantages to a firm, in which rivals firms cannot easily duplicate them (Swink, Melnyk, Cooper, & Hartley, 2013). If an organization’s core capabilities are stagnant over time, then they won’t be able to get ahead of the competition and stay ahead.

Illinois Tax Problems

Illinois Tax Problems Illinois Governor Pat Quinn was re-elected with a platform built on higher tax rates. According to many analysts, it was an improbable win because of the prospect of higher taxes. But to the surprise of many pundits, Governor Quinn was ushered into the office for another term.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Illinois’ Tax Problems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The reaction can be understood if one takes a look at the figures. The proposed income tax hike amounted to a significant increase from 3% to 5.25%. In addition, the state would also impose a tax increase in personal property tax. As a result, the corporate tax rate would increase to 10.9%. It was a major upgrade and a burden to many businessmen. The expected and unexpected outcome of the proposed tax increase was to initiate a chain-reaction of events that forced big businesses to search for a place to relocate. In other words, Illinois could no lo nger be considered as a practical place to conduct business. It triggered a panic reaction from the governor, and he offered tax breaks for companies like Motorola, Sears, and Caterpillar. However, medium-scale enterprises were unable to avail of multi-million dollar tax breaks enjoyed by previously mentioned conglomerates. The tax problems prompted many to offer solutions to the burgeoning budget deficit of the state, and some said that it could be solved not by higher tax rates but reduction in expenses. Macroeconomics The articles offered a good case study of macroeconomics. Roger Leroy Miller’s book provided a clear discussion of macroeconomics because it is one of the means to study the economy of a state or a nation. In this particular case, the macroeconomic consideration for the state of Illinois examines the impact of the new tax laws not only on the giant corporations that can be found in the state but also on the economy of neighboring states. In addition, a macroe conomic view of the tax issue enables the analysts to see the cause and effect of certain policies. In other words, the macroeconomic view considers the wide-range effect on an area not just an individual. It must be pointed out that when Governor Quinn increased the tax rate, he also considered the macroeconomic impact of his decisions. Although the tax hike could be seen as an additional burden to the families which saw their tax bill increase significantly, the positive impact of the said move should not be discounted.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Governor Quinn made the argument that this move could narrow down the budget deficit and provide a better future for everyone. On the other hand, the neighboring states began to entice corporations to relocate. Viewed from a macroeconomic perspective, this means that unemployment rate in Illinois will skyrocket if Governor Quinn cannot stop the exodus from happening. Tax Issues The proposed tax hike was a reaction to the problem of budget deficit that threatened to derail the state of Illinois. The current figures indicated that Illinois could not pay 40% of needed expenditures. In other words, there was no way to generate $15 billion. If this amount were not in the government coffers, then there would be no money to pay for pension and healthcare expenses. It was a devastating prospect for the workers who diligently toiled for decades in anticipation of an idyllic retirement period. It was also a nightmare for those who depended on the state for employment benefits and healthcare. The public school system would be affected and other services that the government had to support. As a result, Governor Quinn was forced to increase the tax rate. The people acceded to his request because he made it clear that there was no other way to solve the problem. The people voted for Quinn because he convi nced them that he could solve the problems that buffeted the economy of the state of Illinois. The main component of the campaign promise was to force giant corporations to fork out more taxes. It was a proposition that was easy to understand. Big profits could be translated to more tax money and, therefore, could increase the funds of the state. Unfortunately, the plan backfired when corporations like Caterpillar and Motorola threatened to relocate to another state where the tax laws were not as crippling. When Governor Quinn began to offer tax breaks, the average tax payer began to recoil in dismay and unbelief. It came to a point when an expert weighed in and said that the decision of Governor Quinn to appease big businessmen with tax breaks was not only disturbing but could also create a dangerous precedent that could significantly erode public confidence. It could even create a major financial crisis in the said state. Solutions from Taxpayers’ Point of View There were t wo major groups of tax payers. The first group was comprised of employees and entrepreneurs. The second group consisted of the multinational companies like Caterpillar and Motorola. From the perspective of the first group, the solution to the problem was to increase the taxes imposed on big corporations. They also proposed to lessen expenditures. A specific suggestion was to reduce the amount of money that the state committed to pay retirees.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Illinois’ Tax Problems specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second group, on the other hand, offered a one-sided solution to the problem. The solution came in the form of tax breaks. In other words, they were amenable to the idea of raising the tax rates, but when it came to the giant corporations, the amount that they had to pay was covered with the millions of dollars in tax breaks given by the state. Solutions from Selected Officials The solution provided by Governor Quinn was to raise the income tax of the workers and to increase corporate tax. But at the same time, he turned around to offer a tax break for big business groups like Motorola and Caterpillar. It should be made clear that government officials agreed with the proposal to cut government spending. As a result, the state legislature proposed a pension-reform bill. The purpose of the said bill was to reduce the commitment of the government to future retirees. Thus, the newly hired workers are not going to enjoy the same type of benefits received by present day retirees. Conclusion The budget deficit forced Governor Quinn and the state legislature to increase the income and corporate taxes. The campaign promise was anchored on the idea that giant corporations located in Illinois would help shoulder the burden. But when the new tax rate was announced, big corporations threatened to relocate, and this prompted another impulsive reaction from Governor Quin n. He offered tax breaks for these corporations. The people were dismayed with this new development and suggested other solutions that could help solve the tax problems faced by the state.

Frederick Douglass Essays (1183 words) - Slave Narratives

Frederick Douglass Essays (1183 words) - Slave Narratives Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was an emancipated slave who passed from one master to another until he finally found the satisfaction of being his own; he went through almost as many names as masters. His mother's family name, traceable at least as far back as 1701 (FD, 5) was Bailey, the name he bore until his flight to freedom in 1838. His father may or may not have been a white man named Anthony, but Douglass never firmly validated or rejected this possibility. During transit to New York (where he became a freedman) his name became Stanley, and upon arrival he changed it again to Johnson. In New Bedford, where there were too many Johnson's, he found it necessary to change it once more, and his final choice was Douglass, taken, as suggested to him by a white friend and benefactor, from a story by Sir Walter Scott (although the character in that story bore only a single 's' in his name). All throughout, he clung to Frederick, to 'preserve a sense of my identity' (Norton, 1988). This succession of names is illustrative of the transformation undergone by one returning from the world of the dead, which in a sense is what the move from oppression to liberty is. Frederick Douglass not only underwent a transformation but, being intelligent and endowed with the gift of Voice, he brought back with him a sharp perspective on the blights of racism and slavery. Dropped into America during the heat of reform as he was, his appearance on the scene of debate, upon his own self-emancipation, was a valuable blessing for the abolitionists. In their struggles so far, there had been many skilled arguers but few who could so convincingly portray the evils of slavery, an act which seemed to demand little short of firsthand experience, but which also required a clear understanding of it. Douglass had both, and proved himself an incredibly powerful weapon for reform. While the identity of his father is uncertain, it is generally accepted that the man was white, giving Douglass a mixed ancestry. Mirroring this, he was also blessed with an eye that could bring into focus different perspectives and, just as many multi-racial children today are able to speak multiple languages with ease, he had the ability to translate in the most eloquent fashion between the worlds of the black man and white man. Thus, ironically, the torturous beginning of Douglass' existence was inadvertently made (by him) into a treasure for 'us' (being mainly white America). The story of the American Dream, wherein a young man, born into a hostile world, never loses sight of one goal, is not all that distant in theme from Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass. The story of the American Dream has been embedded deeply in our (American) culture from the beginning. Similarly anchored in the American consciousness is the presence of a 'slavery-complex'. Along these lines Douglass' role is a major one, for relatively few first-hand accounts of slavery as powerful and representative as his exist, in light of the magnitude of the crime, and few voices have been as far-reaching. More recent heirs of this 'office' such as Malcolm X have carried the torch further, just as America's racial sickness still clings to our collective consciousness. Frederick Douglass has been described as 'bicultural'. In other words, he occupied a middleground shared by blacks and whites alike. This designation proves to be thematically consistent with his biological (if we are to take his word for it) as well as psychological characteristics. Dual-natured in this fashion, he is made accountable for both sides. This can be seen in his gravitation towards freedom when he was a slave, and manifests itself just as strongly in his vision, once he was able to look back, of the 'graveyard of the mind' that American slavery was for him as it was for the rest of black America. "They would sometimes sing the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the most rapturous sentiment in the most pathetic tone...they would sing, as a chorus...words which to many would seem unmeaning jargon, but which, nevertheless, were full of meaning to themselves. I have

Assessing The Confucianism On Relationships Cultural Studies Essay

Assessing The Confucianism On Relationships Cultural Studies Essay Confucianism has been the main foundation of traditional thought that is deeply rooted in Chinese society. Confucianism is ethical teachings rather than a religion as described in Western literatures. Confucianism is widely regarded as the behavioral or moral regulations that are mainly concerned with human relationships, social structures, virtuous behavior and work ethics. In Confucianism, rules are specified for the social behavior of every individual, governing the entire range of interpersonal relations within the society. The core virtues of Confucius basic teaching can be extracted as Ren (Humanity), Yi (Righteousness), Li (Propriety), Zhi (Wisdom) and Xin (Faithfulness). According to Confucius, each person had a specific place in society, certain rules to follow and certain duties to fulfill. Confucius hoped that if people knew what was expected of them they would behave accordingly. He, therefore, set up Five Cardinal Relations, in which most people are involved, moreover h e also laid down the principles for each relation. These can be illustrated as follows: Basic Human Relations Principles Sovereign and subject (master and follower) Loyalty and duty Father and son Love and obedience Elder and younger brothers Seniority and modeling subject Husband and wife Obligation and submission Friend and friend Trust Source: Fan, 2000 All of these five, except the last, involve the authority of one person over another. Power and the right to rule belong to superiors over subordinates. Each person has to give obedience and respect to his/her ‘superiors’; the subject to his/her ruler, the wife to her husband, the son to his parents, and the younger brother to the older brother. The ‘superior’, however, owes loving responsibility to the subordinates. These relationships are structured to generate optimal benefits for both parties, and the principles are laid to achieve a harmonious society (Fan, 2000). Among these five basic human relatio ns, three are family relations, which show strong family-orientation in the Chinese society. Such a characteristic when applied to organizational management, leads to the birth of a parternalistic management style in Chinese society (Hsiao, et al., 1990). As China is a high context culture (Hall, 1976) and places much emphasis on Confucianism, relationships within the Chinese society have been explained in terms of harmony, hierarchy, and development of morality and kinship (Shenkar and Ronen, 1987). Defining Guanxi Under the impact of Confucianism, China is a nation whose social relationships are neither individual-based nor society-based, but typically a relationship-based society (Liang, 1974), in which almost everyone tries to maintain Guanxi. Guanxi, which literally means social relationship or social connection, is a prevalent cultural phenomenon that has strong implications for interpersonal and interorganisational dynamics in Chinese society. The concept of Guanxi is enormou sly rich, complex and dynamic (Yang, 2001). In English as well as Chinese, it can be defined at various levels and from different perspectives. Chen and Chen (2004) argue that rather than social networks or interpersonal relationships found in the Western literature, Guanxi should be viewed as an indigenous Chinese construct and should be defined as an informal, particularistic personal connection between two individuals who are bounded by an implicit psychological contract to follow the social norms as maintaining a long-term relationship, mutual commitment, loyalty, and obligation.

MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAM - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT Essay

MENTOR PROTEGE PROGRAM - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT - Essay Example The Department of Defense Mentor-Protà ©gà © Program is useful for a small-business owner contracting with the federal government for the first time in several ways. This is an excellent way to learn the ropes in dealing with the federal government (Stanberry, 2012). The Small Business will immensely benefit from this experience given that they are given the opportunity to learn and build their own resumes such that they can also develop into large corporations. When small businesses are subcontracted to prime contractors, they are in a position to learn basic management and contracting skills such that they can operate viably on their own. Essentially, subcontracting is helpful to small businesses in that efficiency is improved in the completion of the task to be carried out. This also helps small businesses to grow such that they can be in a position to bid for federal contracts on their own once they have

Polish Immigration and the U.K Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9500 words

Polish Immigration and the U.K - Dissertation Example In May 2011, Polish immigration was back on the rise again with some 545,000 Polish passport holders currently (2011) living in the United Kingdom. Back in 2003, only 75,000 were living in the U.K., the year before Poland joined the European Union in hopes of finding ways to jump-start its own economy (Pidd 2011). Nearly 43,000 Poles immigrated over from September 2009 to September 2010 whereas, before that, there had been a drop of 12,000 Poles who had moved back to Poland. Yet, it would appear that Poland, as a country,   had not lived up to expectations in job development and economic growth. So, back to England they went, not because England was having any sort of economic boom but that even poorly paid jobs in the U.K. were better than anything they were finding back home. Most of the immigrant Poles were from the eastern part of Poland which is typically poorer than the rest of the country (Pidd 2011).In a more general population overview, immigrants to the U.K. tend to be mo re working age people such as students and those looking for jobs and, as these people flow in, an increase in aggregate demand also occurs, increasing spending which impacts GDP (Pettinger 2012). During the middle of the last decade, more Eastern Europeans, such as the Polish, immigrated to the U.K. because of demand for builders and plumbers. The U.K. population is also aging and this meant that with younger immigrants coming in to pick up such jobs, they would be paying income taxes but not so likely to be claiming benefits. Additionally, with nearly 428,225 international students studying in the U.K. in 2010 to 2011, this influx contributed ?2.5 billion to the educational sector and helped finance domestic students’ education as well (Pettinger 2012). Yet, there is the problem of overcrowding, particularly in cities and limited areas for building more residential areas because of the desire to maintain a certain amount of green area. The European Union (EU), overall, was hit hard during the economic crisis and government budgets and employment outcomes were not what had been hoped for, even from a few years back. The aggregate government budget for the EU went from less than

Online Academic Book store Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Online Academic Book store - Assignment Example Since 1998, the Internet has increasingly emerged as a viable alternative to buying books at physical retail store locations. By the year 2004, the ratio of books sold at physical retail outlet and that through online stores has become 8-to-1. This shows the prevailing growth of the ebusiness for the books. And in case of Academic books the revolution has already taken place, during the past five years. Textbooks in the UK used to be published in parallel, split editions - a relatively expensive hardback for university libraries, and a much cheaper, cross-subsidized paperback for student purchase. Now, however, libraries buy paperbacks, the cross-subsidies have ceased, and the hardback undergraduate textbook has virtually disappeared. The cost of paperbacks has now risen. Publishing and book selling is no more a traditional business. With the advent of Internet the industry has gone global. Customers of modern era demand much from the industry. Customers want to browse the large scope of information, including bibliographical information on the net and wants to select and purchase their favorite books online. The competition is now on in the websites with huge number of online bookstores trying to catch the attention of Internet savvy customers. Publishers also finds it very difficult to catalogue the huge amount of data through the traditional means and the online solution will help them out of the difficult situation through easy search adoptions. By going online a company's publication will be accessible for more number of people and the business will definitely shoot up. And the problem with the traditional publishers is they produce high-demand textbooks for large numbers and to get low demand books out of season will be a time consuming task. Also in several areas of academic publishing, where texts are especially expensive to produce for example, modern languages, mathematics and medicine a very few number of publishers are producing and the demand would not be met in such cases. 1.Product innovation: The product component of the eBusiness model framework describes the value a firm wants to offer its customers. The current scope of the ebusiness model has sufficient value to its targeted customer segment by offering the product academic books. To deliver this Value proposition, the online firm should posses a certain set of in-house and /or outsourced capabilities. Value Proposition. This element refers to the value the firm offers to a specific target et customer segment. Through mass customization and through rule based one to one personalization or collaborative filtering, firms can propose value tailored to the profile of every single customer. The proposed features like Shipping calculator, Mini Cart Option on All Pages, Different layouts for cart & checkout pages, Address book function for easy checkout, Seamless check-out process, Built in shipping and tax calculation, Multiple shipping and payment options, On screen shopping list are highly dynamic in navigating the customer to the perfection of ebusiness. Target: A firm genenerally creates value for a specific customer segment. A firm can market either to businesses and/or individuals, commonly referred to as business-to-business (B2B) and business to customer (B2C). The target customers for

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics - Essay Example Business ethics generally means the philosophy of business. This will determine the fundamental proposes of the company. If any company is intending to maximize the returns to its share holders then that would be called as unethical since it is depriving the interests and rights of some one else. Corporate social responsibility or CSR is widely debated regarding the rights and duties existing between and society. Industrial espionage and hostile takeovers are the issues concerning different companies. Leadership issues, corporate contributions that too political contributions are being the worst debated ethical issues within business law. Introducing a new reform under the law reform is the crime like corporate manslaughter which is being opposed by the biggest business houses to make them self's more secure. Business law must be generally governed under the law and the justice should be equally distributed. Corporate ethics policies are being misused as marketing instruments. Since business law does not come under the criminal law and any deviation is considered under the civil law and hence these deviations are not taken seriously.

Analysis of a Leader Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of a Leader - Research Paper Example Tutor Signature: Date: Introduction The following article includes the analysis of a well known business leader Bill Gates who is the Chairman, cofounder and chief software architect of Microsoft, which is among the most successful software company around the globe. The analysis starts with a brief about leader, leadership and the leadership theory which Bill Gates followed in his life. The discussion would include skills, traits, behavior, influence process and relevant aspect of the situation which made Bill Gates successful enough to be famous. The strength and weaknesses of Bill Gates are part of the analysis to give a clear insight of ups and downs in his career. Issues of ethical leadership have also been discussed. Leader and Leadership Leader may be defined as a person followed by others. He/ she are the one to lead thus motivating others to follow, while leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish organizational goals. Hence, a leader is someone in the posi tion of leadership who motivates and inspires a team towards achievement of common goal. Analysis of the reasons why the leader was famous William Henry Gates III which is also commonly known to be as Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle Washington. Bill started showing interest in programming at an early age while studying in Lakeside school. This is where Bill gates met Paul Allen who is the co founder of Microsoft. They together through technological innovation, aggressive competitive tactics and keen business strategy build â€Å"Microsoft†, world’s largest software company. Gates because of his interest in programming didn’t plan to study further and dropped out of Harvard to start a company. Bill Gate’s career story shows influence from various leadership theories namely task oriented leadership, autocratic style, laissez faire leadership etc (Bill Gates biography, 2012). Traits Since childho od Bill was intelligent, ambitious and competitive. He believes if you know how to apply your intelligence then you can achieve anything and everything. He was passionate about software, coding and technology. This passion made him the richest man in the world. Bill Gates was a risk bearer who dropped out of Harvard in order to allocate his full energy and time to Microsoft, a company he started with his school friend Paul Allen. He believes in continuous learning which makes him a great leader (Lesinski, 2008). Skills Bill Gates quotes his success to hard work. Since the beginning of his life he is a hard worker dedicating the entire night working on computer in his college days and then sleeping only for 6 hours when he started Microsoft. The entrepreneurship in Gates has kept him focused towards his goal. He knows managing his work well and is a creative person. He was always confident of hid dream of becoming successful. With focus on goals Bill Gates efficiently managed all are as of the company. Because of great convincing skills he has made lot of successful deals in his career, IBM one of them though (Strother, 2007). Behavior Bill Gates is a determined person. Whenever he starts something new he would continue doing that project and won’t start another unless done with the first one. Gates never stopped trying when he was in process of making new software’s. He’s full of courage and never hesitates in taking risk. Once when he was about to lose lot of profit from

Online Academic Book store Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Online Academic Book store - Assignment Example Since 1998, the Internet has increasingly emerged as a viable alternative to buying books at physical retail store locations. By the year 2004, the ratio of books sold at physical retail outlet and that through online stores has become 8-to-1. This shows the prevailing growth of the ebusiness for the books. And in case of Academic books the revolution has already taken place, during the past five years. Textbooks in the UK used to be published in parallel, split editions - a relatively expensive hardback for university libraries, and a much cheaper, cross-subsidized paperback for student purchase. Now, however, libraries buy paperbacks, the cross-subsidies have ceased, and the hardback undergraduate textbook has virtually disappeared. The cost of paperbacks has now risen. Publishing and book selling is no more a traditional business. With the advent of Internet the industry has gone global. Customers of modern era demand much from the industry. Customers want to browse the large scope of information, including bibliographical information on the net and wants to select and purchase their favorite books online. The competition is now on in the websites with huge number of online bookstores trying to catch the attention of Internet savvy customers. Publishers also finds it very difficult to catalogue the huge amount of data through the traditional means and the online solution will help them out of the difficult situation through easy search adoptions. By going online a company's publication will be accessible for more number of people and the business will definitely shoot up. And the problem with the traditional publishers is they produce high-demand textbooks for large numbers and to get low demand books out of season will be a time consuming task. Also in several areas of academic publishing, where texts are especially expensive to produce for example, modern languages, mathematics and medicine a very few number of publishers are producing and the demand would not be met in such cases. 1.Product innovation: The product component of the eBusiness model framework describes the value a firm wants to offer its customers. The current scope of the ebusiness model has sufficient value to its targeted customer segment by offering the product academic books. To deliver this Value proposition, the online firm should posses a certain set of in-house and /or outsourced capabilities. Value Proposition. This element refers to the value the firm offers to a specific target et customer segment. Through mass customization and through rule based one to one personalization or collaborative filtering, firms can propose value tailored to the profile of every single customer. The proposed features like Shipping calculator, Mini Cart Option on All Pages, Different layouts for cart & checkout pages, Address book function for easy checkout, Seamless check-out process, Built in shipping and tax calculation, Multiple shipping and payment options, On screen shopping list are highly dynamic in navigating the customer to the perfection of ebusiness. Target: A firm genenerally creates value for a specific customer segment. A firm can market either to businesses and/or individuals, commonly referred to as business-to-business (B2B) and business to customer (B2C). The target customers for

Analysis of a Leader Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of a Leader - Research Paper Example Tutor Signature: Date: Introduction The following article includes the analysis of a well known business leader Bill Gates who is the Chairman, cofounder and chief software architect of Microsoft, which is among the most successful software company around the globe. The analysis starts with a brief about leader, leadership and the leadership theory which Bill Gates followed in his life. The discussion would include skills, traits, behavior, influence process and relevant aspect of the situation which made Bill Gates successful enough to be famous. The strength and weaknesses of Bill Gates are part of the analysis to give a clear insight of ups and downs in his career. Issues of ethical leadership have also been discussed. Leader and Leadership Leader may be defined as a person followed by others. He/ she are the one to lead thus motivating others to follow, while leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish organizational goals. Hence, a leader is someone in the posi tion of leadership who motivates and inspires a team towards achievement of common goal. Analysis of the reasons why the leader was famous William Henry Gates III which is also commonly known to be as Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle Washington. Bill started showing interest in programming at an early age while studying in Lakeside school. This is where Bill gates met Paul Allen who is the co founder of Microsoft. They together through technological innovation, aggressive competitive tactics and keen business strategy build â€Å"Microsoft†, world’s largest software company. Gates because of his interest in programming didn’t plan to study further and dropped out of Harvard to start a company. Bill Gate’s career story shows influence from various leadership theories namely task oriented leadership, autocratic style, laissez faire leadership etc (Bill Gates biography, 2012). Traits Since childho od Bill was intelligent, ambitious and competitive. He believes if you know how to apply your intelligence then you can achieve anything and everything. He was passionate about software, coding and technology. This passion made him the richest man in the world. Bill Gates was a risk bearer who dropped out of Harvard in order to allocate his full energy and time to Microsoft, a company he started with his school friend Paul Allen. He believes in continuous learning which makes him a great leader (Lesinski, 2008). Skills Bill Gates quotes his success to hard work. Since the beginning of his life he is a hard worker dedicating the entire night working on computer in his college days and then sleeping only for 6 hours when he started Microsoft. The entrepreneurship in Gates has kept him focused towards his goal. He knows managing his work well and is a creative person. He was always confident of hid dream of becoming successful. With focus on goals Bill Gates efficiently managed all are as of the company. Because of great convincing skills he has made lot of successful deals in his career, IBM one of them though (Strother, 2007). Behavior Bill Gates is a determined person. Whenever he starts something new he would continue doing that project and won’t start another unless done with the first one. Gates never stopped trying when he was in process of making new software’s. He’s full of courage and never hesitates in taking risk. Once when he was about to lose lot of profit from

The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou Essay This novel is the autobiographical description of a young African American girl growing up in the South. She was left with her grandmother Annie along with her older brother Bailey while her parents went their own ways. She experienced segregation, discrimination, rape and molestation. Towards the end she became pregnant by a boyfriend, yet still completes high school. The story ends with her sleeping close to her new born son. Through all of these things, she learned that to be a black female you have to be strong. Obviously, a major theme that is addressed throughout the story is racism. She has observed her grandmother experience it and she experienced it herself. Her thoughts on how to deal with ‘white folks’ was less passive than she felt her grandmother’s approach was. Another theme was displacement. As a descendant of slaves, she felt that she, among many other African Americans, are struggling to find their place in this society. Her opening line: â€Å"What you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  reflects that she feels like she doesn’t belong where she is, and is on her way to where she does belong. African American dialect is used throughout the book, particularly in dialogue. She tells the story in first person and gives her commentary on the events of her life as well as descriptions of the significant occurrences of her life. The novel had a conversational style, as if she was in the room talking to you. She reflects on her memories and describes her emotions, and the effect certain situations had on later events in her life.   It seems to be a chronological account. It is evident that she believes that blacks should stand up for themselves. This is a society where there are many disadvantages for African Americans, but the challenges can be overcome with strength. She views life as a passing journey with lesson after lesson to be learned along the way.

The Culture And Cricket Media Essay

The Culture And Cricket Media Essay Sports play an important role in the life of millions across the globe. Not only are the social and political identities shaped through them, but it also mobilizes the emotions and channels the conflicts rooted in the society. Just like the soccer world cup can unite a divided Spanish society, a cricket match can rouse the passions of the thousands of Indian fans thus uniting them across religions. Sports form a part of the worldwide entertainment industry. The corporates have millions riding on the different tournaments and cups in the games and to increase their marketability they hire sports stars to be the brand ambassadors of their products, investing in the saleability of the game and its icon. Distinct social meanings can be constructed and deconstructed through the sports and their interplay with the society. A few sports have now developed into social forces of unprecedented importance. Andrei Markovits has talked about the evolution of the hegemonic sports culture in which only a few sports become a part of the popular culture. It is defined by watching, following, worrying, debating, living, and speaking a sport rather than merely playing it. This is demonstrated in the following that the sports nowdays have huge following, fans live, eat and breathe their favourite sports. Cricket is one of the sports that have been elevated to being a part of the popular culture and it influences the cultural and social milieu and the life of people. Cricket has acquired an unimaginable power over the daily habits of people and as a sport has crossed the immediate consumer-producer relationship. The game of cricket has evolved over a period of time and our focus will be on its development from a gentlemans game to the game of sledging and to the game of gamesmanship behaviour. Cricket has its cultura l and historical roots in Victorian England. The Victorian tradition of the sport defines it as a predominantly male game and its image as a gentlemans game is drawn from it. Cricket was the game associated with aristocracy while soccer has been the game associated with masses. The mark of the game has been the fairplay and the sportsmanship. The values of courtesy and chivalry were seeked to be imbibed in the game. Rules were to be followed on-field and decorum was to be maintained both on and off-field. There are not rules in cricket but laws which have to be followed keeping in spirit with the nature of the game. Britains imperialism and its bourgeoisie capitalistic culture, codified the language of the game and the rules and regulations were universally accepted. As Steve Readhead had put it that it was time to take law and cricket seriously and there is nothing as important as Cricket. A strict application of laws was expected and a spirit of chivalry inundated the game. The 18 th century was important in the spread of the game due to English imperialism. The game was transported to the colonies of the British Commonwealth and the tradition of the game was fully adhered to. Sanskritization was a theory propounded by M.N. Srinivas which postulates that the lower strata of the society seeks upward mobility in the social ladder by emulating the habits and practices of the upper strata. But what followed in cricket was its reverse sanskritization. Initially cricket in the Indian subcontinent was an elitist game patronized by the royalty and played by the upper strata of the society who appreciated the elitist culture of the game. The doyens of cricket included Maharajas of Jamnagar, Maharaja Viji of Vijaynagar, Maharaja of Patiala who belonged to the royal families while the prominent players like Lala Amarnath, Vijay Merchant belonged to the upper social class. Till the 1930s Cricket remained the gentlemans game and fairplay was of paramount importance. But slowly changes could be observed in the way the game was played. In the era following the first world war chauvinistic sentiments were on the rise. Feelings of nationalism increased in the people which were visible in every domain of life including the sports culture. To win the game became the number one priority of the sportsperson and this change was visible in the game of cricket too. Now winning involved the nations prestige. Cricket is a game worth taking trouble over and playing well, wrote Douglas Jardine, the former England cricket captain, in Cricket: How to Succeed (1936), but like all other games there is a right and a wrong way of playing it (Jardine 1936: 3). The changing times reflected the changing sentiments in the way cricket was played. In 1930 Australia had scored an easy victory over England with the emergence of the legendary batsman Donald Bradman. His brilliant performance in the test series had made the English fearful. In the 1932 test series between England and Australia, the priority of the English bowlers was to contain Bradmans score. Under captain Douglas Jardine, and employed by the England fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce a new technique of bowling was developed whereby a batsman could be contained by limiting the range of his strokes and by encouraging error. This was called the bodyline or fast-leg theory. The bowlers targeted the body of the Australian batsman. The deliveries used to be led provoked the batsman which would then end in a catch to one of the six or more fielders stationed on the leg side. Thus the Australian Board of Cricket lodged a formally protested against the unsportsmanlike behavior by the English players. This test series was controversial as it engendered ill-feeling between the two countries and it also raised among the English and the Australians, questions about the interpretations that codes of cricket mean and could mean. Questions were also raised about the right and wrong way to play and these included the cultural and social interface and their relation with the game. Systems of meanings were explored in the game by both sides that had previously been left implicit. Post the Bodyline series The Australian journalist and cricketer Arthur Mailey pointed that something modern was happening to cricket. Argus newspaper explained bodyline as a portrayal of a new set of values which was a result of the modern age (Mailey 1933: 12; Stoddart 1979: 136). C. L. R. James also read the series in these terms, though he saw Jardines strategy as an escalation of cricketing tendencies already established by Bradman himself. It was the violence and ferocity of our age expressing itself in cricket, he writes in Beyond a Boundary (James 1963: 186). The reverse sanskritization of cricket was palpable, the upper strata of society had adopted the social mores of the lower strata. Aggression became a part of the play and victory became the aim of the players which was to be attained at all costs. As Jardine had put it the right and the wrong way of playing described the ambiguity between the moral and the technical semantics, which defined the aftermath of victories in Australia. Jardine resigned as the English captain after the series, but the game lost its sense of fairplay and sportsmanship. The elitist culture was giving way to mass culture. Sportsmanship slowly gave way to gamesmanship. The spirit of the cricket laws was replaced by the letters. Vinoo Mankad Mankaded Bill Brown. It occurred during Indias tour of Australia on 13 December 1947 in the second test match at Sydney. Mankading is a method of dismissal in which the bowler runs a batsman out in his delivery stride. While it is a statistically rare occurrence in cricket in general, and even rarer in Test cricket, it is the clearest and starkest example of the conflict between legal formalism in cricket and an ideal of the game based on higher or more important ethical norms. Sledging has become a part of contemporary cricket added by the problems of match fixing. The game shifted from being an elitist culture to a game of the masses. The commercialization resulted in the real essence of cricket being lost. Due to commercialization there has been an increase in level of competition between the teams. Though big bucks are being made by people involved yet the quality of the game is being compromised. The gentlemans game became the game of the masses. It is evident that there are two dominant trains of thought, one that believes in the higher order of the game, which was practised in the days gone by. Fairplay was the code of the game and the laws which were to be applied to the game reinforced the higher and truer order of the game. The hegemonic sports culture represents frozen spaces. These spaces are like the ones presented by political parties and political systems which are resistant to any innovation in the system. Changes are resisted by the social and cultural forces. Sports spaces create emotional attachments and collective identifications. Tradition defines these spaces at local, national and regional level. Globalization exerts pressures on the localized sports cultures which they resist. Sports like politics remains local, the love that people have for their sport and their institutions associated with it like the myths, legends, colours and the pubs and bars. Thus change is always resisted due to the fear of losing t hese attachments and the sense of identity. But the post industrial globalization is exerting unprecedented pressure on the sports spaces. The cultural and social spaces are being challenged by the globalization. The identities and allegiances which constitute the differences in the landscape of sports and politics began to blur round the edges. Hegemonic sports cultures are becoming prolific across the globe, at pace with the development of media and pop culture which are interdependent. An example here can be given of the IPL 20-20 which in origin is Indian but has a universal following. The foreign and the Indian players are given equal respect and are admired by all. In the present age sports like cricket present a cosmopolitan culture which cannot be found in the society which is deeply divided on basis of borders and religion. Cricket provides attachments and allegiances and a new form of cosmopolitan identity. This cosmopolitan nature of the sport facilitates an acknowledgeme nt of the best talents and it transforms the collective identities. Like Ronaldinho and Zidane, the greatest and the best known of the soccer players, Sachin Tendulkar too is adored and worshipped by millions of cricket fans across the globe. He too has attained a celebrity status and is a cultural icon. He is a superstar in his own right and is a truly global player. He has a cultural production beyond the playing field. Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my God. Is one of the sayings which can describe the mania associated with Tendulkar. Youth not only adore and worship a Tendulkar or a Lara, they try to adopt their aggression, composure, warmth into their personality. Cricketers shape and mould the youth behaviour. They follow their slangs, dress, hairstyle and attitude. Players are globally admired and they are representatives of cultural understandings of the worlds diverse societies. Often the sports spaces are the first through which migrants gain social acceptance and recognition. Hence cricket in a way is a medium of cultural exchange. An other example that can be given is of the infamous Monkeygate Scandal involving the Autralian cricketer Andrew Symonds and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Singh was accused to racially abusing Symonds. This had led to rigorous protests by the Indian fans and there was resentment against Symonds in the Indian cricket followers. But he was accepted and adored by the fans nce he joined the IPL as a member of the Mumbai Indians. Maarten Van Bottenburg and Johan Heilbron have shown in their research on Ultimate fighting and other No Holds Barred Events that these sports had developed in opposition to the overly cosmopolitan and sportized venues. Men wanted a fight without rules without being overly regulated. They wanted to find out who the best was and who would be the last man standing without being hassled any authority and bureaucratic system. They were not there to find out who the best wrestler or the best boxer was, but they wanted to know who the best fighter was. This transformation was visible in cricket too. Cricket has always had a strong male bias among its followers and the masculine idea of the patriarchal Victorian England formed the opinions about cricket being essentially a male game. The effeminate and technical Test cricket slowly lost its sheen to limited 50 over cricket and finally to 20-20. The shorter form of game were considered virile, no hold barred power display and excited the mas ses. From the leisurely gentlemans game cricket became an aggressive sport whose priority was to please the spectators. The contests used to be localized earlier but due to the quick channels of communication, these attained global dimensions by acquiring rules and regulations and television contracts. When Bill Shankly had been asked to explain the importance of soccer, the Liverpool manager had exclaimed: Some people think football is a matter of life or death. I dont like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more important than that. Cricket can easily be substituted for soccer in the context of the Indian subcontinent. The games can vary from country to country yet the social and cultural phenomena associated with each game are the same everywhere.

Modernization Theory Essay -- Sociology Modernization Essays Papers

Modernization Theory Modernization is the term used for the transition from the traditional society of the past to modern society as it is found today in the West. Modernization theory refers to a variety of non-Marxist perspectives which have been put forward to explain the development or underdevelopment of countries. Modernization theory is a model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of differing levels of technological development among societies. Modernization theory presents the idea that by introducing modern methods in "technology, agricultural production for trade, and industrialization dependent on a mobile labour force," the underdeveloped countries will experience a strengthening in their economies. Modernization theory offers an account of the common features of the process of development drawing on the analysis of Durkheim and Weber. Development implies the bridging of these gaps by an imitative process, occurring in stages, such that traditional sect ors and/or countries gradually assume the qualities of the 'modern' western countries. There are many proponents of Modernization Theory, such as, Walter Rostow, W.A. Lewis, Talcott Parsons, and Daniel Lerner, however the theory has it's roots in the ideas of Durkheim and Weber. The proponents of the modernization theory all felt that the rest of the world needed to look to the Western model of modernity and pattern their society like the West in order to progress. Modernization theory was developed as an alternative to the Marxist account of social development. Modernization Theory Divides the World into two kinds of societies: "modern" and "traditional." Traditional societies are backward looking : Dominated by religious a... ...hat: poor countries are separated from the world economy. It ignores the possibility that one country's prosperity may mean another countries poverty. Further, modernization theory ignores the roles that powerful state governments play in helping with wealth-creation as they support, regulate, and direct economic growth. Modernization theory is an unworkable guide for facilitating Caribbean growth because of the many weaknesses, which have been highlighted. The modernization theory although is without a doubt one of he most influential theory, is in fact an unworkable guide to Caribbean development as it simply describes the development process without showing how it might be achieved. The theory is in fact a unilinear, ethnocentric theory and it is with all it's shortcomings which one can conclude that it provides an unworkable guide to Caribbean development.

Being a Good Tutor :: essays papers

Being a Good Tutor Tutoring, you think it is the easiest job that you could have. You think so because of the flexibility of time, and the only thing you need to do is be there on time to help students (Tutees) with the subject that they have difficulty understanding, which you obviously have the full knowledge about because you earned an ‘A’ or ‘B’ in earlier semesters. However, all that you were thinking is definitely wrong. The tutees don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. There are many qualities you need to have in order to be a good tutor besides being intelligent. As Clayton College and State University Peer Tutoring Program (CCSU) mentioned in their web site, â€Å"Intelligence alone does not result in successful tutoring; more important is what kind of person you are† (Characteristics of a Good Tutor). Also, as CCSU mentioned, the tutor should have a â€Å" Positive outlook, having a desire to help others, liking for the subject matter, open minded by accepting others points of view, having the ability to see what needs to be done and do it, understanding, and having the ability to feel what another person is feeling.† So what do you need to do when you have an appointment with a tutee for the first time? Besides having all the personal characteristics that I mentioned earlier, you also need to know about the subject that you are going to help the tutee with before going to the appointment. Then you need to review this subject even though you are good at it because you can gather the different ideas on this subject and also analyze the information that you might have forgotten. You need to think after that about how the session with the tutee is going to be, write some notes, and be ready to answer any question your tutee might ask you. Now you are ready to meet the tutee. When you meet the tutee, the first thing you need to do is to introduce yourself and tell him or her that you are a student, especially if that is his or her first time having a tutor. Try to be friendly in order to help the tutee lose his or her nervousness by asking the tutee how the class is going on. Use the first ten to fifteen minutes to organize, plan, and show the tutee what you are going to talk about in the session.

The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry

The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry By AmArdeep Udeshi, engAgement mAnAger, ims ConsUlting groUp And mohit BAhri, ConsUltAnt, ims ConsUlting groUp Dear colleagues, We are proud to present to you the outcome of a unique initiative jointly undertaken by OPPI and IMS Consulting Group (IMSCG). As part of the OPPI Committee on Sales Force Excellence (SFE), a decision was taken last year to understand the prevailing practices and emerging trends with respect to Sale Forces, aimed at driving SFE across the Indian Pharma industry.As part of this study, OPPI and IMS Health undertook a survey amongst key senior management personnel, wherein information was captured related to sales force structures, the principle behind their set ups and the challenges faced therein. Fourteen companies responded to this survey. What is presented here is a brief glimpse of the findings of this survey, within the context of changing sales models in the Indian pharma industry. Supporting t his data are insights provided by IMS Consulting Group based on their expertise and knowledge of the industry and its changing dynamics along with inputs from other industry experts associated with OPPI.What this paper attempts to do is to showcase how sales models are being, and will continue to be, reinvented and redesigned across the Indian pharma market landscape in the years to come. We do hope you find this article and the subject as interesting as we found it to be while bringing this paper to you. Thank you, Tapan Ray Director General OPPI Ram Kalyana Country Principal, India IMS Consulting Group 2 the only ConstAnt is ChAnge itself The ever changing face of the Indian pharma industry and its ability to adapt innovatively has reinforced the fact that adaptation is the only way to survive.With every passing decade, a new commercial challenge has emerged; which in-turn has provided the industry with an opportunity to ride the waves to reach newer heights. An annual turnover of Rs 600 Bn with a CAGR in excess of 15% is a testimony to the fact that key players have emerged, winning over time. With time, newer and innovative commercial approaches have been adopted and implemented, thus demonstrating that the companies have adapted themselves to the fluidic nature of the Indian pharma market. As Fig. below indicates, following the announcement of a formal patent structure in 1995, Indian players started gearing up for the product patent regime. During this time, a transition from conservative sales models to ag- gressive and innovative sales models was observed. Companies geared up their R&D efforts to meet the product patent criteria, and undertook an aggressive expansion in early 2000s from a gradual ramp up of portfolio and sales force in late 90s. So aggressive was the portfolio expansion, that the average number of new brands launch increased from nearly 700/year in the late 1990s to >2,500/year between 2000 and 2005.At the same time, companies expanded their sales forces aggressively in attempts to reach out to the geographical corners of the country, including rural markets in the late 2000s. In a bid to increase revenue further, innovators engaged in co-promotion of their patented products and out-licensing. At the same time, with limited options to expand portfolio and near saturation in the top cities in India, companies started adopting newer commercial models and sales force structures (like task forces, therapy experts, Key Account Manager structure, Contracted Sales Operations, etc. to more efficiently target the market. Figure 1: Changing Sales Dynamics in the Indian Pharma Industry Announcement of patent regime massive restructuring and scale up product patent implemented shrinking pipeline and rise of pharmerging markets †¢ Companies start gearing up for expansion †¢ sf and portfolio ramp up †¢ Avg new products launched/yr 650-700 †¢ started investments in r&d †¢ rapid adoption of business unit structure †¢ expansion to extra-urban geographies †¢ emergence of newer sales model like taskforce, therapy experts †¢ Co-promotion/licensing agreements kicked in †¢ rise of organized retail vents likely to impact future sales models †¢health insurance †¢govt. adopting health security measures for certain sections of society †¢ gst regime †¢ Aggresive portfolio & sales force expansion, >2,500 new products launched/yr †¢ gradual adoption of business unit structure †¢ mnCs entering india and also launching global portfolio 1995-2000 Source: IMS intelligence 2000-2005 2005-2010 †¢ emergence of new stakeholders, sales channels †¢ likely adoption of newer sales model like channel management, KAm, Cso, etc 2010 and beyond Future 3 Companies who aggressively ramped-up were able to (See Fig. below) shows that these initiatives have maintain their bottom line, thus indicating that these proved to be fruitful and provided healthy bo ttom strategies paid off. A Top-level financial assessment lines. Figure 2: Profitability trends – Key companies MNCs 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 40% 35% 30% Indian Companies operating profit % 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% -5% -10% 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 novartis Astra merck Abbott pfizer Aventis ranbaxy glenmark drl sun pharma CiplA % operating profit = operating profit/ operating income source: www. money. rediff. comHowever, in an ever changing market environment, the drive up efficiencies, be it through streamlining operasustainability of these models in terms of profitability tions, adapting their sales model to market realties, or needs to be carefully considered. Hence, it’s imperative enhancing efficacy of initiatives. for the industry to look within for the opportunities to As an industry executive says, â€Å"We moved from a Sales and Marketing structure to a Business Unit structure to bring more accountability, manage evolving busi ness needs and use equity of organization for reaching to the middle of the accessible pyramid.We have also created a horizontal strategic excellence team across these BUs for process evaluation. † Another industry executive mentioned that adopting specialized field forces to promote super-specialty products, using a traditional field In a survey jointly undertaken by IMSCG and OPPI force to promote other less specialized products, and a CSO amongst leading companies related to sales practices (Contracted Sales Operations) model for rural geographies and models, it was observed that nearly 80% responded has worked well for them.Thus, the industry has seen an to having changed their sales model at least once in the adoption of multiple kinds of sales forces – an improvelast 5 years. Nearly 80% of the companies contacted ment over having a ‘traditional sales force only’ model. by IMS have already adopted multiple business unit models, with or without addition al specific task forces; While most of the companies have adopted this Business with the number of business units ranging from 2 to Unit structure, a few pushed further ahead by adopting newer innovative promotional models like patient activa10, depending on portfolio width. ion teams, therapy specialists, or creating patient awareness through mass media. CUrrent sAles models The sales force continues to be the biggest promotional investment for pharma players. Industry has evolved around making most use of this resource and has adopted innovative commercial models, from sales and marketing structure to business unit structure to specialized task forces, as per their needs – often proactively adapting existing sales models to market realities 4 As seen in Fig. below, while key determinants of the and target doctor specialty, a few companies have also sales force structure are therapy focus, portfolio width, aligned their models around geographies and profitability. Figure 3: therapy focus portfolio (number of brands) specialty focus nature of product (otC/hospital based) geography focus stage in lifecycle of the portfolio mix of different profibility brands realignment of brands due to merger/acquisition 0 2 4 5. 5 6 8 7. 2 6. 9 6. 9 6. 7 9. 2 8. 9 8. 7 10A few of the models seen in the pharma industry (see Fig. 4 below) are: †¢ therApy foCUs promotion: Generally seen where a portfolio is specialized, therapy focused, and scripts are driven through chosen few doctors; generally in chronic segment. †¢ ChAnnel mAnAgement: Mostly in OTC /OTX business; mature products with wider portfolio width. †¢ hospitAl tAsKforCe: Exclusively to manage hospital business. †¢ speCiAlty driven sAles model: Applicable in scenarios where portfolio is built around 2 or 3 specialties. tAsK forCe: Generally adopted for niche products in urban areas, such as fertility clinics or for new launches where the focus is on select top rung physicians only. †¢ o Ut-soUrCed sAles forCe: Generally used for expansion in extra-urban geographies or with companies for whom medico-marketing is secondary (such as OTC or Consumer Healthcare companies). Figure 4: Newer Sales Force Models adopted task-force institutional sales force Channel sales multiple BU sales force therapy focus specialty focus Acute vs chronic focus geography focus others Urban GeographyUrban + lower town classes therapy experts rural superspecialty focus/ niche hospital focus distributor sales force otC rural sales force (owned / outsourced) multispecialty broad portfolio Portfolio non-exhaustive indicative overview of indian pharma sales models 5 Different companies have adopted different strategies, but the key reason cited for adapting these changes remains the same: to provide better customer focus and targeting, enhance efficiencies, facilitate expansion to newer business areas (both therapies and geographies), and increase accountability of the resources.One of the execut ives surveyed said, â€Å"We created multiple structures to expand coverage to new markets and therapy areas in line with growth expectation, support new launches, and strengthen key markets & institutional sales. † For specialty products driven companies, task forces account for nearly 15% of the total sales force. Key determinants of adapting these models are therapy focus, width of product portfolio and target doctor specialties.Interestingly, responses of those companies having mature products tending to an OTX profile suggest that channel management has already made inroads into pharma sales, accounting for nearly 20% of sales forces, second only to traditional sales force. Geography also emerges as one of the key determinants of sales model adoption, which shows that companies are also looking at realigning their sales model around the varied need of various geographies. An industry executive contacted by OPPI-IMS said â€Å"A new BU was created in our company to tap t he opportunity in the lower town classes.The BU contribution to the overall business is close to 20%. † Another executive said, â€Å"Emerging and untapped business in the Class 3 or 4 towns and rural sector will impact the future selling model,† thus Figure 5: Key benefits and challenges with various sales structures acknowledging the seriousness around rural consumers. MNCs like Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer are actively expanding to Tier IV cities and below, creating profitable business models around rural geographies. Extra-urban geographies require different sales models in addition to a different strategy in terms of portfolio, distribution, pricing and promotion.It has also been observed that many companies have adopted a multi-pronged commercial model to target specific needs of the various customer sets. One of the industry executives said, â€Å"We adopted multiple strategies, like divisionalization in different therapy segment to bring better focus on fie ld implementation, creation of channel management to manage late life cycle brands, launch of an extra urban division to increase reach, and launch of super specialty division like Derma & Cardio. Previous studies from IMSCG suggest that this is not an isolated case, but is now a common practice followed by both Indian and MNC players. No one model fits all. As seen in Fig. 5 below, different models have their share of benefits and challenges; innovative sales structures increase customer focus, but with additional investment. Hence, one needs to study financial feasibility of a adopting a new commercial model. While a few companies have started to reassess their selling model, many players still rely on traditional promotional channels, where doctor coverage, call frequency, and working ays still define the KPIs for the sales force. Benefits Account management Channel management hospital management task force structure Cso †¢ high Customer focus †¢ Customer management â⠂¬ ¢ Wider reach and frecuency †¢ helpful in managing large portfolio †¢ high focus on potential hospitals †¢ high productivity for speciality business †¢ high impact and productivity †¢ service to focus customers †¢ geographically better reach †¢ flexibility in operation & reduces managerial cost Challenges high investment †¢ delay in payments †¢ lower margins †¢ resource constraint for the wider reach †¢ price war †¢ formulary listing for new products †¢ scattered geography †¢ Cost of operation †¢ Compliance and quality of operations †¢ tough to coordinate and align Cso to parent company 6 A closer look at current models show that these models, though they would have provided an edge to the players, have largely focused around single stakeholder, primarily doctors. A study by IMSCG shows that decision making power of other stakeholders, including patients, hospitals, payers, and insurance companies, ha s Figure 6: een on a steady rise in recent years. Rising influence of new stakeholders in deciding treatment pathway will force the market players to look at newer touch points with new stakeholders and hence the promotional channels. KPIs for the sales team need to evolve to include these new key stakeholders. International Scenario Media Promotion Influential Influential Indian Scenario Doctors Media Promotion Doctors Patient Groups Payors Consumers Distribution channels Distribution channels Existing Consumers Insurance Patient Groups New Weak Existing NewMoreover, there are fundamental differences in stakeholder evolution between Western and Indian markets, which to an extent explains the difference between commercial models in the West and in India. While doctors are still the center of healthcare in India, the West has seen an emergence of consumers, payers, private insurance and patient groups as strong stakeholders in healthcare management. With Westernization of the Indian healthcare market, newer stakeholders are likely to gain more importance, and thus will be the need for newer ways and means of targeting them.Leading MNCs like Sanofi-Aventis, Roche, Lilly, MSD, and GSK have already started engaging newer stakeholders (patients) to maintain their leadership in the market. Awareness campaigns, as adopted by MSD for Gardasil or by GSK for its vaccine portfolio or by Sanofi-Aventis for its top end brands have helped route the patients to their products. Weak 7 emerging trends in the heAlthCAre system OPPI-IMSCG has identified six key trends in healthcare which are likely to influence the way pharma companies adopt their sales models in the next decade.These trends will see emergence of new stakeholders and promotional channels, that no company may afford to ignore, impacting future commercial models. These key trends are: 1. pAtients inCreAsingly BeComing strong stAKeholders: Increasing education, awareness, and income have prompted patients to active ly seek a healthy life-style. Patients have emerged as stronger stakeholders in the overall treatment chain, commanding what they want, at the price they want, where they want and by whom. Demand for preventive treatment, rather than curative, is increasingly becoming prominent amongst patients.Vaccination is a case in study, where companies like GSK and MSD have targeted primarily the end-user to ramp up patient acquisition. Increasing use of health check-up packages, awareness creation through media promotion, and government initiatives in rural healthcare will only lead to further strengthening of patients as key stakeholders in the healthcare system. †¢ Engages patients by providing services at their home for products like Arava and Actonel †¢ engages patients by providing services †¢ Program is called as SPARSH Typical is called as spArsh †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢program services include †¢ Counseling †¢ Diagnostic tests t their home for products like Arava †¢ Typical services include and Actonel †¢ Counseling †¢ Delivery of starter kits †¢typical Insurance †¢ Medicalservices include †¢ Exercising equipments †¢ Counseling †¢ Physiotherapy sessions †¢ delivery starter kits †¢ Diagnostic Tests †¢ medical insurance †¢ Personalized visit †¢ exercising equipments †¢ Emergency help †¢typical services include call center †¢ Query handling via †¢ Counseling †¢ diagnostic tests †¢ Patient doesn’t has to pay anything †¢ Query handling via call center extra †¢ patient doesn't has to pay anything extra Doctors are reported about the status of the †¢ diagnostic tests patients †¢ personalized visit †¢ physiotherapy sessions †¢ doesn’t has to †¢ Patient emergency help pay anything extra †¢ doctors are reported about the status of the patients †¢ patient doesn't has to pay anything extra MNCs have been act ively engaging customers by providing disease management services to retail patients taking their products. Counseling, physiotherapy sessions, and diagnostic tests are all services being provided to patients. Patient reach programs will require different set ups and servicing teams with specific skill sets.A leading MNC vaccine player reaches out to their patients through an SMS reminder service. An industry executive mentioned use of call centers for chronic disease management as a possibility. Thus, implementation of patient engagement programs will require adoption of different sales and service models, and hence newer capabilities by market players 2. emergenCe of neW heAlthCAre delivery ChAnnels The hospital segment is strongly emerging in the Indian healthcare sector. Private and corporate hospitals have grown at a 15-20% on YOY basis, and the trend is expected to continue for the next 5 years as well.Penetration in Tier II cities and medical tourism will further boost growth of corporate hospitals. The upcoming increase in number of corporate hospitals will result in a structure where players will not only require a hospital sales force, but also the key account managers to handle relationships with wider set of stakeholders like purchase managers, administrative staff, and nursing staff. Most of the companies surveyed by IMS either already have a hospital division, or are planning to have one in next 2-3 years. 8 3.UptAKe of generiCs By government hospitAl seCtor Mandated prescribing of generics by government hospitals is expected to strongly impact the sales of branded drugs in the long run. Mandated generics prescription in the West has already led to emergence of new sales model aimed at generics promotion. Though IMSCG does not see this trend impacting India much in next 5 years, over next decade or so it will be interesting to see what new commercial models pharma players adopt. Pharma companies may also need to engage aggressively with governmen t bodies like pricing authorities, or approval committees. . groWing otC seCtor Use of media in driving brand promotion and reaching out to masses has opened up a new avenue for Pharma players to grow beyond traditional channels. Revital, Gelusil, Liv 52, Volini, No Marks, Crocin are the classic case studies, where pharma players expanded their reach through newer promotional channels like media promotion or in-store branding. Because OTC implies reaching out to patients and consumers without doctor intervention, it necessitates focusing attention on pharmacies directly, developing new distribution models, pricing and consumer targeting.Healthcare FMCG companies like GSKCH, Nestle and Britannia have a dedicated medical detailing field force meeting doctors and nutritionists to promote their brand too. Emergence of OTC is further expected to catch-up in next 5-10 years, with many more companies eyeing to acquire a broader patient base through multi-channel marketing. Hence, pharmacos need to adopt a different model for targeting customers 5. orgAnized retAil phArmACy ChAins Increasing spread of organized pharmacy chains like Apollo, Guardian and 98. 4, will make pharma players think about managing the growing power of newer distribution channels.According to industry estimates, organized retail pharmacy chains already account for nearly 5% of pharma sales in India, and their share is increasing year on year. These chains cannot be ignored any longer. Over a period of time, the role of organized players may evolve from mere distribution of drugs to managing patients’ health. Pharma companies may need to think about how to engage with these chains to deliver more and more services to their patients. With increasing share of sales, the demand for further discounting by these chains is not far away.Not only will these pharmacies demand price discounting, they will impact the way the supply chain is currently structured. With media promotion driving the custo mer pull, merchandising will take a bigger role in overall sales promotion at these pharmacies. Thus, the association between pharmacos and these chains needs to grow in a manner that both parties benefit from the inter-play. 6. rise of heAlth insUrAnCe Increasing penetration of health insurance will increase power of insurance companies to decide inclusion or exclusion of drugs in re-imbursement list.It is expected that the total population covered under health insurance will increase from 2. 3% in 2007 to 20% by 2015. The possibile emergence of a drug re-imbursement list by Indian insurance companies cannot be ruled out, which may eventually lead to dictating the business terms by insurance companies to pharma players. †¢Companies like ICICI Lombard are now eyeing to launch disease specific insurance covering cost of medications as well. One such policy, called Diabetes Care, is already in the market. 9Including insurance companies as a key stakeholder in ers,† while an other mentioned â€Å"Sales force will have to Pharma commercial model products will increasingly manage end customer connect besides marketing brands become crucial. to doctors†. Another executive feels patients will gain more importance in future, saying, â€Å"Most companies will Each of the above trends will impact the pharma sales have focused approach and work towards better customer model in their own way, paving the way for new com- service leading to patient benefit. OPPI-IMSCG feels mercial models in the pharmaceutical industry. Industry that as the momentum of evolution of these trends gather also seems to acknowledge these trends as one industry pace, so will the evolution of pharma commercial models executive stated, â€Å"Sales structures will evolve to manage in the next decade. With these changes, the industry has new channels like corporate hospitals or modern format witnessed an emergence of the concept of SFE – Sales retail. Government policies, pa yers and healthcare pro- Force Excellence. iders will influence the sales models of pharma play- are seriously looking to have a dedicated team for rural markets. Each of these models clearly points towards targeted approach to new stakeholders, though it’s too early to predict the nuances of each of the models. The role of existing resources will also evolve from †¢Ismycurrentsalesmodelsustainableinthefuture? mere touch points with customers to engaging final †¢Ismycurrentsalesmodeloptimalforfuturemarket consumers and managing the health of the patients. cenario? One industry executive points out, â€Å"Pharma sales †¢HowshouldIevolveandadapttothesechanges? structure will slowly move towards a more scientific dialogue between the sales force and the doctor. This Answers are not easy to come by, but a few compa- would require highly trained MRs with good ability nies will lead the way. According to the OPPI-IMSCG to engage doctors more effectively. † stu dy, key players in the industry believe that adaptation of current sales model will be a must for survival.This question will be even more pertinent going forWith the emergence of innovative sales models like ward; especially keeping in mind how difficult it is getkey account management, hospital task force, channel ting to find good talent in the market and how to make management, therapy specialist, and media promotion, existing talent more effective and productive through it is clear where sales models are heading. Companies skill-set enhancement. AdApting neW CommerCiAl models Emerging trends in healthcare delivery will force the pharma players to re-think about their go-to-market strategy.Some key questions to ask are: Figure 7: yesterday sales representative roles fairly standardized reach and frequency paradigm share of voice sf main promotional channel molecular targeting individual incentives technology used by innovators sfe function infrequent empirical decision making to day/tomorrow different roles: (KAm, relationships rep, sample dropper and power rep) relationship paradigm share of relationship mC2 = multi-client/multi-channel Atomistic targeting team incentives effective use of technology sfe function contributing to roi evidence-based decision making 0 The OPPI-IMSCG study predicts the gradual shift of the traditional approach of meeting the customer, to future approach of relationship building and engaging with customers. Much will change. â€Å"Managing the patients together† is perceived to be the key to success. Delinking the role of sales force from stockist management will help sales teams to focus exclusively on customers. Engaging multiple stakeholders through multi-channel promotion and touch-points will be the crucial.Segmenting the customers, from current Potential-Support Model to more evolved models like Behavioral Segmentation will provide the cutting edge to the players. e-detailing, e-seminars, e-doctor meetings, and onli ne awareness campaigns will drive the patient flow to the healthcare system. Thus, KPIs for the sales forces may evolve as well. ing in-depth analytics so as to lead to scientific decision making; from coordinating sales force activities to managing ROI through informed decision making with an end objective of improving efficiencies of existing systems.As one executive said, â€Å"There will be a concerted focus on SFE. Analytics will take over an important role in deciding sales force size and predicting sales forecast. † Measures of success will shift from PRPM model to carry-over models, thus, each incremental sales rep being added to sales force will have its own justification. With eroding product differentiation the sales and marketing capabilities will be the key differentiator. The Indian pharma industry will need to develop sales force competency and elements of SFE will take the driving seat.The reward systems will incorporate balance of sales achievement Industry e xperts also predict that evolving and harvesting with equal emphasis in effort parameters. newer touch points with patients will be a key to success. Study of patient flows in healthcare is likely to gain Considering that the largest resource allocation in comimportance. Not only will patient flow study impact the panies takes place on sales teams, it becomes important sales model, it will also impact the portfolio choice for the that SFE as a function be evaluated ore seriously. In players. An industry executive pointed out,â€Å"Key Account order to institutionalize the discipline of SFE, companies Management will have increasing importance for MNCs will need to build capabilities for an enterprise-wide SFE with pipeline of patented products and strategic partner- setup which will be actively engaged in enabling investing initiative will also impact sales models. † ments into innovative and hybrid sales models or demand generation models.To do this successfully and build a Within the last 5 to 6 years, companies have also created better business case for the same, companies will need a dedicated SFE function, with the purpose of improv- to closely examine how investments are channelized into ing the productivity of the sales forces. The role of SFE is each of the various initiatives – balancing financial rigour expected to evolve strongly over the next 5 years, involv- with overall implementability. Figure 8: Smaller field forces: removal of mirrored field forces Right sizing: each rep seeing 30-40 doctors more oftenAccount based selling: managing groups of prescribers based on % effort and not reach & frequency Key Account Mgt: relationship rep can call in specialized personnel as needed Prescriber Knowledge opportunity – Accessibility – responsiveness the sales model of Today Organizational Models therapy focused – team based – outsourcing specialist – Key Account mgt. new bonus and compensation models patie nt flow – local guidelines/Bodies influence to diagnose & prescribe the sales model of The Future Portfolio Treatment Pathways & InfluenceMNCs are expected to lead the change and that trend of micro-targeting has already begun. Companies like MSD, Sanofi-Aventis, and Roche have shown that value, and not cost, drives the healthcare choice. Januvia, (though much lesser than international price) is priced much higher and entered recently in the market, has already clocked sales of >Rs 100 crs. Thus, its well said by a pharma executive: â€Å"The way of marketing differentiated products, depending on their life cycle stage, will be of utmost importance.Newer ways of promotion too will have to be considered. † 11 Conclusion Declining effectiveness of current sales models will only lead to emergence of newer approaches in pharma selling. Though the approaches will vary vastly from company to company, the trend has already started. Pharmaceutical players should seriously star t evaluating their options and envisage how their sales models should evolve in the next 10 years to maintain their competitive edge. Where doesthefuturelie? IsKAMthesolution,orisittheCSO that will emerge?Willchannelmanagementgainmost importance? Towhatextentshouldmarketcoveragebe increased? How would one need to balance this with costeffectiveness? Theanswerswillemergeonlywiththe time, but with market maturing, patients actively seeking healthcare, and newer stakeholders emerging, another round of adaptation in pharma sales model is inevitable. No single business model may suffice in future. The future will belong to hybrid business models, with different structures co-existing together.We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following OPPI – SFE Committee Members : Mr. Rajan Tejuja, Chairman, OPPI SFE Committee and President & Executive Director, Johnson & Johnson Ltd. Mr. Vinay Gokhale,Vice Chairman, OPPI SFE Committee and Sales Training & Development Manager , Abbott India Ltd. Mr. Sekar Sabapathy, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Senior Director – Cardiology & Hospital BU, Aventis Pharma Ltd. (Group Sanofi Aventis). Mr. Biplab Chatterjee, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Vice President – Sales, Solvay Pharma India Ltd.Mr. Partha Ghosh, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Director, Commercial, Pfizer Ltd. Mr. Vivek Padgaonkar, Director, OPPI. ABoUt ims ConsUlting groUp: inflUenCing the fUtUre of gloBAl heAlth IMS Consulting Group (IMSCG) is the pre-eminent global life sciences consultancy. Distinguished by our sector and client focus, international reach, world-class methodologies and unrivaled talent, we provide clients with Powerful Insights that inform Smarter Decisions. 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