Monday, September 30, 2019

Merck Executive Summary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Statement of the Problem Merck & Co. , Inc. , a leading pharmaceutical company, faces the threat of the patents of its most popular drugs expiring in 2002. The only way to counter the loss of sales from these drugs going off patent is to develop new drugs in order to refresh the company’s portfolio. LAB Pharmaceuticals, a small pharmaceutical company who specializes in the treatment of neurological disorders, has approached Merck with the opportunity to license Davanrik, a new drug with the potential to treat both depression and obesity. The drug is currently in pre-clinical development and would still need to pass a seven year and three phase testing process approved by the FDA. Under the licensing agreement, Merck would compensate LAB with an initial fee, milestone payments as the drug progresses through each phase, and royalty on sales. Merck must make a decision on whether or not to license the drug. If Merck does decide to license the drug, it must also decide how much the drug is worth. Discussion A decision will be madeusing both qualitative factors and quantitative analysis. Qualitatively, this opportunity is positive for both Merck and LAB. Licensing this drug will allow Merck to insert a newly patented compound into the market and to bypass the discovery and preclinical testing phases. By being able to skip those two phases, Merck can go straight to clinical testing saving it six to seven years, which helps Merck deal with its patent life cycle in a more effective manner. LAB has never had a drug successfully complete the FDA approval process in its 15-year history. Its stock price had also fallen by 30% after its most recent FDA denial. Therefore, by licensing this Davanrik to Merck, LAB would be able to receive some much-needed cash. A successful transaction between Merck and LAB could also lead to future opportunities. Quantitatively, a decision tree analysis was used to value this opportunity because as long as Merck only accepts projects with a positive expected value it will earn profits more often then lose money. Through the analysis of the expected value of each possible outcome, the expected value of licensing Davanrikfrom LAB is $13. 98 million including payments to LAB of $16. 68 million. Although the FDA approval process has a 40% Phase Iand a 70% Phase II failure rate, the cost f failing early on is only $30 million and $70 million, respectively, relative to the opportunity to earn as much as $1. 28 billion if successful. Recommendation Merck should license Davanrikfrom LAB for no more than $13. 98 million. The company is facedwith the risk of declining profits if new drugs are not developed since many of its patents are expiring soon. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in new drug developments. Als o, the expected value of $13. 98 million indicates that this opportunity is profitable and that Merck can receive up to $1. 28 billion by licensing the compound.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Abercrombie & Fitch Guys Stripped in Singapore Essay

Concept Branding: How A&F used branding in the new market- Singapore. Brands convey the information to customers and then induce loyalty. Good brands create distinct brand personalities and trigger emotional associations that help the customers connect with brands. This article will analyze A&F’s branding strategies Summary Abercrombie & Fitch, the brand that is well loved for its American-style, cool, casual and trendy clothing, is now aggressively expanding into Asia. Before its grand opening in Singapore, 40 muscular half-naked men stood outside the still unopened store. The alluring smiles and eyes, free hugs, and photo shoot caused a stirring riot. In addition, A&F launched the giant four-floor advertisement at a traffic-heavy shopping area, the muscular topless man wearing extremely low-slung jeans caught people’s eyes in Singapore. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay It is not the first time A&F has done a marketing campaign like this. It has been a standard practice for all its flagship stores in recent years. However, these â€Å"hot guy† strategies exploded in Singapore. The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore claimed that the ad is in contradiction of its â€Å"code of decency†, and the giant ad, which is charged as â€Å"lewd and inappropriate†, was ordered to be removed. News of the ad’s possible suspension provoked Singaporean to comment furiously. People were discussing the topics like: â€Å"Is A&F too sexy for Singapore?† â€Å"Is this ad too indecent for Orchard Road?† Eventually, since many Singaporeans supported A&F, the billboard is now safe and sound on Orchard Road. Analyze A&F is good at marketing campaigns and possesses a strong brand personality: sexy and young. A&F did the campaign like it usually does, but the promotions in Singapore had great success since it occurred different contexts and conflicts of culture. A&F triggered people’s emotion and created the special experiences that helped the company to connect to its customers. The Singaporeans who had joined the campaign were excited to share the photos and comment on social media. Those actions induced more and more people to respond and be attracted by A&F. Otherwise, the controversy of the campaign in Singapore is an opportunity for the Singaporeans who are unfamiliar with A&F to know the brand, and it provokes a desire to walk in the stores to satisfy their curiosity. However, there are so many disparities in the clothing preferences between Asian and American: physical shapes, sizes, styles and cultures. Indeed, A&F did an excellent job on catching Singaporeans’ eyes with its opening. But the question is, does masculine image really match the Asian market trend? I am concerned with how A&F maintains its sales for long term via the sexy image in the conservative market. Furthermore, the apparel competition is fierce in Singapore. Competitors for A&F included western brands which are ambitious with Asian market as well as Asian brands which are familiar with the market. Conclusion and Recommendation A&F cleverly built up its brand image and conveyed information through the controversy in Singapore. However, except for the opening campaigns, in order to enhance its brand loyalty, I suggest A&F do more events to focus on Asian customers. For example, use more Asian models on catalogues to show the customers that American style outfits are also fit and look good on Asian people’s body shape. Meanwhile, A&F should do more events to collaborate with celebrities or magazines to lead the new fashion trends in Asia. Last but not least, I suggest A&F conduct more marketing research to understand Asian purchase behaviors and fashion points. Thus, A&F can do some adjustments on the products to fit the Asian consumers’ needs. How â€Å"hot† could A&F be in Singapore? Well, definitely not only the topless hot guys, but also with the right marketing strategies.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Camel Rating Of Brac Bank

Camels rating system is a common phenomenon for all banking system all over the world. It is used in all over the country in the world. It is mainly used to measure a ranking position of a bank on the basis of few criteria. Camels rating system is an international bank-rating system where bank supervisory authorities rate institutions according to six factors. The six factors are represented by the acronym CAMELS. The six factors examined are as follows: C Capital adequacy A Asset quality M Management quality E Earnings L Liquidity S Sensitivity to Market Risk Bank supervisory authorities assign a score on a scale of one (best) to five (worst) for each factor to each bank. If a bank has an average score less than two it is considered to be a highquality institution, while banks with scores greater than three are considered to be less-thansatisfactory establishments. The system helps the supervisory authority identify banks that are in need of attention. Origin of Camels Rating System: There were many banks rating system available in the world. However, Camels rating system is the most successful bank rating system in the world. The ‘Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (UFIRS)’ was created in 1979 by the bank regulatory agencies. Under the original UFIRS a bank was assigned ratings based on performance in five areas: the adequacy of Capital, the quality of Assets, the capability of Management, the quality and level of Earnings and the adequacy of Liquidity. Bank supervisors assigned a 1 through 5 rating for each of these components and a composite rating for the bank. This 1 through 5 composite rating was known primarily by the short form CAMEL. A bank received the CAMEL rate 1 or 2 for their sound or good performance in every respect of criteria. The bank which exhibited unsafe and unsound practices or conditions, critically deficient performance received the CAMEL rate 5 and that bank was of the greatest supervisory concern. While the CAMEL rating normally bore close relation to the five component ratings, it was not the result of averaging those five grades. Supervisors consider each institution’s specific 3 situation when weighing component ratings and review all relevant factors when assigning ratings to a certain extent. The process and component and composite system exist similar for all banking companies. In 1996, the UFIRS was revised and CAMEL became CAMELS with the addition of a component grade for the Sensitivity of the bank to market risk. Sensitivity is the degree to which changes in market prices such as interest rates adversely affect a financial institution. The communication policy for bank ratings was also changed at end of 1996. Starting in 1997, the supervisors were to report the component rating to the bank. Prior to that, supervisors only reported the numeric composite rating to the bank. Six Factors of Camels Ratings System: Capital Adequacy Capital adequacy focuses on the total position of bank capital. It assures the depositors that they are protected from the potential shocks of losses that a bank incurs. Financial managers maintain company’s adequate level of capitalization by following it. It is the key parameter of maintaining adequate levels of capitalization. Asset quality determines the robustness of financial institutions against loss of value in the assets. All commercial banks show the concentration of loans and advances in total assets. The high concentration of loans and advances indicates vulnerability of assets to credit risk, especially since the portion of non-performing assets is significant. Management quality of any financial institution is evaluated in terms of Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity and Sensitivity to market risk. Moreover, it is also depended on compliance with set norm, planning ability; react to changing situation, technical competence, leadership and administrative quality. A Sound management is the most important pre-requisite for the strength and growth of any financial institution. Earning and profitability is the prime sources of increasing capital of any financial institution. Strong earnings and profitability profile of a bank reflect its ability to support present and future operations. Increased earning ensure adequate capital and adequate capital can absorb all loses and give shareholder adequate dividends. An adequate liquidity position refers to a situation, where an institution can obtain sufficient funds, either by increasing liabilities or by converting its assets quickly at a reasonable cost. 4 It access in terms of asset and liability management. Liquidity indicators measured as percentage of demand and time liabilities (excluding interbank items) of the banks. It means that the percentage of demand and time liabilities gets a bank as per its liquid assets. The sensitivity to market risk is evaluated from changes in market prices, notably interest rates; exchange rates, commodity prices, and equity prices adversely affect a bank’s earnings and capital. Process of Camels Reporting: The reporting process of CAMELS rating is given below: Figure : Reporting Process of CAMELS rating Process: 1. Data collection of reschedule status of overdue loans from CRM, Retail, SME and Ops. 2. Data collection of lending rates and deposit rates from Treasury. Data collection of average borrowed amount and rate of interest expenses from Treasury. 4. Data collection of maturity wise investments from Treasury. 5. Collect information of training programs arranged by the Bank’s training institute from Human Resources Division. 6. Collection of other required reports and statements from other divisions. 7. Preparation of CAMELS report as per guideline of BB Core Risk Management Guidelines. 8. Meeting arranged with MANCOM. 5 Camels Rating System of Bangladesh: All over the world, CAMELS rating is a common figure to all banking industry. Like all other countries, it is also used in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the five components of CAMEL have been used for evaluating the five crucial dimensions of a bank’s operations that reflect in a complete institution’s financial condition, compliance with banking regulations and statutes and overall operating soundness since the early nineties. In 2006, Bangladesh Bank has upgraded the CAMEL into CAMELS. ‘Sensitivity to market risk’ or ‘S’ is the new rating component which is included in CAMEL and make it into CAMELS. The new rating component makes the system more effective and efficient. The new system needs bank’s regular condition and performance according to predetermined stress testing on asset and liability and foreign exchange exposures, procedures, rules and criteria and on the basis of the results obtained through risk-based audits under core risk management guidelines. A bank’s single CAMELS rating has come from off-site monitoring, which uses monthly financial statement information, and an on-site examination, from which bank supervisors gather further â€Å"private information† not reflected in the financial reports. The development of credit points examination result is ranging from 0 to 100. The six key performance dimensions – capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk – are to be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 in ascending order. Following is a description of the graduations of rating: Rating 1 indicates strong performance: BEST rating. Rating 2 reflects satisfactory performance. Rating 3 represents performance that is flawed to some degree. Rating 4 refers to marginal performance and is significantly below average and Rating 5 is considered unsatisfactory: WORST rating. Table : Composite CAMELS and their Interpretation Rating Composite range Description Rating Analysis interpretation 1 1 to 1. 4 Strong Sound in every respect, no supervisory responses required. 2 1. 5 to 2. 4 Satisfactory Fundamentally sound with modest correctable weakness, supervisory response limited. Combination of weaknesses if not redirected will become severe. 3 2. 5 to 3. 4 Fair Watch category. Requires more than normal supervision. Immoderate weakness unless properly addressed could impair future 4 3. 5 to 4. 4 Marginal viability of the bank. Needs close supervision. High risk of failure in the near term. Under constant supervision/cease 5 4. 5 to 5 Unsatisfactory and desist order. Capital adequacy: Capital adequacy focuses on the total position of bank capital. It focuses on the risk weighted assets which proposed to protect from the potential shocks of losses that a bank might incur. It is assessed according to: the volume of risk assets, the volume of marginal and inferior assets, bank growth experience, plans, and prospects; and the strength of management in relation to all the above factors. The major financial risk like credit risk, interest rate risk and risk involved in off-balance sheet operations are absorbed by it. The CAMELS components are also required for Basel Committee of Bangladesh Bank. As regards the capital adequacy, they grouped the factors like a) size of the bank, b) volume of inferior quality assets, c) bank’s growth experience, plans and prospects, d) quality of capital, e) retained earnings, f) access to capital markets, and g) non-ledger assets and sound values not shown on books (real property at nominal values, charge-offs with firm recovery values, tax adjustments). Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets ratio (CRWA) is the most widely used indicator for capital adequacy ratio. According to Bangladesh Bank, a bank has to maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of not less than 10 percent of their risk weighted assets (RWA, with at least 5 percent in core capital) or Taka 2 billion, whichever is higher. Basel II Basel II is a capital adequacy management framework for banks. Basel II is the second of the Basel Accords, which are recommendations on banking laws and regulations issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision; adopted by Bangladesh Bank. The main objectives of Basel II are as follows: Promote safety and soundness in the financial systems Constitute a more comprehensive and more sensitive approach to addressing risks Better alignment of regulatory capital to underlying risk Encourages banks to improve risk management These guidelines are structured on following three aspects: a) Minimum capital requirements to be maintained by a bank against credit, market, and operational risks. b) Process for assessing the overall capital adequacy aligned with risk profile of a bank as well as capital growth plan. c) Framework of public disclosure on the position of a banks risk profiles, capital adequacy, and risk management system.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Management Strategies and Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Strategies and Practices - Essay Example This paper explores methods available for today’s managers to assist in attracting, motivating, and retaining employees to make a more productive organization. Finding the right individual who can fit the culture of the organization, according to Greengard & Byham (2003), involves hiring based on attitude and the candidate’s perceived ability to relate to customers in a positive manner. The authors further suggest that using this behavioral approach to assessing potential employees can be time consuming, offering the need for multiple interviews in order to make the right assessment. This tends to suggest, despite the efforts required of the hiring manager, that the outcome of these extended efforts will produce the best employee for the job. In actual business practice, research suggests that many managers simply do not have the time to invest in lengthy, multiple interviews due to the demands of a competitive business environment (Nickels, McHugh & McHugh, 2005). However, it might be a logical assessment that making the effort, despite the difficulties due to increasing business pressure, would far outweigh any minor interruptions to regular business operations when the outcome is a quality employee who may remain loyal to the firm for years. Of interest to the concept of motivating employees is recognizing a theory of management proposed by Douglas McGregor: Theory X and Theory Y. Offering a brief definition, Theory X basically proposes that people are lazy by design, thus without management intervention they would not accomplish their tasks (Gallas). Theory Y, in opposite accord, suggests that employees, if they are nurtured to succeed, will work diligently toward assisting the organization (Gallas). Companies which direct employee activities using the Theory Y approach, in most instances, will likely receive a better end

Thursday, September 26, 2019

My Dog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Dog - Essay Example When I returned from the study tour, as I neared the house, the first thing that I expected was about the welcome that would be in store for me by White†¦..instead, the grim face of my sister standing at the gate shocked me!"Where are Mom and Dad? And what about White? Have all of them gone for shopping?†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mom and Dad are sitting in the drawing room!† she said grimly and she began to sob. I ran in the direction of the house like an ace sprinter, and landed in the drawing room, gasping. Mom and dad embraced me†¦.Mom said weakly, â€Å"†¦.and your White is resting forever!" I literally grabbed my sister by the collar and asked, â€Å"Tell me †¦tell me, what happened to White!†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Mom gave the details. â€Å"That day, we engaged a chauffeur to go shopping and we wished to take your new car. As soon as White saw the chauffeur at the wheels, she went wild and as he opened the door, she flung herself on him. We tried our best to c alm her down and I tried to hold her firmly. As the driver was taking the car out of the garage, she managed to wriggle out of my grip and leaped towards the car and came under the wheels unnoticed by the chauffeur. She died instantly, with no chance of providing any medical attention to her!† The loss White is an unacceptable reality for me in life. I always recall how she did the ultimate commitment to me, by offering her life itself, for what she thought was incorrect- a stranger taking away the car of her dear master.

Federal Systems and European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Federal Systems and European Union - Essay Example Defining federalism, Auer (2005) states that federalism consists of a specific combination of autonomy or self rule, superposition or limited rule and participation or shared rule so that two independent levels of government could coexist and work simultaneously for the citizens1. Thus autonomy, limited rule and shared rule in which centralized governance is importance could all be important features of federalism. Distribution of powers between political units, defining these constituent units and providing a scheme or approach towards resolution of conflicts are some of the functions of federal constitutions. Auer argues that EU performs all these functions and could be considered in legal terms as having a multinational federal type of system. As the EU is primarily focused in bringing out a balance of power between European nations albeit through a centralized EU control network, the system of governance and politics is highly federal or at least meant to be so2. However we may a sk whether the plan or blueprint of having an EU federal system has really worked and whether EU federalism is a reality in any way or simply a theoretical term. These are issues that have to be understood on the basis of political, social and economic factors and changes within the EU. The subject of federalism is important in the context of the Eur... Nicholson explored the routes to a united Europe and world government advocating federal union and functionalism. Drinkwater suggests that Nicholson gave a new meaning to idealism and realism through his liberal realism and used a new approach to solve sociopolitical problems. Thus liberal realism could be considered as a way towards federalism as the need to find peace and banish war would be in the spirit of working together in a centralized unified manner and federalism in the European Union would be especially important to bring peace and cooperation in the region3. The value of federalism thus relates to large longer term political agendas of peace and unification and not just short term social goals of having trust among members or improving the structure of power sharing between nations. Elaborating on issues of trust and accountability, Follesdal (2005) suggest that the Constitutional Treaty for Europe or CTE has helped in strengthening the federalism of European political order, especially for the future and multiple forms of balancing and changes in the CTE have actually helped in improvements of the political scenario within Europe. The treaty of Europe is thus geared towards creating a European political order that would have federal features to enhance trust aspects among European citizens4. Thus the true advantage of such a treaty would be to increase the trust factor among Europeans by creating a more congenial political order. With the increased federal features and emphasis on federalism in the new political order, the central changes are related to increased emphasis on human rights, issues related to national and European parliament and political parties and seeking greater transparency of operations within

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Minerals (Geology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minerals (Geology) - Essay Example Moreover, there are some minerals that are required to improve our nerves and hormone system. To be more precise, minerals can be defined as those analogous inorganic substances that occur in nature, have a specific chemical form, and have attributes of crystalline constitution and color. The goal of this paper is to bring forward complete and comprehensive information about minerals. Minerals have more than a thousand diverse shapes, colors, potencies, mass, and separating centers. Crystals, metals and rocks are all minerals, but they occur in different forms naturally. Crystals have refined appearance. For example, metals have a glossy look, and they are flexible and soft as they can resist the hard strength. Coal, graphite and gold are three such minerals that play a variety of vital roles. Gold is one of those valuable and precious metals that one wears for one’s individual manifestation. It is really important for all of us as the currency rate of the whole world depends on it. It seems as if the whole world is rotating around this metal. Also, our paper money is based on hard currency (gold) that is stored in Fort Knox (USA). â€Å"Gold also occurs in seawater to the extent of 5 to 250 parts by weight to 100 million parts of water† (Cash Gold Tree, para.3). Graphite has its own significance. It is used in pencils. Furthermore, there are two basic kinds of minerals biologically. They are macro-minerals and trace minerals. Macro-minerals group is composed of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, potassium, sulfur and magnesium. Group of trace minerals includes iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium. According to a scientific point of view, our body needs more macro-minerals rather than trace minerals. Calcium is the most important macro-mineral as it helps to strengthen our bones and teeth. Sources of calcium are milk, animal protein, leafy green vegetables, and etcetera. Iron is also essential for human body as it helps

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

European Colonialism and Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

European Colonialism and Africa - Essay Example The paper tells that the argument to the effect (say, moral purpose and mutual benefit) of European colonialism in Africa is divided into four: infrastructure development, social and economic development, modernization and industrial development, and development of nationalism and political unification. The European colonizers (the French, the British, and the Spaniards) provided ample importance to infrastructure development to exploit the natural resources and the human resources in Africa. To be specific, the development of infrastructure in Africa is deeply indebted to the efforts of the European colonizers. Ambe J. Njoh stated that â€Å"That the foundation of Cameroon’s transportation infrastructure was established by the German colonial administration is indisputable†. On the other side, the development of infrastructure in Africa helped the European colonizers to export raw materials from Africa and to help their motherlands to be rich. From a different angle of view, the development of railroads and roads connected the colonies. The European settlers did provide less importance to the wellbeing of the native Africans because their aim was to create a colonial Africa, not an independent Africa. So, they exploited the human resources available in Africa. For instance, the (French) Congo railroad under France can be considered as one of the examples which can illustrate the exploitation of human resources in Africa. Now, the Congo railroad acts the role of a backbone to the transportation facilities in Congo. In short, infrastructure development in Africa during the colonial era helped the European settlers (the French, the British, and the Spaniards) to be in touch with their motherlands and to exploit the resources in Africa. On the other side, the development of infrastructure during the colonial era proved to be helpful for the African nations in the post-colonial era. The colonization of Africa and social development in Europe are not i nterconnected. Still, one can see that colonization and exploitation of the African continent positively influenced the economic development of Europe because most of the industries during the colonial era depended upon the raw materials from Africa. From a different angle of view, economic development is interconnected with social development. During the colonial era, European colonialism did not help the African nations to gain social and economic development. But the social and development of some nations in Africa during the post-colonial era proves that European colonialism helped some of these nations to be in the forefront of social and economic development. For instance, infrastructure development initiated by the European colonizers was beneficiary for some African nations like Kenya and South Africa.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Differences between China and the US Management Essay

Differences between China and the US Management - Essay Example Question 1 The main characteristics of Chinese culture One of the major characteristics of Chinese culture is their emphasis in personal relationships in interactions. The Chinese are particularly keen in developing personal relationships before establishment of business relations. As a result, they normally engage in personal interactions in which people can bond and know each other before developing business relations. Chinese also believes in formal relationships in interactions. Based on social classes or positions, they appreciate acknowledgements of their social status in interactions. These features also define the Chinese lack of capacity to respond to urgencies. Besides reliance on the interpersonal relationship that needs to be enveloped before Chinese can respond to a need in negotiation, they heavily rely on past performance and potential of a party. This means that developing an initial venture with a Chinese team takes time, as the Chinese are keen in understanding a pa rty’s past prospects. Similarly, the Chinese takes time to review and understand a party’s potential and prospects (China, n.d., p. 1). Chinese culture also involves materialistic appreciations that are intended to be reciprocated. Since they are perceived as a duty, failure to make appreciations or a move to decline a gift from a Chinese is contrary to traditions and may easily raise suspicion into conflicts. Chinese culture also tends to shy away from conflicts. (China, n.d., p. 1). Rgraf further explains the importance of reputation in Chinese culture. Putting a person’s reputation at stake through initiatives such as failing to observe social status and positions therefore negatively affects interactions in the Chinese culture (Rfrag, 2012, p. 1). The Chinese are also conservatives and authoritarian. (Pablos and Lytras, 2

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Kangaroo and Feature Female Kangaroos Essay Example for Free

Kangaroo and Feature Female Kangaroos Essay Kangaroo Kangaroos are the multicellular animals and they are complex one because they are mammals. As we all know they are the only large animals to use hopping as a means of locomotion and they also hop really fast. The comfortable hopping speed for red kangaroo is about 20–25 km/h (13–16 mph), but speeds of up to 70 km/h (44 mph) can be attained, over short distances, while it can sustain a speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) for nearly. They are also adept swimmers ,and often flee into waterways if threatened by a predator. From the picture we can see kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Because of the different area to adapt the environment ,there are four kinds of kangaroos. The first one is the red kangaroo which  is the largest surviving marsupial anywhere in the world. A large male can be 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) tall and weigh 90 kg (200 lb). The second one is eastern grey kangaroo which is the most common one . The last two kinds of kangaroos are The western grey kangaroo and The antilopine kangaroo. For eating kangaroos are autotroph and they have chambered stomachs similar to those of cattle and sheep They regurgitate the vegetation they have eaten, chew it as cud , and then swallow it again for final digestion. Because of its grazing, kangaroos have developed specialised teeth. Its incisors are able to crop grass close to the ground, and its molars chop and grind the grass. For produce a new bay they need to choose correct days because during a dry period, males will not produce sperm, and females will only conceive if there has been enough rain to produce a large quantity of green vegetation. And about kangaroos most special feature female kangaroos have a pouch called a marsupium in which joeys complete postnatal development.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Generics Medicines Regulation Comparison

Generics Medicines Regulation Comparison Chapter 1 Executive Summary This research will look at the adoption of generic medicines in specific three countries in Europe (The Netherlands, Poland and Portugal). These three countries have a significant difference in adoption; the reasons for this adoption difference can be explained by several regulations which are implemented by these countries. In previous research it is proven that regulations have a direct effect on the adoption however, this research will have a closer look which regulations in specific are important to stimulate generic medicines in the market. Results show that too much regulation around the entry of generic medicines in the market will lead to slow growth adoption in the market compared to countries which adopt less regulation. Recommendations to stimulate the generic medicines in the market will be presented in the last chapter. The problem background A lot of research has been done on the introduction of generic medicines. Examples include the obstacles to generic substitution in Sweden (Anderesson et al. 2005) and the use of generic medicines and the implications for the pharmaceutical market (King Kanavos, 2002). However, there is limited cross-country research examining the relationship between the implementation of regulation, the effects of incentives given to pharmacies and physicians and consecutive adoption of generic medicines. The available research is limited to one of these elements, there has not been made a direct consideration between these elements which influence the adoption of generic medicines. In 1995 the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA) offers a EU- wide authorization process which replaced the ongoing single authorization process of each country separately, this means that regulation is harmonized regarding the entry of generic medicines The EMEA will approve the generic entry of a medicine before it can be presented on the European pharmaceutical market. This centralized procedure has decreased the approval delays for generic medicines in the EU resulting in the fact that patent regulation and approval procedures for medicines no longer have a large effect on the development of generics (Danzon, et al. 2003). National regulation still has an impact concerning price and reimbursement approval which has to be authorized by national authorities. Moreover, it is examined that generics have had more success in countries with more flexible pricing policies (Garattini Tediosi, 2000) and previous research has shown that the prescription of generic medicines is dependent on the incentives given to pharmacist, and other parties (Hellerstein, 1998). However, with recent reforms in the national regulation systems across European countries, flexible generic pricing policies and incentives given by the national governments are no longer the main determinants of successful entry of generics on the market. Obligatory generic substitution systems and other regulations implemented by European governments have become at dominant factor in explaining the adoption of generic medicines as a consequence that incentives for physicians, pharmacists and patient have decreased due to the obligatory system (Timonen, et al. 2009). This thesis gives an overview of the relation between the adoption of generic medicines and the regulation in three European countries: The Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. These countries are chosen because they have different implementations in regulation concerning generics and the adoption rate in these countries differs significantly. Recommendations for European countries and a conclusion about the most effective method to increase the use of generic medicines in relation with regulation will be exposed. The problem statement The differences among three countries; (The Netherlands, Portugal and Poland), concerning the adoption of generic medicines in relation with regulation and influencing incentives in these European countries. The motive to present these specific three countries is resulting from the fact that the adoption level of generic medicines differs significantly. Therefore a clear image can be provided between the differences of adoption connected with the accompanying regulation adopted in that country concerning generic medicines Dependent variable: adoption of generic medicines Independent variable 1: regulation of generics medicines Research Questions Research question 1: What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? Research question 2: What is the role of these regulations on the adoption of generics? Relevance The thesis should give European countries and in particular public policy makers, a clear image on the effects incentives can have concerning the adoption of generic when prescribing these medicines, and which type of regulation is the most effective for the increase in adoption of generics. Managerial perspective The prescription of generic medicines is intensively regulated. This results in many implications for pharmaceutical companies especially, concerning the implementation of generic medicines in the market. Considering, the fact that the regulation of the prescription of generic medicines has a direct effect on the use of generic medicines. Therefore the adoption level for generic medicines is likely to change when the regulation changes. Pricing strategies for pharmaceutical companies have a diminishing effect due to the strict pricing regulation implemented by public policy makers. Branding strategies are also complicated to implement in the pharmaceutical industry because of the many regulations adopted. However, branding strategies are very important; they can strengthen the bond between the buyer and the seller (Blackett Robins, 2001). Pharmaceutical companies have to make important decisions regarding the implementation of the generic medicines in the market. They should be aware of all regulation to be able to compete in the pharmaceutical industry. Academic perspective Country-specific results have been presented in several papers how regulation influences the use and adoption of generic medicines. However, a cross-country research on the effects of regulations implemented, in relation to the adoption of generic medicines. More specifically, the effects of incentives, given by policy makers, to pharmaceutical companies and the accompanying marketing strategies implemented by pharmaceutical companies, have not been examined earlier. Overview of the Rest of the Chapters Chapter 2: This chapter gives an overview on the question: What are the differences in adoption of generic medicines between the Netherlands, Portugal and Poland? These three countries will be investigated carefully; previous literature studies will give a clear image about the actual adoption of generic medicines in these countries. Background information will be presented to understand the structure of the chosen countries and the differences in adoption. Chapter 3: Data will be gathered to come to an answer to the research question 1: What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? Chapter 4: Chapter four will explain the role of regulation on the adoption rate of generic medicines (research question 2). Chapter5: Public policy makers are in general in favour of increasing the use of generic medicines, because of the market advantages. Chapter 5 will give an overview of the most effective policy which is used among the three countries presented earlier in the thesis. Further recommendation to the public policy makers and limitations of the research will be dealt with in this chapter. A conclusion of this research will be presented. Chapter 2: differences in adoption of generic medicines This chapter will give an answer to the differences concerning the adoption of generic medicines between the Netherlands, PortugalandPoland. The level of generic medicine adoption differs significantly across Europe. This chapter will have a look at these differences and the resulting factors that have lead to these differences in adoption. Other implications such as different policy regulations and incentives given to pharmacist by the policy makers will be dealt with in chapter 3. They will be dealt whit in a separate chapter because they are dominant factors in the adoption of generic medicines. A distinction can be made between mature generic markets and developing generic markets (Simoens, 2009). The level of adoption of generic medicines in these countries differs from less than 10 per cent to more than 40 per cent. The share value in the market for generic medicines is 8.8 per cent for the Portugal, 19.8 per cent in the Netherlands and Poland ranks the top with 65.2 per cent (â€Å"A Review on the European†, n.d.). Comparing these figures with other European countries, Portugal falls in the lower range of adoption and Poland is situated in the upper range of the adoption level of generic medicines in their market. According to Simoens and Coster, (2006), Poland and the Netherlands are seen as mature generic markets in Europe, while Portugal is seen as a developing market. There are several factors (historical background and cultural elements), which have influenced the adoption rate of generic medicines in these countries. Clarifications of these elements are stated below. Historical background An explanation for the differences in adoption of generic medicines can partially be explained by the historical differences between the Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. In Western Europe, pricing and reimbursement policies naturally developed as an evolutionary economic process. However, this was not the case for Central and Eastern Europe states (CEE) which are now members of the EU. These CEE countries used to have a socialistic type of economy, and after the fall of the Berlin wall (1989) many of those countries faced political and economic bankruptcy. Large-scale reform was necessary in every single sector to guarantee their economical and political well being. The health care system was also a part of this sector and even today, ongoing reforms are taking place. There is still a lot that has to be done in the CEE countries, specifically within the health care system. Hospital decentralization, modernization and privatization and pricing and reimbursement policies are some examples of areas where further development is preferred (Kazakov, 2007). These necessary reforms and changes are also applicable to Poland. The Netherlands and Portugal do not suffer from these reforms, due to fact of not having a communistic history. Another implication of this socialist history is the fact that Poland was already used to adopt generic medicines, as brand medicines were not available in these countries due the absence of product patents until early 1990s (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Cultural elements Cultural sensitivity is one of the most widely accepted principles among public health (Resnicow, et all. 2000). According to Resnicow (2000), cultural sensitivity indicates â€Å"The extent to which ethnic/cultural characteristics, experiences, norms, values, behavioral patterns, and beliefs of a target population as well as relevant historical, environmental, and social forces are incorporated in the design, delivery, and evaluation of targeted health promotion materials and programs† (page 272). The relation between the pharmacist and the pharmaceutical representative can have a huge impact on the prescription of medicines and therefore on the adoption of generic medicines. Historical developments in Poland have created a positive attitude towards prescribing generic medicines, as prescribing generic medicines has been a common practice in Poland until the early 1990s. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, generic substitution is more driven by the pharmacist (Simoens de Coster, 2006). On average a pharmaceutical company will spend twice as much on marketing to the pharmacist and the public than on research and development (Zipkin, et all. 2005). A more detailed view about the adoption rate of generic medicines concerned the three countries (the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal) are presented below: The Netherlands The Dutch generic market has grown rapidly over time; public expenditure has increased from 185 million euro in 1994, resulting in a market share value of 8.5 per cent. In 2004 the market share has increased to 17.7 per cent; this means that the value has almost doubled. The market share increased also dramatically from 19.9 per cent in 1994 to 44.3 percent in 2004 (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Results from an EGA survey conducted in 2007; show that the market share of generic medicines has increased to more than 50 per cent (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Poland Due to historical implications mentioned before, Poland has a very mature generic market. In 2006 the market shares of Poland were 60 per cent by value and close to 80 per cent by volume (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Portugal In the 1990s the generic medicines adoption in Portugal did not exceed more than 1 per cent. An introduction in the generic policy in the year 2000 caused for an increase in market share of 8 per cent measured until 2004. An explanation of the generic policy will be provided in chapter 3 (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Recent results from an EGA survey implemented in 2007 show that the market share has slightly increased to almost 10 per cent (see figure 2 and 3 in appendix B). Chapter 3: differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines What are the differences in regulation about the use of generic medicines among the Netherlands, Portugal Poland? There are several domains in regulation which will eventually influence the structure of the market and determine how the pharmaceutical companies can operate most effectively in this pharmaceutical market. This thesis presents the most important domains where regulations are implemented; market authorisation, pricing, incentives, and marketing implications. Market authorisation In Europe, the process regarding market authorisation is very complex. Market access for generic medicines may differ from country to country; this holds there is little transparency regarding the entry of generic medicines in Europe. A pharmaceutical company may receive market authorisation to enter the market in a specific country. However, other regulations regarding the reimbursement and price of the generic product still need to be determined by the government. This means the process, concerning the entry of the generic medicine, can be delayed up to three times (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). The EU directive was introduced to create a better system regarding the entry of generic medicines in Europe. There is a transparency directive, 89/105/EEC, which specifies that there is a 90 day limit regarding the reimbursement and pricing decision. However, the time delays vary from country to country (Garattini Tediosi, 2000). The table below (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.) gives an overview of the times delays per country for price approval to enter the market. With respect to the countries in this thesis, the table above (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). shows the following: Poland does not have a time delay because the pricing and reimbursement approvals are granted together with the market authorisation of the generic medicines. In the Netherlands, we can see a delay of between 10 and 15 days which could be defined as a relatively efficient time to approval compared to other countries in Europe. Portugal is very inefficient with the entry of the generic medicines, the status of pricing and reimbursement will only be given after a 90-day delay (â€Å"A Review on the European†, n.d.). Pricing Price regulations are only applicable when the generic medicines will be reimbursed. The most effective regulation is a price restriction on the maximum reimbursement of that specific medicine or a maximum price that pharmaceutical companies may charge the medicine users (Danzon Keuffel, 2007). Most European countries, including the countries in this study, have introduced a reference price system. A reference price system entails that there are regulations which will restrict the reimbursement level of generic medicines, but that the price of the generic medicines itself will be uncontrolled. Under the reference price system, groups are clustered into certain reimbursement level, based either on the same compound or different compounds but with the same mode of action or with a similar name. All products that are placed in the same group are reimbursed at the same price per daily dose, which is also called the reference price. In general, the reference price in a group will be set at the level of the cheapest medicine or the median in that group. If pharmaceutical manufacturers price their product above the reference price, the user of the generic medicines needs to pay the outstanding amount above the reference price. There are two different pricing systems in Europe: a generic free pricing system and a generic price-regulated system. Both systems determine the degree of adoption of generic medicines. In a generic free pricing system companies can decide on the height of the price of a new generic medicine introduced in the market themselves, in contrary to a price regulated system (Simoens, 2010). The reference pricing system has three levels of implementation, the higher the level of the system is, the more the prices are regulated. Poland has a low reference pricing system, the Netherlands could be defined as a medium reference pricing system and Portugal uses a high reference pricing system. As presented in the table below (Bongers Carradinha, 2009), one can see which European countries fall in a regulated price system and have no free pricing system. Consumer implications The patients themselves (the demand side) play an important role in the prescription of generic medicines. Physicians and pharmacists and other contributing parties will prescribe generic medicines to reduce the costs for the payer, which is in this case the consumer of the medicine. Patient co-payment Pricing and reimbursement systems play a role for the patient. The patient will contribute to the financing of the health care system, in particular with the co-payment arrangement. This is a common practice in all European countries (with the exception of Malta), but the implementation of co-payment differs significantly across countries. Nevertheless, in all countries that employ a co-payment arrangement a financial contribution is made by the medicine user. Patient co-payment arrangements can strongly influence the end decision of the patient on which medicines to take (â€Å"A Review on the European Generic Pharmaceutical Market in 2005†, n.d.). The reimbursement of generic medicines is taken care of through an insurance model; however the co-payment arrangement is based on a percentage of the cost of the medicine (Kazakov, 2007). Pricing regulation related to the countries in the thesis; The Netherlands uses an enforcing pricing regulation, which sets a maximum for the pricing of medicines. In 1996, this system was implemented. In general, it led to a decrease of 15 per cent of the average medicine price in the market (Simoens de Coster, 2006). However, the prices of generic medicines in the Netherlands still tended to be higher compared to other EU countries. Mediation in short-term pricing strategies such as implementing similar pricing systems, have increased and stimulated the share in the markets for generic medicines, where competition already existed (Bongers Carradinha, 2009). Polish medicine prices tend to be lower compared to other EU countries. They work with a price regulated system for generic medicines. The pharmaceutical companies want to be absorbed in the reimbursement list for medicines. The reference price in Poland is set just below or just above the cheapest generic medicines in the Polish market (Simoens, 2009). Pharmaceutical companies may price their product above the reference price, taking into account that as a result they will not be placed on the reimbursement list (Kazakov, 2007). Portugal established a regulation which says that the minimum price difference of generic medicines and brand medicines should be a least 35 per cent in 2001. In 2005 Portugal agreed to reduce the overall medicine prices by 6 per cent. Of that 6 per cent 4.17 per cent had to be reduced by the pharmaceutical company and the other 1.93 per cent had to be reduced by the wholesalers and pharmacists. The reference price system was introduced in 2003 where the reference price was set at the level of the most expensive generic medicine (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Despite the fact Portugal has a developed market, the market share concerning generic medicines is still relatively low compared to other countries in Europe. Regardless, of the fact that companies producing generic medicines provide affordable treatments to patients, other savings can only be achieved if government supply side policy initiatives are designed to increase the competitiveness of generic medicines in the market (Bongers Carradinha, 2009). Incentives To establish a generic medicine market, the supply side (pricing system) needs to be supplemented by demand side policies which create incentives for physicians, pharmacists, and patients to use generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). The Netherlands Instruments to promote generic medicines have been in place for a long time and have been widely accepted in the Netherlands (Vogler Schmickl, 2010). Incentives for physicians The Dutch government has stimulated physicians to prescribe generic medicines, which is supported by an electronic prescription system. In the Netherlands it is customary to develop and implement guidelines and treatment protocols on how to prescribe generic medicines in order to efficiently increase the adoption of generic medicines. An important feature is that there are no sanctions for physicians who do not prescribe generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacists Generic substitution is allowed for the pharmacist when the physician and the patient agree with it, however, it could be indicated by the physician that generic substitution is not permitted due to health reasons. This means that when a branded drugs patent has expired pharmacists are allowed to distribute a generic substitution unless indicated otherwise by the physician. Health insurers have also agreed upon several targets for the pharmacist in distributing generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Generic substitution has been connected to financial incentives for the pharmacist for a long time, however these incentives have been abolished since 2004. Nevertheless, the adoption in the market of generic substitution has not decreased (Vogler Schmickl, 2010). Incentives for the patients In the Netherlands the patients do not have a financial incentive to buy generic medicines because there are no patient co-payments arrangements. Nevertheless, patients do have to pay the outstanding amount when the price of the medicines is above the reference price, which is set by the government (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Poland Incentives for physicians Physicians are not intensively encouraged to prescribe generic medicines. Due to the historical background physicians are already accustomed with the use and prescription of generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacist Generic substitution is allowed by pharmacists; whenever a branded drug is prescribed a pharmacist may replace this by a generic substitution. Pharmacists are obliged to inform the patients about the generic substitution. Price reductions implemented by pharmaceutical companies encourage pharmacists to prescribe generic medicines (Simoens, 2009). Incentives for the patient There are four levels of reimbursement for the patient. The first level includes a fixed amount per prescription which will be reimbursed when these are essential medicines. The second and third level consist of supplementary medicines which will be charged to the patient through the co-patient system. The patients have to pay 30 to 50 per cent themselves. The fourth level holds that other prescribed medicines which are not on the reimbursement list will be fully paid by the medicine user (the patient). However, initiatives to inform the patients about generic medicines have not been presented (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Portugal Incentives for physicians In 2002, a regulation was implemented in Portugal which formulated that from that moment on physicians would be obliged to prescribe a generic medicine if possible. However, physicians and pharmacists are free to add brand medicines to prescriptions that include more than one medicine, of which at least one is generic. The physicians are to inform the patient about other generic medicines and the accompanying price differences. Even though guidelines are available, the system has not been fully implemented. An explanation for this is that the physicians and the pharmacists are neither being rewarded for prescribing, nor being punished when not prescribing generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for pharmacists Physicians can indicate whether they permit generic substitution on the prescription form. In the cases that generic substitution is allowed by the physician, the pharmacists have to prescribe the cheapest generic medicines available. Pharmacists do not have any financial incentive to prescribe generic medicines as the generic margins for pharmacists have been dramatically low since the introduction of the regulation in 2005 (the overall reduction of generic medicines prices) (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Incentives for patients Portugal has 5 different levels of reimbursement. In the first level 100 per cent of the medicine will be reimbursed when they are classified as life saving. The second level holds that 95 per cent of the medicines will be reimbursed, the third level holds 70 per cent, the fourth level 40 per cent, and the fifth level holds a percentage of 20 per cent. Patients with a low income will receive a 15 per cent additional compensation on the stated reimbursement level. Until 2005, patients were rewarded with a 10 per cent additional reimbursement when they asked for a generic substitution. However, with the abolishment of the reward system of 10 per cent, the patient will now only receive a price reduction of 6 per cent for the use of generic medicines. The patient does not have an incentive but rather a discouraging effect to use generic medicines. Nevertheless, pro-generic campaigns have been introduced by the government since 2006; the effects of these campaigns are not yet clear (Simoens de Coster, 2006). Previous research shows that the patient co-payment arrangement in Poland and Portugal plays a visible role in stimulating the use and adoption for generic medicines (Simoens de Coster, 2006). For an overall overview of the regulation implemented across these three countries a table is presented below. Marketing implications A generic medicine should appear under the international non-proprietary name (INN). This entails, that a generic medicine should be marketed without a commercial brand name but in fact, three categories there can be distinguished; branded generics (copies of generic medicines with their own brand name), semi-branded generics (products marketed under the INN following the name of the manufacturer of the medicines) and medicines marketed under INN (Garattini Tediosi, 2000). The EU directive 65/65/EEC was established, to approve marketing of a drug. An allowance for introducing a generic medicine and detailing these medicines should be supported by several data available of the generic medicines (for example clinical data.) There are a lot of restrictions concerning advertisements and promotion activities of pharmaceutical products. These are presented by the The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (2004) .Together with price regulation, advertising plays an important role in the pharmaceutical market. In general patients are uninformed about the most effective and available treatments, they depend on the diagnosis and treatment suggestion from the physician. Since the physician will prescribe the medicine it can be stated that they will directly affect the extent of competition between different treatments and medicines available. Therefore it not remarkable that the physician is the target of huge advertisement campaigns and that detailing in the pharmaceutical industry is mainly focused on physicians (Kà ¶nigbauer, 2006). The volume of detailing in the pharmaceutical market depends on several factors such as: the prevalence of the disease, the amount of competition for the medicine, the number of physicians who might prescribe the generic medicines, and like any other product in a market, taking into account the product life cycle of the product (Berndt, et al 2007). Chapter 4 What is the role of these regulations on the adoption of generics? Market authorisation Approval of generic medicines The success of a gene

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Physics of Roller Coasters :: Physics

A roller coaster is a thrill ride found in amusement and theme parks. Their history dates back to the 16th century. It all started in Russia, with long, steep wooden slides covered in ice. The idea then traveled to France. Since the warmer climate melted the ice, waxed slides were created instead, eventually adding wheels to the system. The first roller coaster in which the train was attached to the track was in France in 1817, the Russess a Belleville. The first attempt at a loop-the loop was also made in France in the 1850s. It was called the Centrifuge Railway. However, government officials quickly diminished the idea when the first accident occurred. Inventors since then have continued to capitalize on people’s love of a great thrill, always trying to make them bigger, faster and scarier! â€Å"Even though roller coasters propel you through the air, shoot you through tunnels, and zip you down and around many hills and loops, they are quite safe and can prove to be a great way to get scared, feel that sinking feeling in your stomach, and still come out of it wanting to do it all over again (1).† Thanks to the manipulation of gravitational and centripetal forces humans have created one of the most exhilarating attractions. Even though new roller coasters are created continuously in the hope to create breathtaking and terrifying thrills, the fundamental principles of physics remain the same. A roller coaster consists of connected cars that move on tracks due to gravity and momentum. Believe it or not, an engine is not required for most of the ride. The only power source needed is used to get to the top first hill in order to obtain a powerful launch. Physics plays a huge part in the function of roller coasters. Gravity, potential and kinetic energy, centripetal forces, conservation of energy, friction, and acceleration are some of the concepts included. â€Å"A roller coaster is essentially a gravity-powered train (2).† Gravity is the weakest of the four physical forces, but when it comes to roller coasters, it is the dominant one. It is the driving force and what accelerates the train through all the turns and twists. Gravity is what applies a constant downward force on the cars. The deceleration or acceleration mostly depends on the inclination of the angle relative to the ground. The steeper the slope is, the greater the acceleration, and vice versa.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods Essay examples -- GMOs, Heal

Do you ever question what is really in the food you eat? Is a piece of steak really just a piece of steak from a cow’s body? Is a bowl of rice really a bowl of rice grown on a farm? If you answer no to any of these questions, don’t feel bad you’re just like 90 percent of other Americans. The multibillion dollar genetically modified food industries have evolved immensely over the past two decades, and it has secretly entered our lives today. We are not aware of the damage genetically modified organism can bring, by altering the natural traits of our foods not only impact our environment but it also impacted our abilities to functions as regular humans. We are not aware because GMOs are not labeled; government regulations right now do not require the labeling of Genetically Modified products thus so, consumers are left in the dark eating foods that are potentially lethal to our body. A simple label can control the growth of this industry and promote healthy organic products. We have been hidden in the dark for many years now, how are we growing all these crops when our population is growing at an immense pace. More and more people are born into this world every day and yet our crop source doesn’t seem to be dwindling. There seem to be less and less famines, this is due to the increasing amount of genetically modified foods or GMOs or GE which stands for Genetically Engineered. People don’t understand the danger of genetically modified foods. The process of genetically modifying a product is not easy, and it goes against the natural way or growing things. We all the different species have different character traits, for example penguins and owls, they are both considered birds but penguins can’t fly but they can withstand extr... ... Adams, Connor. "'Monsanto Protection Act 2.0' Would Ban GMO-Labeling Laws At State Level." International Business Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. . Poulter, Sean. "Cancer Row over GM Foods as Study Says It Did THIS to Rats... and Can Cause Organ Damage and Early Death in Humans." Mail Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. . Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print. Bocco, Diana. "Curiosity." Discovery Channel. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. .

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Drug Testing Is Illegal Essay -- Essays on Drug Testing

Making a person take a drug test violates their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights under the constitution of the United States of America. Recently, there has been an increase in companies and schools using drug test. Some companies force their employees to submit to a drug test before being hired and randomly while employed. High school sport regulations require that all student athletes give consent to being randomly drug tested. Other schools are going as far as making all students give consent to being randomly drug tested.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Fourth Amendment states, â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.† By taking a drug test, a person is being searched and having a sample to be tested seized without probable cause, therefore, companies and schools using a drug test are infringing on the student or employees rights. In South Carolina, a hospital was drug testing pregnant women and reporting the positive results to the police. The Supreme Court found this to be a violation of the Forth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution’s protection against unreasonable search and seizures without probable cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a very large possibility for an error on a drug test. If a person applying for a job takes a drug test and gets a false positive, this would cause him to not be hired. Also, if a company randomly tests an employ...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

One’s definition of society Essay

â€Å"Context is all† a statement found in the award winning novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. At first it seems to make sense but upon closer investigation it raises the question, Is there no such thing as truth? To be able to answer this question it is important to find the appropriate definitions of truth and context. Then it is necessary to explore the depth of the relationships between the two concepts. Only after these conditions have been met is it possible to answer the question, Is there no such thing as truth? To be able to understand the concept of truth is very difficult but it is possible. Dictionary.com gives ten different definitions of truth, each acceptable in its own sense. For the purpose of this essay the definition that is best is â€Å"truth is an obvious or accepted fact†. The Constructivist theory as well as the Consensus theory also support this idea of truth. The constructivist theory views our knowledge as constructed because it does not reflect any external realities. Basically proponents of this theory believed that truth can be socially constructed. Karl Marx also claimed the existence of objective truth but he was able to distinguish between true knowledge and knowledge that had been distorted through power or ideology. The consensus theorists had a similar view. They believed that truth is whatever is agreed upon or might come to be agreed upon by some specified group. Both theories coincide with the definition of truth provided above but the constructivist theory also makes a clear distinction between objective truth and truth that is socially accepted. In order to answer the question above it is important to define objective truth as well as truth that is socially accepted. Truth can classified further into two subcategories which are objective truth and truth that is socially accepted. Objective truth is very much like a universal truth which is a fact or a statement that is accepted by everyone and is proven using more than one area of knowledge. An example of universal truth would be that gravity causes all objects thrown in the air to fall back to the ground. This statement would be considered a universal truth because it has been proven using more than one area of knowledge (science and mathematics) and it is a fact that most people accept. Truth that is socially accepted is depends on one’s definition of society. My definition of society is that it is an organized group of persons associated together for religious, cultural, political, patriotic or other purposes. An example of such a truth would be the fact that honour killings are accepted in certain parts of the world but are rejected in others. This shows how people’s perceptions of truth differ based on societal rules and regulations. The distinction between objective truth and truth that is socially accepted is also clearly defined and provides us with a platform to compare both of these to context. To be able to compare the concepts of context and truth it is important for us to define context. To me context means the part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning. According to Wikipedia â€Å"Context includes the circumstances and conditions that surround an event†. Ironically it also provides at least twelve different definitions of context giving an excellent example of the word itself. Upon further analysis of the definition of context it is clear to see how truth and context fit together. The definition of context states that it is part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning. The text or statement to which it is referring can be replaced by the truth. Thus, context refers to the information surrounding the truth. Context is also very important in understanding the truth because misinterpretation of the context could lead to a false impression of the truth. So, after defining both context and truth it seems to me that both of these aspects go hand in hand and each relies on the other to convey its true meaning. To be able to further investigate the relationship between truth and context, I decided to first compare objective truth and truth which is socially acceptable. I defined objective truth as a universal truth or a fact that is well accepted. The example of objective truth mentioned above is a good example of misinterpretation of truth when the context is changed. Such a fact was not known in the middle ages and one would be considered crazy if they believed in such theories. Such a statement is only considered a universal truth in today’s world and context. But if the context around the fact were changed then the fact itself would be considered untrue. Thus, the context around the truth is equally as important as the truth. Another way to view the context from the truth is to see them as two separate identities. The context provides the reader background information about the truth and if the context is misinterpreted then the truth gets distorted providing the reader with a false impression. Thus, objective truth can also be misinterpreted depending on its context. There is also a relationship between truth which is socially acceptable and context. It is quite similar to the relationship between objective truth and context. Something that is considered truth in one society may be viewed as false in another. An example of this is the different views on arranged marriages held in different societies. For example in western society this practice is very uncommon but in most eastern societies arranged marriages are encouraged and it is a very common practice. Thus, society’s different views on such a topic would elicit different versions of truth from different people. This would occur because of the different societal views that people have been raised in. The context in this case would be the views of the society which in turn would influence their views on arranged marriages. Therefore, truth that is socially acceptable also depends on its context. Therefore, context and truth are both terms that rely on each other to be understood. Without context it would be difficult to understand the truth. Objective truth as well as socially acceptable truth both rely on context to be understood and depend on each other to provide the reader with the clear meaning. Since, truth can not be understood without context then I believe that no such thing as truth exists. A fact that is considered true now may not be considered true later because of different contexts. Therefore, it is safe to say that the context determines the truth so, no such thing as truth exists.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Frankenstein Blade Runner

Frankenstein Blade Runner Essay Analyse how ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Blade Runner’ Imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of the time. In your response, refer to both excerpts below. i) ‘Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have powers, you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master;-obey! ’ ii) the still of Roy holding Tyrell’s faceThrough the relationship between the characters of Victor and his creature, Shelley challenges nineteenth century values about the role of science, the benefits of ambition and fame and the dominance of nature by man. Similarly Scott develops the characters of Roy and Tyrell to challenge the same assumptions about science and nature but he does so in a context of technological development that allows multinatio nal corporations to exploit on a massive scale. Both texts also explore the larger issue of human values, asking what potential lies in a human and whether we can readily define human nature.In Shelley’s novel, Victor’s portrayal challenges the assumptions of the previous eighteenth century that the progress of science is the most important human pursuit. He is the ‘The modern Prometheus† a Greek mythological human who stole fire from the gods and brought it back to earth. This story like Shelley’s questions the benefits and consequences of ambition. In Shelley’s Romantic context science is seen as a threat towards nature and Shelley conveys this threat through the hubris of Victor.Shelley explores Victor’s blind ambition to â€Å"penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places†. Victor’s character is seen as self-absorbed and his ambition is fueled by selfish reasons â€Å"A new species would bless me as its creator and source†¦would owe their being to me†. Victor’s character is obsessed to the point of moral blindness but when the creature is not perfect it quickly turns to hatred. Shelley’s imagery suggests decay rather than new life. â€Å"I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open†¦ How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe†.This characterisation of Victor and his lack of morals and blind ambition are all warnings against science and its unbounded progression. Similarly Roy’s confrontation with Tyrell, his creator, explores the powerful consequences of playing god with genetics, a new frontier of scientific experimentation. Scott challenges the established values, which worship science and the profits it can bring. Scott portrays Tyrell’s character as god-like, through the use of cinematic techniques, costume design and lighting. He is filmed from high angled shots empowering him in almost every sc ene.Scott uses a series of shots of Tyrell corporation over shadowing Los Angeles to build the image of Tyrell’s power and how much it dominates all. This corporation fueled by ambition is linked to the issues relevant to Scott’s context, the drive of the capitalist world and what the consequences may be if this ambition is not met with moral guidance. Scott uses costume design, with the thick lensed glasses as a metaphor for Tyrell’s moral blindness. The motif of eyes, used throughout the film, represent the window to the soul and Scott is saying that Tyrell’s window is damaged.Tyrell and Roy meet in Tyrell’s palace- like room, Tyrell is dressed in a huge kingly robe with candles bathing the room in a golden light, contrasting with the fake incandescent light that dominates the movie. Like Frankenstein’s creature, Roy has been made physically and morally superior to Tyrell his creator. In this scene the audience sees the creation come back to end the creator and the idea that science has progressed so far that is supersedes its creators is seen. This asks questions about the direction science should head in.Through the development of Victor and the creature’s relationship, questions are raised about the responsibilities of the creator and what values make us human. Victor makes a creature that he abandons to the harsh world where he is not understood. This shapes the way the creature is developed and supports the ‘blank slate’ idea of Shelley’s context. Shelley challenges the values that assume we are born with a certain fate and those who are bad deserve bad lives. She puts forward the Enlightenment idea that humans are ll born with the potential to be good. Shelly shows this through the relationship between Victor and the creature, who both need love and compassion; aspects of human nature that are given through nurture. The creature had been capable of impulsive acts of kindness as he res cues a child from the river and does acts of kindness for the De Laceys. Shelley uses this to represent the potential for good in human nature and that people are not predetermined but can be turned to evil if neglected: â€Å"I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend†.These are the results of Victor’s blind ambition, self pity and disregard for his responsibilities, all unfavorable aspects of human nature. With neglect, the creature is doomed to only find pleasure in the acts of hate towards Victor, but even these acts are not satisfying as he is morally just, causing the creature to be constantly unhappy. Similarly, Roy’s development from a child-like selfishness to maturity, capable of love and compassion, challenges the belief that science can control its creations and that they are only valuable for profit.Tyrell’s corporation represents the greed and ambition that drives the world of Scott’s context, it represents the negative consequ ence of a world bent on profit at the expense of moral justness. The commercialization of science is seen as profitable, but as Scott shows, commercialization of science doesn’t take into account the act of giving ‘life’ and the responsibility due to the creation, it only works on profits and losses and as a result, the replicants are seen as a quantity. When science is commercialized, greed and ambition blind the morals that science needs.Scott shows this through the act of Roy, like Shelley’s creature, killing his creator, in revenge for neglect. The replicants’ ability to absorb experience and change, challenges the values that assume humans are the supreme measure of everything. Scott draws upon modern psychology to portray the replicants’ development as a means of discussing human nature, Ironically the genius replicant Roy proves Tyrell’s slogan â€Å"More human than human† when he gradually develops into a better human be ing than the humans themselves. Roy is firstly portrayed as a child as he compliments J. F’s toys and plays a sort of hunting game with Deckard.Like the creature Roy is new to life and â€Å"emotionally inexperienced†, but through his development of memories and experiences, he becomes â€Å"human†, learning empathy and love. This development in the replicants’ emotions is a strong parallel to the creature with the effects of neglect and the ability to be morally educated. The four-year life span is a guard against emotional development triggered by experience. Memories given to the replicants are â€Å"creations† that allow for control: â€Å"If we gift them the past we create a cushion or pillow for their emotions and consequently we can control them better. Roy’s development of love and compassion is expressed with Pris, this is shown through his howling and stuttering over her name after she has been killed. Roy also develops empathy wh ich is seen in saving Deckard. Scott uses Roy’s monologue to fully express to the audience how Roy has become â€Å"human†. He does this through dialogue â€Å"all these moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain† expressing loss and a desire to preserve memory. Through the metaphor of the dove ascending into the heavens, his spirit is released through the only living creature seen in the movie.Both the novel Frankenstein, and the film Blade Runner imaginatively portray individuals who challenge the established values of the time; both discuss the role of science, the benefits of ambition and fame and the importance of nurture. The characterization and the development of relationships between creator and creature holds the key in both texts to not only challenging the contemporary values of the 19th and 20th century, but also issues and question about life and humans that have been dwelled upon over many centuries.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Accredited & Deluxe Hotels for Tourism Essay

1. Century Park Hotel 599 Pablo Ocampo Str. Manila 1004Â  2. Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria – Ortigas Avenue, Corner Asian Dev., Bank Avenue, Quezon City 3. Diamond Hotel Phillippines – Roxas Boulevard cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila, Philippines 1000 4. Dusit Hotel Nikko Ayala Center Makati City Metro Manila, Makati, 1223, Philippines 5. EDSA Shangri- La Hotel – 1 Garden Way Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, Manila 1650 6. Holiday Inn galleria Manila – 1 Asia Development Bank Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, 7. Hotel Intercontinental Manila – 1 Ayala Avenue, Makati, Luzon 1226, Philippines 8. Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila – 1588 Pedro Gil Corner MH Del Pilar, Malate, Manila 1004 9. Makati Shangri- La Manila – Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City 1200 10. Mandarin Oriental Manila – Makati Ave, Makati City 1226 11. Pan Pacific Hotel – Gen M Malvar, Manila 1004Â  12. Renaissance Makati City hotel – Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati City 1228, Philippines, Manila 13. Sofitel Phillipine Plaza Manila – Ccp Complex Roxas Boulevard, Pasay – Manila 1099 14. The Bellevue Manila – North Bridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines 1781 15. The Manila Hotel – One Rizal Park 0913 Manila Po Box 307 Philippines 16. Heritage Hotel – Manila – Roxas Boulevard corner Edsa Pasay City 1300 17. The Peninsula Manila – Ayala Museum, Makati Ave, 1226 See more:Â  First Poem for You Essay 18. Vivere Suites – 5102 Bridgeway Avenue corner ASEAN Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, Muntinlupa City 1781 Accredited First Class Hotels in the Philippines 1. CSB International Conference Center – Arellano cor Estrada Sts | Malate, Manila, Luzon 1004, Philippines 2. Discovery Suites – Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600 Philippines 3. Great Eastern Hotel – 7842 Makati Avenue, 1200 Manila 4. Manila Pavilion hotel – United Nations Avenue, Corner Ma. Orosa Str Manila 1000 , Philippines 5. The Linden Suites Hotel – 37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Centre Pasig City 1600 6. The Pearl Manila Hotel – General Luna Str., Corner Taft & United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Luzon 1000, 7. The richmonde Hotel – 21 San Miguel Avenue Pasig City‎ 8. Traders hotel Manila – 3001 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay, Manila, 1305 Philippines Accredited Standard Hotels in the Phillipines 1. Aloha Hotel – 2150 Roxas Boulevard, Cor. Quirino Ave.,Malate Manila, 1004 Philippines. 2. Bayview Park Hotel – 1118 Roxas Boulevard Cor., United Nations Avenue, 1000 Manila 3. Best Western hotel La Corona – 1166 M. H. Del Pilar St. cor. Arquiza St. Ermita, Manila, Philippines 4. Camelot Hotel 5. CEO Suites 6. Cherry Blossoms Hotel – 7. City Garden Suites – 8. Citystate Towe Hotel – 9. Garden Plaza Hotel – 10. Hotel Las Palmas –

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Mestizaje and Its Critics

A word of many definitions and implications, mestizaje is usually associated with regions that have a history of Spanish or European colonization. It is an issue that has been concealed, denied, and debated upon in the cultural, social, and political sense in these colonized regions. Common issues related to this ideology are racism, racial discrimination, chauvinism, and the like. In this particular paper, the focus group of such ideology would be more on Latin America and the Afro-population or the black since this group mostly experienced the effects of the consequences of such prejudice.  Ariel Dulitzky’s A Region in Denial: Racial Discrimination and Racism in Latin America talks about Latin America’s refusal to tackle the issue on racism and racial discrimination. It summarizes the kinds of denials that this region executes to find their way out before or when getting into discussions about the issues mentioned earlier. These denials are categorized in three: lit eral denial, interpretive denial, and justificatory denial.Literal denial, as the name implies, is the rejection of the thought that racism exists.   The government does not acknowledge the presence of â€Å"race†, therefore making the existence of racism null. The second category, interpretive denial has four subcategories. In the first, it is not the color of the skin or the race but the social status of the person/group that is being criticized.   This denial is euphemism.   The next one, legislative, is somewhat related to the first category. It is said that there are no laws made about racial discrimination because there is no need for such for the reason that they don’t segregate the race of people.Some argue that there are very few complaints about discrimination.   Maybe because the public is not aware about laws and sanctions, if there are any, regarding acts of racial discrimination. The third category is denial of responsibility. This is when the gov ernment says that discriminating acts, or whatever they may want to call it, are due to old practices or traditions. The last category is called just isolated events.An explanation of this would be to say that these events of racism eventually happened just at this day and at this time. There is the denial that it, racism, happened in the past, therefore there can be no way that they can be called a racist region. The last category would be justificatory denial. From its root word â€Å"justify†, people who do this either rationalize things or point a finger to the victims themselves. People in control indicate that they belong to a mixed race, thus racial segregation does not exist.Despite all these denials, the Convention Against Racism or the â€Å"Convention† pulled some strings to help these regions and the victims acknowledge that racial discrimination really does exist. Luckily, the effort became an eye opener to others. For the first time, debates about racism were done and more groups were created to protect and implement the Convention’s regulations against racial discrimination.Associated with a region’s ability to discriminate is the huge question about that region’s identity. One article that talks about Latin America’s national and cultural identity is that written by Lourdes Martinez-Echazabal. She discusses the different view points of writers of the same nationality, Cubans, to be particular, pertaining to national identity and racial discrimination together with its effects on people’s actions and beliefs. In the given time, 1845-1959, the Afro-population had been identified with anything negative – the poor, the brainless, the filthy, and the barbaric.As a result of this notion, the end to slave trade was once made in an attempt to stop the multiplication of the Afro-population in Latin America since more black people implied an uncivilized and diseased region that would hinder if not s top the social and cultural development of communities in their region. Some writers thought that crossbreeding with people of lighter complexion was a step towards civilization. They were into making reforms with the colonizers.On the contrary, the other group of writers was after the independence of the region. They do this by not looking at the man’s color to judge his/her moral values or legal status. They use this argument of having a national identity, just one color regardless the mixture of race or color of the skin. Interaction and socialization among different races were encouraged in making a better and enlightened society.To be more particular, an article by Charles Hale focused on this region divided into what they call the ladinos and Mayas, ladinos being the ones with the whiter skin and European mix, and the Indians as the Mayas. As narrated in Hale’s publication, the ladinos used to be the superior group in the past decades, and the Mayas being the inf erior one. Interaction of ladinos with Mayas is prohibited by the ladino elders. As time passed by, there had been some changes in the political and social set up of Guatamela.There were Maya cultural activists that fight for their cultural rights. Some ladinos changed their perspectives about the Mayas by somehow respecting the latter’s religious belief such as the fiesta of their patron saint for a start. Racism was definitely gearing towards the Mayas, but due to the number in population with the Mayas taking up considerably the higher percentage of the population, the ladinos started to become confused if they really are the reigning race.The people interviewed by Hale were still hesitant, somehow, when asked about the cultural discrimination against the Mayans. Their answers were unsure maybe because there is no certainty on the cultural development of their region. Confused answers to simple cultural questions were provided. Confused people with confused cultural belief s would definitely result to complications in interest and one confused country.It is amazing how these writers distort ideas and beliefs. From the denial, to the national identity, to the confused region, now, we have another twist of things about mestizaje and cultural and national identity. Saldaà ±a-Portillo’s arguments, still, are about mestizaje and how particular regions react to it. In her publication, mestizaje is promoted as a step towards citizenship, towards establishment of national culture. In the past reviews, it is usually the â€Å"whites† dominating or taking over the â€Å"blacks†.However in this case, it is still true that Indians are viewed as a sign of an uncivilized community, but some things are viewed the differently. Not that these Indians literally taking over the region and the government, but these colonizers, the Spanish and the Europeans, actually being taken over by the Indians in other perspectives. It is about the women coloniz ers and the Indian men, Spanish not being the first language, and a biological trace in history.Discussion about women having their roles and rights in the community, for the first time, were mentioned and discussed upon for these â€Å"rights† might be at odds with their group’s statute. Ethnic groups were also given right to the land they lived on. Regardless these new points that might unite certain regions, mestizaje would remain to be seen as these regions accept one another regardless the race, the face, or the beliefs.I must admit that racial discrimination, despite all the efforts to avoid and fight it, still exists up to this day. There are similarities in situations in these articles. These readings are mostly about the search and battle for cultural and national identity mostly of people in the Latin American region. The Afro-population or the â€Å"black† as others would commonly label their group, is often, if not mostly deprived of access to proper ty, media, and means of production. I agree when they say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. It’s the same with people – don’t judge a person by his color because a person is more than just the color of his skin or the details of his face. There is the spirit. There are the values.Maybe the good thing about classifying people is when they are proud to be of that race not because they are whiter or taller, but because people from their region, their race has done something good and inspiring that effect people of other race or region. It is when that person is proud to be of that race because his people have helped so many deprived others. But how often do these things happen? How often does a person become proud because he has â€Å"Indian† features? This is one proof that racial discrimination has been in existentfor so long that it has been part of our practices and to think and establish such notions.Generalization should be avoided b ecause this starts the heating debate and fight about discrimination. Every human being is different, unique. It just so happened that he/she possesses such features, that he/she was born on that region. Nevertheless, that person is no different from you and me. Mestizaje has affected so many races, if not all of them, that it actually is a part of life, of history, of the lives even of the first people on earth.. It is inevitable because it is human nature socialize, and interact.The good thing about the present is having institutions against racism, acknowledgment of the problem, and awareness that the system applies sanctions to violators because it does not tolerate such prejudice. It is good to know that with these things, we need not be afraid for our children and our children’s children because there are people to protect them and fight for them. However, when can we really say that we, our children, and the coming generations would be free from hatred? From prejudice? From undergoing the inequality we had been experiencing since time immemorial? When?Works CitedDulitzky, Ariel. A Region in Denial: Racial Discrimination and Racism in Latin America†, Neither Enemies Nor Friends: Latinos, Blacks, Afro-Latinos. Ed. A. Dziedzienyo and S. Oboler. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. pp.39-60.Hale, Charles. â€Å"Travel Warning: Elite Appropriations of Hybridity, Mestizaje, Antiracism, Equality, and Other Progressive-sounding Discourses in High Land Guatamela.† Journal of American Folklore. 112. 445 (Summer 1999): 297-315.Martinez-Echazabal, Lourdes. â€Å"Mestizaje and the Discourse of National/Cultural Identity in Latin America, 1845-1959.† Latin American Perspectives. 100 vols. 25.3 (May 1998). 21-42.Saldaà ±a-Portillo, Josefina. â€Å"Who’s the Indian in Aztlan? Re-Writing Mestizaje, Indianism, and Chicanismo from Lacandon.† The Latin American Subaltern Studies Reader. Ed. I.Rodriguez. NC: Duke University Press, 20 01. pp.402-423.

Friday, September 13, 2019

All models are wrong; some models are useful Essay

All models are wrong; some models are useful - Essay Example Mathematical models are therefore very useful because Mathematics itself is an abstract language; enables us to make the representation numerically and visually, and offers powerful tools and techniques for quantitative analysis and forecasting. Usually, this involves defining constants, assigning variables, and forming structures such as functions, equations, diagrams, graphs etc. that establish the relationships between the various quantities. For example, car journeys, traffic patterns, and airline routes can all be modeled using matrices. However, despite the aforementioned features of mathematical modeling, it has limitations too. The most fundamental perhaps is the trade-off between simplicity and accuracy of the model. Usually, more complex models tend to improve its accuracy but at the same time of course make it more complicated to handle, which could also mean greater cost and required time. Therefore, when deciding which model to choose, the level of accuracy required balanced against need and the available resources is the most important consideration. If more than one different model is able to forecast with equal predictive accuracy, the Occam’s Razor principle suggests choosing the simplest model. With regards to forecasting, mathematical models can often be tested for accuracy using empirical or experimental data. If it is able to describe this accurately, it can then be used for forecasting purposes, for which several methods exist. These include moving averages, exponential smoothing, techniques for extrapolating time series with tend and seasonal components, and regression models. In all of these however, there are gaps between the complexity of the real world and the simplicity of these abstract models. The model’s true usefulness would then be tested if the extrapolation to other or future data or situations proves successful. Time series and forecasting is one of