Ethical Issues and Future Trends

Ethical Issues and Future Trends Abstract This essay analyzes two recent news stories wherein the issue of standard business communication consent forms has proved controversial. Legal action resulted when plaintiffs found that their DNA had been used and stored for purposes beyond the scope of the consent form and for which they did not give permission. Consent forms remain inadequate and incomplete in the area of DNA collection and do not provide proper information for donors so that they can make an informed choice about how their DNA will be used.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues and Future Trends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethical Issues and Future Trends No one disputes the value of DNA research in the ongoing battle against disease. However, the business of scientific research in the future may face stiff ethical challenges on the basis of its existing communication tools. Universities and private DNA research firms often use consent forms to manage the acquisition and collection of DNA for one specific purpose, yet research itself often uses the DNA – without express permission from the donor – to underwrite a host of other unrelated research, some of which can cause harm to the donors. One such recent example occurred in the case of Arizona’s Havasupai tribe, based in the Grand Canyon (Harmon, 2010). In the early 1990s 41 members of the tribe donated samples of their blood and DNA to researchers working with the Arizona State University (Harmon, 2010). In April of 2010 these same members won a settlement against the University in the amount of $700,000, plus the return of their blood and samples, for what the tribe deemed â€Å"genetic era betrayal† (Harmon, 2010). The members discovered that the DNA they donated specifically for research into the tribe’s inordinately high incidence of type II diabetes onset was also used to support research into inbreeding, menta l illness and migration patterns of the tribe’s ancestors (Harmon, 2010). The tribe knew nothing of these others areas of research and did not offer permission for their DNA to be used in this manner. Also, the research employed to study the migration patterns and origins of the tribe’s ancestors suggested that the Havasupai arrived in North America via passage across the frozen Bering Sea (Harmon, 2010). This not only discredited the tribal elders’ stories, but also threatened to undermine the tribe’s sovereign rights and endanger their ongoing land claim battles (Harmon, 2010). The Arizona State University spent nearly $2 million contesting the lawsuits launched by the Havasupai by tribe members (Harmon, 2010). The April 2010 settlement â€Å"appears to be the first payment to individuals who said their DNA was misused† (Harmon, 2010). At the heart of this ethical issue lies the problem of the consent form. In the age of the business of scientifi c research’s increasing dependence of DNA to crack disease, to what extent does the consent form protect the rights of donors? This essay studies the case of the Havasupai tribe and so called â€Å"vulnerable† populations whose limited understanding of DNA research can lead to miscommunication and misappropriation in the business environment.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More DNA holds personal information, and in cases such as the Havasupai tribe, the consent form often does not adequately communicate the full scope of how this personal information may be used or in certain instances abused by the scientific industry. Similar to many other businesses, universities and private research firms typically employ a standard consent form to cover the harvesting of DNA from willing subjects. Federal law dictates that scientific researchers who hail from univer sity campuses as well as those private enterprises in the business of DNA collection and testing must obtain â€Å"informed consent† from subjects (Harmon, 2010). The idea behind these protections is to ensure that participants remain clear on their rights. However, the consent forms themselves typically originate from research that may expose participants to â€Å"physical risks, like experimental drug trials or surgery† (Harmon, 2010). These same consent forms often cannot predict the risks of DNA collection, since the culture surrounding DNA research demands full access. DNA donated for one purpose may prove useful for numerous others, and researchers themselves expect that once the DNA is in hand, all scientific uses become fair game. The geneticist who initially harvested and used the Havasupai blood samples, Therese Markow, upheld the ethical consistency of her actions within the scientific industry (Harmon, 2010). Her detractors, in Markow’s words,  "failed to understand the fundamental nature of genetic research, where progress often occurs from studies that do not appear to bear directly on a particular disease† (Harmon, 2010). In the words of David Karp, M.D., a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, â€Å"the potential benefit from unencumbered biomedical research trumps the value of individual control. Everyone wants to be open and transparent, [but] the question is, how far do you have to go? Do you have to create some massive database of people’s wishes for their DNA specimens?† (Harmon, 2010). The Havasupai tribes argued yes, and the court agreed with them. In another case that originated in Austin, Texas, a group of parents took federal legal action against the Texas Department of State Health Services, Commissioner David Lakey, M.D., Texas AM, and Texas AM Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Nancy Dickey, M.D., for failure to produce satisfactory conse nt forms that informed parents of the collection and storage of blood drawn from their babies at birth (Roser, 2009). The parents’ lawsuit claimed that the defendants â€Å"unlawfully and deceptively collected blood samples from their children at time of birth and stored those samples indefinitely for undisclosed research purposes, without plaintiffs’ knowledge or consent† (Roser, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues and Future Trends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The parents’ ire flared after they learned that their infant’s blood â€Å"was now state property† (Roser, 2009). The parents’ main fears stemmed from lack of information provided by the consent forms, and they were concerned that â€Å"the blood spots might be used someday to discriminate against their child† (Roser, 2009). The suit also charges that the state of Texas violates ex isting constitutional shields â€Å"against unlawful searches and seizures,† while simultaneously flouting existing privacy laws (Roser, 2009). DNA research offers infinite potential in the area of disease control. Medical advances certainly owe much of their sustained growth and innovation to the use of DNA. Support definitely exists for the continued use of DNA testing and research to combat debilitating conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimers, heart disease and cancer. However, business communication tools have not grown apace with DNA improvement, and as a result donors consistently receive inadequate information. The lack of information leads to lack of trust, and lack of trust in the public sphere has the potential to undermine public support, not to mention severely curtail the number of willing DNA donors. Existing consent forms do not â€Å"fully inform†¦research participants how their DNA may be used† argues law professor Hank Greely, and this communicat ion glitch â€Å"sows distrust† (Harmon, 2010). Researchers will be hard pressed to continue their work without the trust and participation of donors. DNA creates a new era of ethical challenges for business. Rather than continue to surreptitiously glean DNA via ignorance and inadequate consent forms, business communicators in the scientific industry need to open their process up to public scrutiny and become more transparent with their communication tools. References Harmon, A. (2010, April 21). Indian Tribe Wins Fight to Limit Research of Its DNA. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22dna.html Harmon, A. (2010, April 22). Havasupai Case Highlights Risks in DNA Research. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22dnaside.html?ref=us Roser, M. (2009, March 18). Parents Sue Texas Health Dept. and Texas AM over Infant Blood Databank. Texas Civil Rights Project. Retrieved from https://texascivilrightsproject.or g/Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters

True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters True Phrasal Adjectives and Imposters By Mark Nichol Phrasal adjectives, the sets of words that combine to modify a noun, can be tricky. Usually, words in phrasal adjectives are hyphenated to signal their interrelationship, but there are exceptions, and confusion often arises when phrases resemble but do not constitute phrasal adjectives. In English grammar, the assumption is that two adjacent nouns constitute a description of a single entity unless the first noun is hyphenated to a preceding adjective to form a phrasal adjective. For example, in â€Å"They earned their third straight regular season victory that day,† the reference appears to be to a season victory that is regular. Attaching the adjective regular to the noun season with a hyphen clarifies that the reference is to a victory that pertains to the regular season: â€Å"They earned their third straight regular-season victory that day.† Why not hyphenate â€Å"third straight† as well? The phrase modifies â€Å"regular-season victory,† but â€Å"third straight† is not a phrasal adjective; the noun is the phrase â€Å"straight victory,† and third modifies the entire phrase (not just straight), which in turn modifies â€Å"regular-season victory.† To see why this is so, replace the entire phrase â€Å"third straight regular-season victory† with any phrase beginning with an ordinal number followed by an adjective and then a noun (a phrasal adjective in place of â€Å"regular-season† is irrelevant): â€Å"first full sentence,† â€Å"second tall man,† and so on; no hyphenation is called for. The full sentence is the first one, and the tall man is the second one. But isn’t this the same type of construction as seen in â€Å"The team achieved the third-highest score in the franchise’s history,† in which â€Å"third-highest† is correctly hyphenated because it modifies score? No. â€Å"Third highest score† refers to the third in a series of highest scores, but that’s not what this sentence is referring to; the reference is to a score that is third highest. Also, in â€Å"The win snapped their opponents’ sixteen-game home winning streak,† â€Å"sixteen-game† correctly modifies â€Å"home winning streak.† But why isn’t â€Å"home winning† itself hyphenated to indicate that it’s a phrasal adjective modifying streak? Because it’s not a phrasal adjective. The modifier in this sentence is home, modifying the noun phrase â€Å"winning streak.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Capitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

DNA is the most important for life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DNA is the most important for life - Essay Example This essay argues the DNA is the most important molecule for life. Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is a nucleic molecule that functions as one of the most central aspects of living organisms. Contained within DNA are the fundamental aspects of all living things; in these regards, DNA functions as a sort of encyclopedic instruction manual for all elements within the human genetic system. Another way of viewing DNA is as a blueprint for the living organism. When new components, including RNA or proteins need to be constructed, it is the DNA that determines how these elements will be constituted. Figure 1 below demonstrates the basic DNA genetic components. It’s for these reasons it’s clear DNA is more important to the construction of life than these components. While DNA is recognized as an essential blueprint for all living organisms, it all contains a number of important live creating and sustaining functions within these organisms. One such function is that of transcription. Within DNA there are genes, which are strands of material that influence the constitution of living elements (Cooper). These genes contain genetic components influence the organism’s phenotype through transcription processes. This transcription process functions through informing the sequences of RNA and protein. During this process the codons of a gene are implemented in transcribing RNA polymerase (Pollard). This process is then decoded through ribosomes that read the base-pairing messenger elements. This process occurs in a great variety of life producing ways, with sixty-four possible combinations, making DNA a core element for daily life. This process is witnessed below in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 Transcription Another core function of DNA that makes it the most important molecule for life is witnessed in its interaction with protein in the body. All components of protein interaction rely on DNA. Some of the most notable elements in terms of life-producing components occur in the domain of structural proteins. In the interaction between DNA and structural proteins, the important life-producing element of chromatin is produced (Van Holde). This element is used for the important life functions of mitosis and meiosis. Ultimately, it’s the combination of these elements that make DNA the most important molecule for life in living organisms. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA functions as the most important molecule for life in living organisms. While DNA functions in countless and complex ways, this essay has considered what it considers to be the most prominent such aspects. In these regards, DNA’s function as the blueprint of the living organism is considered as its primary function. In addition to this component, DNA also functions in transcription processes and in the development of chromatin. Ultimately, it’s the combination of these elements that makes DNA the most important component in living organisms. References Cooper, Geoffrey M. 2000. The Cell, 2nd edition, A Molecular Approach. Pollard, T. 2002. Cell Biology. Saunders. Van Holde KE. 1989. Chromatin. New York:

Privacy of an Employee in the Workplace Assignment

Privacy of an Employee in the Workplace - Assignment Example The recent recession has actually increased the power of the employers and the employees suffered a lot because of that. Legal and ethical rights of the employees have been violated heavily by the corporate management in order to exploit the employees. This paper briefly analyses law, ethics and corporate governance at a workplace. An employee can expect reasonable privacy only when he was engaged in a work which needs accuracy, thoroughness and logic. For example, consider an artist or designer who is trying to make a new design for a product. The interference of others might distract his focus and he may take more time to complete the design. Even though America has a well defined legal system, the laws related to privacy of the employees at workplace seems to be weak. Each state has different privacy laws and the standardization of privacy laws across the country seems to be a distant dream. Some employers try to exert control over the worker’s life outside of the working hours (Halbert and Ingulli, 2008, p.79). For example, some workers smoke during their lunch break. Most of the organizations provide at least one or two hours lunch break. Employees often make use of this break for smoking or some enjoyment purpose. But some employers even restrict such things at the workplace which is not a good ide a. Employees should have the luxury of privacy at least at the break times. According to New York laws, it is illegal to fire an employee for engaging in off-hours sports, games, hobbies, exercise, reading, movie or TV watching (Halbert and Ingulli, 2008, p.80). Some organizations rate certain employee activities as legal or illegal based on the place and occasion when the action has been performed. For example, some organizations allow their workers to smoke in private places during their off-hours whereas smoking inside an enclosed office might be restricted. The activities of an employee should not cause any damage to the co-workers.  Ã‚  

Motivating Culturally Diverse Workforce in an Organization Essay Example for Free

Motivating Culturally Diverse Workforce in an Organization Essay Culturally Diverse Workforce in an Organization Muhammad Junaid Murshed Southern New Hampshire University Abstract In this research paper, I will be discussing some of the methods that may be used to effectively motivate a culturally diverse workforce in an organization. At first, I will present a brief introduction to motivation, some of the well-known motivational theories and cultural diversity. Then, I will look into a few reasons for demotivation among the workforce of an organization, followed by some of the distinguished and effective motivational techniques that may be utilized to ascertain and/or deal with the same, citing real-life examples. Finally, I will conclude the paper with a brief summary of the key points discussed in the paper together-with a personal opinion about the effectiveness of the motivational methods discussed above. â€Å"Motivation is defined as the desire to achieve a goal or a certain performance level, leading to goal-directed behavior† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 97). As can be seen from the above statement motivation may be directly linked to performance. Although the direct correlation, motivation alone may not be sufficient to elicit the desired result. This is so, as, it (motivation) usually is influenced by factors such as an individual’s ability (p. 97) to perform the task and the resources available (p. 97) to him/her to aid in achieving the objective(s). â€Å"Culture refers to values, beliefs, and customs that exist in a society† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 40). â€Å"Diversity refers to the ways in which people are similar or different from each other† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 9). The world consists of various different cultures (p. 40) entailing a diverse (p. 29) population base i. e. in terms of age, gender, race, religion, physical abilities etc. Therefore, motivating (p. 97) individuals require understanding their descent first, as, it is most likely to influence the dominant need in their personality. With the passing of time many scientists, philosophers and psychologists have developed various theories to explain and enhance an individual’s motivational level. For the purpose of my research paper, I will be focusing on some of it, namely, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (p. 00), the ERG theory (p. 101), the two-factor theory, the acquired-needs theory (p. 102) and the self-determination theory to base my comparisons and/or conclusions to cultural diversity. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs â€Å"The theory is based on a simple premise: Human beings have needs that are hierarchically ranked. There are some needs that are basic to all human beings, and in their absence nothing else matters. As we satisfy these basic needs, we start looking to satisfy higher order needs† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 99). Physiological needs: â€Å"The need for air, food, and water† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 100). Safety needs: â€Å"The need to be free from danger and pain† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 100). Social needs: â€Å"The needs of bonding with other human beings, being loved, and forming lasting attachments with them† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 100). Esteem needs: â€Å"The desire to be respected by one’s peers, feel important, and be appreciated† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 100). Self-actualization need: â€Å"The need to become all you are capable of becoming† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 00). ERG theory â€Å"ERG theory, developed by Clayton Alderfer, is a modification of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Instead of the five needs that are hierarchically organized, Alderfer proposed that basic human needs maybe grouped under three categories, namely, existence, relatedness, and growth† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 101). Existence: â€Å"A need corresponding to Maslow’s physiological and safety needs† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 101). Relatedness: â€Å"A need corresponding to Maslow’s social needs† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 101). Growth: â€Å"A need referring to Maslow’s esteem and self-actualization† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 101). Two-factor theory â€Å"By asking individuals what satisfies them on the job and what dissatisfies them, Herzberg came to the conclusion that aspects of the work environment that satisfy employees are very different from aspects that dissatisfy them† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 101). Acquired-needs theory â€Å"According to this theory, individuals acquire three types of needs as a result of their life experiences. These needs are the need for achievement, the need for affiliation, and the need for power. All individuals possess a combination of these needs, and the dominant needs are thought to drive employee behavior† (Bauer and Erdogan, 2010, p. 102). Self-determination theory â€Å"Self-Determination Theory (SDT) represents a broad framework for the study of human motivation and personality. SDT articulates a meta-theory for framing motivational studies, a formal theory that defines intrinsic and varied extrinsic sources of motivation, and a description of the respective roles of intrinsic and types of extrinsic motivation in cognitive and social development and in individual differences†. Bibliography: 1. Bauer T. Erdogan B. (2010) Demographic Diversity. Organizational Behavior, 29. 2. Bauer T. Erdogan B. (2010) Cultural Diversity. Organizational Behavior, 40. 3. Bauer T. Erdogan B. (2010) Theories of Motivation. Organizational Behavior, 97. 4. Bauer T. Erdogan B. (2010) Theories of Motivation: Need-Based Theories of Motivation. Organizational Behavior, 100-102. 5. Self-Determination Theory: An Approach to Human Motivation Personality. Retrieved from http://www. selfdeterminationtheory. org/theory

Desconstruction of the Moderinistic Myth in Quinns Ishmael :: Quinn Ishmael Essays

Desconstruction of the Moderinistic Myth in Ishmael When I read Daniel Quinn’s works, Ishmael, Providence, The Story of B, and My Ishmael, I find a common theme woven throughout which is to desconstruct the moderinistic myth that we are apart from nature and therefore not subject to natural law. I don’t find Quinn’s ideas to be much different from what I read into David Orr’s Earth in Mind or David Ehrenfeld’s books Beginning Again and The Arrogance of Humanism. I doubt that Quinn, as a writer, thinks for one minute that we are no different from other species who inhabit Earth. Language separates us, and writers probably know that better than the rest of us. Maybe I shouldn’t have grabbed his quotes out of context. Or maybe you had some other reason to be so quick to criticize Quinn. If the use of the word â€Å"stewardship† really â€Å"instills a healthy dose of love and responsibility for the natural world,† as you suggest it does, I don’t believe Quinn or Ehrenfeld or Orr would have many problems with our using it as platform for discussion to move forward. But I suspect that all three writers are fearful that most of us don’t differentiate between â€Å"stewardship† and â€Å"dominion,† also that our â€Å"stewardship† will likely not be practiced with enough humility--e.g. use of â€Å"precautionary principles,† recognition of how little we really know--to make it a useful starting point. If we stay with "stewardship" it will be up to us to prove them wrong. Assuming, of course, that they would agree with what I’ve alleged on their behalf. Does this mean we ought to throw away science or management, or even abandon the word â€Å"stewardship?† No, at least "no" with regard to science and management. I still wonder about our choice to use the word â€Å"stewardship.† Mostly I’m OK with it, but only if we take time to work through the baggage it carries. Mainly, though, we need to challenge theories, assumptions, and try to make sure they are grounded. â€Å"Grounding† theory and practice in pluralistic reality is what my favorite postmodern writers seem to be challenging us to do. But herein hides a problem. My problem. Perhaps the writers I am referring to – Anderson, Borgmann (Crossing the Postmodern Divide), Ehrenfeld, Merchant (The Death of Nature, Ecology: Key Concepts in Critical Theory), Orr, Quinn and others – don’t fit the label â€Å"postmodern deconstructionists. Desconstruction of the Moderinistic Myth in Quinn's Ishmael :: Quinn Ishmael Essays Desconstruction of the Moderinistic Myth in Ishmael When I read Daniel Quinn’s works, Ishmael, Providence, The Story of B, and My Ishmael, I find a common theme woven throughout which is to desconstruct the moderinistic myth that we are apart from nature and therefore not subject to natural law. I don’t find Quinn’s ideas to be much different from what I read into David Orr’s Earth in Mind or David Ehrenfeld’s books Beginning Again and The Arrogance of Humanism. I doubt that Quinn, as a writer, thinks for one minute that we are no different from other species who inhabit Earth. Language separates us, and writers probably know that better than the rest of us. Maybe I shouldn’t have grabbed his quotes out of context. Or maybe you had some other reason to be so quick to criticize Quinn. If the use of the word â€Å"stewardship† really â€Å"instills a healthy dose of love and responsibility for the natural world,† as you suggest it does, I don’t believe Quinn or Ehrenfeld or Orr would have many problems with our using it as platform for discussion to move forward. But I suspect that all three writers are fearful that most of us don’t differentiate between â€Å"stewardship† and â€Å"dominion,† also that our â€Å"stewardship† will likely not be practiced with enough humility--e.g. use of â€Å"precautionary principles,† recognition of how little we really know--to make it a useful starting point. If we stay with "stewardship" it will be up to us to prove them wrong. Assuming, of course, that they would agree with what I’ve alleged on their behalf. Does this mean we ought to throw away science or management, or even abandon the word â€Å"stewardship?† No, at least "no" with regard to science and management. I still wonder about our choice to use the word â€Å"stewardship.† Mostly I’m OK with it, but only if we take time to work through the baggage it carries. Mainly, though, we need to challenge theories, assumptions, and try to make sure they are grounded. â€Å"Grounding† theory and practice in pluralistic reality is what my favorite postmodern writers seem to be challenging us to do. But herein hides a problem. My problem. Perhaps the writers I am referring to – Anderson, Borgmann (Crossing the Postmodern Divide), Ehrenfeld, Merchant (The Death of Nature, Ecology: Key Concepts in Critical Theory), Orr, Quinn and others – don’t fit the label â€Å"postmodern deconstructionists.

The Application of Consumer’s Knowledge

| CONSUMER BEHAVIOR PAPER| The Application of Consumer’s Knowledge and Involvement Concept in â€Å"Adu Segar Larutan Penyegar† Case Study from Brand Cap Kaki Tiga Perspective | September 2012| MMBM Batch 25 Team #2 Dickson Mulia 0152121007 Genoveva Iswati0152121016 Arfianti Puspitarini0152121035 Maulana 01521210xx EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga, currently being manufactured by PT Kinocare, is facing a fierce competition against Larutan Penyegar Cap Badak since Wen Ken Drugs decision in February 2011 to withdraw the license from PT Sinde Budi Sentosa and granted it to PT Kinocare.In the market, the new Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga is perceived as a replica product of its predecessor and they are struggling to gain consumer brand awareness and eventually become consumer’s choice. In this case study, we recommend Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga to get out of the tight corner by implementing a breakthrough innovation in order to gain consumer inte rest and remove consumer’s visual imagery of Badak logo that has been anchored in consumer’s memory since 1937 I. BACKGROUND 1937 – The Product EraAbout 75 years ago, in 1937 four Singaporean Chinese families decided to go into business together to market a secret traditional medical recipe which becomes known as Three Legs Cooling Water. In Hokkien, ‘3 legs' (pronounced as Sa Ka) is a popular proverb meaning to flatter someone. But in the world of traditional medicine in Singapore and Malaysia, the ‘3 legs' means a simple effective way to prevent or heal fever and headache caused by ‘healthiness' in the body The logo features two legs on solid ground and one additional leg to provide additional support and expedite the healing process.The symmetrical legs represent equality for all and humbleness on others' views and suggestions. And finally, the circle marks the cohesiveness of the staff and customers centered on the triple legs 1978 – Introduction into Indonesia Market About 30 years ago, in 1978 Wen Ken Drug Co. Ltd Singapore granted the license of Three Legs (known locally as ‘Cap Kaki Tiga’) to PT Sinde Budi Sentosa as licensed manufacturer with headquarter located in Jakarta. 2011 – Transfer of License Wen Ken Drug Co. Ltd Singapore withdrew the license of Cap Kaki Tiga from PT Sinde Budi Sentosa and transfered it to Kino Group.February 2012 – The Competition Kino Group was prohibited from using Cap Kaki Tiga brand together with Cap Badak painting on the product. PT Sinde Budi Sentosa has won their claim over the usage of Cap Badak painting on their products and Kino Group may use Cap Kaki Tiga brand. This is the beginning of the competition on cooling water between Cap Kaki Tiga and Cap Badak. Following is the comparison of the product : Larutan Penyegar Cap Badak (Sinde) and Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga (Kino). About Kino Group Kino Corporation started as a small distribution c ompany named Duta Lestari Sentratama back in 1991.Another big step was taken in 1999, Kinocare Era Kosmetindo,  manufacturer of a wide range of personal care products for all genders and ages was established. 2003 saw Kinocare Era Kosmentindo enlarged its businesses further into homecare division by providing a wide range of homecare products under the brand Sleek. Expanding  into Asian region, in 2002 Kino opened its branch office in Malaysia; Kino Care (M) Sdn. Bhd. , and in 2003 in the Philippine; Kino Consumer Philippines Inc. and also established distributorships with some other big distributor companies in Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam and Myanmar. Kino Group consists of the following: . PT KinoCare Era Kosmetindo : Personal care and Home care products (Kino Sweat, Ovale, Eskulin, B;B Kids Shampoo, Ellips, Sleek, Cap Kaki Tiga) 2. PT KinoSentra Industrindo: confectionary products such as candies, snacks and chocolates (Kino Candy) 3. PT KinoAid Indonesia : Pharmacy and Bevera ges (Resik V, Absolute, Panthers) 4. PT Duta Lestari Sentratama : Distribution After almost two decades, Kino Corporation Group   products are now available in big distributors, hypermarkets, supermarkets, mini-markets, thousands of cosmetic stores as well as   million of small traditional outlets throughout   the Indonesian archipelago.Kino’s product quality has met international standard qualification, proved by the increasing demands from the markets all over the world. II. BASIC CONCEPT AND THEORY The scope of analysis of â€Å"Adu Segar Larutan Penyegar Cap Badak vs. Kaki Tiga† case is focused on Consumer’s Product Knowledge and Involvement concept. Consumers have different levels of product knowledge, which they can use to interpret new information and make purchase choices. Levels of knowledge are formed when people acquire separate meaning concepts (accretion process) and combine them into larger, more abstract categories of knowledge (tuning).The levels of product knowledge are classified based on below spectrum: More Abstract| | | Less Abstract| Product Class| Product Form| Brand| Model/Features| â€Å"Larutan Penyegar†| Ready-To- Drink| Cap Kaki Tiga| Original(Bottled , 200ml ; 500ml)Fruity taste(Canned, 330ml, available in 7 variants)| Because consumers are likely to make separate purchase decisions at each level of knowledge, marketers need to understand how consumers organize their product knowledge in terms of these different levels.Thus, based on this concept, the basic questions that might arise are â€Å"What are the levels of product knowledge for â€Å"Larutan Penyegar†? and â€Å"Which are the dominant factors that influencing consumer’s purchase decision? † The knowledge of consumers is organized into means-end chain concept. In this concept, consumers can have three types of product knowledge: * knowledge about the attributes or characteristics of products, * the positive consequenc es or benefits of using products, * the values the product helps consumers satisfy or achieve Products as Bundles of AttributesThe simplest line to describe â€Å"Products as Bundles of Attributes† is that it is the physical characteristic of the product itself. From a cognitive processing perspective, we might wonder if consumers really have knowledge in memory about all of these attributes and whether consumers actually activate and use this knowledge when deciding which products and brands to buy. To evaluate whether consumer awareness of product attributes of â€Å"Larutan Penyegar† , we might get the figure by asking â€Å"Do you know the basic ingredients being used in this product? or â€Å"Would you compare the ingredients of each brand? † Products as Bundles of Benefits Marketers also recognize that consumers often think about products and brands in terms of their consequences rather than their attributes. Consumers can have knowledge about two types o f product consequences: functional and psychosocial. Functional consequences are tangible outcomes of using a product that consumers experience rather directly while psychological consequences of product use are internal, personal outcomes, such as how the product makes you feel. Products as Value SatisfiersConsumers also have knowledge about the personal, symbolic values that products and brands help them satisfy or achieve. Values often involve the emotional affect associated with such goals and needs (the strong feelings and emotions that accompany success). In contrast means–end chain links consumers’ knowledge about product attributes with their knowledge about consequences and values. In other words, consumers see most product attributes as a means to some end. The end could be a consequence (a benefit or a risk) or a more abstract value. A common representation of a means—end chain has four levels:Brand| Attributes| Functional Consequences| Psychosocial C onsequences| Value| Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga| Mixture of medicinal ingredients | Help relieve sore throat | I feel better / healthy| -| Based on above figure, the means – end chain of Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga ends at the level of psychosocial consequences. III. CONSUMER ANALYSIS Having all the questions behind the basic concept, we must get the answer in order to understand the levels of consumer product knowledge, the means-end chain of â€Å"Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga† and whether consumers aware of the competition of â€Å"Cap Badak† vs. Cap Kaki Tiga† and if the subjected case influences the purchasing behavior. Therefore, a small research was conducted with the following design: Methods: Quantitative, Face to Face interview Geographic location : Jakarta, Bogor Sample criteria : Consumer of â€Å"Larutan Penyegar† with the following constraints: * 18+ years old * Purchase decision maker for Larutan Penyegar RTD * Purchase Larutan Penyegar RTD in last 6 months Sample size : 21 samples Research findings: 1. Cap Kaki Tiga name dominates the Top of Mind awareness by 90%, left Cap Badak with only 10% TOM. | Cap Kaki Tiga| Cap Badak|Top of Mind Awareness| 90%| 10%| Q: Thinking about â€Å"Larutan Penyegar† brands, what brand name do you think first of all? 2. 90% of respondents recall their last purchase of Larutan Penyegar brand is Cap Kaki Tiga   | Cap Kaki Tiga| Cap Badak| Last Purchase| 90%| 10%| Q: What was the brand(s) have you bought in past 6 months? 3. Interestingly, from 90% respondent who mentioned that their last purchase was Cap Kaki Tiga, only 19% who can distinguish the new packaging of Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga and chose it, while 62% of the respondent most likely recall visual imagery of Badak and chose Cap Badak brand.The rest 19% didn’t remember which bottle that they bought. | Cap Kaki Tiga| Cap Badak| Don't Remember| Visual Imagery| 19%| 62%| 19%| Q: Now I would like to k now how familiar you are with the †Larutan Penyegar† product. 1 set bottles of Larutan Penyegar Cap Kaki Tiga vs. Cap Badak, and point which bottle they bought the last time 4. 90% of the respondent does not aware about the competition about the product   | Not Aware| Aware| Awareness about the case| 90%| 10%| Q: Do you know that currently there are two different products? 5.After the respondents are told about the brief description whether the â€Å"old† Cap Kaki Tiga is currently produced by different manufacturer (PT Kinocare), and the manufacturer of â€Å"old† Cap Kaki Tiga is now producing Cap Badak, only 10% of respondent who prefer Cap Kaki Tiga, 52% prefer Cap Badak and 38% would choose any products that is available in the store. | Cap Kaki Tiga| Cap Badak| Anything| Brand Preference| 10%| 52%| 38%| Q : After you have the knowledge that currently there are 2 brands, which product(s) that you would choose?To summarize, based on the research above , the insights are: 1. Most of the respondents (90%) do not aware about the competition of Larutan Penyegar products from the two brands (â€Å"Cap Badak† vs. â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga†). 2. Inconsistency happened on brand name and product recollection. The high respondent mind share on â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† name (90%) is not translated into product election (19%) due to people historical memory about the product is anchored in the strong visual image of the â€Å"Badak† packaging. 3.An interesting fact appears when respondents are told about the difference of the brands, ironically most of them (52% vs 10%) prefer to choose â€Å"Cap Badak† instead of â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga†. However, there is still an opportunity for â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† to win the 38% respondent who would choose any brands. Then, based on insights above, we can identify few problems of Cap Kaki Tiga current products, which are: 1. â€Å"Badak† logo imagery is very str ong in consumer’s mind. To win over â€Å"Badak† image is quite impossible eventhough consumers have strong awareness on â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† name.If both products have to be in head-to head competition, such in display, most likely consumers will always choose â€Å"Cap Badak†. 2. From interviews, we got few comments about â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† logo which is not quite familiar and don’t look interesting at all. Some of them think that logo of â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† makes the product looks like a fake. Some even thought the logo looks associated with poisonous mosquito-killer insecticide product logo. IV. RECOMMENDATION â€Å"RECOVERY/SOLVING† AND KEY LEARNINGOur group proposes several recommendations for â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† brand to be considered: 1. Launch new format of â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† with totally fresh new whole concepts (packaging design, formats and marketing communications). a. Changes of packaging desig n should emphasize on the â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† name, as its strong point, and minimize the proportion of â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† logo, as its weakness point. b. Changes of bottle format with new shapes. We analyzed that with same bottle format as â€Å"Cap Badak†, it won’t be beneficial for â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga†.The reason for that is the consumer will always associate the bottle format with â€Å"Badak† painting in it and they would most likely prefer it and assume the â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† current same format as a fake. c. To support the changes in design and bottle format, we have to give strong marketing communications emphasizing on historical â€Å"journey† of original â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† brand product. This approach has the ultimate goal to underline the originality of the brand with â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† as the holder of official license from Wen Ken Drugs since the very beginning and create consumer confidence that the product is not a fake. . In order to increase consumer involvement, we recommend Cap Kaki Tiga to tap into younger segment through its flavored variant product line by communicating â€Å"Larutan penyegar† as daily beverage. Through this strategy, it is expected to create a new image and perception that a consumer does not have to wait until he feels sore throat to consume â€Å"Larutan Penyegar†. To support this strategy, Cap Kaki Tiga might conduct a marketing event that promote consumer’s involvement in the usage of the product, for example : conducting 10K Running Competition for charity, sponsorship in sports competition (e. IBL) as the official beverage, sponsorship in school annual music festival, and so on. 3. Strengthen distribution channel is also key strategy â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† have to explore to win the competition. To target indifferent consumers, availability of the product is a must. Kino should have expertise on this area, sinc e other Kino’s products are already strong in distributions. 4. Have further research (ZMET Study) in order to get further insights on: d. The brand and logo association, how â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† brand and logo can affect the consumer purchase decision. e.To understand the key reason for purchase and also the influential touch point so we are able to develop effective marketing campaign on the new concept launch Key learnings from our study on â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† brand, stated as following: 1. Top of mind awareness of brand is not necessarily translated into consumer’s decision to purchase (share of market) for the case of â€Å"Larutan Penyegar† competition. Therefore, an effective marketing strategy is needed to drive consumer purchase furthermore. 2. High brands awareness means nothing if the consumers don’t aware about the product itself.A product must have a uniqueness to be able to distinguish itself from the crowd and chosen by the c onsumers. 3. â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† has to try to go out from ‘Red Ocean’ competition with â€Å"Cap Badak†. The more they are trying to compete head-to head with similar concept as â€Å"Cap Badak†, the less opportunity for Cap Kaki Tiga to win â€Å"Larutan Penyegar† competition. 4. It worth to have a shot on going to the market with fresh new whole concepts, because â€Å"Cap Kaki Tiga† has opportunity to be the ‘offense’ side, rather than â€Å"Cap Badak† as defense’ side. Offense as to grab the indifferent market as mentioned before on the short-term basis, and to grab the current market share from â€Å"Cap Badak† on longer term period. V. REFERENCE 1. Peter, J. Paul & Jerry C. Olson, â€Å"Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy†, 9th edition, McGraw-Hill International Edition, 2010. 2. http://www. wenken. com 3. http://harrysanusi. blogspot. com/ 4. capkakitiga. com 5. Suryadi, Dede, â₠¬Å"Adu Segar Larutan Penyegar†, SWA Magazine Edition 22, October 2011.

Marketing and Unstructured Approaches Essay

Marketers have different views of how to position a brand. Some value structured approaches such as the competitive positioning model described in the chapter, which focuses on specific points-of-parity and points-of-difference. Others prefer unstructured approaches that rely more on stories, narratives, and other flowing depictions. Take a position: The best way to position a brand is through a structured approach versus the best way to position a brand is through an unstructured approach. I’d like to choose unstructured approaches to position a brand. First, I admit that structured approaches are quite straight forward with clearly demonstrated introduction. No matter specific points-of-parity or points-of-difference, they have clear and direct problems to solve and goals to achieve. By utilizing this strategy, things may go well and effectively, but this is probably in the short run. We need to look further and realize that every brand is representing a kind of unique culture. It is like a special individual with distinctive characteristics. However, stories, narratives and depictions are not rigid, more acceptable and interesting than structured approaches for consumers. As a customer I would tend to listen to every vivid and fascinating story to get familiar to a brand that I did not know before. The final goal is to build competitive advantages. Structured approaches are aiming to it directly, while unstructured are potentially affecting consumers to remember the brand. In fact, for every company it values for most part on making consumers to remember its brand and products. Yet for human beings, it is easier to remember a thing when it involves a kind of scene than pop directly to them out of nowhere. For most of us, there are usually some scenes in our lives that we never forget, maybe they are not important at all, but the specific scene, surrounds and backgrounds involving incidents make us always remember them. In a similar way, introducing a brand with stories is trying to build a kind of unique brand culture and let consumers get to know and remember it gradually. In the short run, this may not bring substantial and direct profit, but in the long run, it contributes a lot in setting up a unique and unforgettable culture for the company.

Army Essays

Army Essays Army Essay Army Essay Why Accountability is such an important aspect in the U. S. Army. As a child growing up on a small island in a community that does not exceed 600 population, It was very easy for our parents to keep track of us and know where we were pretty much at all times. When I decided to to join the Army and leave my small island community it was a major life change. I went from knowing everyone to knowing virtually no one. Being in the Army has broadened my views on so many things that I would never have thought of before.Such has how important it is to be someplace at a curtain time. Accountability and responsibility are pretty much one in the same to me. As a Private First Class I am slowly learning that the Army is a much bigger animal then I anticipated. When I took the oath of enlistment I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be in Korea or finding my future husband 6000 miles from home. For God’s sake I had never been outside the state of Virgini a in all my life until now.I look back at friends and family who are still on Tangier Island and think if they had just a little more responsibility and where held accountable for their actions the Island could be a much better place. Even though there are good people and things in Tangier, there are good people and things in the Army. The Army is not a joke or a place to party. The responsibility that the common soldier takes on is greater then any responsibility a civilian will encounter their entire life.At points we hold life in death in our hands the decision to take or save lives follows us everyday no matter what environment we are in Garrison or down range. It all comes down to the decisions we make. Do I leave the house a little earlier, do I prepare my uniforms and gear the day before instead of the morning of. People depend on people being where they are supposed to be to keep the good order and discipline of the Army. In civilian life if your co-worker isn’t there nobody really cares, maybe they got sick, maybe they are running late.In our profession and line of work a person gone, without knowing where that person is , could mean a mission doesn’t get completed, a crucial task takes double the time to complete, or in a worst case scenario a person has lost there life do to someone not doing or being where their supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. As a Soldier I am learning that as I progress through the ranks I become more accountable and responsible for not only myself but others.

Robert Bakker - A Profile of the Famous Paleontologist

Robert Bakker - A Profile of the Famous Paleontologist Name:  Robert Bakker Born: 1945 Nationality:  American About Robert Bakker Probably no paleontologist alive today has had as much of an impact on popular culture as Robert Bakker. Bakker was one of the technical advisers for the original Jurassic Park movie (along with two other famous figures from the dinosaur world, Jack Horner and the science writer Don Lessem), and a character in the sequel The Lost World, Dr. Robert Burke, was inspired by him. He has also written a best-selling novel (Raptor Red, about a day in the life of a Utahraptor), as well as the 1986 nonfiction book The Dinosaur Heresies. (Theres a bit of an in-joke in The Lost World: Bakker believes Tyrannosaurus Rex was a predator, while Horner believes T. Rex was a scavenger, so having Burke eaten whole in the movie lends support to the former hypothesis!) Among his fellow paleontologists, Bakker is best known for his theory (inspired by his mentor John H. Ostrom) that dinosaurs were warm-blooded, pointing to the active behavior of raptors like Deinonychus and the physiology of sauropods, whose cold-blooded hearts, Bakker argues, wouldnt have been capable of pumping blood all the way up to their heads, 30 or 40 feet above the ground. Although  Bakker is known for stating his views  forcefully, not all of his fellow scientists are convinced, some of them suggesting that dinosaurs may have had intermediate or homeothermic metabolisms rather than being strictly warm- or cold-blooded. ​Bakker is a bit of maverick in another way: in addition to being the curator of paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, hes also an ecumenical Pentecostal minister who likes to argue against interpreting biblical texts literally, preferring to see the New and Old Testaments as guides to ethics rather than to historical or scientific  facts. Unusually for a paleontologist who has had such an outsized impact on his field, Bakker isnt especially well known for his field work; for instance, he hasnt discovered or named any dinosaurs (or prehistoric animals) of note, though he did have a hand in investigating Allosaurus nesting sites  in Wyoming  (and concluding that the hatchlings of these predators received at least a modicum of parental attention). Bakkers influence can be traced above all to The Dinosaur Heresies; many of the theories he promotes in this book (including his speculation that dinosaurs grew much more rapidly than had been previously believed) have since been widely accepted by both the scientific establishment and the general public.

Business Financing and the Capital Structure Essay - 3

Business Financing and the Capital Structure - Essay Example The debt financing is welcome in many cases in which the loaned amount can be easily repaid back by the borrower. In addition to this debt also provides advantage to the companies that have opted for debt. Mostly the companies in the later stages go in for debt financing. The Equity financing method is the process in which the companies use the method of raising capital by selling company stocks to the investors. While in debt, financing the company does not have to share any ownership with the creditors but in the equity financing the shareholders are given the ownership of the shares of the company. The equity shares capital is usually opted for in the initial starting of the company when there are no cash inflows or revenues. The company to entice the investors who have an appetite for risks alongside the entrepreneur who has started the business uses equity financing. In today’s business ground where the debt is costly because the ability to repay debt is highly essential, the companies should maintain a debt to equity ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. The 1:1 ratio of debt to equity means that debt and equity should be of the same amount where as the 1:2 ratio suggests that the same amount to debt should have double amount of equity. Thus, the decision of choosing debt financing or equity financing should be based on the stage of progress of the business. If the business is in the startup stage when the cash inflows and the revenues are scarce, the company should definitely go for generation of fresh equity capital. Where as in the later stages of the company when it has started acquiring cash inflows it should opt for debt financing. There is another problem involved in the starting up position of the company where if the company does not show a strong profit creating potential then it would not attract any strong investors or venture capitalists who

The home video game industry pong to xbox 360 online Case Study

The home video game industry pong to xbox 360 online - Case Study Example PlayStation by Sony and Xbox by Microsoft are bitter rivals. The market share of the two is divided and one can outdo the other should innovation kick in. The PlayStation has several features that Xbox does not have. The wireless joysticks are perhaps the best features, then there is Wi-Fi connectivity and a host of several other features. These added featured attract the potential buyers and this is how a market share is created. Genesis was launched in the year 1989, it was first launched in Japan and subsequently in America. Sega a video game company produced games for Genesis, the games were graphically violent. After a few years EA Sports which also produces the FIFA series jumped on the bandwagon, all these companies entered into the new market because all this was incredibly profitable. The FIFA series has become a must have for football fans and it is sold every year in millions. The new entrants were able to capture the market share from their predecessors because they made better games which were appreciated by the fans. They bought copies of the games and the word of mouth also spread this is how they were able to capture the market share. Market leaders lost market share when they failed to innovate and make games of the next level. It is always useful to make better games and keep the fans anticipating but this failed to happen after one point. The new players on the other hand made better games and managed to capture the market share. Developing and commercializing a technology-based product needs a lot of dedication, most importantly it needs innovation. Making something new and unique always helps when it comes to a technology-based product. The case study teaches us about the importance of innovation and knowing your rivals. One must be at least two steps ahead of their rivals all the time only then can one keep growing at a consistent