Clique Mobile Coffee Essay

Background and Rationale ‘Studying the fundamental reasons why the proponents aim to establish a business coffee shop’. A coffee shop or cafeteria businesses are already popular worldwide, too many names, establishment and products. Almost every coffee shop businesses stay long because of satisfying income. How about innovation to this business that have a risk but can probably maximize profit. Mobile coffee shops that acquired equipments that almost within a vehicle that travels to different places is definitely unique and new that’s why it is feasible. The proponents are aiming to study the reasons this business should be implemented and figured out a solution to all the problems that may encounter to the research. These are some reasons and problems: 1. An innovation should have a perfect research before implementing and it is bit difficult to introduce to the mass market. 2. Risky is involved because it can easily bump by other cars that it may  destroy the vehicle full of machineries and high value assets and equipment that can probably explode. 3. Implementing is one of the hardest part because it has a lot of process and there were only few high-ways to trip, also it has limited places to go like traveling at the urban areas and primary highways. 4. Supply of coffee beans can be also limited, Benguet, the province itself produce supply of resources wherein the harvest is by season. 5. The weather of course can cause the profit loss especially here in Benguet where rainy season is mostly half-year. I. Project Summary I.1 Name of the Business â€Å" Clique Mobile Cafà © Clique is the proposed name of the business because it’s a converted vehicle that in just one click it is transformed into a business mobile and it has Wi-Fi. In addition, ‘mobile’, as the word itself, it can travel to one place to another while the mobile itself is the kitchen. I.2 Business Logo I.3 Location Burnham Park Baguio City, Benguet I.4 Descriptive Definition of the Project Clique Cafà © is a coffee shop that serves not only beverages but includes food, bread and pastry products. It has small kitchen, machineries in making coffee and pastry products and a small portable comfort room. The dining is an open area just outside around the vehicle wherein all the tables and chairs are portable including the tabernacles and tent that covers the place. It has a dimension of 21ft x 9ft x 9ft. It’s a food and beverage business which the main product is coffee. It travels to different places  where people usually hang-out. Clique Cafà © serves some beverages such as herbal tea, hot and cold Chocà ³ coffee. I.5 Vision and Mission Vision: We aim to travel nationwide to provide the best quality coffee and bread for breakfast in every Filipino household that can purchase our most affordable product. We intend to promote tourism and make our own trademark name of coffee product that positions ourselves as premier coffee shop nationwide. Mission: To provide the best quality and most satisfying offer product with high standard services. To continuously promote teamwork and excellence in our establishment and provide a good environmental relationship between our employees and customers. I.6 Objective There are two main products we aim to provide to our market. Our cafà © will establish the commonly used style of coffee which is serving coffee and bread. But we want to make name for our own product. We aim in making our very own unique taste for our products that our market would want to have. We strongly believe that this would be possible by the aid of using indigenous raw product we have in Baguio. Being a city located in the Benguet Province, the province mainly produces harvest of coffee beans that have quality which can compete with its own flavor. This flavor is what we want to introduce in the mass market. The Province also is the main provider of fresh vegetables and fruits that our cafà © can make use of in producing breads. We will able to make recipes from these indigenous products. These are the product that Clique Mobile Cafà © would be proud of and carry under its brand. Clique Mobile Cafe goal is to satisfy our customer by the unique products with the very best of goods and services that we can offer. And we want our business and product will known all over the world. I.7 History Coffee History The history of coffee goes at least as far back as the thirteenth century with a number of myths surrounding its first use. The original native population of coffee is thought to have come from East Africa specifically to Ethiopia, and it was first cultivated by Arabs from the 14th century. The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, Persia, Turkey and northern Africa. Coffee then spread to the Balkans, Italy and to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia and then to the Americas. Coffee shop History Coffeehouse and coffee shop are related terms for an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee and other hot beverages. Cafà © or cafe or caff may refer to a coffeehouse, bar, tea room, small and cheap restaurant, transport cafe, or other casual eating and drinking place, depending on the culture. A coffeehouse may share some of the same characteristics of a bar or restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on providing coffee and tea as well as light snacks. Many coffee houses in the Middle East, and in West Asian immigrant districts in the Western world, offer shisha (nargile in Turkish and Greek), flavored tobacco smoked through a hookah. Espresso barsare a type of coffeehouse that specializes in serving espresso and espresso-based drinks. II. Management Aspect Business organization A business organization is an individual or group of people that collaborate to achieve certain commercial goals. Some business organizations are formed to earn income for owners. Other business organizations, called nonprofits, are formed for public purposes. These businesses often raise money and  utilize other resources to provide or support public programs. 2.1 Partnership Partnership is a business organization in which two or more individuals manage and operate the business. Both owners are equally and personally liable for the debts from the business. Therefore the proponents will adopt the Partnership form of business. The proponents chose partnership because it’s not big and broad as a corporation and the capital is lesser than a larger business. The proposed project is easily managed by two or more people or the owners itself. Rules and Guidelines of Partnership One of the potential drawbacks of a partnership is that the other partners are bound to contracts signed by each other on behalf of the partnership. Choosing partners you can trust, and who are savvy, is critical. Making Money Making money is the first rule because it is the biggest impetus for any deal. The deals that actually get done are the ones that can prove their worth. Companies often have a minimum monetary threshold, but if you can prove that a lucrative alliance can be made, then you should be in discussion about working together. Naming Business Naming business partnership is actually a very important step in creating partnership agreement because it formally establishes the business entity for legal purposes. All documents referring to the partnership should use the partnership’s name, once you and your business partners register it. Contribution to Partnership A partnership agreement must include the capital or property each of the partners is investing in the company. The agreement should also include what roles each partner will be performing when the business is operational, including managerial capacities and who controls the day-to-day operation of the business.The partners dedicate resources such as financial, technical, staff and reputational toward achieving agreed objectives over time. They  also establish a new organization with shared governance and a management unit to deliver these activities. Partners don’t draw a salary and share profits and losses equally. Partners have a duty of loyalty to the other partners and must not enrich themselves at the expense of the partnership, and also have a duty to provide financial accounting to the other partners. Allocating Profits and Losses Allocating profits and losses is a key element of company’s partnership agreement. This section of agreement determines how much money each partner stands to make, including what percentage of profit each member may receive, as well as what percentage of business losses each partner must absorb. It’s usually illegal to create a partnership agreement that assigns a higher percentage liability to a partner than the partner originally invested in the company. Keeping responsibility for losses commensurate with each partner’s percentage investment should preserve the legal integrity of the document. Determining Partnership Authority Without specific language detailing each partner’s authority in the business, any partner can force the entire company into a binding legal agreement without the consent of your other partners. Clearly defining each partner’s power within the company to enter into binding agreements keeps the partnership from spreading itself too thin and making bad business decisions. This rule can also put a system in place for the partnership to make business decisions, including rules on voting and obtaining partner consent. The other rules would be found in a written partnership agreement. Such an agreement could outline procedures for making major business decisions, how profits and losses will be split, and how much control each partner maintains. 2.2 Owner of the Business Clique mobile cafà © is owned by Mr. John Ericson P. Amistad and Ahldrin L. Abellera. 2.3 Organizational Chart

Long Term Results of Earning My Degree

I believe that my long term results of earning my degree will be to help me find a job in my field of study. I think that the value of my education is priceless. I feel this way because you cannot put a price on education and knowledge. There is nothing greater than knowing that I completed my courses and could graduate from college. No matter what my age is when it happened. My personal plan for my academic future will be to graduate from my courses and earn my associates degree and possibly moving on to earn a bachelor’s degree.While earning my bachelor’s degree I can start to intern as an accountant and gain the experience necessary to further my career. I think that by doing these two things I will be more educated and qualified as an Accountant. With me gaining the experience and becoming more educated I will have a better chance for receiving a position that I have applied for because I do have the educational know how and experience. I have learned a large amount about being in a collaborative learning environment. I find this experience to be very helpful and have enjoyed working with my fellow classmates.They have allowed me to express my thoughts and views on a topic and also have helped my views and opinions to grow with theirs. I have learned so much from my classmates and I am very excited to continue on my journey. We have all worked together to gain a better understanding of the material. I learned that goal setting is an extremely important tool to help me achieve my degree. If I do not set goals I will never get things done. It is important to set smaller goals to help you achieve bigger goals. At any point in time you can adjust your goals to make them more attainable.The important thing to remember is to follow your goals according to plan, and be sure to stay on track. While taking this course I have learned how to better manage my time and try to eliminate as much stress as possible. I have made a schedule to fit my schoolwork , family time, and personal time in to my daily routine. I have found that if I do not stick to my schedule and do things according to plan I will fall behind and have to rush through things to get them done. If I do not effectively manage my time, especially while my children are in school, I have to stay up really late to get things done.If I can at least get done all my reading and notes taken while they are in school then it is fairly easy to go back and check fellow classmate responses to myself and reply to them. By doing this I am not only helping myself to get a better understanding of the material I am also helping my classmate as well. My top priority before I start my week is to get as much of my reading done the weekend before so that way when I sign in I just have to review my notes and posts my answers and responses.While I am reading I start my studying an make sure that I am taking accurate notes and I also print out the assignments so I am able to create a rough dra ft before I send my assignment to my instructor. I have learned that if I am starting to lose my concentration I will close my laptop and save what I was doing and return to it later. I do this so I can stay energized and focused, whether it is for only a few minutes or an hour or so. This the part that I really love about doing my courses online I can do it at my own pace as long as the work is completed by the due dates specified in course syllabus.I love that I can choose what way I study and learn making it personalized allows me to learn the way I am familiar with and what works for me. The resources offered to University of Phoenix students are extremely helpful. I cannot wait to utilize all of the resources. I know the one that I probably will use the most is the University Library. I say this because I will want to make sure my information that I use is credible and accurate. Another resource will be the Center for Writing Excellence, this tool will help me to check proper g rammar use, writing format, and help me cite the sources that I have used in academic work. Long Term Results of Earning My Degree I believe that my long term results of earning my degree will be to help me find a job in my field of study. I think that the value of my education is priceless. I feel this way because you cannot put a price on education and knowledge. There is nothing greater than knowing that I completed my courses and could graduate from college. No matter what my age is when it happened. My personal plan for my academic future will be to graduate from my courses and earn my associates degree and possibly moving on to earn a bachelor’s degree.While earning my bachelor’s degree I can start to intern as an accountant and gain the experience necessary to further my career. I think that by doing these two things I will be more educated and qualified as an Accountant. With me gaining the experience and becoming more educated I will have a better chance for receiving a position that I have applied for because I do have the educational know how and experience. I have learned a large amount about being in a collaborative learning environment. I find this experience to be very helpful and have enjoyed working with my fellow classmates.They have allowed me to express my thoughts and views on a topic and also have helped my views and opinions to grow with theirs. I have learned so much from my classmates and I am very excited to continue on my journey. We have all worked together to gain a better understanding of the material. I learned that goal setting is an extremely important tool to help me achieve my degree. If I do not set goals I will never get things done. It is important to set smaller goals to help you achieve bigger goals. At any point in time you can adjust your goals to make them more attainable.The important thing to remember is to follow your goals according to plan, and be sure to stay on track. While taking this course I have learned how to better manage my time and try to eliminate as much stress as possible. I have made a schedule to fit my schoolwork , family time, and personal time in to my daily routine. I have found that if I do not stick to my schedule and do things according to plan I will fall behind and have to rush through things to get them done. If I do not effectively manage my time, especially while my children are in school, I have to stay up really late to get things done.If I can at least get done all my reading and notes taken while they are in school then it is fairly easy to go back and check fellow classmate responses to myself and reply to them. By doing this I am not only helping myself to get a better understanding of the material I am also helping my classmate as well. My top priority before I start my week is to get as much of my reading done the weekend before so that way when I sign in I just have to review my notes and posts my answers and responses.While I am reading I start my studying an make sure that I am taking accurate notes and I also print out the assignments so I am able to create a rough dra ft before I send my assignment to my instructor. I have learned that if I am starting to lose my concentration I will close my laptop and save what I was doing and return to it later. I do this so I can stay energized and focused, whether it is for only a few minutes or an hour or so. This the part that I really love about doing my courses online I can do it at my own pace as long as the work is completed by the due dates specified in course syllabus.I love that I can choose what way I study and learn making it personalized allows me to learn the way I am familiar with and what works for me. The resources offered to University of Phoenix students are extremely helpful. I cannot wait to utilize all of the resources. I know the one that I probably will use the most is the University Library. I say this because I will want to make sure my information that I use is credible and accurate. Another resource will be the Center for Writing Excellence, this tool will help me to check proper g rammar use, writing format, and help me cite the sources that I have used in academic work.

Reflection Essay

Matthews (2004) explains that reflection is an important tool for clinical development. Rolfe (2011) provides the argument that reflection is just as important and works alongside evidence based practice. Schon (1991) cited in Howatson-Jones (2011) describes the link between professionals reflecting in and on action and how this leads to increased efficiency in working through problems and issues. In order to adhere to the objectives governing nurses and midwives, through the NMC Code of Conduct (2008), the names and service providers mentioned within this discussion have been replaced by a pseudonym. This discussion with utilise Gibbs’ model of reflection as it provides simple headings within which thoughts and feelings can be collated effectively. Also Gibbs provides a section for which to plan for further or future action which is an important part of reflecting. Gibbs’ model differs from other simpler models such as Borton’s REFERENCE in that it offers that final stage on what to do with reflective ideas in order to formulate an action plan for future events. Description George Wilson, an 80 year old gentleman with Parkinson’s, was admitted in the early hours of the morning onto my placement area. While my mentor observed I began to assess George using an ABCDE approach, whilst the nurse transporting him handed over his notes and care plan. It became apparent that his medication was not properly prescribed. Parkinson’s medication is a very important aspect of treatment and must be given on time everyday. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition which affects the production of dopamine in the brain stem causing motor and cognitive mpairments. (Mattox, et al. , 2001) Evidence suggests that the impacts of missed, incorrect or delayed doses affects the Parkinson’s patient greatly. Leopold et al, (2004) state that it can result in lowered mobility including swallowing and can put them at risk of falls. Another issue was that in the move some of George’s medication had been misplaced. In order to be given his medication in the morning on time it would need to be prescribed correctly and retrieved from pharmacy.

Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 21

Response - Assignment Example Through such kind of networks, the fellows can thrive in most if not all of their endeavors. For instance, "20 Under 20 Thiel Fellowship" played a significant role in Ritesh Agarwal success (Velayanikal, 2015). It gives the fellows the opportunity to escape boredom of being in classrooms. That is, it serves as an alternative to college as a way for better life (Constine, 2014). I believe that Thiel Fellowship makes one to face the reality of life instead of the theoretical practice in classes. It gives one an opportunity to face life challenges such as starting a business and become innovative enough to address them. It does not only provide employment ideas, but develops one as a person to be able to make their decisions (Imam, 2014). Another reason that would make me join the fellowship is because there is a proof of success among those who joined first. Eden Full, who left Princeton to start SunSlauter, is a good example (Kim, 2015). Her business now has branches in 15 countries and a factory in India. Even though, some have failed in the program, the success shows that there is hope in it (Hindman, 2012). In conclusion, I would accept Thiel Fellowship opportunity if given a chance since it has more pros than cons. I do believe that failure among some of the individuals is the same way even in education others do fail. The financial support and mentorship is enough for a young person’s success. Constine, J. (2014). Correction: 20 Under 20 Thiel Fellowship Did Not Up Age Limit To 23, But Maybe It Should. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/10/thiel-fellowship- twenty-under-twenty-three/ Kim, E. (2015). Billionaire Investor Peter Thiel’s Plan to Pay College Students To Drop Out is Showing Mixed Result. Retrieved from

Ecosystem, Temperate Forests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ecosystem, Temperate Forests - Essay Example The animals that live in this type of forest generally include squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, bears, foxes and other wildcats although most of the larger predators have been killed off or displaced by the human population. The climate goes through well-defined seasonal changes, trending toward long warm summers, moderately cold winters and an evenly spread level of precipitation throughout the year, providing the trees and other plants with sufficient moisture year round for growth while not drowning them. This seasonal shift causes the trees to drop their leaves in the fall, becoming dormant in the winter, only waking in the spring with a new crop of fresh leaves. The process of dropping the old leaves in the fall results in the brilliantly colorful displays of reds, oranges and yellows that characterize this time of year. Many other plants in the temperate forest will also go dormant during the colder months of the year and many of the animals devote their summers preparing for a winter hibernation period. These types of trees require a high level of soil fertility to grow, requiring soils high in nutrients for the development of a new crop of leaves every year. The annual drop of leaves in the fall provide many of these nutrients as they begin to decay and the leaf litter covering the forest floor also serves to reduce the amount of runoff during spring rains, allowing more of the precious nutrients to remain where the tree roots can get them. Where the soil nutrients are reduced in areas such as the more weathered soils of the Southwest or the sandy soils of coastal plains, the trees are characterized by less showy species with narrower leaves or pines. Isolation of these forests leads to a prevalence of only a few types of tree species and a specialized set of characteristics among the animal-life, such as a dominance of black bears in one region and brown bears in another,

Project 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project 3 - Essay Example If that is the case, Robert might be adept to bypass the icky process. But even if Robert is a hapless soul, altering a tire doesn't have to be all bad. With information arrives power. If Robert is hesitant how to change a tire correctly, and Robert likes to understand, read on. In fact, me and my friends are going by car along and all of the rapid Robert discover a blaring bang and the telltale thumping disturbance of a dead tire. Robert mindfully drags off to the shoulder of the road. Checking to confirm no other motorists are going to run Robert over, Robert go out my vehicle and examine the car. Sure sufficient, my car's left front tire is absolutely flat. Robert is not going to be adept to hold going by car, so Robert is going to have to eliminate it and establish my car's replacement tire in its place. The first step is to find my car's replacement tire, jack and tire iron. The replacement tire is nearly habitually established below the floor mat in the trunk. Unless, of course, my vehicle doesn't have a trunk. Now, my ally Robert is looking in the direction of the replacement components and seeking for something. Robert has discovered the replacement tire, and Robert likes to eliminate it from the car. If Robert has an air force measure handy, Robert will desire to ascertain the replacement tire's pressure.

Protein Synthesis Details Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Protein Synthesis Details - Assignment Example The ribosomes fix to mRNA at the first codon known only to the tRNA initiating. The ribosomes then move to the elongating phase of protein production. At this step, complexes containing an amino acid connected to tRNA binds to the right codon by a formation of complementary pairs with tRNA anticodon. There is a movement of the ribosome from one codon to the other along mRNA. Acids are added one after the other translating into polypeptidic patterns defined by DNA and signified by mRNA. Finally, a release factor fixes to stop codon, stopping translation and discharging a whole polypeptide from a ribosome.The DNA double helix unwinds. Afterward, the enzyme case opens the DNA by breaking hydrogen bonds. The polymerase of the enzyme DNA pairs every tow components with the right nitrogenous bases. The strand at the top is known as the leading strand and the one at the bottom is known as the lagging strand. The enzyme ligase then attaches the DNA lagging strand fragments. Lastly, there are two DNA replications that are exact each having 46 chromosomes known as daughter cells.Besides, the reduced chromosome numbers, meiosis is different from mitosis in that it creates a new genetic combination in every daughter cell. The new combinations are as a result of DNA exchange between chromosomes that are paired. This means that gametes produced by this process have an amazing genetic variation. Lastly, in meiosis, the nuclear division occurs in two rounds, unlike mitosis.Prokaryotic reproduction involves no nucleus and employs binary fusion for its asexual division. For instance, in bacteria where they copy themselves through binary fusion.

The Use of Computer to Ones Advantage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Use of Computer to Ones Advantage - Essay Example The essay expresses the idea that computers are playing a dominant role in our today’s life. Modern technology has made a lot of jobs easier nowadays. Machines are now used to carry heavy burdens enabling fast constructions of buildings, roads, bridges and the like. These machines improved with the use of computers to manipulate them. The effects of modern technology are not just limited in such burdensome works but have affected travel and communication as well. Transportation has greatly improved from the carts pulled by horses to the manual cars, buses and trains and now, the computer-operated vehicles. This improvement brought ease and comfort in everyday travels that the world has literally become smaller. Another extent that computers have affected is the communication process. A person on the far end of the world is now able to know what is happening on the other end through television, cell phone or computer. Looking around, most people use these technologies not only to be updated with what is happening around the world but also to keep in touch with families, work and entertain themselves. Computers have become an essential part of everyday life that one cannot imagine being able to survive a day without them. Every move of the modern man now seems to be dependent on computers, from the use of alarm clocks to wake him up to the use of cell phones or computers and the internet to accomplish paper works, send and receive money as well as information, hire employees and many others.

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

Homwork - Essay Example In this regards, it serves the symbolic function of the importance of prayers. In addition, the above picture demonstrates a facial appearance of a dynamic object. The background images and scenes are small and freely placed in a pictorial pattern. Thus, it qualifies to become a late gothic design (Introduction to Late Gothic art, 2013). I categorize the arts in this category because they are products of individual artists who demonstrate an artistic trend of depth. The highlighted paintings reflect human nature with the right dimensions, terminologies, and clothing. In comparison with the Gothic styles, the exquisite pieces provide three-dimensional quality reflections. In addition, they share similarities of an early renaissance by offering pictures of animal and human anatomy to progress the subject knowledge. Both artifacts demonstrate the knowledge of nature and infuse the ideas in the contemporary society. Thus, they offer realistic facial expressions and dimensions familiar with the early Renaissance (Bourdua & Dunlop, 2007). Book pictures fit the international style because they depict architectural formations. Unlike the Gothic and Renaissance, they reflect the aesthetics instead of the societal trait. In other instances, the book paintings mainly buildings have plane surfaces and lack ornamentation aspects. The above picture is rectilinear and entails modern materials to make it perfect. The image shows the mourning of Christ by followers. It portrays a somber mood five people surrounding and gently holding the dead body. In this, the artist provided a perfect example of early Renaissance using soft textures and pictorial plane. The painting is bright and offers an innovative aspect of three-dimensional appearance. Thereby, it enhances the quality and intended purpose of the symbolism. The artist perfectly infuses naturalism and religious agenda. The picture has a soft background that

Class Conflict Essay Example for Free

Class Conflict Essay Introduction: This essay aims to examine the extent to which class conflict affects education and life opportunities. The following paragraphs seek to illustrate how factors such as class position and parental attitudes affect education and life opportunities among different social classes and the conflict that lies between them. In order to understand the content of this essay it is first necessary to understand all of the possible variables involved. Throughout this essay I will examine the definitions of class, conflict, education and opportunity. The main body of the essay seeks to highlight the reason as to why people are members of certain classes and the effects this has on their chances for education and life opportunities, using the example of education in Britain. In conclusion, a brief synopsis of class conflict will be given and considerations of some of the reasons why this occurs. In answering the question through the use of an example from the social context in which class conflict effects education and life opportunities this essay aims to highlight how the conflict between classes effect a person’s right to an education and equal life opportunities. Class, Conflict, Education, Opportunity: In order to understand the content of this essay it is first necessary to understand all of the possible variables involved. Norman Goodman defines class as â€Å"a term widely used in sociology to differentiate the population on grounds of economic considerations such as inequalities in terms of wealth or income† (Goodman, 1992).In support of this the Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines conflict as â€Å"an incompatibility between opinions† (2004). In light of these two aforementioned definitions Karl Marx argues that â€Å"class conflict is not only inherent but inevitable within capitalism† (Goodman, 1992).Education can be defined as â€Å"the theory and practice of teaching† (2004). To once again quote from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary an opportunity is â€Å"a favourable time or set of circumstances for doing something† (2004). Why do we have social classes? Ultimately social classes are based on economic factors. Dating back to Victorian times, lower, middle and upper classes existed. The lower classes would have been made up of the landless labourers. Middle classes would have included the tradesmen i.e. people with a professional skill/qualification such as a blacksmith. Finally the upper classes would have consisted of the large farmers and business owners. The upper classes would traditionally employed people from the lower classes to run their farms or businesses. Although we have moved on since Victorian times, this social divide hasn’t changed much. There still remains today a prominent divide between the lower middle and upper class people. This can be seen now within the third level education in present days. Due to the economic crisis we are currently experiencing, less and less people are able to afford the luxury of a third level education. Sadly this is hitting the lower and working classes the hardest. Due to government cutbacks grants are being chopped leaving the less fortunate members of our society starved for further education. How does the conflict between different social classes effect education and life opportunities? As mentioned in the introduction class position and parental attitudes play a vital role in the effect that class conflict has on education and life opportunities. It has been proven that class position has a huge effect on parental attitudes in getting involved with their children’s school lives. A.Lareau outlines parental involvement as â€Å"preparing children for school (Lareau, 2000) , this includes assisting the child in learning the alphabet, speaking and reading stories to the child. This is to promote language development. Also parents should attend school event such as parent teacher meetings and comply with the requests teachers make of parents in furthering a child’s education. School success is positively linked with parental invol vement (Lareau, 2000). Through research it has been proven that a lack of â€Å"parental involvement is not random and that social classes have a powerful influence on parent involvement patterns† (Lareau, 2000).For example, â€Å"between forty and sixty per cent of working †¦ and lower-class parents fail to attend parent teacher conferences. For middle-class parents these figures are nearly halved, i.e., about twenty to thirty per cent. (Lightfoot1978, et al.). This is also proven true when we turn to the promotion of language development. These areas include â€Å"reading to children, taking children to the library, attending school events and enrolling children in summer school† (Lareau, 2000). Middle class parents were shown to take a more active role in schooling than the parents of middle and lower class children. Originally to enter the secondary educational system in Britain a fee had to be paid. It was privately organised and based on â€Å"differentiation along lines of socia l class† (McCulloch, 1998). The working and lower classes were only obliged to attend elementary education. Secondary education was intended solely for the wealthier middle class. The very wealthy and sons of landowners attended the â€Å"nine great schools of Eaton, Harrow†¦Merchant Taylors and St. Paul’s† (Sally Power, 2003), these were originally called public schools. Within the middle class there was a differentiation in the line of secondary education. This was shown by the Taunton Commission of the 1860s. Schools were divided into 3 categories depending on their clientele. The first group was catered for the sons of professional men, men in business (â€Å"whose profits put them on the same level as the great majority of professional men† (McCulloch, 1998)).This grade continued to the age of 18 or more. The second grade was much broader in its general curriculum than the first. This continued till the age of 16 and catered for the sons of â€Å"large shopkeepers, rising men of business and the larger tenant farmers† (McCulloch, 1998) .The third group catered for the â€Å"distinctly lower scale† such as small tenant farmers, small tradesman and superior artisans. This grade continued only till the age of 14. Gradually, however, access to secondary education was widened. The 1902 Act introduced a scholarship route which enabled intelligent products of elementary education to â€Å"proceed to free places in secondary education† (Roberts, 1977). Then, all children, â€Å"with exception of approximately five per cent whose parents desired and could afford an independent education† (Roberts, 1977), were given an equal opportunity with entry to different types of secondary schools that were introduced. â€Å"This depended solely on their performances in an impartial selection procedure that became known as the eleven-plus† (Roberts, 1977). At this time (1944) it was believed that society had reached equality in terms of secondary education and that each child was the maker of their own destiny depending only on their own accomplishments and hard work and not upon the socio-economic status of their parents. Now, However it is common knowledge that the 1944 Act was not successful as government reports showed that a â€Å"strong link remained between children’s educational attainments and their social class origins† (Roberts, 1977). Investigation showed that, in what was meant to be an equal opportunity of education for all, working class children seemed to â€Å"fall at every hurdle†. Social class was shown to be related to the allocation of children in primary school streams, their achievement in the eleven-plus selection procedures, â€Å"the streams towards which they gravitated within secondary schools† (Roberts, 1977), their chances of remaining in education passed the statutory age and also their resulting chances of entering higher education. Hence affecting their chance of employment in their future life which would enable them to support their family and hence being amore active member of the society in which they live. Conclusion: To conclude, from my research I do believe that class conflict has an effect on education and life opportunities as mentioned above parental attitudes and class position can have a devastating effect on a child’s life but it can also have a positive effect. This is down to where one’s family lies in the class structure. Trends show that many members of lower classes do not succeed in education as much as the members of the wealthier middle classes. This lack of success in education is often presents itself in further life. Bibliography: 2004. Concise Oxford English Dictionary. s.l. : Oxford University Press , 2004. Goodman, Norman. 1992. Introduction to Sociology. New York : Harper Perennial, 1992. Lareau, Annette. 2000. Home Advantage. Maryland : Rowman Littlefield Publishers , 2000. Lightfoot1978, Ogbu1974, McPherson1972 and Galen1987, Van. McCulloch, Gary. 1998. Failing the Ordinary Child ? Buckingham : Open University Press, 1998. Roberts, Cook, Clark, Semeonoff,. 1977. The Fragmentary Class Structure. London : Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, 1977. Sally Power, Tony Edwards, Geoff Whitty ,Valerie Wigfall. 2003. Education and the Middle Class. Buckingham : Open University Press, 2003.

Le Groupe International Belge French Essay

Le Groupe International Belge French Essay Note de Synthà ¨se Le groupe international Belge SOLVAY, est un groupe diversifià © il est composà © de 3 Domaines dActività ©s Stratà ©giques: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmacie Lintà ©gration des actività ©s pharmaceutiques au sein du groupe Solvay sinscrit dans là ©volution historique du groupe et dans une stratà ©gie de croissance durable. Depuis les annà ©es 70, Solvay a dà ©cidà © de dà ©velopper des actività ©s acycliques, en particulier dans le domaine de la santà ©, ce qui la conduit à   de nombreuses acquisitions, avec encore rà ©cemment lacquisition des Laboratoires Fournier (2005). Solvay Pharmaceuticals est devenue une socià ©tà © active, de dimension internationale. Solvay Pharmaceuticals a fortement contribuà © au dà ©veloppement du Groupe. Alors que jusque là   le groupe raisonnait en termes de croissance durable et veillait au dà ©veloppement de son actività © pharmaceutique, on assiste aujourdhui à   un revirement stratà ©gique avec la dà ©cision prise le 28 Septembre 2009 de cà ©der lintà ©gralità © des actività ©s Pharmaceutiques. Il est à   noter que le DAS Pharmacie est lactività © la plus rentable du groupe (2/3 des bà ©nà ©fices pour 1/3 du CA). La problà ©matique qui sest alors dà ©gagà ©e a à ©tà © de savoir pourquoi lentreprise Solvay a fait le choix de se dà ©gager dune actività © rentable? La dà ©cision se caractà ©rise comme une stratà ©gie de recentrage, compte tenu du marchà © de la pharmacie (concurrence, mutations) et de ses contraintes (financià ¨res, sanitaires, là ©gales†¦) ainsi que des ressources de lentreprise (taille moyenne). Ce recentrage intervient dans une logique de focalisation stratà ©gique à   long terme. Solvay a dà ©cidà © de dà ©sinvestir par cession (sell-off), avec lintention de se concentrer sur son cÅ“ur de mà ©tier afin dassurer sa pà ©rennità © sur des marchà ©s dominables (≠ Pharmacie structure concurrentielle non favorable) et de renforcer la cohà ©rence de ses actività ©s. Ce revirement sinscrit donc dans une dynamique dadaptation et de pà ©rennisation. Solvay à   donc pour ambition daffirmer sa position parmi les leaders dans les produits et services de la chimie et du plastique, par croissance interne (forte valeur ajoutà ©) et externe (nouvelles compà ©tences, nouveaux territoires). Cette stratà ©gie apparaà ®t comme cohà ©rente face au rude marchà © de la Pharmacie, mais des incertitudes persistent quant au rà ©investissement des sommes dà ©gagà ©es par la vente, mais aussi quant à   lavenir de Solvay sur des marchà ©s enclin à   une flambà ©e des prix des matià ¨res premià ¨res (Progression du CA mais baisse des performances). Introduction A lheure du dà ©veloppement considà ©rable des nouvelles technologies, biotechnologies ou autres nanotechnologies, le secteur mà ©dical est en perpà ©tuel mouvement. Ainsi, avec des efforts en recherche et dà ©veloppement trà ¨s importants dans ces secteurs et laccroissement des produits gà ©nà ©riques ainsi que des laboratoires, ces derniers nont plus seulement comme but de dà ©velopper des ressources et solutions pour les personnes malades. En effet, un rà ©el business sest dà ©veloppà © autour de ce secteur avec une concurrence mondiale qui saccroà ®t chaque annà ©e dans le cadre dune augmentation des dividendes versà ©s aux actionnaires, nà ©gligeant parfois la vocation premià ¨re du secteur mà ©dical: aider les personnes malades. De ce fait, les socià ©tà ©s nont pas de remords à   tester de nouveaux mà ©dicaments en contre partie dune contribution financià ¨re sur des à ©tudiants ou personnes dà ©sireux darrondir leurs fins de mois. En outre, les rachat s dactions ou de socià ©tà ©s sont de plus en plus frà ©quents, les commerciaux mà ©dicaux sont de plus en plus nombreux et laugmentation des produits gà ©nà ©riques complexifient le domaine du secteur mà ©dical de nos jours. En 2010, la France a consacrà © 2,2% du PIB pour la RD, soit prà ¨s de 30 milliards deuros, en augmentation de 5,5% par rapport à   2009. Lunion europà ©enne sest fixà ©e un objectif de croissance de 3% par an dans le but de rattraper le retard par rapport aux Etats-Unis. Le budget de recherche et dà ©veloppement dans le secteur privà © en France est de 5 milliards deuros pour lannà ©e courante. Cette faible croissance des dernià ¨res annà ©es à   conduit à   la dà ©localisation de nombreuses entreprises dans dautres pays au dà ©but du XXIà ¨me sià ¨cle. Dans le cadre de notre sujet de recherche, nous à ©tudierons la position du groupe international SOLVAY qui sest rà ©cemment sà ©parà ©e dun de ses trois domaines dactività ©s stratà ©giques, le secteur pharmaceutique. Ce domaine qui à ©tait rentable pour la socià ©tà © Belge. Aprà ¨s avoir prà ©sentà © ce groupe diversifià ©, nous prà ©senterons les cours de son action et mettrons en à ©vidence les chiffres clà ©s qui permettent de mieux lapprà ©hender. Dans une seconde partie, nous nous focaliserons sur le domaine cà ©dà © par SOLVAY, le secteur pharmaceutique et nous y à ©tudierons plus prà ©cisà ©ment ses diffà ©rentes facettes. Nous pourrons ainsi en dà ©gager des rà ©flexions sur la pertinence de la dà ©cision rà ©alisà ©e par les dirigeants de la socià ©tà ©. I. SOLVAY un groupe diversifià © 1. Prà ©sentation du Groupe SOLVAY Solvay est une socià ©tà © fondà ©e en 1863 par le chimiste Ernest Solvay. Le groupe fut le premier à   dà ©velopper la production du bicarbonate de sodium ainsi que lutilisation de là ©lectrolyse. SOLVAY est donc un groupe chimique et pharmaceutique international dont le sià ¨ge se trouve à   Bruxelles. Il est prà ©sent dans 50 pays et emploie plus de 29.000 personnes dans les secteurs dactività ©s: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmaceutique. Aujourdhui, SOLVAY est un groupe international qui intervient dans lindustrie chimique et pharmaceutique, il sest dà ©veloppà ©, dans plus de 50 pays, emploie 29000 employà ©s dans le monde. Le sià ¨ge se trouve à   Bruxelles, en Belgique. Le groupe, qui a une actività © industrielle importante dans les secteurs dactività ©s: Chimie, Plastique et Pharmaceutique, veille à ©galement à   la protection de lenvironnement tout au long du cycle de vie du produit dans le cadre dune prise en compte active du dà ©veloppement durable. Chacun est dailleurs sensibilisà © à   ce sujet dans le code de conduite de la socià ©tà ©  «One group, One code, One path ». Depuis le 15 Fà ©vrier 2010, SOLVAY sest rà ©orientà © sur 2 axes stratà ©giques (Chimie, Plastique) avec la revente de lactività © pharmaceutique à   la socià ©tà © Abott dans le cadre dun recentrage des actività ©s de la socià ©tà © Belge. La plus-value aprà ¨s impà ´t rà ©alisà ©e sur la vente du secteur pharmaceutique est de 1,7 milliards deuros. La socià ©tà © a pour but de rà ©investir cette somme dans des projets stratà ©giques en chimie et plastiques. De plus, elle souhaite continuer à   dà ©velopper ses rà ©gions qui ont un potentiel de croissance. En attendant les rà ©sultats des à ©valuations sur ces projets, elle compte investir à   court terme la trà ©sorerie excà ©dentaire. 2. Les parties prenantes Le groupe SOLVAY est cà ´tà © au NYSE Euronext à   Bruxelles, il est dà ©tenue à   30,07% par Solvac, 3,05% est dà ©tenu par Solvay Stock Option Management et 2,94% est dà ©tenue par Blackrock. Il est a souligner que M. Patrick Solvay est administrateur de la holding Solvac est dà ©tient 5,27% du Capital de celle-ci. à  Lien à ©troit entre Solvac et Solvay (Famille Solvay) 3. Performance Globale Quant à   lanalyse de la performance globale et à   la projection de la socià ©tà © sur les prochaines annà ©es, nous avons retenu les informations les plus pertinentes (daprà ¨s là ©tude des analystes dinfinancials: www.infinancials.com, des donnà ©es fournies par www.bourse.lesechos.fr, ainsi que des donnà ©es du Groupe Solvay: www.solvay.com). Voici tout dabord les diffà ©rentes à ©volutions des chiffres daffaires et rà ©sultats opà ©rationnels entre 2008 et 2009: CA 09 ∆% CA 08/09 Resultat opà ©rationnel 09 ∆% Resultat opà ©rationnel 08/09 Pharmaceutique 2791 3% 649 29% Chimique 2713 -12% 246 3% Plastique 2982 -19% 73 -72% * les chiffres ci-dessus sont en millions deuros/Source: infinancials.com Ci-dessus, là ©volution du chiffre daffaire et du rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel entre 2008 et 2009. On peut facilement observer sur ces donnà ©es calculà ©es à   partir du rapport 2009 de Solvay, que lactività © pharmaceutique a à ©tà © en forte progression aussi bien en termes de ventes que de rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel. Les actività ©s chimiques et plastiques, quant à   elles, en rà ©gression considà ©rables au niveau des ventes ainsi quen rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel pour lactività © plastique, ont en partie à ©tà © affectà ©es par la crise mondiale rà ©cente. Seulement le secteur pharmaceutique permet de rà ©tablir ces valeurs peu favorables durant lannà ©e 2009. De plus, daprà ¨s le rapport 2009 de SOLVAY, la là ©gà ¨re à ©volution du rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel du secteur chimique a à ©tà © induite par la diminution des coà »ts fixes et coà »ts à ©nergà ©tiques. Le secteur pharmaceutique a de nombreux produits phares dans diffà ©rentes spà ©cialisations comme les vaccins antigrippaux (Influac), la gynà ©cologie (Duphaston, Prometrium), la cardiomà ©tabollique (Tricor, Liphantyl) ou encore la neuroscience (Serc). Ces produits sont à   forte valeur ajoutà ©e pour le groupe. Ainsi, lacquisition de filiales et le dà ©veloppement de la socià ©tà © dans des pays en voie de dà ©veloppement ont contribuà © à   la plus-value rà ©alisà ©e lors de la cession. 2009 Prà ©visionnel 2010 ∆% 09/10 Investissements et acquisitions 567 673 18,7% RD 555 148 -73,3% Total 1122 821 -26,8% * les chiffres ci-dessus sont en millions deuros/Source: infinancials.com Sur ce tableau, on peut observer la projection de la socià ©tà © quant à   lannà ©e 2010 concernant les investissements et la recherche et dà ©veloppement. On peut constater que la socià ©tà © va continuer à   se dà ©velopper en comptant acquà ©rir dautres filiales. Suite à   la vente du secteur pharmaceutique à   Abott, la RD va considà ©rablement diminuer. En effet, la recherche mà ©dicale nà ©cessite beaucoup de moyens pour la recherche afin de dà ©velopper de nouveaux mà ©dicaments. Suite à   là ©tude de la performance des concurrents, et grà ¢ce aux ressources dinfinancials.com en sà ©lectionnant les crità ¨res suivant: EBITDA, rendement de la dette, revenus net, valeur des actions, volatilità © des actions. Nous avons pu caractà ©riser la socià ©tà © comme suiveuse. Voici, selon les analystes dinfinancials.com, la notation attribuà ©e à   la socià ©tà © en comparaison de la concurrence mondiale: SOLVAY Concurrence mondiale Taux de croissance 1,9 4,2 Valeur de lentreprise 3,4 5,1 Profitabilità © 6,1 5 Risque de marchà © 7,3 6,7 * toutes les notes sont notà ©es sur 10 points A titre informatif, les indicateurs et les valeurs pertinentes dà ©taillà ©s de ces dernià ¨res annà ©es sont mis à   disposition en annexes (Annexe 1). 4. Domaines dActività ©s Stratà ©giques La typologie des 3 DAS: Pharmaceutique : Cest un secteur de croissance non cyclique, il reprà ©sentait une zone de croissance pour Solvay. La socià ©tà © pharmaceutique est de taille moyenne. Chimique : La branche chimie dispose dun leadership fort et dune position concurrentielle. Elle se dà ©compose en 4 grands pà ´les: Le Pà ´le des minà ©raux (46% du CA du secteur Chimique: Carbonate de soude et dà ©rivà ©s, carbonates de baryum et de strontium,  « advanced Functional Minerals  ») Le Pà ´le Electrochimie et Fluor (36,3% du CA du secteur Chimique : soude caustique et produits fluorà ©s) Le Pà ´le Oxygà ¨ne (16,3% du CA du secteur Chimique : peroxyde dhydrogà ¨ne, dà ©tergence et caprolactones) Et le pà ´le Organique (0,9% du CA du Secteur Chimique) Plastiques : Cette branche est mineure dans lactività © du groupe, et se caractà ©rise par une spà ©cialisation dans: Les Polymà ¨res  « high tech  » et Inergy Automotive Systems (42% du CA de ce secteur) Et les actività ©s compà ©titives de la chaà ®ne vinylique (58% du CA de ce secteur) Il est à   souligner que Solvay fait partie des leaders mondiaux dans les domaines de la fabrication et de la commercialisation de produits plastiques et chimiques. Analyse des performances à ©conomiquespar DAS: Dans un premier temps nous allons analyser la reprà ©sentation des diffà ©rents DAS dans la performance à ©conomique du groupe Solvay. Rà ©partition du CA 2009 en pourcentage: Rà ©partition du Rà ©sultat 2009 en pourcentage: Au niveau du Chiffre dAffaires on remarque que la rà ©partition est homogà ¨ne avec une reprà ©sentation denviron 1/3 pour chaque DAS. Cependant dans lanalyse du Rà ©sultat on remarque que le portefeuille dactività ©s est trà ¨s dà ©sà ©quilibrà © en effet la Pharmacie reprà ©sente 2/3 du Rà ©sultat global du groupe. Tandis que les secteurs Chimique et Plastique ne reprà ©sentent seulement 1/3, la chimie à ©tant le plus rentable des 2. Suite à   cette analyse nous pouvons dire que le secteur Pharmaceutique est le plus rentable et ainsi est la source principale de revenu pour du groupe. Analyse du portefeuille dactività ©s du groupe: Matrice BCG: Lanalyse du portefeuille BCG est basà ©e sur 2 indicateurs la PDM relative et le taux de croissance. Pour le groupe Solvay, la Matrice laisse apparaitre la Pharmacie comme DAS Dilemme, en effet compte tenu de la concentration du secteur et de la taille moyenne de la branche pharmacie du groupe Solvay cette actività © devient problà ©matique. La chimie cÅ“ur de mà ©tier du groupe reprà ©sente lactività ©  «Vache à   lait », en effet Solvay fait partie des leaders sur ce marchà © à   tendance stable (taux de croissance nul) et enfin lactività © Plastique se prà ©sente comme  «Star » car Solvay travaille beaucoup dans le segment des plastiques  «high tech » et simpose comme un acteur important dans le domaine. II. Le Recentrage: une stratà ©gie nà ©cessaire et cohà ©rente? 1. Diagnostic (Focus DAS Pharmacie) A. Diagnostic Externe Les grandes tendances du marchà ©: * Une croissance fragilisà ©e: Le secteur connaà ®t une croissance mais qui est fragilisà ©e par la crise. En effet depuis ces 3 dernià ¨res annà ©es, on assiste à   un ralentissement de la croissance du CA du secteur et ainsi a une perte de vitesse de la croissance du secteur. Plusieurs facteurs, expliquent cela, daprà ¨s les à ©tudes du XERFI 700 on dà ©note : Les à ©conomies des organismes payeurs tel que lassurance maladie et autres mutuelles qui rà ©duisent leurs coà »ts. Une baisse significative de lauto mà ©dication : du fait de la remonter des prix et de la baisse du pouvoir dachat de la population dut à   la crise Une forte augmentation de la consommation de vaccins ainsi que de la vente de mà ©dicament gà ©nà ©rique. Rà ©ellement seul lactività © hospitalià ¨re et des maladies de grandes ampleurs tel que de la grippe A soutiennent lactività © du secteur. Concernant le dà ©veloppement des gà ©nà ©riques il est dà ©favorable à   lindustrie franà §aise par exemple (car cest un producteur de second rang). Les principaux producteurs sont les pays à ©mergents tel que la chine l inde ou le brà ©sil. Laugmentation de la perte de brevet reprà ©sente une hausse des couts de la recherche et un dà ©clin de la productività © de la RD Un durcissement de la rà ©glementation des mà ©dicaments concernant notamment toutes les à ©tapes de fabrication. La radicalisation des conditions dhomologation des nouveaux Laugmentation des substituts tels que les alicaments, les contrefaà §ons de mà ©dicaments (en nette progression dans les pays en dà ©veloppement) et les nouvelles alternatives thà ©rapeutiques. Le problà ¨me de surcapacità © des grands groupes dans la production de mà ©dicaments reprà ©sente à ©galement une des raisons de la fragilità © de ce secteur. Le problà ¨me de ce ralentissement vient principalement de la faible croissance des marchà ©s forts tels que les marchà ©s europà ©en et amà ©ricain. Nà ©anmoins les pays en dà ©veloppement tels que la Chine, lInde reprà ©sentent un à ©norme potentiel. * La crise du modà ¨le Blockbuster: Le modà ¨le blockbusters reposait sur la production dun nombre restreint de rà ©fà ©rences qui par des effets de masses et dà ©conomie dà ©chelles, atteignait des niveaux de rentabilità © trà ¨s à ©levà ©. On assiste aujourdhui à   une crise de ce modà ¨le du fait quaujourdhui la clientà ¨le a nettement moins besoin de mà ©dicament de masse mais de plus de mà ©dicament ciblà ©. Ce systà ¨me est à ©galement remis en cause par: la perte des brevets, laugmentation des coà »t de RD, la concurrence des gà ©nà ©riques†¦ * La tendance à   la spà ©cialisation Le secteur pharmaceutique sur le long terme tend à   un partage des risques et vers un modà ¨le de blockbusters de niche (mà ©decine de spà ©cialità ©). Cette nouvelle tendance intà ¨gre le dà ©veloppement des nouvelles technologies, lenjeu de se modà ¨le rà ©side dans une stratà ©gie de portefeuille nouvelle adaptà ©e a des besoins bien spà ©cifiques. * Restructuration dans le secteur Les grands laboratoires sont à ©galement à   la recherche dà ©conomies de coà »ts, notamment en RD, cest ainsi que lon a assistà © à   une vague de restructuration en 2008. Lobjectif à ©tant dadapter lorganisation de la RD (sous traitance), pour leurs permettre de prà ©server leur potentiel dinnovation et mieux rà ©pondre à   lintà ©gration des nouvelles technologies. * Le retour à   une concentration du marchà © (mà ©gafusions) Face à   ces mutations du secteur, les grands laboratoires on dà ©ployà © de nouvelles stratà ©gies pour conserver leur position et rà ©pondre aux exigences du marchà © et des payeurs. Les enjeux aujourdhui pour ces groupes sont loptimisation des coà »ts et la croissance externe, cest ainsi quils on recours à   des Fusions et Acquisitions ciblà ©es par exemple en rachetant des petites boà ®te spà ©cialisà ©es dans les biotechnologies (RD active et innovante) ou en acquà ©rant des actività ©s oà ¹ les barrià ¨res à   lentrà ©es sont moins importantes comme les gà ©nà ©riques, les vaccins†¦(les entreprises cibles sont de taille moyenne). Le secteur pharmaceutique passe de la production de produit de masse à   la recherche de marchà ©s de niche à   fort potentiel. Cette à ©volution passera incontestablement par des investissements importants à   linternational (conquà ªte de nouveaux marchà ©e), en RD (nouvelles technologies) etc †¦ Analyse PESTEL: *Source Xerfi 700 On a pu observer que le contexte dans lequel lindustrie pharmaceutique à ©volue est de plus en plus difficile. Le dà ©veloppement de nouveaux mà ©dicaments coà »te cher et lissue est toujours plus incertaine. Les contraintes sanitaires et là ©gales sont devenues draconiennes et lapprobation de plus en plus difficile. Analyse des à ©là ©ments structurels du secteur: Modà ¨le de Porter(5 forces+Gouvernement)  · Le pouvoir de nà ©gociation des fournisseurs (+) Il y a un faible pouvoir de nà ©gociation de la part des fournisseurs. En effet les entreprises du secteur commandent majoritairement de grosses quantità ©s notamment du fait de la production de masse des mà ©dicaments et dans le but de rà ©aliser des à ©conomies dà ©chelles (systà ¨me des blockbusters). Cependant ce fort pouvoir de nà ©gociation tend à   diminuer du fait de la crise du modà ¨le des blockbusters.  · Le pouvoir de nà ©gociation des clients (+-) Il y a un faible pouvoir de nà ©gociation de la part des clients. Cependant les clients finaux sont fortement influencà ©s par limplication des organismes payeurs, dans le taux de remboursement des mà ©dicaments.  · Les produits substituts (- -) Les produits gà ©nà ©riques sont de nouveaux produits de substitution leur production commence dà ¨s quun brevet tombe dans le domaine public. Le nombre de mà ©dicaments gà ©nà ©riques est en augmentation chaque annà ©e ce qui est une menace pour le secteur. Enfin la dernià ¨re menace sont les produits contrefaits en augmentation dans les pays en dà ©veloppement qui se substituent à   tord aux mà ©dicaments originaux. Autre menace dans une moindre mesure, les alicaments et mà ©decines douces, bien quils ne rà ©pondent pas aux mà ªmes besoins et ne sont pas rà ©ellement substituables, ils sont consommà ©s en amont par les consommateurs ce qui correspond à   une forme de substitution.  · Entrants potentiels (+) Le secteur est fermà © aux nouveaux entrants, il est donc difficile de venir concurrencer une entreprise sur le secteur, en effet il y a de trà ¨s fortes barrià ¨res à   lentrà ©e (investissements financiers à ©levà ©s, technologies†¦). Il faut cependant souligner le fait que les clients dans ce secteur ne sont pas fidà ¨les à   une marque si le produit à   la mà ªme efficacità © (mà ©dicaments gà ©nà ©riques).  · Concurrence interne (- -) La rivalità © dans ce secteur dactività © est trà ¨s vive du fait du nombre et de la taille des acteurs (concentration). Le marchà © de la pharmacie est de type ultra concurrentiel, avec une dominance des 2 leaders mondiaux (Pfizer et GSK), suivis de grands groupes internationaux (ex: MerckCo, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis†¦) et en de laboratoires nationaux indà ©pendants trà ¨s actifs qui possà ¨dent des positions fortes notamment dans la RD.  · Gouvernement (-) Il est essentiel de noter limportance des facteurs induits par le Gouvernement dans un secteur tel que celui de la Pharmacie. En effet le gouvernement joue un rà ´le essentiel en ce qui concerne le contrà ´le de la production des mà ©dicaments et des prix pratiquà ©s. Le gouvernement joue un rà ´le essentiel dans un pays comme par exemple en France oà ¹ il est un organisme payeur (remboursement des mà ©dicaments). B. Diagnostic Interne Dans les annà ©es 70 et au lendemain de la crise pà ©trolià ¨re, le groupe Solvay a optà © pour un modà ¨le stratà ©gique hybride, en se lanà §ant, grà ¢ce plusieurs acquisitions, dans le secteur pharmaceutique. Lobjectif à ©tait alors davoir une actività © plus stable dans son portefeuille dactività ©s, qui permettrait de compenser laspect trop cyclique des actività ©s Chimie et Plastique (rà ©partition des risques). Cette petite actività © est devenue grande et source de revenu, au cours du temps. En 2008, la pharmacie pesait pour 52 % du bà ©nà ©fice du groupe Solvay, elle nest donc pas une actività © annexe. Il semblerait quaujourdhui Solvay Pharma soit un groupe denvergure relativement modeste et nest pas la taille critique pour poursuivre son à ©volution dans le secteur pharmaceutique. SOLVAY PHARMACEUTICALS est un groupe de socià ©tà ©s pharmaceutiques qui assurent les actività ©s pharmaceutiques mondiales du groupe SOLVAY. Axà © sur la recherche, ces socià ©tà ©s semploient à   rà ©pondre à   des besoins mà ©dicaux non satisfaits dans les domaines thà ©rapeutiques suivants: neurosciences, cardiomà ©tabolisme vaccins antigrippaux, gastro-entà ©rologie et gynà ©cologie/andrologie (source Solvay). En passant en revue les principales fonctions de lentreprise, il est possible de dà ©terminer les forces et faiblesses par rapport aux concurrents de lentreprise Solvay. Nous analyserons donc la branche pharmacie sur diffà ©rents aspects et crità ¨res : Commercial Solvay pharma a augmentà © ses ventes en Amà ©rique du Nord. Cela est dà » à   des raisons bien prà ©cises. Lapprobation de mà ©dicaments par la Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) a nettement augmentà © la vente de certains produits comme le CREON. Il a donc explosà © les ventes aux Etats-Unis puisquil le chiffre daffaire dà ©passe les 260 millions deuros. On peut aussi noter une diminution des ventes de Marinol puisque le mà ©dicament est passà © dans le secteur public. Lentreprise doit ainsi faire face à   une concurrence fà ©roce que sont les gà ©nà ©riques. On peut ainsi noter une forte augmentation des parts de marchà ©s sur le sol Amà ©ricains puisquil reprà ©sente 39% des ventes totales dans le monde de Solvay Pharma. De ce fait, Les principaux clients de Solvay Pharma sont lAmà ©rique du Nord, la Russie et la France. LEurope reste en tà ªte avec plus de 46% des ventes rà ©alisà ©. La collaboration avec ChemDiv met en avant une volontà © de se rapprocher encore plus de la Russie ainsi que des Etats-Unis. De plus, il reflà ¨te une recherche permanente puisque ChemDiv est un institut spà ©cialisà © dans la recherche de nouveaux composà ©s. On peut donc noter que ce partenariat sintà ¨gre parfaitement dans la stratà ©gie de croissance de Solvay Pharma. Elle est aussi en collaboration avec HUYA Bioscience International, une entreprise spà ©cialisà ©e dans la facilitation et laccà ©là ©ration du co-dà ©veloppement mondial de nouveaux produits biopharmaceutiques originaires de Chine. Ainsi grà ¢ce à   cette collaboration, Solvay Pharma accà ¨de au portefeuille de molà ©cule chinoise et dà ©veloppe le domaine cardiovasculaire. On peut aussi noter les produits phares de Solvay Pharma qui sont les vaccins antigrippaux principalement vendus en Europe, lAndrologie vendu dans le monde entier ainsi que lEnzyme pancrà ©atique. Recherche et dà ©veloppement Dans le cadre de la recherche et du dà ©veloppement, Solvay Pharma continue son partenariat avec Abbott. Ainsi, sur les produits visant à   diminuer le cholestà ©rol, Solvay Pharma et Abbott ont dà ©veloppà © un produit TRILIPIX rà ©duisant ce symptà ´me. Ils ont ainsi pu diminuer les dà ©penses de recherche et dà ©veloppement. On peut aussi noter que dans ce secteur dactività ©, la RD est trà ¨s importante. De ce fait, les dà ©penses dans ce pà ´le sà ©là ¨vent à   416 millions deuros alors que lentreprise alloue un budget total de 555 millions deuros toutes les dà ©penses lià ©es à   la recherche. Il est important de noter que Solvay Pharma se munie des meilleurs installations puisquelle a installà © la technologie la plus rà ©cente pour son unità © de production cellulaire. Au dà ©but des annà ©es 2000, les espoirs du groupe reposaient sur deux molà ©cules vedettes : le Cilansetron (syndrome du colon irritable) et le Bifeprunox (schizophrà ©nie). Cependant face aux diffà ©rents refus des autorità ©s sanitaires, Solvay a dà » abandonner ces molà ©cules en 2005 (Cilansetron) et 2009 (Bifeprunox), ces à ©checs ont entrainà © la perte de plusieurs millions deuros. On dà ©note à ©galement une faible productività © en termes de RD chez Solvay Pharma. Aujourdhui la rentabilità © et la croissance de lactività © Pharmaceutique sont assurà ©es par les molà ©cules hà ©rità ©es de lacquisition de Fournier (Tricor/Trilipix). Lactività © Pharmaceutique repose donc  «principalement » sur ces molà ©cules (faiblesse a long terme) qui constituent le principal argument de vente la branche Pharma. Financier On peut constater que la vente de Solvay Pharma reprà ©sente un gain de plus de 5 milliard deuros. Ce montant est basà © sur les gains quenregistre Solvay Pharma depuis les dernià ¨res annà ©es. De fait, le rà ©sultat opà ©rationnel sur ce secteur atteint des records puisquil a augmentà © de plus de 27% atteignant ainsi 640 millions deuros sur lannà ©e 2009. On peut aussi constater dans les tableaux des flux de trà ©sorerie que lentreprise Solvay Pharma diminue les efforts dinvestissements puisquelle a diminuà © ses emprunts de prà ¨s de 200 millions deuros. Cela est dà » à   la trà ©sorerie que dà ©gage depuis peu lactività © pharmaceutique. Lentreprise pratique aussi à ©normà ©ment lauto financement puisquelle en a les capacità ©s. C. SWOT Opportunità ©s Menaces Forte augmentation de la consommation de vaccins. Forte augmentation de la vente de mà ©dicament gà ©nà ©rique. Lactività © hospitalià ¨re et des maladies de grandes soutiennent lactività © du secteur. Fort potentiel des nouveaux marchà ©s en dà ©veloppement tel que la Chine, le Brà ©sil et lInde. Modification de lorganisation de la RD Fort potentiel de dà ©veloppement des marchà ©s de niche (spà ©cialisation) Diminution de laugmentation du CA du secteur Ralentissement de la croissance Une baisse significative de lauto mà ©dication Faible croissance des marchà ©s Occidentaux Marchà © trà ¨s concurrentiel (notion de taille critique) Durcissement de la rà ©glementation des mà ©dicaments concernant toutes les à ©tapes de fabrication Diminution des remboursements des à ©tablissements payeurs (tel que la sà ©curità © sociale) La crise du modà ¨le des blockbustersà  dvpt des gà ©nà ©riques Une hausse des couts de la RD et un dà ©clin de la productività © Pertes des brevets Dà ©veloppement des big pharma (FAà  concentration du secteur) Forces Faiblesses Recherche et dà ©veloppement Prà ©sence importante sur un marchà © porteur quest le cholestà ©rol (fenofibrate) Gros portefeuille de molà ©cules Partenaire dune grande importance Abbott, partenaire chinois (acquisition de part de marchà © en Chine) Dà ©veloppement grà ¢ce à   lacquisition des pà ´les pharmaceutiques (cardiovasculaire avec lacquisition de Fournier) Solvay Pharma dimportance moindre / à   la concurrence (taille moyenne) Difficultà © à   faire face au marchà © des gà ©nà ©riques Coà »t de la RD Manque de productività © dans la RD Rentabilità © et croissance repose sur les molà ©cules de Fournier Echec du dà ©veloppement de 2 molà ©cules vedettes Actività ©s mà ¨re de lentreprise ne peuvent pas se dà ©velopper à   cause de linvestissement dans la pharmacie Facteurs Clà ©s de Succà ¨s: Le dà ©veloppement et la rà ©organisation de la RD, et lintà ©gration de nouvelles technologies La rà ©duction des coà »ts et le dà ©veloppement sur des segments a forte valeur ajoutà © notamment par des processus de fusion acquisition Malgrà © son degrà © de spà ©cialisation, Solvay Pharma na pas la taille critique pour rà ©pondre au FCS (dà ©velopper un avantage concurrentiel durableà  coà »t à ©levà ©) et ainsi pour se dà ©velopper sur un marchà © ultra-concurrentiel. 2. Les modalità ©s de la dà ©cision A. Description de la dà ©cision de recentrage Le 28 Septembre 2009 Solvay a annoncà © le recentrage de ses actività ©s, afin de mettre en Å“uvre une rà ©orientation stratà ©gique sur son cÅ“ur de mà ©tier dans lintention dassurer la pà ©rennisation du Groupe. Pour cela le groupe à   dà ©cider de vendre la totalità © de ses actività ©s pharmaceutiques. Cette annonce a suscità © tout dabord lintà ©rà ªt des firmes europà ©ennes et tout particulià ¨rement du groupe Sanofi-Aventis. Loffre faite par Sanofi-Aventis a à ©tà © dà ©clinà ©e par la famille, celle-ci valorisait la socià ©tà © à   7,2 milliards deuros (soit 85 euros par action), Solvac souhaitait alors 100 euros par actions. La vente a finalement à ©tait faite à   Abbott,  «coopà ©titeur » historique du groupe, pour une valeur dentreprise totale denviron 5,2 milliards deuros. ABBOTT est une entreprise multinationale amà ©ricaine diversifià ©e dans le domaine de la santà ©, elle intervient dans la recherche, le dà ©veloppement et à   la commercialisation de produits pharmaceutiques et mà ©dicaux spà ©cifiques, y compris les produits nutritionnels, diagnostiques et les dispositifs mà ©dicaux. Lentreprise amà ©ricaine emploie plus de 72.000 personnes et commercialise ses produits dans plus de 130 pays (source

Paralysis in Dubliners

Paralysis in Dubliners Joyce in his letter to Grant Richards said, I chose Dublin for the scene because that city seemed to me the centre of paralysis. The first thing that one has to engage with is, why Joyce felt that Dublin was the centre of paralysis. What were his reasons for thinking and feeling that Dublin was suffering from this paralytic state? It is important not to overlook some of the main issues that Dublin was facing at the time Joyce wrote Dubliners. Joyce wrote this book during the Irish Literary renaissance. One of the main reasons for this renaissance was for the Irish to show that they could be independent from Britain. Joyce wrote Dubliners at a time when Ireland was under the British rule, the Irish were governed and had no independence. The novel, Dubliners was a way to show the people of Dublin what they seemed to be missing, they were not aware of this paralytic state they had fallen into. Throughout the book most of the main characters in the stories has an epiphany; this was Joyce s way of helping the people of Dublin become aware of this state they had fallen into and help them snap out of this paralysis. This was one of the main reasons Joyce wrote about Dublin and the paralytic state. The people of Dublin according to Joyce were not able to move forward, they were being hindered from making progress. Joyce was trying to show them that if they did not make a change and move on then they will forever remain in this paralytic state with no future. This idea is reinforced by Joyce himself, when he was writing the letters to Richards; he mentions that his intention is not only to write a satire about Ireland but to liberate his country. Joyce also emphasised the point that the people of Ireland need to have a good look at themselves in order to see that they are stuck in this paralytic state. Joyce believed that Dubliners would be that foundation which will make the Irish public see their inadequacies. (Paul Delany, Joyces Political Development and the Aestheti c of Dubliners.) The essay will engage with this theme of paralysis in Joyces Dubliners. It will not only engage with the theme of paralysis but also some of the other underlying themes as well; the themes of religion and family. The theme of paralysis is clear throughout Dubliners, this feeling of paralysis is felt by all the characters in each of the stories. This idea and theme of paralysis in Dublin and Ireland can be seen as Joyces personal view of the city when he lived there, or it can be Joyces view of the other people living in Dublin from the outside. This essay will look at two stories from Dubliners, The Sisters and Eveline. It will engage with the stories and look at how each of the two stories tie in with the theme of paralysis. This essay will discuss how the main protagonists paralysis links back to the main issue at the heart of Dublin. All of Joyces characters have the instinct to bring a change in their lives, to move above and beyond this paralytic state they hav e been stuck in. Each of the stories hints at paralysis, the theme of paralysis is evident from the very start in The Sisters. Each story has aspects of paralysis some subtle and some are in plain black and white. For instance in The Sisters, the reader is made aware of the paralysis from the very first page in the story; Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly the word paralysis. (Joyce, J. Dubliners, p1). One can clearly see that Joyce wastes little time in introducing the theme of paralysis; by doing this it leaves no doubt in the readers mind that this is Joyces intention. The very first line of the story is written in capital letters, this shows that Joyce is getting straight to the point. THERE WAS NO HOPE for him this time:, (Joyce, J. Dubliners, p1). This very first line sets the scene for the rest of the story, Joyce begins with this line to show that there may have previously been hope for Father Flynn; but now it is too late now there is no hope for him. In baseball a third s trike means that the batter is out; he has no more chances. This same principle can also be related to Father Flynn and the Catholic Church. It can also be seen as Joyces way of telling the readers that the Church has no hope there is nothing that can be done, it is too late and that the people of Dublin need to wake up and see that they are living in a vicious circle. This circle that they are living in cant be undone unless they strike out and make a change for themselves. In this first story The Sisters, a boy who lives with his aunt and uncle starts to assess his relationship with a priest, Father Flynn. After having his third stroke Father Flynn is left paralysed. The boy walks past the priests house to see if two candles have been lit, which would signify that the priest had died. One night when the boy comes down for supper he hears of the news that Father Flynn has passed away through Old Cotter who is a family friend. Whilst the boy who remains nameless throughout the story is eating his supper he observes the conversation his uncle and Old Cotter are having. Old Cotter speaks of the reservations which he had about the priest, there was something queer, something uncanny about him (Joyce, J. Dubliners p.1). Old Cotter questions the relationship between the boy and the priest, I wouldnt like children of mine, to have too much to say to a man like that. (Joyce, J. Dubliners p.2). The same night the boy has a dream in which he sees the old priest confessing. The boy later has a moment in which he has an epiphany, he feels that the priests death has freed him, I felt even annoyed at discovering in myself a sensation of freedom as if I had been freed from something by his death. (Joyce, J. Dubliners p.3). In this story it is easy to see the theme of religion along the theme of paralysis. It can also be said that the boy in the story represents Ireland and Father Flynn is a representation of the Catholic Church. The boy can be seen as being paralysed becaus e of the control and influence Father Flynn had over him. He was subservient to the priest, the boy mentions how we would run small errands for the priest, I who emptied the packet into his black snuff-box.(Joyce, J. Dubliners p.3). The main reason Joyce seemed to be attacking the church was mainly because Joyce felt that the church had too much control over the people of Dublin and Ireland in general. This point is backed by the fact that the boy feels free once the priest passes away. He no longer feels trapped and paralysed. So, why did Joyce feel that the church was one of the reasons for the paralysis of the Irish people? Religion was a really important part of Ireland at the time Joyce wrote Dubliners; this was also the time that Ireland was trying to break away from the British rule. Joyce felt that the affiliation between Ireland and the Church hindered the possibility of Ireland becoming free from Britain. Joyce is quoted as saying that, The soul of the country is weakened by centuries of useless struggle and broken treaties, and individual initiative is paralysed by the influence and admonitions of the church. (Paul Delany, Joyces Political Development and the Aesthetic of Dubliners.p257). Here it is c lear to see that Joyce feels that the people of Ireland are being held back by the church, not only Ireland as a whole but each individual person living in Ireland. These people are being shackled by the Church, these individuals are being hindered by the Church to achieve great things and reach their true potential. This point is supported by the boys paralysis in the story, the boy feels a sense of freedom once Father Flynn dies. The boy has an epiphany he sees that he is no longer paralysed by the priest. Joyces motive for this story was so that all the readers would also have an epiphany and would see, that much like the boy in the story they are also shackled and paralysed by the state and predominantly the Church. Joyce uses the boy in the story to symbolise the future generations of Ireland; the boys and girls who could lead Ireland to great things. It is clear to see that the boy is paralysed by the priest. How is the priest paralysing the boy? The boy is paralysed through the teachings of Father Flynn. The readers are made aware that the boy and Father Flynn spent considerable amount of time together, The old chap taught him a great deal. Joyce is showing the readers that the boy is paralysed by the teachings of the priest; albeit he is learning much but this is paralysing him from living his childhood. By spending a great deal of time together the boy is being moulded in a way that the Church wants him to live and behave; the boy is losing his own free-will. What does Father Flynns death in the story signify? As mentioned before, Father Flynn can be seen as a personification of the entire Catholic Church; his death enables the boy to feel free, to become free. This is Joyces way of telling the people of Dublin that they can also become free, but they have to sever their relationship with the Church. The second story this essay will engage with is, Eveline. This story can be seen as the one which is the most direct when it comes to engaging with the theme of paralysis. In this story the main protagonist, Eveline can be said to be one of the very few characters in the novel who actually comes the closest to breaking free from her paralysis. The story is about a girl called Eveline, living at home with her father. Eveline has a lover named Frank, she had the chance to start afresh with him by leaving the city. Throughout the story Eveline is fighting with the idea of whether to leave or to stay. Like most of the other characters Eveline also has an epiphany, she finally decides to go with Frank, this brings a great deal of joy to her; knowing she can start a new life with someone she loves to leave the hard punishing life behind. This all changes once she has to act on her decision, when the moment comes to board the ship with Frank she freezes. Evelines paralytic state is best des cribed by the final few sentences in the story. The sentence, She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal. (Joyce, J. Dubliners p.26). This line epitomises the state of paralysis perfectly, Eveline becomes so paralysed that she loses the ability to even show emotions. To some extent she can be seen to go into a robotic state were she is unaware of anything going on around her. If Eveline decided to go with Frank this would have been the biggest decision she has made in her whole life; why does she decide to go what is keeping her from going, what is paralysing Eveline? Is it simply the prospect of change is scaring her? Scared of what may happen if she chooses to make a change in her life? By deciding not to go, Eveline remains paralysed by her old life, she has the chance to break the shackles of the city and to begin a new life. Is she simply just scared to leave, scared of change? It is possible to simply think that she is scared of change but there is also the other underlying theme in this story, which is family. Evelines refusal to make a change can be seen as the result of her feeling the need, feeling the responsibility of taking care of her father. She made a promise to her dying mother to take care of her siblings and her father, to keep the family together. Her duty to her father supersedes her longing for a new life. Eveline is paralysed by her family, city, environment; she is also paralysed by the potential guilt she would feel is she did decide to leave her family. She is paralysed by her surroundings, even when she believes in herself to bring about change she still remains paralysed. This is exactly what Joyce was trying to show the readers, the people of Ireland. Joyce was trying to show them that they will forever remain stuck with their paralysis until they actually make a change. Simply wanting to make a change is not enough, Joyce feels that they need to act upon their dreams and aspirations for a better life. At the en d of the story Eveline is depicted to the readers as a, helpless animal. This shows the reader that Eveline has been stripped of her human emotions, the paralysis has sapped her of all human capabilities. Joyce further highlights Evelines miserable existence and paralysis by giving her a means of escape in the story but then taking that away from her. She is given a chance of escaping but Joyce in his style of scrupulous meanness decides to show the readers that she is not able to leave even when she is given the chance to do so. (Delany, P. Joyces Political Development and the Aesthetic of Dubliners). To conclude, the main aim of this essay was to engage and discuss the theme of paralysis including the themes of religion and family; to see how Joyce engages with these themes in the two stories and what was his reasons and aims for doing this were. Joyce achieves his aim of showing the Dubliners that they are paralysed; he does this by showing the paralysis of Dublin through fictional characters but with a great deal of realism; he chooses to do this in order to show the severity of the paralysis.

The Effects of Catholicism on the Education of Women in Renaissance Ita

The Effects of Catholicism on the Education of Women in Renaissance Italy According to Paul Grendler, the conservative, clerical pedagogical theorist Silvio Antoniano (1540-1603) reflected on women’s educational status in Renaissance Italy in one of his written works, claiming that â€Å"†¦a girl (should not) learn ‘pleading and writing poetry’; the vain sex must not reach too high†¦A girl should attend to sewing, cooking, and other female activities, leaving to men what was theirs†. Apparently, this was the common-held view concerning women’s education during that time. Although women were actually encouraged to literacy, their subservient social role as wives and mothers could not allow them to learn as much as men did (Grendler, 1989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women could not have possibly been employed or held a public office. Any attainable employment did not involve independent thought; matters concerning the ruling and well-being of society were left to men (Grendler, 1995). Therefore, they were encouraged to receive the kind of education that would prove useful for their primarily domestic role. It was not enough, therefore, for them to learn how to read and write; they had to hammer their knowledge into a matrix of virtue and piety. The development and praise of literacy, the advances in printing and consequently the widespread introduction of books to the public and finally the Counter-Reformation, were factors that influenced the development of female education (Grendler, 1989). What I would like to argue in my paper is that Catholicism acted as a medium for the development of the literacy of women in Renaissance Italy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the Catholic church arose the need to draw people back to conservative Catholic traditions. This was, on a certain level, a response to the Protestant Reformation and to less conservative Humanist ideals that were spreading throughout Italy. After the Council of Trent, a lot of emphasis was placed on the development of Christian virtues within individuals. What better way to achieve this than indoctrination? The knowledge of religious texts and rituals as well as the adoption of monastic virtues began to be seen as imperative. Women were granted educational privileges, primarily so that they could read religious texts. Convent education for young girls became popular amidst upper and middle class families (Strocchia, 1999). The Schools of ... ...) could have was provided by the Schols of the Christian Doctrine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thus, we see that Catholicism provided women of Renaissance Italy great opportunities for learning. Even if such an education could take them only up to a point, since they had to learn within a religious, moral framework, it is still remarkable in that it provided early foundation for the development of female education in Europe. References: Robert Black, â€Å"The Curriculum of Italian Elementary and Grammar Schools, 1350-1500† in The Shapes of Knowledge from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, edited by Donald R. Kelley and Richard H. Popkin, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands, 1991 Paul F. Gehl, â€Å"A Moral Art: Grammar, Society and Culture in Trecento Florence†, Cornell University Press, New York, 1993 Paul F. Grendler, â€Å"Books and Schools in the Italian Renaissance†, Ashgate Publishing Limited, Great Britain, 1995 Paul F. Grendler, â€Å"Schooling in Renaissance Italy†, John Hopkins University Press, U.S.A., 1989 Sharon T. Strocchia, â€Å"Learning the Virtues: Convent Schools and Female Culture in Renaissance Florence† in Women’s Education in Early Modern Europe (1500-1800), New York and London, 1999

Henry T. Ford Essay -- essays research papers

Henry T. Ford (1863-1947) Henry Ford once said: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or at eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young';. - Henry Ford Henry T. Ford, pioneering automotive engineer, is mostly credited forinventing the automobile. The fact is he did not, he used what was developed and studied in the automobile industry to develop his own ideas and revolutionized the automotive industry. His creativity made possible for him to develop the assembly line that sparked the auto production. Henry Ford Henry Ford was born near Dearborn, Michigan, on July 30, 1863. His family had nothing to do with the automobile, they were simple farmers. Henry lived on the farm that was run by his father who was an Irish man, and his mother who was Dutch, his mother died when he was 12. After his mother death he helped out around the family farm in summer and in winter attended a one-room school. From the young age he was fascinating my moving mechanical things. Form the young age he was fascinated by watches and clocks. He went around the countryside doing repair work without pay, for him all mattered was to play with the machinery of the watch. From his personal experience on the farm he was fascinated my farm machines that reduced the drudgery of farm chores. We can notice there was a lot of a kid in him, and to go around or making his chores easier he invented his own farm machines. His fascination with machines grew as he grew older. At the age of thirteen, for the first time he saw a coal-fi red steam engine that was rolling along a long rural road. From that point he grew more fascinated about machines that moved about a roads without any manpower. At the age of sixteen, and against the wishes of his father, he left the home farm for Detroit, where he found work as a mechanic’s apprentice. He was faced with low paying jobs. Working for $2.50 in mechanics shop then moved to watchmaker were he worked for four hours and was paid $2 a week. Steadily he worked him self up in Edison Illuminating Company, and became a chief engineer there. In 1884 he took charge of a farm his father gave him. At twenty-four he married Clara Bryant and settled at his farm. But Ford did not stay long at the farm after two years he went back to Detroit and worked as a n... ... a 1941 ford company became the only major manufacturer of automobiles in the Detroit area that had not recognized any labor unions. At hearings before the National Labor Board ford was found guilty of repeated violations of the National Labor Relations Act. Ford was forced to negotiate a labor contract with a union after a strike was successfully held at the main plant at river Rouge, Michigan, in April 1941.During the W.W.II era Ford was granted government contracts for which he manufactured war materials like: parts for the bombers and later, the entire airplane. By the end of W.W.II (1945) one of his plants manufactured more than 8,000 planes. Henry ford died on April 7,1947, in Dearborn. Ford left a personal fortune at $500 to $700 million, giving large shares of the money to Ford Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The Ford Motor Company was taken over by grandson of Henry Ford, Henry Ford II who carried his ownership until his death in 1987. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or at eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young but becomes constantly more valuable, regardless of physical capacity.'; -Henry T. Ford

The Cash Flow Statement

The Cash Flow Statement * A Cash flow statement is a financial report that shows the sources of a firm’s cash and its uses of cash. In other words, it answers the questions, â€Å"where did the cash come from? † and â€Å"where did the cash go? † Measuring Firm’s Cash Flow You can explain the cash inflows and outflows of a business by looking at three cash flow activities. * Cash flow activities: 1.Generating cash flows from day-to-day business operations It is the informative to know how much cash is being generated in the normal course of operating a business on a daily basis, beginning with purchasing inventory on credit, selling on credit, paying for the inventory, and finally collecting on the sales made on credit. 2. Buying or selling fixed assets. When a company buys (or sell) fixed assets, such as equipment and buildings, cash outflows (or inflow) result. These cash flows are not part of the regular day-to-day operations and, consequently, are not included in the income statement.They appear only as changes from one balance sheet to the next. 3. Financing the business. Cash inflows and outflows occur when the company borrows or repays debt; when it distributes money to the owners, such as when dividends are paid; or when the owners put money into the business in the form of additional equity. Profits versus cash flows * Entrepreneurs need to be aware that profits shown on a company’s income statement are not the same as its cash flows. * An income statement is not a measure of cash flows because it is calculated on an accrual basis rather than a cash basis.This is an important point to understand in section. * In Accrual-basis accounting, profits are recorded when earned- whether or not the profits have been received in cash- and expenses are recorded when they are incurred- even if money has not actually been paid out. * In Cash-basis accounting, profits are reported when cash is received and expenses are recorded whe n they are paid. * There are several reasons, including the following, that profits based on an accrual accounting system will differ from the firm’s cash flows; 1. Sales reported on an income statement include both cash sales and credits sales.So the total sales do not correspond to the actual cash collected. 2. Cash spent for inventory doesn’t represent all inventory purchases since some inventory is financed by credit. 3. The depreciation expense shown in the income statement is a noncash expense. It reflects the costs associated with using an asset that benefits the firm’s operations over a period of several years, such as a piece of equipment used over five years. What every small business owner should ask and understand is, â€Å"How do you compute your firm’s cash flow? †

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Essay

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IntroductionNeck pain has been classified as one of the commonest problems among the people. This condition arises from various disorders or it may originate from tissues located at the neck (Hush, et al., (2009).The neck is also known as a cervical spine. The necks structure is characterized by vertebrae which run from the upper torso to the skull’s base. The stability of the spine is associated to ligaments and muscles that run along the vertebrae (National Institutes of Health. (2013). A neck’s main importance is its mobility and the support it accords to the head. It is prone to injuries because it is not offered much protection like the rest of the spine. Injuries normally cause less and restricted mobility and triggers NAIP. Unfortunately neck pain are not accorded seriousness, most people treat the neck pain as temporary. There are unique cases where the symptoms do not go away and hence diagnosis and corresponding tre atment is required (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2013).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers (De Loose, V., Burnotte, F., Cagnie, B., Stevens, V., & Van Tiggelen, D. (2008). have found out that the pains are caused by several factors such as wear and tear, sprains and abnormalities of the neck tissue. There is evidence of neck pains arising from other pains such as arm or shoulder pains (De loose, 2008). Normally activities such as extreme bends of the neck, falls and vehicle accidents can cause neck injuries. In certain situations damage of the neck can damage the spine causing paralysis. Researchers have also found out that Spondylosis which occurs in people above the age of 40, adds strains to neck joints creating a path for chronic neck pain. But the condition is treatable through both conventional and nonconventional methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers and doctors have identified acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment method which is a very effective method for treating chronic neck pains. Researcher (Blosssfeldt, 2004), says that, acupuncture is gaining momentum as a popular nonconventional treatment method for chronic neck pain. He also adds that, the method has been well tolerated and has low risk of adverse effects. (Liang et al, 2008) says that, a combination of both traditional and modern acupuncture technique usually result in a documented and improved neck pain patterns. (Blossfeldt, 2004) adds that acupuncture is widely accepted and it is utilized as a complementary therapy useful in neck pain management originating from cervical spondylitis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers have carried out studies relating to acupuncture systematic review with an aim to find out on acupuncture effectiveness. The studies have found effectiveness evidence as inconclusive (salter et al, 2004). There are studies which have produced results which are positively favoring acupuncture and there are other results which have produced negative findings on the effective of the method (salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the varying results, this research was developed to find out on the effectiveness of acupuncture method as a non-conventional method in treatment of chronic neck pains in relation to other research findings. In respect to national health statistics and reports, Survey data analysis can be used by medical professionals to measure the pain levels of patients before and after acupuncture treatment. Gathering results from various studies and comparing with the structures of acupuncture and preventive measures of neck pains can help us determine on the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment method. In this literature review the researcher will review on 1) how to establish the viability of acupuncture therapies in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 2) understanding of how sham, shallow and randomized acupuncture therapies are utilized in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 3)provide a conclusive evidence of the success of acupunctu re as an ideal method of relieving pain; 4)establish the effects of the three acupuncture therapies in the treatment of individuals with chronic pain of the neck; 5)offer recommendation of the viability of acupuncture as a treatment option that can be used by people with chronic neck pains. The researcher will also compare the duration of acupuncture treatment with other methods and also the cost associated and risk factors thereof.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   METHODOLOGYTarget PopulationThe research data collected in this study focused on patients suffering from chronic neck pain. The individuals used in the research fell within the age of 21 and 55 years old. Although there are many patients who report about neck pain ailments in different health care facilities across the United States, patients withinthe ages of 21 and 55 years old were ideal for this research study. This was due to the fact that they were easier to track their progress of healing over a longer period of time. Elderly patients over the age of 55 years were not best placed in this research considering the various attributes in the healing processes of such people, which was proven to be relatively lower. Most of the data aboutindividuals with chronic pain of the neck was randomly collected in health care facilities in the State of California, United States. The majority of these patients were diagnosed with chronic neck pain and were put under a special focus while three acupuncture methods of therapies were performed(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study generally involved a thorough investigation of 191 patients in California’s health care. It is important to acknowledge that the various patients were deliberately initiated to acupuncture treatment as their decision to try the alternative medical practice after unsuccessful treatments in the mainstream medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were certainly no limitation on the sex of the patients; hence the research involved both male and female patients. Additionally, there was no specified number of male or females in the study, as patients, treatment and progress of treatment of patients was randomly taken. Further, it was assumed that both male and female patients presented similar responses to the different acupuncture therapies performed in the study(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).The research was not limited by either ethnicity or race, although believed to have different characteristics in regard to various medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Variables of the studyThe dependent variables in this study included the neck pain as an ailment caused by various aspects such as physical injury and disease or condition among others. The rates of cases involving chronic neck pains during the period of this study were generally unprecedented as the causes of such ailments greatly varied. Chronic neck pain among the patients varied in regard to the specific causes, which in this case included degenerative disc disease, neck injury, neck strain, herniated disc as well as pinched neck(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850). The first step in the treatment procedure involved a thorough diagnosis of common neck infections that caused the chronic pain. The research exploits treatment of such neck pains using acupuncture which falls into three categories including optimized acupuncture, shallow acupuncture and sham acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research LimitationsThe key limitations were based on neck pain due to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. It was difficult in the study since some of patients did not present themselves on the day of the study. The study also used a large number of patients which was a challenge for the researcher. The different patients involved in this study had chronic neck pains attributed to extremely different causes, which included physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others(Witt 2004, p. 99). The patients with this problem are generally taken through the three acupuncture therapies, regardless of the cause of their condition(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The fact that all patients are uniformly taken into similar medical procedures without being categorized in relation to their specific cause of chronic neck pain remain as the greatest limiting attribute of this research. Additionally, time was a limiting factor since the time allowed for the research was not enough to efficiently tackle critically the objectives of the study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research criteria and Database usedIn this study, the items were collected through searching peer reviewed journal articles and therefore, the researcher thoroughly searched in various databases for article that provided information for patients suffering from chronic neck pains, specifically those individuals between the age of 21 and 55 years old. The researcher further categorized the data collected to form two groups of patients of the age bracket of 21 and 34 years and those between 35 and 55 years old. The creation of these two groups was essential as taking a wider range of people of ages 21 to 55 years old would present relatively a higher deviation in the healing processes of the patients, as those above the age of 35 years present a much longer period of healing as compared to the youthful 21 to 34 years group. The researcher focused the search on SPORT Discus, Academic Search Premier, BMJ Research Articles and Gov., database.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keywords used in the studyThe key terms the researcher commonly used while searching for the relevant articles included: Chronic neck pain, cervical pain types of acupuncture, alternative medicine, Sham acupuncture, Shallow acupuncture and Randomized acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   OVERVIEW OF ACUPUNCTURE PRACTICEPracticing acupuncture started many centuries ago as a type of medication in China. It is the practice of implanting needles at certain points of the human skin as a form of therapy. In acupuncture practices, there is no involvement of drugs but only the needles are enough to accomplish the therapy (Liang et al, 8). The practice originated from China and has been noted to spread all over west of Europe (Liang et al, 8).As argued by the model on Chinese medicine, the specific places that the acupuncture needles are placed lies on the path named meridians where the dynamic energy goes through, hence allowing its access to control and regulate the flow of energy which is believed to be the cause of force imbalance (Willich et al, 2006, p. 98).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Populations and AcupunctureAcupuncture has been practiced in several parts globally, especially in Europe even though it is in its inception stages in the United States. According to NHI survey done in the year 2007 that also considered the use of CAM in America,where 1.4% of the respondents were found to be using acupuncture before then. The 3.1 million of the American population claimed they only practice it majorly for severe migraine and repetitive pain. The study showed that half of the respondents used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pain (Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The practice should obviously be regarded by physicians as an ideal treatment preference due to the backing it has received from those individuals who have used it in the treatment of chronic neck pain. Subsequently, the study did not restrict the adults basing on their gender due to limited research.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CHRONIC NECK PAINChronic neck pain is an ailment that is characterized by pain in the neck that lasts for an unusually long period of time, commonly over a period of three months(Blossfeldt, 2004). Although different from the common medical conditions of neck pains that last for only days, chronic neck pain is typically an ailment that takes even years without success in its treatment in the mainstream medical practices(Irnich, 2002). Chronic neck pain is usually associated with a number of disorders, as well as diseases that can involve any of the tissues around the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). For instance, the common causes of this condition are strains of the neck, injury of the neck like a herniated disc, pinched disc, or whiplash, and degenerative disc disease. In addition, chronic neck pain is also linked to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. Some patients also had chronic neck pains caused by extremely different causes, which include physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others. Further, chronic neck pain is also caused by certain infections like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RISK FACTORS OF CHRONIC NECK PAINSChronic neck pain is generally caused by numerous factors ranging from physical injury to certain infections around the neck body tissues. Since neck pain affects the muscles around the body areas of the neck, it becomes painful to move the neck (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). In order to avoid or to prevent neck pains for the patients, it is always essential to consider staying away from activities may twist the neck and subsequently aggravate the already painful section of the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). Therisk factors for the pain usually include injury from involvement in activities like motor vehicle accidents, horse riding, contact sports and bull riding among others, degeneration of cervical disc also known as Spondylitis, neck bent and twisting positions (De Loose, 2008, p. 475).In addition, it is also advisable to have activities that will enhance neck strengthening exercise, as well as neck bracing, reduc e TV watching usage of safety belts in motor vehicles and going to the gym for exercise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TYPES OF ACUPUNCTURE USED IN CHRONIC NECK PAIN TREATMENTOptimized acupuncture therapyThe practice of optimized acupuncture therapy involves the utilization of traditional acupuncture, which is usually followed by intradermal needle therapy, commonly referred to as INT(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The use of OAT usually consists of the use of nine acupuncture points typically selected for an optimized acupuncture therapy group on the advice and consensus of the national expert committee of the OAT procedures. In this case, four points are subsequently located by physician intending to perform the OAT. The points selected are usually the cervical positive reactions planes found in the top and bottom of the cervical planes as well as horizontally away from the corresponding cervical vertebra(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study found that this type of acupuncture practice is highly sensitive and hence the need to be performed by an individual with more than five of practice experiences   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sham acupuncture therapyThe practice is put into use only as a tool for control in the scientific research in order to measure the efficiency of real acupuncture in various disease treatment. This type of acupuncture involves the use of skin penetrating shallow needles on the specified sham groups’ tender points.The tender points that are used in this method of acupuncture therapy are categorized as the key areas recommended for the acupuncture, which are the Ah Shee, also referred to as â€Å"oh yes point†. The points are crucial in this therapy and have to be used throughout the treatment procedure. Typically, the location of sham points is commonly defined by 25mm lateral extending to the standard location used for the OAT group.They include: the sham point of Dazhui (GV14) 25mm, which is 25 mm vertically below the usual standard GV14, sham points of (S115) Jianzhongshu and Huatuojiaji, which is 25 mm lateral to standard S 115 (Liang et al, 8). After the sham acupuncture, individuals undergoing the process or patients are treated through the use of point pressing (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). The findings show that a patient does not notice whether it is sham or real acupuncture being used. The results showed that the variation between real and sham practices are caused by habituation or the control effects. If the real acupuncture is efficient compared to the sham, then the habituation and control effects such as expectations of the patient, behavior and beliefs are present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shallow acupuncture therapyShallow acupuncture group undergoes similar procedures as the other OAT groups.However, the physicians are required to insert the needles in a vertical manner in order to reach the subcutaneous level at a specified depth of not more than 3 mm (Salter et al, 2004). Needle manipulation or any other sensation is prohibited in this particular group. Ultimately, after the shallow acupuncture, the patients are additionally treated by INT through the use of a similar method as in the other OAT groups. It was found that the therapy do not fully treat the pain fully due to its shallow penetration hence the need for additional treatment that follow the same procedures. It results to a more efficient treatment in comparison to other therapies though takes much time (Salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ACUPUNCTURE AS AN IDEAL METHOD COMPARED TO PHYSIOTHERAPYZhuang (2012); Robertshawe, (2008), compares the use of acupuncture and physiotherapy in the treatment of chronic neck pain in a research that took place in China. The research involved screening of a total of 310 patients. The patients were then randomly split into two equal groups, where one group was treated using acupuncture method, while the other group received treatment through physiotherapy. The outcome of the treatment of the two procedures revealed that patients treated under acupuncture procedures had better results in relieving neck pain, particularly after a period of three months. It is essential to acknowledge that physiotherapy is an alternative medical practice that can be used in the treatment of chronic neck pain. While acupuncture therapies generally used sterilizes needles that are usually inserted in the area around the neck depending on the type of acupuncture u sed, physiotherapy does not involve the use of needles. Physiotherapy utilizes several types of manipulation as well as exercise to relieve pain. The common illustration of the use of physiotherapy is the stretch, strengthen and straighten up exercise movements of the neck (Robertshawe, 2008; Willich, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTWhite, (2001); Ji-Eun, (2010), researched about the adverse effects following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain. In his survey, which included a prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with physiotherapists and doctors, the researcher, Adrian White aimed at ascertaining the incidence of adverse effects that are related to acupuncture treatment, as practiced by British doctors during that time. The research utilized data that were collected for the June of 1998 to February of 2000, from a total of 78 acupuncturists. Altogether the resulting significant effects were 43, subsequently giving only a rate of only 14 patients of the 10,000 patients included in the data. The results of this study showed that only 0.14 percent of the patients who used acupuncture in the treatment of chronic pain experience adverse effects (White, 2001). All the adverse effects were reported to have had cleared within the period of one week after the therapy. Similar diminishing effects were characterized at a longer period, except for only one incident that lasted for several weeks. The result derived from the data of acupuncture treatment did not report any serious adverse effects. The rates can only be classified as minimal considering that it was only 14 adverse effects out of the total 10,000 patients who were analyzed with the data provided (White, 2001; Ji-Eun, 2010). Generally, these effect rates do not give significant risk per individual patient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RECOMMENDATION ON ACUPUNCTURE’S VIABILITYThe article by Chen, et al., (2010), offers exclusive views on acupuncture given by various physicians. The research by Chen among other authors who contributed to the article, there study targets collecting information that addresses the role of acupuncture in the management of pain in regard to opinions of physicians who manage such conditions. The research was conducted between 2007 and 2008 using a nationwide e-mail to 1083 physicians who were in active acupuncture practice in the United States. Chan et al., (2010) found that the overwhelmingly majority of the responders of the survey had a positive attitude and favorable experience of the use of acupuncture as an alternative modality in the management of chronic pain. The results of the survey subsequently indicate that acupuncture is considered effective by physicians in the management of chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CASE STUDIES:Acupuncture for patients with chronic neck painWitt et al., (2006) undertook the study in examining how effective acupuncture as an alternative treatment for neck pain treatment in comparison to patients who used routine medical care. The study used a random approach of more than 14000 individuals aged above 18 suffering from neck pain symptoms within a period of 6 months. Also took a non-acupuncture for 15 sessions within a period of 3 months. The acupuncture category were given injections without any other acupuncture treatment. The group which was controlled was not treated using acupuncture but both groups could use any other mode of treatment. The study found out that patients using routine care and add on acupuncture treatment showed significant improvements in both pain and quality of their lives in comparison to patients who only used routine treatments. Therefore, the results concludes that acupuncture can be used alo ngside routine treatments to achieve optimal results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Efficacy and safety of acupunctureVas, et al, (2006) conducted a study to establish the effectiveness of acupuncture vis a vis placebo. Both methods were to be utilized to treat chronic neck pains that were not complicated. (N=123) patients, who were over the ages 17 and who possessed chronic neck pains for over 3 months were used. They were randomly selected into 2 groups, the acupuncture group and placebo group. For 3 weeks, the acupuncture group was treated with 5 acupuncture treatments. The treatment characteristics were, 30 minutes treatment followed by 10 minutes manual treatments. While the placebo group was subjected to transcutaneous nerve stimulation, which was characterized by 30 minutes of treatment and the potentiometer was being adjusted after every 10 minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The findings from this study were that, acupuncture as a form of neck treatment had minimal side effects. For overall effectiveness, acupuncture was found to have higher effectiveness than placebo. Researchers conclusively said that, acupuncture was effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DISCUSSIONIn its broad context, this research has dwelled in covering all the related material on acupuncture and especially its effectiveness in treatment of acupuncture. Most are the studies which have found considerable effectiveness and a few studies have found less significant improvement in acupuncture use. The researchers (salter et al, 2006; Liang et al 2012; Chen et al 2010; vas et al 2006) have favorably recognized acupuncture as an effective non-conventional treatment method.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the review above, it is evident that all the methods of acupuncture are effective in treatment of chronic neck pains. Sham, optimization and shallow acupuncture all have a capacity of effectiveness when administered well. The various studies by salter have provided solid practical evidence and information on patients’ health upon using all the three types of acupuncture in treatment of patients and individuals (salter et al 2004). For example in 2007, a national health interview survey in America found that, 1.4% of respondents have used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pains. That percentage reported success, which is a testament to acupunctures effectiveness (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Blossfeldt, 2004) in his research notes that, acupuncture optimized technique success rate was a favorable 68%. Blossfeldt also noted that, on short term basis, acupuncture was 78% effective, while on long term basis it was 49% effective. Salter also found out on effectiveness of acupuncture. The neck pain questionnaire that he used for a period of 3 months, found out that, of the 34 % of the patients who have neck pains, 14% of these have effectively used acupuncture therapy (salter et al 2004) another researcher Liang, who conducted studies in china in association with other scholars, they found out that optimized acupuncture as a method of treating chronic neck pains was very effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although I extensively performed research on a wide range of databases, there are some articles that may have been missed out. Since I was individually conducting this research alone, it is possible that the large number of crucial articles were subsequently overlooked. In addition, there are many external factors that could have influenced the entire result of the use of acupuncture as an ideal treatment for chronic neck pain. The majority of studies slightly differ in a number of issues such as data collected, population, or any of combinations of these factors. White (2001) precisely researched about the adverse events following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain, with an extreme number of respondents. Chen, L. et al., (2010), had a relatively smaller number of responders, and also had collection of data to be collected only through email in his research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of chronic pain in the neck. These are some of the factors that were out of the scope of the research, hence determining the effectiveness of acupuncture was difficult, since the aspect of effectiveness could easily be isolated from some external factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The analysis of the specific information provided by the studies of the literature review of this research paper indicates that either of the three methods of acupuncture can effectively treat the chronic neck pain. The procedural practice of sham, shallow and optimized acupuncture, though different, they present similar way of performing the acupuncture therapy, equally offering effective treatment for chronic neck pain. Liang et al, (2012) asserts that the three types of acupuncture to be based on the thought that decrease or alienation of pain can be enhanced by releasing the chemicals responsible for blocking pain. Issues of age in the study have been considered as the research only focused on individuals between 21 years old and 55 years, as they are likely to have a faster period of healing as compared to adult elderly groups of more than 55 years old. Generally, the use of acupuncture is illustrated as effective as it has previously been used to treat patients with chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The loopholes evident in the research include the possibility of a prior knowledge in determining the differences that may emerge upon consideration for gender in the treatment program. In the entire study, there is no single explanation of the ratio of females against the males in finding out the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment procedures. The study focused on a general perspective of patients with chronic neck pain regardless of their respective sex or gender. The knowledge of the differences that exist between males and females could have some effects on the understanding the use of acupuncture. In addition, the paper did not focus on the causes of the various neck pain, which could also compromise the results of the study, considering that such plans are typically attributed to a wide variety of causes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Topics that can be considered for further research are establishing the element of gender in determining the effectiveness of acupuncture while treating chronic neck problem. The various studies illustrated in the research paper did not point out the importance of understanding differences in the healing process of male and female patients with chronic neck pain. I suggest a study be conducted with a major emphasis on the aspect of gender differences between patients in order to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for neck pain in male and female patients. 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