Effects of the Internet Essay

â€Å"Bagozzi’s exchange paradigm has emerged as a framework for conceptualising marketing behaviour. † (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 32). This theory identifies the parties involved in any transaction, and the intangible and tangible entities are exchanged. By identifying the actors/parties, this theory acts as a valuable managerial tool, by helping to think what is being exchanged, and with whom. This theory has helped to see beyond the tangible products being exchanged, but to consider the intangible aspects of the transaction and all entities. The weakness of this being that it is difficult to identify all intangible entities within the transaction. The theory also states the exchange is reciprocal and mutually beneficial (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 32), i. e. that the entities being exchanged are perceived to be of equal value. Furthermore, Bagozzi (1974) observed that complex exchanges could include both overt and covert coordination. Bagozzi identified three different types of exchange: restricted, generalised and complex. â€Å"Restricted exchange refers to two party reciprocal relationships†, where both parties give and receive from the other party, (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 32). Generalised exchange includes at least three actors, who benefit indirectly, i. e. gives to one actor and receives from another. Complex exchange is â€Å"a system of mutual relationships between at least three parties†, and is a web or interconnecting restricted and generalised exchanges (Bagozzi 1975: pp. 33). Bagozzi’s theory gave a theoretical framework that could be applied to all situations to help identify the key actors within the exchange. A disadvantage of Bagozzi’s theory being that, identifying the actors and what is being exchanged was always difficult, as this would be difficult for each transaction, and may be unforeseen. With each transaction apart from the overt exchange between the consumer and the merchant, there are a number of intangible entities being exchanged, as â€Å"people buy things not only for what they can do, but also for what they mean† (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 36). The difficulty of identifying all parties and entities was made even more difficult after the advent of the Internet. The growth of the Internet platform a phenomenon, and there is a correspondence with commerce on this platform (Swaminathan, Lepkowska-White & Rao, 1999: pp. 1-2). In 1999 it was estimated that the online shopping would grow from $11 billion to $41 billion in 2002 (National Retail Federation, 1999). Online Christmas shopping exceeding all IMRG’s expectations when $15 billion (i 7. 66 billion) was spent by British consumers alone in the ten week run up to Christmas, marking a 54% increase more than the i 5 billion spent over the same period in 2005 (IMRG, 2006). As this is such a growing method of commerce and is a large percentage of all transactions, it is important to assess Bagozzi’s theory of the exchange when applied to Internet transactions. The Internet was a portal to a global market, where firms could sell to customers anywhere in the world. Firms could operate entirely online with no costs from premises. This saving could be passed on the customer, as online prices are often less expensive than offline/in-store competitors. Customers also benefited from online shopping as it is more convenient and can buy a wider range of products from around the world. When anyone uses the Internet, information on their activities is gathered, which can be used by firms to target consumers for their products. â€Å"Personalisation is the ability to satisfy specific needs of individual customers†, and has traditionally been employed as a marketing strategy for luxury goods and niche markets, due to the high costs (Mattila, 1999: pp. 40-46). Personalisation depends on the knowledge on the individual, and the ability to satisfy their needs. The Internet has made personalisation a cheaper option, and this strategy can be used for a wider range of products. Firms now have to compete globally with other firms on the Internet, so personalisation has become a â€Å"competitive necessity† (Chellappa & Sin, 2002). Personalisation allows a firm to identify individual consumer needs and inform them of products that will satisfy them. Historically this would be the role of a salesperson to a customer in a restricted exchange (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 32). Bagozzi’s theory applied well to the face-to-face transactions of the 70’s, however exchanges over the Internet are very different from the in-store transactions that Bagozzi’s theory of exchange applied to, and offer many challenges. Transactions over the Internet have more parties than traditional exchanges, as in order to access the Internet a user must use an Internet service provider. The Internet service provider gives access to the Internet, however it also logs the websites that the user has viewed. So here this could be seen as a â€Å"middle man†, who receives information on the websites visited as well as a premium, and in return allows access to the Internet. This is part of all Internet exchanges, and so it needs to be identified as a party, as the information that they receive is used to target products and services. Figure 1: Note: Adapted and altered from Bagozzi: Marketing as Exchange (1975) This is a very basic diagram of a transaction over the Internet, and as you can see it involves more parties than an offline transaction, making it more difficult to apply Bagozzi’s theory. Identifying all parties involved in a single transaction is very difficult, as there are more entities being exchanged with more parties. This diagram shows a complex exchange (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 33). Nonetheless, the exchange is quite straightforward, as a consumer pays the merchant and expects the product/service. Due to the distance the product must be delivered involving another party, which makes the exchange a complex one (Bagozzi, 1975: pp.33). With any exchange over the Internet, information will be given to the ISP, and if there are tangible entities then a delivery service must also be a part of the exchange. This would make every exchange over the Internet a complex one, (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 33), which makes the original types of exchange redundant, as they will all be complex. For this reason, I feel that Bagozzi’s theory of the exchange types must be updated to not include the ISP or delivery service, or to view the delivery service and merchant as a single entity. Historically a restricted exchange (Bagozzi, 1975: pp.32), could take place between a customer and a salesperson. Over the Internet more parties are involved in a transaction, so it is difficult to distinguish between the traditional complex exchanges. Bagozzi’s theory must take delivery into account when distinguishing the exchange types. The Internet is the same market is fundamentally the same market, however advances have bridges geographical gaps and have joined the individual markets. For this reason, Bagozzi’s theory can still be applied when considering what is being exchanged between key parties, and what other parties are involved in the exchange. Nonetheless, Bagozzi’s theory has always had its flaws. The main disadvantage was it was difficult to apply to the diverse range of exchanges that take place. The Internet has made it possible to trade almost product to anyone we can access the internet, and because of this there are now more diverse transactions. For example buying a house abroad can now be done over the internet, but involves a large number of parties and is an â€Å"interconnecting web of relationships† (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 33). With larger exchanges such as this, it is very difficult to identify all entities and parties within, and complex exchanges such as this are taking places more and more due to the internet. There has always been a difficulty in identifying parties and entities within an exchange, and if this cannot be done then any judgements made will be incorrect. Bagozzi’s theory is valuable as a managerial tool as I promotes thinking about the exchange, however with exchanges involving more and more parties, not only is Bagozzi’s theory going to take longer, but is liable to have more mistakes making it worthless. For small exchanges or exchanges were the parties and entities within are clear, I feel Bagozzi’s theory is still very important, but I feel it is not easily applied to the diverse range of exchanges brought about by the internet. The Internet was an unforeseen phenomenon that has influenced the exchange (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 39). The theory still fits the exchange process, as it hasn’t changed dramatically, however there are third parties that must be identified, such as the ISP, delivery firms, and other parties that receive information. Delivery is part of the exchange process, however this is part of the service offered by the merchant. If these were identified, it would be possible to differentiate the types of exchange as being restricted, generalised or complex. If this were done, then Figure 1 would be identified as a restricted exchange (Bagozzi, 1975: pp. 32). Within the exchange there is overt and covert coordination (Bagozzi, 1974: pp. 77-81), and think that majority of the third parties that collect information about the consumer’s website habits is collected covertly, however it is still part of the process. For example, the ISP’s collection of viewed websites is used for marketing purposes. Although it is not a party to the exchange, it should be recognised as a third party. References: Bagozzi, R P (1974) Marketing as an Organized Behavioural System of Exchange. Journal of Marketing, 38 (October), 77-81. Bagozzi R. P. (1975) Marketing as Exchange, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 39, p32-39. Chellappa, R K and Sin, P (2002) Personalization versus privacy: An empirical examination of the online consumer’s dilemma. In 2002 Informs Meeting.

Ignorance Is Bliss

Ignorance is Bliss In Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and Athol Fugard’s â€Å"Master Harold and the Boys† we see the protagonists evolve from ignorance to knowledge in several different ways. As we watch this evolution we see both characters start at ignorance in very similar ways and while both take very different routes they end their journeys with similar complex consequences resulted from the knowledge they gain along the way. In â€Å"Oedipus Rex† the protagonist, Oedipus, starts from his entrance in the story at a place of ignorance.He is naive to the truth about his life and the direction it is heading. Oedipus is unaware that he is King Laios’ son and he will ultimately fulfill his destiny to kill his father and marry his mother, no matter what steps he or his parents take it is a fate they cannot run from. Oedipus’ knowledge comes only later when he realizes the truth, that he is in fact King Laios’ son and when he murde red the king along the road where the three highways meet he did in fact kill his father and go on to marry his mother (Anti 2. 192).The knowledge of the seer’s prophecy coming true leads to Oedipus’ ruin. In â€Å"Master Harold and the Boys† the protagonist is Hally the seventeen year old shop owners son. The reader is shown Hally’s ignorance by how he acts with Sam and Willie. Hally treats these men as friends, particularly with Sam, the two are more like companions then a white boy and black hired help. Instances of this ignorance are seen in the way they spent their time together. Hally naively believes that him and Sam can be friends despite the place and time they are in and how is father treats them.Hally believes that since progress is seen in the world that he can escape his fathers beliefs and that despite Sam’s observation that some people are bad and that’s just the way it is: â€Å"Hally: It doesn’t have to be that way. There is something called progress, you know. We don’t exactly burn people at the stake anymore† (482). Like Oedipus, Hally is trying his best to fight his fate but he is only moving himself closer to it. Hally’s knowledge really comes when he and Sam begin fighting. When Hally is upset he takes that out on Sam because he can.He talks to Sam in a way only previously done by his father. This entire scene shows the realization that Hally truly is more like his father then he wanted to admit. Both Hally and Oedipus discover truths about themselves that they did not like and tried to run from, however they were unable to escape their fate and eventually succumbed to it. Oedipus’ truths are similar to Hally’s in several ways. First Hally realizes he is more like his father then he wanted to admit and in the end he just started the cycle of his fathers negative beliefs and attitudes all over again.Oedipus like Hally is also destined to become like his fat her, he follows in his fathers footsteps first by running from a prophecy then eventually following him to his own ruin. While Oedipus’ knowledge is more literal then Hally’s both men commit actions that have severe consequences leading them to the truths they uncover about themselves. Hally’s actions of taking his anger and frustration out on Sam causes his true ideals to come out. When he begins to act out the audience is shown just how much he really thinks like his father.Despite his best efforts to show that he believes things can change in the dynamics between whites and blacks, it is really not a strongly held idea as the beliefs of his father, that he as a white man is superior to his black help. The words he says to Sam can never be taken back and forever shifts the relationship between him and Sam, no longer friends they are now master and servant. Oedipus also deals with a similar problem. He also commits actions that completely change the shape of hi s life and can never be taken back. Like Hally Oedipus wants to change is fate.Where Hally does so by trying to be friends with Sam and Willie, Oedipus does this by leaving home putting as much distance as he can between himself and the man he believed to be his father. However like Hally, Oedipus in the end realizes that consequences for his actions. Killing King Laios and then marrying his queen are actions that have dire consequences for Oedipus and like Hally’s they can never be undone. While both Hally and Oedipus try to fight their fate and both commit actions that forever alter their futures, they come about in very different ways.Oedipus deals with his fate in a more literal way. Oedipus learns the prophecy he had feared his whole life was actually true by the realization that he did murder is father and marry his mother. These physical actions lead to Oedipus’ downfall and are permanent. Hally, on the other hand, comes to learn the truth about himself, that he is like his father, by his actions toward Sam. While no less severe they are more emotionally damaging and speak to the relationship Sam and he tried to have but wound up losing because of the fight.This is damaging but not quite as physical as what Oedipus went through. Throughout each story we see the evolution of the characters from their naive beginnings to the painful realization of who they truly are. Both characters come to several truths about themselves during their respective stories, in both cases their truths have significant effects. Oedipus’ knowledge leads him to his own downfall in order to save his kingdom from certain death. Hally’s truths about himself has a more hidden effect that is very significant and the true meaning behind the play.Hally’s actions during his fight with Sam causes a divide between them that is irreparable, it is the effect of this rift that is most significant. Throughout the play we see several instances of imagery used to describe the world the characters are living in and here is no different. The argument between Hally and Sam causes the same â€Å"dance† to continue. This dance is a symbol for the beliefs held by Hally’s father and the world they live in. By acting the way he did toward Sam, Hally is causing the imperfect dance to continue on.The effect of Hally’s actions causes him to start becoming more like his father then he wanted but cannot avoid. In both â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and â€Å"Master Harold and the Boys† we see several instances of the main characters moving from ignorance to knowledge. While they gained insight into themselves it came at a price. For Harold it was the loss of his innocence and a bleak look at his future with Sam and Willie, with Oedipus it was the loss of everything he thought he had and his own painful exile.Each character tried to fight their fate, Oedipus literally by trying to flee the seer’s prophecy and Hally by doi ng the exact opposite of his father and befriending Sam and Willie. No matter the path they took each eventually succumb to their destiny and was forced to learn more about themselves then they wanted. Despite the painful ending it was a journey they were meant to be on. Works Cited Fugard, Athol. â€Å"’Master Harold’†¦and the Boys†. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006. Print. Sophocles. â€Å"Oedipus Rex†. Trans. Fitts, Dudley & Fitzgerald, Robert. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.

Social Justice The Catholics Social Teachings on Justice

Social Justice The Catholics Social Teachings on Justice Introduction According to Our Ladys Parish (2012), God, who is regarded as the father of humankind, is just; therefore, the same is expected from His creation. Life is God-given and sacred. In this case, all human beings should strive to avoid activities that bring suffering and oppression to God’s creation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Justice: The Catholic’s Social Teachings on Justice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Imprisonment is a form of oppression when it is not implemented in a right way to correct individuals. To some extent, imprisonment brings sadness and humiliation. It should be the last alternative after other ways of solving a certain crime have failed. The Catholic Church is concerned with social injustices and has contributed a lot towards curbing crime through alternative ways other than imprisonment. The church also seeks to instill value in the prisoners’ lives thr ough teachings and practices that accept prisoners as people who deserve to be treated with dignity (Windley-Daoust, 2007). The Catholic’s social teachings on justice Courts of law should exercise justice Suspects should be given a chance to prove their innocence. It is sad for people to spend their lives in prison for crimes they did not commit. Judges should be fair in sentencing people by proving them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. More often than not, people in Australia find themselves in prisons, not for being convicted, but due to delayed trials. This is sad and unfair. The Catholic Church views this as injustice because the prison becomes a place for distress and misery other than rehabilitation. Such situations will only lead to increased criminal activities because those with morals may end up being corrupted through associating with criminals (Clayton, 2004). The church advocate for fast trials so that if convicted a person does not spend an unnecessary long per iod in jail. It also suggests that trivial matters be addressed through other means such as juvenile centers for the underage law breakers and rehabilitation centers for the adults (MacBrien, 1994).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A jail should be a place for restoration of self-worth to prisoners While serving their terms, prisoners should be engaged in activities that will help them become useful once they are freed. However, it is critical for the prisoners to be taught about God’s perception of sin and what is expected of them as Christians. The church suggests that every punishment administered to a wrong doer must have a rehabilitative purpose. This can be done through offering trainings and skills that will prove useful and give them a starting point once their terms are over. These skills and technology restore the prisoners self-worth because they ar e able to contribute to the economy (McBrien, 1994). Issues that lead to criminal activities should be addressed Some crimes are committed out of sheer carelessness or even brief associations with wrong doers, and we can call them temptations. Nevertheless, these temptations see people spend years in prisons, yet if given a chance; they could be corrected through mere dialogues. In this case, the church has solved by addressing issues that lead to criminal activities like drug abuse that leads to mental instability this is solved by campaigns against drug use. The church has advocated for equal distribution of employment opportunities to help eradicate poverty which increases crime. Some solutions to criminal activities that the church suggests are like engaging people in prolonged learning activities. Also, it includes the provision of institutions for mental services and community based projects, as well as economic support to marginalized communities (Our Ladys Parish, 2012). Ano ther major cause of crime is the negative influence. In this case, the church offers guidance to offenders and educates them on which aspect to look for in friends and associates.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Justice: The Catholic’s Social Teachings on Justice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This helps them not to fall back to their old habits that caused them trouble. Instead, the offenders choose and develop relationships with people who add value to their lives and improve their self-worth. Forgiveness should be practiced and extended to wrong doers as well Christians often fall into temptations and break the commandments and ask for forgiveness from God. Therefore, in order to be forgiven, Christians must also forgive. According to the Catholic faith, all humans are equal before Gods eyes. This is evident during creation as all people were created in Gods own image, and salvation to the world w as provided for all people. Christians should have mercy and love to others since all people belong to the same God. This is a practice that shows that they care about the social well-being of other individuals in the society. The Catholic Church encourages people to opt for forgiving one another, and thus cases of people suing their fellow humankind and exposing them to prison life will be less. Turning around the situation and addressing the main reason as to why people commit certain crimes and assisting to solve the problem will improve the situation. This will reduce the number of people suffering in prison as well as improve others’ lives and morals among the societies. Reconciliation brings healing and restores harmony and good social relationships in the society (Massaro, 2000). Prisoners should be involved in Christian faith during and after their sentences Christian values should be practiced by all whether in prison or not. The Catholic Church has done this by the foundation of churches in prison and established rehabilitation institutions for them once they are free.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These institutions offer an opportunity for transition from jail into the community by offering jobs, trainings, and accommodation before they can support themselves or re uniting them with their families and counseling (Weigert Kelley, 2004). Chaplains have spent time with prisoners offering them spiritual guidance and celebrations through sacraments. This makes the prisoners feel loved, be less remorseful, and restores their dignity. The church views the prison as an avenue for campaigning law and order. The church encourages families to support their people in prison through visiting them. This also encourages the prison officers to preserve their dignity and promotes brotherly love amongst them. Most important of all is receiving them back into the community and church once they are through with their sentences (Massaro, 2000). Prisoners should not be perceived as outcasts but treated with compassion When one is imprisoned, this is not an indication that the individual has chos en to be evil. Prisoners are human beings, and deserve understanding and empathy. We all belong to the same father, and this should bring us closer to become brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, judging other people whether Christians or not is wrong. Christians should learn the needs of prisoners, their loved ones, and the officers who take care of the prisoners. Learning their needs will help Christians know how to approach them. This will enable Christians to educate the prisoners on Christianity and what do so as to a void getting in prison in the future. If Christians interact with prisoners while helping them, the Christians teach by examples and not theory. Therefore, this is bound to be effective, as opposed to just preaching to the prisoners (Massaro, 2000). The church urges the society to show such compassion through visiting them in prison and helping them start a fresh on leaving jail. Christians should preach peace to improve law and order The rest of the world is complaining about the deterioration of morals and increasing rate of crime. On the other hand, Christians are expected to stand by their values and teach obedience to the state law despite the political environment and economic conditions experienced. The difference between the human persons goodness and a Christian is the dignity whose foundation is Christ. This means that the church’s social mission is connected with the gospel (Whitmore, 2005). A Christian is expected to be just in order to preach the gospel about justice. Therefore, they should lead by examples by first being law abiding citizens before extending these values to the rest of society. When Christians identify themselves with prisoners, they see Christ through the prisoners and this contributes to obedience because they are likely to practice these values after their sentences. The church has given Christians the liberty to participate in political and economic activities that aim at improving peoples lives . In turn, this encourages the government to listen to religious views on social justice and give citizens freedom of religion. It results to states that are united and have one goal towards common good and opposing injustice (Pennock, 2007). The church and formulation of some policies in the government Some of the reasons why crime has increased are due to the economic situations and political activities that oppress people. The church looks into issues like the right to job access to people through just employment and wages, freedom to religion, and issues like democracy in politics. In addition, the church focuses on establishing equity among the various socio-economic classes of people in the society. The church also fights for respect to views founded by religion and influenced by the church. Through this, Christians have been able to identify their social responsibility and influence to the state in maintaining social justice. This has enabled them to participate in fighting s ocial injustices such as corruption and racism as well as promote human rights. If Christian love binds the nations, then selfish activities evident in hunger for power and exaggerated profits will be minimize. Also, the poor will get a share if resources are distributed equally, and thus temptations to crime will also be minimal. The church differs with the states opinion of making jails brutal and unbearable as a strategy that deprives prisoners of their dignity (De Berri Hug, 2003). Conclusion Social justice is not a responsibility of the state judiciaries, but the whole society. If all people exercised social responsibility and stood together as the body of Christ, the level of criminal activities would be low. This would lead to a better society that pleases Christ. It helps improve the social well-being because the state is dependent on the society which includes the Christians. According to the church, getting tough on the crime is not the solution. Creating a long term alte rnative to imprisonment is usually encouraged. In addition, church suggestions can only be done through concentrating on the causes and prevention of crime. Punishment only results into increased violence and impunity. Reference List Clayton, M. (2004). Social Justice. Malden, Mass. u. a.: Blackwell. De Berri, E Hug, J. (2003). Our best kept secret and an evolving social message. In Catholic social teaching: Our best kept secret. Maryknoll: Orbis Books Washington Center of Concern. Pp. 3-11. MacBrien, R.P. (1994). Catholicism. New York: Harper SanFrancisco. Massaro, T. (2000). Nine key themes in Catholic social teaching in Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Oxford: Sheed Ward. pp.113-167. Massaro, T. (2012). Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. McBrien, R. (1994). The ongoing development of Catholic social doctrine. In Catholicism. San Francisco: Harper S an Francisco. pp. 912-916. Our Ladys Parish (2012). Social Justice Statement 2011-2012. Web. Pennock, M. (2007). Catholic social teaching: Learning living justice. Notre Dame, Ind: Ave Maria Press. Weigert, K. M., Kelley, A. K. (2004). Living the Catholic social tradition: Cases and commentary. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Whitmore, T.D. (2005). Catholic social teaching: Starting with the common good. In K.M. Windley-Daoust, J. (2007). Primary source readings in Catholic social justice. Winona, MN: Saint Marys Press.

The Effect of Brown V. the Board of Education essays

The Effect of Brown V. the Board of Education essays Martin Luther King Jr. stated in his famous I have a dream speech that, I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! (3) Kings speech set the tone for a civil change in the society especially in the school system. The law during this time period was in favor of white society and felt the need to separate whites from blacks in every public place in society. The public school was another realm where white parents wanted separation between their children and blacks. Brown v. the Board of Education (1954) was a vital case that overturned the custom of separate but equal that was established by the Plessy verse Ferguson case. The Jim Crow laws were laws that enforced the separation of blacks and whites in society. Most all states in the south adopted the Jim Crow Laws. The issue of segregation was first brought up in the case of Plessy verse Ferguson. In 1890, Homer Plessy violated the Louisiana state law of The Separate Car Act by sitting in the white car of the train. Plessy thought since he was seven-eights white he was able to sit in the white only cars but police officials disagreed and regarded him as a black male.(Hartin 1) Plessys case was appealed all the way to the United States Supreme Court on the basis of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment (Hartin 1). The justices of the United States Supreme Court ruled against Plessy on the grounds of separate but equal. The justices stated that The Fourteenth Amendment could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based upon color, or to enforce social, as distinguished from political equality, or a commingling of the two races upon te rms unsatisfactory to either (Hartin 2). This code of separate but equal became the law of the land in the relationship between blacks and whites. Th...

Ben and Jerry

Their mission statement included three dimensions; product, economic, and social. Their objectives were not always in harmony, however. They’ve had to sacrifice some objectives to meet others, for example they didn’t want to rice prices due to the fact they wanted to be a â€Å"ice cream for the people† company, but had to sacrifice the social objective in order to stay in business. Of their three mission statement objectives, their social consciousness seems to be their leading objective. BenJerry donates 7. 5% of their pretax earnings to charities and foundations. I think that the current takeover offers are justifiable. The pre-offer announcement share prices were $21 per share. The price per share as of November 1999 was $25. The worth to the bidders is in the brand name of BenJerry, and in the eyes on the ice cream consumers, BenJerry’s is a respectable brand. Given that the sales per-share were . 34, their bids are in line with that. The EPS is $1. 06 per-share. Morgan should support one of the acquisition offers. The company in recent years hasn’t done as well, and some of the offers are very intriguing. They are overpaying in comparison to the pre-offer share price of $21 per share, and in the likely event that BenJerry’s can survive on its own, its best to take one of the offers and merge with a company who may have better advantages. Its his job to look out for the shareholder and not the com

Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis C in Adult Population Essay

Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis C in Adult Population - Essay Example Since the transmission of HCV is similar to HIV and IDU is the primary risk factor for HCV infection, and coinfection of these two blood borne diseases cause morbidity and mortality, harm reduction approach and the strategies that addresses the social and economic harms that impact an individual, community, or society are paramount in preventing the epidemic. Hepatitis C is the major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer in the United States and the identification of Hepacivirus of the family Flaviviridae in 1989 led to an explosion of research and development of specific tests for detecting anti-HCV and HCV RNA as well as recognizing it as a common cause of chronic liver disease. (Chapter 5: Viral Hepatitis, p. 61). According to WHO estimates there are "about 180 million people, some 3% of the world's population, are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), 130 million of whom are chronic HCV carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/or liver cancer" and three to four million persons are newly infected each year, making HCV a "viral time bomb". It is also estimated that 3.9 million Americans are infected with HCV, with 'prevalence rates as high as 8-10% in African Americans'. The route of HCV transmission is mainly through injectable drug use that account for nearly 90% of new infection, as well as through blood transfusion and perinatal infection. (WHO2). (Initiative for vaccine Research (IVR). 2008). It is estimated that there are 1-2 million homeless youth in the United States and a national study of homeless youths found that "68% are 15-17 years old; 57% are Caucasians; 17% African American; 15% Hispanic; and 12% from other ethnic origins" (Nyamathi et al, 2005). It is found that approximately 16-25% of those infected with HCV are co-infected with HIV, and due to shared risk factors HIV/HCV co-infection is common among homeless and urban poor. Edlin & Carden (2006) argue that though HCV is four times more prevalent than HIV infection and viral transmission is uncontrolled among IDUs with 'incidence rates ranging from 16% to 42% per year' the efforts of the US government to "control this pandemic have largely ignored the population in whom its biology and epidemiology are being played out with the most devastating effects." (Edlin & Carden, 2008). The Disease: Its detection and symptoms Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and its symptoms include jaundice, dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and pain. There are five major types of hepatitis viruses, named A, B,C, D, and E type, of which A and E are caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, and "hepatitis B, C, and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected blood fluids." (Hepatitis. 2008). HCV infection is categorized into acute and chronic and specific symptoms in the acute stage are nausea and vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, head ache, and

Portfolio Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Portfolio Assessment - Assignment Example It first involves determining the actual existent state of a company of business. External and internal audits should be carried out to clearly bring out an understanding of an organization’s actual competency and the existing competitive environment. It will then become necessary to determine the most important goals for the company (Porter 2008, p. 89). Priorities should be set at this stage and it should be ensured that the strategic plan focuses on these priorities. Objectives should then be set in order to address any priority issues that may be existent. Accountabilities should then set so that communication becomes easier and the objectives are addressed at individual levels. The plan should then be reviewed over and over again due to the dynamic nature of the market. Strategic tools are the essential and most applied business solution tools that companies apply so as to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Innovations and new developments only become successful if the resulting products and services can sell well. These tools are instrumental in analyzing the existing market, be it a niche, so as to create opportunities for serving clients with a wide variety of products that are more competitive and adapted to a dynamic market development as compared to the other competitors. Some of these tools include Porter’s 5 forces Model, The BCG Matrix, The SWOT Matrix, and The 4 P’s of the Marketing mix, Life Cycle Analysis, Ansoff Matrix, Maslow’s Pyramid and the 7-S McKinsey method. All these strategies are aimed at analyzing different aspects and levels of existence in an organization (Simerson 2011, p. 123). As such, not all these tools are applicable to any situations, thereby their effectiveness is limited to specific si tuations. The political factors of analysis involve government controls and rules in the effort of the company to keep up with the Environmental and Corporate Social