Implementing Computer Technology in Secondary Schools Essay Example for Free

Implementing Computer Technology in Secondary Schools Essay In 1999, The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) conducted a study on pedagogical practices of teachers and students of elementary and secondary schools in 30 nations, and the role of technology the said practices (â€Å"The Second Information Technology in Education Study: Module 2†, n. d. ). It was found out that as of 1999, 12% of elementary students and 3% of those in intermediate and secondary schools do not have Internet access in their schools (â€Å"Computer Technology in Schools†, 1999). Such number would considerably be large still, if the period when the benefits of the application of computer technology in education was implied, is taken into account. Computer technology for the use of students in schools started out as computer laboratories (Lynch, 2000), which until now, is continuously evolving to becoming a tool for learning. That the integration of computer technology in schools is still on process, suggests that although its advantages have been persistently advocated, there are also powerful sociocultural and developmental forces that oppose its progression. According to Meredyth, et. al. , (1999), the status quo in the mode of instruction slows the efforts to integrate computer technology in secondary schools. At first, the people who were against the implementation of computer technology in schools argue that this would result in the replacement human instructors and making them obsolete (Richmond, n. d). As it becomes clear that the this would not necessarily become so, that is, there would only be an evolution of role from plain instructor to facilitator, the problem with the implementation now centers on the lack of physical resources (Richmond, n. d. ) and the instructors’ lack of training (Lynch, 2000). This implies that the role of computer technology in the education of secondary students per se is not, today, the major consideration in its application and the need for a clear definition of its role is necessary to speed up decisions on whether there is really a necessity for the addition or retention of the number of computer hardware in schools, or should there be in need of compulsory technical training for instructors. According to Richmond (n. d.), there are two major problems in the implementation of computer technology in education: (1) the goals and purposes of implementation are unclear; (2) the implementors do not fully understand the changes necessary for the implementation of technology in education. These problems must be addressed first if success is wanted. Although both are important aspects of the implementation, this paper will focus in defining the goal, purposes or role of computer technology in student achievement at the secondary school level. To understand this critical role, it is very important to know first the basics about some theories of learning and its current application to education technology. The theory of Cognitive Constructivism states that learning happens through the learners’ active efforts to assimilation new information imposed either by the instructor or by self-discovey (â€Å"Theories of Learning†, 2006). This means that learners must be able to relate what they learn to their experiences or experience the learning itself to be able to fully understand it. One example of this is driving. In order to learn to drive a vehicle, one must not only know that vehicles are powered by gasoline, controlled using a steering wheel, has a gas pedal to move forward or backward and a break pedal to make it stop. He or she has to experience driving to know and fully understand the significance of each theory he or she is made to know. And this experience is very important if he or she is to make life-or-death decisions once he or she takes the road. Computer technology, when related to learning may be applied in a similar way, by providing a means to simulate reality to give the students a feel of what may or may not happen as a result of their decisions. Such is the function of simulations: to instill in learners goals which are similar to reality and resultant feelings that are similar to what may happen in real life because of the as a result of the decisions imposed by the program. A lot of simulation programs have now been developed for different purposes. Sim City provides the learner-gamer an experience of building a city and a feel of becoming a Mayor. The learner-gamer is subconsciously taught of the importance of planning and how each decision might give a positive effect (here, in the form of increase in the city’s revenue) or negative (in the form of rallies and decrease in the city’s revenue). Business simulations provide learners with vicarious experience of actually owning and handling investments without the need of using or losing real money. Design programs provide the learner-designer with an idea or view of the possible perspectives or outcome of each design in mind and an opportunity to manipulate or change it according to his or her desires even before actual realization of the design. There are also simulations in many different subjects like biology physics and chemistry, which can provide the learner with the opportunity to visualize the theories and manipulate situations and then see the results as would happen if the theories are applied. Simulations have been used for decades by the aviation and military industry and just until recently, the costs of simulations have prevented smaller institutions to avail its benefits (Boehle, n. d. ). Although, still not cheap, mass production, added to the said drastic improvement in learning retention rates (Boehle, n. d. ), simulations provide a very efficient tool for learning. There is a 75-80% boost in learning retention rate for students in simulations (Boehle, n. d. ) Social Constructivism believes that knowledge is socially constructed, that is, retention of information is achieved through group efforts (â€Å"Theories of Learning†, 2006). † This is learning with others and through others’ input and ideas conjoined with one’s own. This theory emphasizes the importance of other’s opinion usually for the purpose of the improvement of the said work. Applied to computer technology in its role in secondary education, this allows for interaction among many different people, not limited to those in classroom but also stretches to people in different time zones. This allows for assimilation of new and varied ideas from different people from different places who usually have different ideas about different issues, strengthening ones reasoning and improving one’s knowledge about many different areas and at the same time improving one’s social skill. The most usual form of technology which applies the Social Constructivism theory is forums. A lot of forums can be found in the internet, all areas of knowledge with its own: arts, sciences, mathematics, and philosophy. The Theory of Behaviorism believes that knowledge is a â€Å"repertoire of behavioral responses to environmental stimuli (â€Å"Theories of Learning†, 2006). † According to this theory, learning happens through repetition and reinforcement, usually with the instructor speaking and the learner, listening. This learning theory is opposite of Cognitive Constructivism in that learners gain knowledge passively. This is the most common type of instructional mode used in schools. Still, this instructional mode can also be applied to computer technology. Tutorials in cd’s are now widely available in the market. These products simulate what and how teachers teach in an actual class, explaining concepts with voice recordings combined with moving pictures for visualization. It also comes with practice exercises much like what teachers would give to their students to evaluate the student’s learning. The only difference is that, these products can be used by the student alone, even at home.

Social Science Journals and Impact Factor Essay Example for Free

Social Science Journals and Impact Factor Essay There is a proper way to deal with journalists that commit misconducts in their research publications in social sciences journals. Policies and procedures have been put into place to assist in the proper handling of researchers when they behave unethically. Editors must protect the integrity of the journals and the research, when allegations of research misconduct arise. This can pose a difficult task. Journals have had to rethink how to deal with such allegations and misconduct. â€Å"Editors must also think about the potential legal liability if the innocent scientists reputation has become damaged† (Resnik, Patrone, Peddada, 2010). Scientists need to remain credible and reputable, so accusations of unethical misconduct involved in their research can cause an uproar. The Committee on Publication Ethics, also know as COPE, issues an agreement that stated journals must develop misconduct policies, in 1999, and in 2006, issued standard procedures for handling with the misconduct in scientific journals. It is not yet a requirement, but a guidance of how situations should be handled when misconduct is brought to the attention of the editors of the publications. Research was done regarding the number of scientific journals had, in place, a policy detailing the use and reporting of unethical research practices. According to the article, â€Å"A misconduct policy is defined as statements about the definition of misconduct or procedures for responding to misconduct† (Resnik, Patrone, Peddada, 2010). For example, the policy described â€Å"how to report allegations of misconduct† (Resnik, Patrone, Peddada, 2010), and â€Å"how to correct the scientific literature in response to misconduct† (Resnik, Patrone, Peddada, 2010). The definitions of misconduct would not be limited to the U.S. Federal governments definition of misconduct: fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. Other types of misconduct must be recognized as well, such as animal abuse or misuse of human subjects. The research shows that â€Å"less than half of the journals in the combined data set had formal misconduct policies† (Resnik, Patrone, Peddad a, 2010), although it is recommended by COPE. It is thought that since editors have been made conscious of the misconduct in the scientific research, that more misconduct policies would be in place by now. It is thought that maybe many journals have not developed these policies yet,  because journal editors do not view misconduct as a common problem when they should. Many editors view the misconduct as a something that happens on a rare occasion and are not motivated to develop the policies that are needed to properly handle it. If this issue was properly handled, accusations could not be made, as long as proper protocols were in place and followed appropriately. These kinds of policies have more benefits and a sort of security, but when writing for journals that do not have them in place can be dangerous to the reputations of the researchers and the publishers. Less than half of the reported journals have policies in place, and it would be beneficial to the rest of them to follow suit. The people effected by the misconduct of unethical journals are the participants in the research, as well as the publication the journal is referenced in. If it became a requirement of the social science journals to have policies in place, less accusations would be made about the behavior of the editors and journalists. It is important to remain completely ethical and avoid tarnishing the reputation of the scientists and journalists involved in the publications. This will help aim the publications to remain full of integrity and regarded as highly ethical. More support will come from journals that are deemed ethical, than those that are not, especially in the social science department. It is hopeful that in the near future more editors around the globe will obtain policies that require ethical research to be conducted in order for the research to become published. This would effect not only the reputations of the editors and journals, it would improve the reliability of the information that is provided in the research. It is the opinion of many in the field of social science research, that policies and procedures for handling unethical research practices are put in place, so that their years of hard work and dedication does not become undeniable. One accusation to a scientist could lead to many accusations of past and all future research. So if the guidelines were presently in place, this could be avoided. Until that happens, though, there will remain a certain percent of scientific research that is deemed unethical, and most likely will not be published. References Resnik, D. B., Patrone, D., Peddada, S. (2010). Research Misconduct Policies of Social Science Journals and Impact Factor. Accountability In Research: Policies Quality Assurance, 17(2), 79-84. doi:10.1080/08989621003641181

How does the novel Of Mice And Men reflect life in the 1930s Essay Example for Free

How does the novel Of Mice And Men reflect life in the 1930s Essay Question-How does the novel Of Mice And Men reflect life in the 1930s John Steinbeck was born in 1902 in Salinas, California. His mother was a teacher and the reason why he learned to love books and his father was a county treasurer. He attended his local school and in the holidays worked on farms and ranches, this is the reason he is able to give such an insight to how life was there. After school he went to Stanford university studying marine biology but did not get a degree. He then went to New York for a short time were he worked as a reporter for the American Newspaper, before going back to California to concentrate on is writing. He wrote many books including Sea of Cortez, Of Mice An Men and A Russian Journal Before winning a noble Prize for Literature in 1962. The novel I am doing this essay on I Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, set in California. The book was written In 1936 and also based in this period. This is in the middle of the great depression, which started in 1930 when firms and 2298 banks went bust and losing everybodies savings and finished at the beginning of the second world war. During the depression millions of people were left wandering around looking for jobs and surviving any way they could. All this came just after the boom of the 1920s where it was easy to find work and everybody was paid very well. In the 30s Steinbeck was also one of the 13million people without a proper job, this is because his writing alone would not be able to support him. This is similar to page 11 in the book where Lennie and George are looking for jobs, they also didnt have much money so they are unable so buy the simplest things such as ketchup for their baked beans. Steinbeck found a job and found out how hard the work is on a ranch, he uses is experiences on Lennie and George as they also found a job a ranch in California and had to work very hard, just to get there $50s a month. The reason why Lennie and George kept working is because of their dream. The Dream was to own a small farm in the country side with animals and crops, they have this dream because it is the only thing they have to look forward to in life, and as they as they money to achieve the dream it gives them a reason to work. Because of the depression all the other plans have been ruined as there is not even enough money to buy food, they need a dream to keep them going. George and Lennie are the main characters in the story, Lennie is a very big strong man but when he was young he kicked in the head by a horse. This caused him brain damage and he now is unable to make his own decisions and generally acts like a small child, this story was one told by George so people didnt think Lennie was born this way. He is described by George as a big dumb bastard who is no good for himself. Even though George says this sometimes he is still always there for him. He had been looking after Lennie nearly all his life and always tries to help him. George is the person who keeps control of what they do. He takes control of everything from getting them both jobs to what they eat. He even speaks for Lennie, like when they arrive at the ranch they have to go and speak to the owner, before they go in George even tells Lennie not to speak, and any questions that Lennie does get asked George answers for him. Crooks is the only black man working on the ranch. He is treated with the least respect and is made to sleep on his own in a little shed next to a dung pile. He knows where he stands, which is at the bottom. He is shown no respect except for his job as he is very good at it and when he is playing horse shoe as he is also very good at that. At the time the book was written in the 1930s in the height of the Klu Klux Klan (kkk) who wanted total segregation and destruction of other races. They referred to blacks as niggers and would hang them for anything and sometimes nothing. Crooks knew to stay out of the way and to be careful. He is called crooks because of his crooked back, he has this disability because he was kicked in the back by a horse. When Lennie walks into Crooks bunkhouse, he tries to get rid off him but when he cant he takes advantage of his slowness. He tries to speak to Lennie and treat him like the other white men treat Crooks. He to get Lennie to understand what life is like for him by saying suppose George didnt ever come back from town, because then he would be on his own like Crooks. But Lennie didnt her the suppose at the beginning of the sentence and got very angry towards Crooks and got very worried. Out of life Crooks wanted to be treated equally and be given the same rights, like when he used to play with the white children when he was a child before he knew it was wrong. He wanted to be a lawyer, it was his dream but he couldnt because he was black. He wanted to be able to live in normal accommodation like the other workers instead he lived in a small room the connected to the harness room next to a dung pile. In his room he had many possessions, he more than he would be able to carry, this shows he had good job security. Many of his possessions were books, he had lots because he had collected them but mainly because he is extremely clever and liked to read. Crooks is very lonely in the book, and it probably related to real life as well. He was very lonely because he had no friends because the whites werent allowed to speak to him a most of the blacks had move away from the southern states, and he also did not have any family in California. Overall I think Crooks character reflects life in 30s very well. Like in life he is separated from the whites and is given no respect and looked down upon. Curleys wife is also an icon for life in the 30s. She does not have a name and does not work. In the book she is put across as less important than the men, and a lot of time she is told what to do by the men. Her character is vain and also gets angry and defensive very quickly. She also is very sarcastic and doesnt seem to be very bright. She like crooks is separated, she is separated from other women and doesnt seem to be very bright. She like Crooks is separated, she is separated from other women. Not once in the book does she leave to see any friends or leave the ranch at all. Also like Crooks she cant fulfil her wishes or dreams. Crooks wants to be lawyer but cant, because hes black and Curleys wife wants to be able to go to Hollywood and be an actress. She has been denied the opportunity by being forced to stay on the ranch. There are so important because it gives them something to look forward to in life, it keeps them going. In the novel Curleys wife represents how women were not as important as men. She comes across as very silly, not very bright and the other men think that she could get someone in serious trouble. She has also not been given a name in the book, she is always referred to as Curleys wife, this is to show that she is insignificant and not as important as the men. She is the only women on the ranch and has no job, her only role is being a house wife. On the ranch all the men want to stay away from her because they think she will get them into trouble. Therefore She has nobody to talk to or tell about her dream to be a big time movie star. But when Lennie turns up she realises that he is to slow and nice not to listen or to walk away if she talked to him. So when she realises this she confides in him and tells everything she hasnt told any one else. Although she is very unhappy with Curley and says that he is bad man, she stays with him. This could because she knows one day he will get the ranch and have quite a lot of money compared to everyone else. She knows that if she sticks with him she will have a secure future. However one of the reasons why the men stay away from her is because she is a flirt and could get them into trouble. For example when Lennie and George first started working she came over to George and flirted with him. She would have to be careful because if she did get caught with another man she could be kicked out, and then would not have such a secure future. The men mainly see women as people they tell what to do and sleep with. They dont treat any women with respect except for Susi who runs the brothel in town, they tend to teat her with some respect as she shows them a good time, is nice and is honest. The men go town to go to the brothel to sleep with women at the end of each month when they get their pay. On page 55 they talk about Susis place saying things like Susis a laugh, Theres no water in her whisky implying that she is honest. They generally talk about what a nice place it is and how nice Susi is. From this you can tell that she is the only women they give any respect. Although Curley never really showed his wife any respect or showed he loved her. When Lennie killed her he goes cold and gets very mad and upset. He immediately gets his gun and organises two teams to find Lennie and shoot him. This shows that he did love her even though he didnt treat her very well. Another character is Slim, he tends to keep to himself and is very calm and quiet. Although he is quiet he has natural authority on the ranch, all the other men listen to him and take his advice. Even Curley listens and is scared of him, for example when Curley came into the bunkhouse looking for a fight Slim just stood up and Curley backed down. Also when Lennie Crushed Curleys hand Slim tells him to say that he hurt his hand in a machine. Curley is the boss son, he has a big ego and is very aggressive and quick tempered. He tries to pick fights with every one possibly because he wants control. The reason why he has a big ego and is quick to start a fight is because he is a good boxer, he even got a golden glove trophy for winning a tournament. Because his father had quite a lot of money compared to other people in the 1930s and the fact that he is white makes him feel superior and more important than any one else. The last character is Candy, the swamper. His job on the ranch is to go around and sweep up. The reason he does this job is because he is very old and has only got one hand, after losing his other in an accident with a machine. His best friend is his dog, which he has had all his life. However the other workers dont dog like the dog and say its no good for its self and smells. It would be better to put it down. Candy is also very keep to get in with George and Lennies dream as he is getting old and afraid the boss will just get rid of him when he is no good. Lennie and George among the other millions of people move around from job to job because when the job is done there is nothing else to do in this place. However Lennie and George tend to travel round more than others do because Lennie is always getting them in trouble. For example when they were in Weed digging the cesspit they had to leave in a hurry because Lennie had been accused of rape. Although what really happened was (from the book) Lennie saw a girl wearing pretty red dress which he liked the look of. And because he liked the look of it he grabbed it. the girl started to panic and ran out to a field where lots of men were walking screaming rape. George talking in the bunk house. Soon the men were chasing Lennie and George across fields and they ended up hiding in an irrigation ditch. None of the characters in the story talk much of their families except Lennie and George who briefly mention Lennies aunt Clara. I think this is significant because many of the mean had to leave their families to find work and if they do think of them they will begin to miss them which could effect their work, which could cause them to lose their job. The workers accommodation is very poor. All they have is a very small bed and a shelf. When George first went to his bed he found a bar of lice killer. All the workers get $50s a month, most of the men spend the majority of their money a the cat house in town where they pay for sex and alcohol. The boss looks down to the men as just workers, he doesnt interact with the men. The workers see the boss as very quick tempered but generally okay. On page 21 George asks Candy about the boss, he says what kind of a guy is the boss. Candy replies well, hes a pretty nice fellow. Gets pretty mad sometimes but nice. All the men dress in denim jeans and jacket. They wear these because they are very hard wearing and lasts along time. The way they dress reflects on how they are living. They are wearing tough clothes which relates to the fact they are sleeping rough and in they jobs they are having to do a lot of hard labour. Also they last for a long time because they dont have the money to buy more. Curley and his father have more than one set of clothes, and even suit but compared to every one else including Lennie and George this is a lot as they only have one set of clothes, all denim so they will last a long time. None of the men have many possessions, they only have what they can carry as they have no job security so if they get to much Stuff and get fired they would have to leave it behind. The only person who has a lot of possessions is Crooks, he has lots of books magazines and even a shotgun, this is because he is likely to keep his job because he is the best. None of the men have luxury items as none of them can afford any, this is because of the depression as there is no extra money. Lennie and George among all the men have a dream for better things. The dream is for them to own their own piece of land with their own animals to look after. To Lennie hearing the dream is like a small child hearing its favourite story. He knows how it goes but wants to hear it. Hes always asking George (like on page 16) to tell him the dream and how he is going to tend the rabbits. It seems that George doesnt really think the dream will happen, that its just something to keep them going but when Candy offers to put all his money into it he really begins to believe it can happen. But when Lennie goes into Crooks room and tells him the dream Crooks reaction is you nuts as he knows there is a very small chance of it happening. When Curleys wife enters she says I seen too many guys sayin they are gonna get their own piece of land and not one of em has. I think the story reflects life in the 30s brilliantly, all the characters show how life is, from Crooks showing how life was for blacks to Curleys wife showing how it was for women. In a way women are important in the story because they represent how they were treated as less important than men and there role in the 1930s. But in another way not thought as important characters in the novel because they are women and in this time the men didnt think they were as important as them. I think the story represents what life was really like for women in the 1930s correctly. In the story Crooks, Candy and his dog represent a world of intolerance quite well. In the book Crooks is a very useful person as he is very good at his job but is not tolerated by the other workers because he is black, compared to Candy who is old and not really any use to any one as all he can to is sweep the floor, but he is tolerated. This maybe because he is white, also because he is a human. When the other workers decide that Candys old dog is no good for its self, they take it out side and shoot it because it is only a dog. Candy says They wouldnt shoot me when Im no good, suggesting that white humans are tolerated more than dogs or black people. The workers respect each other and are polite to each other but at the same time its every man for him self as they cannot rely on anyone else to help them to much. The workers know its every man for himself as they no if they want anything such as to follow their dream they have to work for it themselves and not hope that other people will help them. Even though they know they are on their own all the workers are friends and watch out for each other on the ranch. Most of the men dont mind Lennie as they no he means well and is no trouble but Curley shows a more realistic view of him, which would better represent the 1930s better. Curley shows a lot of intolerance towards Lennie as he is seen as not normal, he shows this intolerance by continuously threatening him and in the end starting a fight with him. From looking over my work I believe the characters in the novel Of Mice And Men show that they were living in the 1930s very well. Their belongings jobs and actions all show that they were living in this period. I also believe the character of Crooks, Curleys wife and the boss all show how different people were treated at this time.

The French Revolution Essay Example for Free

The French Revolution Essay The events leading to the French Revolution are quite obvious. 30 million people living in France, most living in small, rural villages while less than a million people lived in Paris. The population was growing rapidly but the economy was not. The previous king had spent too much money fighting wars and the national debt was staggering. There was an obvious rift between classes; peasants were starving while the noble class continued to live opulent lifestyles. At the beginning of the Revolution, after the storming of the Bastille, the French monarch attempted to clean up their finances and a representative government was created, complete with a Declaration of Rights. This phase was led by the Third Estate of the Estates General. A legislative assembly was formed, and war was declared on Austria and Prussia. It was at the end of this phase in 1792 when King Louis XVI was forced to flee the throne. The second phase of the Revolution is known as the National Convention. After the death of the king in the beginning of 1793,the economy did not improve. This led to riots and counter-revolutionary activities which led toâ€Å"The Reign of Terror â€Å", run by Maximilen Robespierre. A committee for public safety was created, which arrested people for committing crimes, sometimes as small as stealing food, and sent them to the guillotine. Almost 17,000 people were be-headed during this time. In 1795, after the execution of Robespierre, a new constitution was created along with a new legislature. The French were tired of fighting and suffering, so despite distrusting the new legislature, called the Directory, most were willing to accept these changes. The Revolution ended in 1799, thanks to the military direction of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who eventually became the Emperor of France. He spent the first years of the Revolution fighting on the French island of Corsica. When he came to mainland France, he continued to fight for the Republicans. His military career, along with his popularity, had many ups and downs. He led military campaigns in Italy, Egypt and other countries and often had differences with higher ranking military officials. Napoleon became Emperor of France in 1804, five years after the revolution ended, essentially reinstating a type French monarchy. Over the course of ten years, he led more battles across Europe, divorced and re-married, and had the Pope imprisoned when he attempted to ex-communicate Bonaparte. Napoleon abdicated the throne in 1814 to his son, and was sent into exile, which he later escaped and was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815. He died in 1821 under British surveillance.

Human Rights In Saudi Arabia

Human Rights In Saudi Arabia Human rights refer to the legal, social or ethical principles of entitlement or liberties to which all humans are entitled (James, 2009). Proponents of this concept assert that each person is endowed with certain entitlements by reason of being human. These entitlements can be justified as moral norms, natural rights or even as legal rights, either at a national level or within international law. However, this concept has been the subject of intense debate and criticism as there is no consensus as to what should or should not be regarded as a human right. The modern conception of human rights, universalism, developed in the aftermath of World War II and its globalization was awakened by the crimes committed by Hitlers government (the Holocaust), which increased pressure on the need for a global system of accountability and stability. This resulted in the adoption of this concept by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a declaration adopted on 10 December 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly. This forum aimed at paving the way for universalism by resolving the cultural differences between member nations, an approach which some argue, has led to the needs of certain cultures being compromised. The concept of universalism was further boosted by the adoption of the International Criminal Court in June 1998, with its core aim being the enforcement and promotion of the values agreed upon by the member states of the United Nations. Over the course of the 20th century, many movements and groups have achieved intense social changes in the name of human rights. In North America and Western Europe, labor unions brought about laws which granted workers to strike and established minimum work conditions. The womens rights movement succeeded in gaining voting rights for women while the National liberation movements succeeded in driving out colonial powers in many countries. The United Nations, together with its member states, have developed much of the discussion and bodies of law that currently make up international human rights law and international humanitarian law. In reality, the concept of Universalism is basically based on Western philosophies and the values they place on the individual. This approach can be seen as a product of Christianity as well as the Greek philosophy and contends that one can use reason or nature to identify basic rights inherent to every human. This concept was challenged by a delegation led by China, Iran and Syria at the 1993 United Nations Conference on Human Rights which was held in Vienna. They argued that the current definition of human rights was not universal, but was based on Western morality and should therefore not be imposed as norms in non-western societies. They further argued that this concept disregarded the non-western societies historical and economic development and their cultural perceptions of what is wrong and right. Cultural relativism, by contrast, is based on the thought that there are no objective standards by which others can be judged. It was introduced by the sophist Protagoras, among others who empirically established that there exist many different cultures in the world and each are equally worthy. For example, female genital mutilation is not mandated by any religion, but has become a tradition in many different cultures in Africa, South America and Asia. On the other hand, it is considered by the international community as a violation of girls and womens rights, which has resulted in the outlaw of the culture in some countries. However, International Law has only recently begun to tackle the issue of cultural relativism by paying more attention to certain themes (Bozeman, 1971). In Saudi Arabia, human rights are intended to be based on Sharia, a set of Islamic religious laws under the rule of the House of Saud, the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (US Department of State, 2004). The government of Saudi Arabia has often been criticized for its treatment of political and religious minorities, homosexuality and women. The Human rights of this country are specified in article 26 of the Basic System of Governance of Saudi Arabia, a constitution- like charter which is in accordance with Sharia. The National Society for Human Rights was the first independent human rights organization in Saudi Arabia, and was established in 2004. In 2008, the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia, also known as the Shura Council, ratified the Arab Charter on Human Rights, a charter which affirms the principles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Charter and the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam. It provides for a number of traditional h uman rights, such as the right to liberty, protection of persons from torture, freedom to practice religious observance, among others. Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries in the world with judicial corporal punishment, the formal application of caning, whipping, birching and strapping as an official sentence by order of a court. In Saudi Arabia, judicial corporate punishment is carried out under Sharia, and includes whipping for lesser crimes such as drunkenness and sexual deviance and the amputations of hands and feet for more serious crimes such as robbery. This country also engages in capital punishment, which includes public executions by beheading. This is in accordance to strict interpretation of Islamic law as a punishment for rapists, murderers, and armed robbers. There were 191 executions in 2005, 38 in 2006, while in 2007; there were 153 executions (International, 2009). The government of Saudi Arabia has been criticized for lack of protection and violation of several human rights such as the freedom of religion. In this country, the practice of non-Muslim religions is aggressively prohibited. With the government declaration of the Holy Quran and the Sunna (tradition) of the Prophet Muhammad as the countrys constitution, Saudi Arabian law does not recognize religious freedom. Saudi Arabia, being an Islamic State, offers preferential treatment for Muslims and prohibits the burial of Non-Muslims on Saudi soil. During Ramadan, the month of fasting, eating, drinking or smoking during daylight hours in public is not allowed, even for Non-Muslims (Abdul, 2008). Foreign schools operating in Saudi Arabia are required to teach a yearly introductory segment on Islam and missionary work by any religions other than Salafi/Wahabi Islam is forbidden. Anti-Semitism, prejudice towards Jews as a result of hatred of their culture, religion and/or ethnic background, is very widespread in Saudi Arabia. In 2007, it was reported that a state website prohibited Jewish people and Israeli passport holders from entering the kingdom. The Saudi administration removed the offensive language, claiming that it was a mistake (CNN, 2004). A study of Saudi Arabias revised schoolbook curriculum in May 2006 discovered that the eighth grade book included text that discriminated against Christian infidels of the communion of Jesus. In Saudi Arabia, LGBT rights, initials referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, are not recognized. In accordance with Islamic morality, cross-dressing and homosexuality are seen as decadent acts and are treated as solemn crimes. These acts, as well as the involvement with any activity that hints at the existence of an organized gay community, are punishable by imprisonment, lashing, deportation for foreigners and sometimes execution. According to the law, all Saudi citizens infected with HIV or AIDS are entitled to protection of their privacy, free medical care and equal employment and educational opportunities. However, most Saudi hospitals will not treat infected patients and many hospitals and educational institutions are reluctant to share out government information about the disease. This is because of the stigma and strong taboos associated with how the virus can be spread (Yamani, 2005). However, the situation has started to change, with the government recognizing World AIDS Day, and permitting information about the disease to be published in local newspapers and journals. Any foreigner found to be HIV positive (or with any other serious medical condition), is deported back to their country. Political freedoms in Saudi Arabia are also curtailed, with the Saudi government restricting the freedom of speech and the press to forbid criticism of the government. Political organizations and trade unions are banned, public demonstrations are outlawed and Internet reception within Saudi Arabias borders is actively censored by the government. The arrest of Fouad al-Farhan, a prominent Saudi blogger and reformist in December 2007, was seen as a crackdown by the Saudi government on online dissent. He was jailed in solitary confinement, without charges, after criticizing several prominent Saudi business, media and religious figures (Murphy, 2008). Fouad was released on 26 April, 2008. In Saudi society, gender roles come from Sharia, Islamic law, as well as the tribal culture. All women, regardless of social status or age, are required to have a male guardian. Saudi women do not have voting rights, and cannot be elected to high political positions (Sasson, 2001). However, there is substantial evidence that Saudi women do not want radical change. Advocates of reform in this country reject the Western critics of Saudi Arabia for failing to understand the Islamic uniqueness of the Saudi society (Zoeph, 2010). Advocates argue that Saudi women do have rights, though these rights are dependent on their obligations in life. Majority of the Saudis do not view Islam as the main obstruction to womens rights and dismiss perceptions of Islam as being patriarchal as a Western typecast. To prove that Islam allows strong women, Saudis often invoke the life of Prophet Muhammad. Khadijah, the Prophets first wife, was a powerful businesswoman who employed him and is the one who initiated the marriage proposal. Aisha, another one of his wives, commanded an entire army at the Battle of Camel, a battle that took place in Iraq, at Basra in 656, and for this, she is the source of many hadiths (Betsy, 2010). Saudi women face discrimination in many aspects of their lives, such as the civil, common and religious systems. Despite the fact that they make up over 70% of those enrolled in public universities, due to social reasons, Saudi women only make up 5% of the national workforce. The efforts by the government to support expanded employment opportunities for women in this country met fierce resistance from the religious police, the labor ministry as well as the male citizenry (Canlas, 2006). In most parts of this country, it is believed that the role of the woman is to care for her husband and family. There is widespread segregation in Saudi homes, with some rooms having separate entrances for the men and women. Driving had been banned for women, until 1990, when it was introduced as official legislation after 47 women drove cars through Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Though illegal, women in areas outside the cities and in the rural areas of Saudi Arabia do drive cars (Y, 2009). Saudi women are permitted to fly aircraft, though they are required to be chauffeured to the airport (Bascio, 2007). Many Saudis believe that allowing Saudi women the right to drive could lead to an erosion of traditional values and Western-style openness. Before a Royal Decree in 2008, women were not permitted to enter furnished apartments or hotels without a mahram or chaperon. With the decree, the only requirements they needed were their national ID cards, and the hotel must inform the nearest police station of their length of stay as well as the room reservation (Canlas J. , 2008). The current government, under King Abdullah, is considered reformist. This government has appointed the first female cabinet member, opened the nations first co-educational university and is also credited for passing legislations against domestic violence. However, critics say that the reform is very slow and is more symbolic than substantive. Conservatives see the Saudi society as the center of Islam and hence the deed for unique conservative values. They seek to preserve the cultures traditional gender roles, while on the other hand; radical activists compare the condition of the Saudi Arabian Women to slavery (S, 2010). A government poll conducted in 2006 found out that over 80% of Saudi Arabian women do not think that women should work or drive with men. A subsequent poll found that most Saudi women are not of the opinion that women should be allowed to hold political office. Saudi women are in high support of their traditional gender roles and are of the opinion that reforms wou ld be opposed to Islamic values. They argue that they already have a high level of independence and that reforms would bring about unwanted Western cultural influences (Saleh Ambah, 2010). In Saudi Arabia, all women are required to have a male guardian, who can be a father or husband. This guardian has rights and duties to his woman in various aspects of civic life. Saudi women must first seek their guardians permission for various matters such as marriage and divorce, education, travel (if below 45 years), employment as well as opening a bank account. Guardians requirements are not written law, but are applied according to the societys customs, as well as the understanding of particular institutions such as hospitals and banks. Official transactions initiated by women are often abandoned and officers often demand the presence of a guardian in order to prove authorization. In a recent interview, Saudi women defended male guardians as providing love and protection (Zoeph, 2010). In 2008, some Saudi women launched a petition defending guardians, which gathered over 500 signatures. The petition also requested the punishment for those activists equality and mingling between Saudi men and women. Liberal activists on the other hand reject guardianship and see it as demeaning to women. They object to the treatment of women as subordinates or children (Wagner, 2010). They cite cases of women whose careers were ended by their guardians, or who lost custody rights over their children. In a case in 2009, a father prohibited several of his daughters attempts to marry outside their clan, and sent her to a mental institution as a form of punishment (Jahwar, 2009). Activists agree that most Saudi men are caring, but see this kindness as a result of pity, from lack of respect for their women, and they compare male guardianship to slavery, with ownership of a woman being passed on from one man to another. The ludicrousness of the guardianship system is shown by what would happen to a woman if she tried to remarry: she would have to seek the permission of her son (Betsy, 2010). The Saudi government has defended itself by saying that there is no law of male guardianship and maintains that agreements are applied in the courts and other legal channels. The male guardianship system is very closely related to sharaf, a system which involves the protection of females in the family by a male individual. The male provides for them, and in sequence, the womens honor is reflected on him. Since the honor of the male guardian is affected by that of the women in his family, he is expected to control their behavior. If a man loses his honor because of a woman under his care, he is permitted to cleanse his honor by punishing her, which can be death in extreme cases. In 2007, a young Saudi lady was killed by her father for chatting with a man on Facebook. Conservatives called for the government ban on Facebook, because it causes social causes social strife by encouraging inter-gender mingling and inciting lust (Frthjof, 2007). In many Islamic states, women are required cover parts of that are arwah i.e. not meant to be exposed, which is mainly the face. However, in Saudi Arabia, the whole of the womans body is considered arwah, with exception of the hands and eyes. Women are therefore required to wear the niqab, or veil, a hijab; whish is s head covering, as well as an abaya, which is a full black cloak. In this country, womens clothing must not reveal anything about her body and is therefore required to be loose, thick and opaque. It is generally required to be unadorned and of a dull color and should not raise interest to the male (Saleh, 2009). Saudi women are however not bothered by the dress code and place it low on the list of priorities for reform. Majority of the women wear the veil with pride, and say it reduces destructions from their male counterparts. Sex aggregation is anticipated in public, especially between non-mahram women and men. Most official and educational institutions have separate entrances and exits for both men and women. According to law, there should be clear visual and physical separate sections for both sexes at all meetings and gatherings, including weddings and funerals. Public places such as amusement parks and beaches are also segregated, sometimes by time, so that men and women visit at different hours. Many Saudi homes have different entrances for men and women, with private space being associated with women and public space such as living rooms being reserved for men. Since eating requires the removal of the veil for women, most Saudi restaurants are segregated to different sections and they also bar entrance to women who come without their mahrams or husbands (Murphy, Saudi Arabia: Dining by Gender, 2010). Even Western companies for instance Starbucks and McDonalds enforce Saudi religious regulations and maintain sex-segregated zones in their restaurants. This has often led to these companies being criticized by Western activists as the facilities in the womens zones are usually lower in quality. The segregation rules sometimes apply to banks and even hospitals. However, the number of mixed-gender workplaces has been on the rise since the crowning of King Abdullah, though they are still strange. Some clerics issued fatwa, a religious opinion issued by an Islamic scholar concerning an Islamic law, which encouraged women to provide breast milk to any man with whom she comes into frequent contact with. The milk should not come directly from the womans breast, and reduces the difficulties of strict sex segregation by allowing him to become a relative of the family. In Islam, this breast milk kinship is considered to be as good as blood relationship and therefore allow the males to come onto contact with the without having to break Islams rules about mixing. Another scholar disagreed, saying that the milk should come straight from the wombs breast, an issue which was ridiculed by reformists who argue that this could end up being more erotic, and definitely not maternal. Womens economic rights in Saudi Arabia are also severely infringed. In order for a woman to buy or sell a piece of property, she is obligated to bring two men as witnesses to identify her identity. In addition, she is required to bring four other male witnesses to testify that the first two are valid witnesses and that they actually know her. This makes it hard for women to attain their legal rights, and therefore, they often end up finding other solutions such as paying bribes. Since childhood, Saudi girls are taught that their key role is to take good care of the household and raise the children, though Sharia allows women to work, as long as she does not neglect her essential homemaking duties. Government offices strictly advocate for the minimization of interaction between women and non-mahram men. They are allowed too work as long as their male guardians or husbands approve. A womans work must be deemed suitable for her physique and mentality and for this reason, they cannot be appointed as judges or to positions of high public office. The Saudi labor ministry has been inconsistent in its support for reforms promoting womens right to work. In 2006, the then minister of labor, Dr.Ghazi Al-Qusaibi was quoted as saying that the labor Ministry was not acting to promote womens employment because the best place for a woman to serve is in her own home (Al-Awsat, 2006). In recent years, mixed gender workplaces have become more common, especially in industries that must serve women such as medicine and banking. In this country, 71% to 78% of females are literate, compared with males who have 85% literacy rates. The number of women who receive secondary and tertiary education is higher than that of men with over 50% of working women having a college education (Forum, 2009). The freedom of movement for Saudi women is strongly limited as they are not supposed to leave their houses or neighborhoods without the consent of their male guardian or in the company of a mahram. Women are not allowed to drive and are forbidden from using public transport. When allowed, they are required to use a separate entrance and sit in sections reserved for women. However, the bus companies with the widest coverage of Saudis capital, Riyadh, do not allow women at all. In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to run for public offices, but they are permitted to hold positions on boards of chambers of trade. There is one woman in a cabinet position, as assistant minister for womens education. In court cases, the testimony of one man is considered to be equivalent to that of two women. In April 2010, women were issued with new ID cards with fingerprints and GPS tracking features. Women are registered in their father or husbands identification card and conservatives argue that cards which show the unveiled face of a woman violate Saudis customs. Though the government banned the practice of forced marriages, females are not allowed to make their own decisions on this issue. Just like in any other domain, states should not be pushed into creating local or universal structures that bypass their levels of control. As in the case of Saudi Arabia, most of the groups in society whose rights are violated do not have equal access to the law. This demonstrates how both theories create a double standard, with men readily accepting western norms and women bearing the brunt of cultural authenticity. However, with realistic strategies, cultural sensitivities in countries like Saudi Arabia can be reconciled with universal goals.

Market entry strategy for advancis medical

Market entry strategy for advancis medical In this report, I will be discussing about a pharmaceutical manufacturer called Advancis Medical, its products, marketing strategy and market planning needed for the company to enter a new market abroad. Organization Founded in 1979 and based in Nottingham UK, Advancis Medical is a pharmaceutical manufacturer which offers a wide range of wound care products that have good clinical efficacy and are easy to use and have superior performance. Holding around 125 employees, the values and mission of Advancis Medical is to design and manufacture dressings in order to manage the wound environment and achieve optimum wound healing by: Minimizing bacterial burden Creating a moist wound environment Leaving the wound as undisturbed as possible Achieving and acceptable cosmetic result for the healed wound (advancis.co.uk, online resource) Product and market character Advancis Medical offers a wide range of dressing products which can be categorized as follows: Activon medical Manuka honey dressings Activon Tube, Activon Tulle, Algivon, Actilite, Actibalm. Silfix soft silicone dressings Episil, Episil Absorbent, Silflex, Advazorb Border, Siltape, Advasil conform, Eclypse Adherent, Eclypse Adherent Sacral. Advanced wound care dressing Eclypse, Eclypse Boot, Advadraw, Advadraw Spiral, Advazorb Plus, Adva-co, Advasoft, Kikuhime. Advancis Medical has been able to make its product famous in the market. Recently this year, the company has walked away with the innovation award in Medlink East Midlands Innovation Competition. According to the sales and marketing director of Advancis Medical, the new products have had a fantastic reception in the market. Performance Advancis Medical distributes its product in various countries. They are Greece, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and 22 other countries as well. Advancis Medical strives for continuous improvement in the performance. The firm is committed to do something best, most complete, and most efficient and most timely way possible. Then it will try to think of ways to do it better the next time. The company measures its performance carefully, ensuring that integrity and respect for people are never compromised. It wishes to attract the highest-calibre employees, providing them with opportunities to develop to their full potential and to share in the success that comes from winning in the marketplace (advancis.co.uk). 2. International marketing planning International marketing is set of activity where the marketing of goods and services are carried out across national border. Having look from the UKs point of view, export activity seems to be the significant factor in international marketing activity. An international marketing planning comes from the firms corporate strategy and includes matters like product positioning, branding strategies, choice of target countries and methods needed to enter the new target market and so on (Lancaster G., et al., 2002). 2.1 Internal and External Analysis It is necessary to analyze the environment around the company to expand internationally. Here, I will be discussing about BCG analysis as an internal analysis. BCG (Boston Consulting Group) analysis is used to analyze their products and business line. The BCG analysis helps the company in allocating resources and acts as an analytical tool in brand marketing, product and strategic management. Source: (Bensoussan B.E., Fleisher C.S., 2008) Having look at the above chart, Stars are high growth businesses or products in markets where they are strong compared with the competition. In Advancis Medical, Activon Honey product acts like a star. They have high market share as well as high growth rate. Cash cows are low-growth businesses or products which has a relatively high market share. These units are mature and successful businesses with relatively little need for investment. Products like Eclypse, Eclypse Boot of Advancis Medical are cash cows. They need to monitored and need little investment. Question marks are units or products with low market share but which operate in higher growth markets. This means that they have potential, but may require substantial investment in order to grow market share among the competing and powerful competitors. As far as I am concerned, Advancis Medical has no specific products to match this unit. Dogs refer to products or business that have low relative share in low growth markets. Silf ix soft silicone dressings of Advancis Medical are the products that act as dogs. Performing an external analysis, PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) factors will be taken into account for Advancis Medical. Political: The industry has witnessed increased political attention due to the increased recognition of the economic importance of healthcare as a component of social welfare over the years. Political interest has also been generated because of the increasing social and financial burden of healthcare. UKs National Health Service debate is an example. Economic: In the decade to 2003, the pharmaceutical industry witnessed high value mergers and acquisitions. With a projected stock value growth rate of 10.5% (2003-2010) and Health Care growth rate of 12.5% (2003-2010), the audited value of the global pharmaceutical market is estimated to reach a huge 500 billion dollars by 2004. Majority of pharmaceutical sales originate in the US, EU and Japanese markets. Social: Good health is an important personal and social requirement and the unique role pharmaceutical firms like Advancis Medical play in meeting societys need. In recent times, the impact of various global epidemics e.g. SARS, AIDS etc has also attracted popular and media attention to the industry. The effect of the intense media and political attention has resulted in increasing industry efforts to create and maintain proper government-industry-society communications. Technological: Latest scientific and technological advances in science are forcing industry players to adapt ever faster to the evolving environments in which they participate. Scientific advancements have also increased the need for increased spending on research and development in order to encourage innovation (Johnson G, Scholes K, 2002) 2.2 SWOT Analysis of Advancis Medical Strength Advancis Medical listens to the issues and problems raised by clinicians and its customers and response accordingly by developing the correct and suitable products. Good marketing strength in major geographical areas. Recently, the company won an innovation award which reflects its strength in sales and marketing sector. Weakness Discontinuation of products in the latter stages of development leading to customer dissatisfaction. Pricing strategy which turns out to be comparatively expensive. Opportunities Emergence of integrated global markets and globalization for new products Increasing demand of anti-bacterial honey products like Activon medical manuka honey. Individual brand positioning that makes their product different in the market. Threats Increased competition in markets and cheaper alternative methods found in the markets can be a possible threat to Advancis Medical. Rising raw material and transportation costs which might increase the production cost of the company. (Petryna A., et.al., 2006) 2.3 Marketing goals and objectives Besides increasing sales and profit as a marketing goal, Advancis Medical has other marketing objectives. The company highly focuses on these following marketing objectives: Gaining preference on brands and services Patient Education Customer retention by giving quick response to their queries and requests. Complying with the rules and regulations set by government. Some major reasons for Advancis Medical to look up for the market internationally are listed as follows: The company needs a larger customer base to gain economies of scale. Advancis Medical wants to reduce its dependence on any single market. Due to the high competition in the home market, its profitable for the company to go global and sell their products. Because of the economic recession, some other foreign markets have higher profit opportunities than the domestic market. 2.4 Marketing Strategy Here, Ansoff Matrix will be focused as a marketing strategy for Advancis Medical. Ansoff matrix is a tool which helps the business to decide their product and market growth strategies. Market Penetration is a growth strategy where the business focuses on selling existing product in existing markets. IT helps in maintain or increasing the market share of current product. Product development is the strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. Market development is growth strategy for a business where a company looks for a new market to sell its existing products. Here, Advancis Medical will be choosing this strategy, as the company is seeking to sell its product at an international market. Under this strategy, Advancis Medical can perform various activities to support the strategy by: Increasing the global market share by distributing its product to more geographical areas and centralized logistics. Expanding and or distributing products to china and other emerging markets. Improving international brand status and positioning through effective international marketing campaigns (Bennett R., Blythe J., 2002). Diversification is a growth strategy where a business launches and markets new product in new market. This is comparatively risky because the business is moving into markets in which it has little or no experience (tutor2u.net, online resource) 2.5 Market analysis and Market choice Advancis Medical as a pharmaceutical company can segment the market and plan its market analysis by categorizing its customer into walk in customer (who physically visit the distribution centre) and mail order customer (who order the product). Now once the market has been segmented, it is necessary to analyze which market to go. Basically market analysis involves matters like: Demographics such as age structure, religious groupings, average household size of that target market. Macroeconomic influences like fluctuation in GDP, unemployment rate, etc. Consumer behaviour on cultural attitudes, educational levels, average income and living standards. Market choice is a main strategic decision. This report is based on selling the product abroad and not in European countries, thus I will be focusing on Asian countries/market. China, India, Pakistan and Philippines are the four countries that will be taken into account. Out of four countries, one will be chosen for Advancis Medical to sell and distribute their products. Factors Country Political and Economic Trade Regulation Investment Climate Technological Social China 7 8 8 7.5 6 India 8 8 8.5 9 7.5 Pakistan 6 6 5.5 5.5 6 Philippines 5.5 6 6 5.5 6 The above values are considered out of 10 points. And having looked at the table, India is the target country for Advancis Medical to sell and distribute its product because it has the best factors out of these four countries. Source: (china-window.com; online resource accessed at 9th November 2010), (buyusa.gov; online resource accessed at 9th November 2010) (Ernst Young Private Limited, 2008) (Hahn N., 2008) (Gorrill J.R., 2007) 3. Market Entry Strategy Basically, market entry strategy is a planned method to deliver and or distribute the products in the target market. Introduction As it has been discussed earlier about market entry strategy, there are various methods to penetrate and enter a new market. The market entry strategy methods available to Advancis Medical are as follows: Exporting Indirect Exporting Direct Exporting Licensing Joint Ventures Direct Investment The traditional, normal and easy way to enter a foreign market is exporting which includes indirect and direct exporting. In indirect exporting, the company works through independent intermediaries. Indirect exporting has two advantages. It involves less investment and less risk because the company doesnt have to develop department for exporting, overseas sales force or any international contacts. Direct exporting includes exporting of products and its distribution through the channel of export agent. It is done in different ways: Domestic-based export division, overseas sales branch, travelling export sales division and foreign-based agents. Licensing is another simple way to do international marketing and penetrate the market. It is the method of foreign operation where a firm in one country gives permission to company of another country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark and other skills provided by the licensor. Joint ventures can be defined as an enterprise where foreign investors may join with local investors and share ownership and control over the rights, operation and property. The ultimate way of getting involved in foreign market is direct investment which involves direct ownership of foreign-based manufacturing facilities (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) Country Profile As it has been discussed earlier on heading 2.5 of this report, India has been chosen as the target country. India is a natural subcontinent covered by the Himalayas in the north, the Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Indian Ocean in the south. It has a land frontier of 15,200km and a coastline of 7,517km. India is the second most populous country in the world with 1,130 million people in July 2008 (estimated).The literacy rate is 65% with a great degree of regional variation. Hindi is the official language of the country and English is used almost everywhere in India acting as an associate official language in business sector. India has a parliamentary system of government with two legislative bodies; the central government and the state government. The countrys currency is Indian rupee (INR). The countrys banking system is controlled and monitored by the Reserve Bank of India. Indias economy is rapidly rising in the global economy. So, it is very fruitf ul for organizations to export, invest or do joint venture in India (Ernst Young Private Limited, 2008). Analysis of market entry strategy and making choice Market entry methods Advantages Disadvantages Exporting Manufacturing is home based, so its less risky. Provides an opportunity to learn foreign market before investing. Less or lose control over the foreign sales Less possibility of knowing who the customers are and hence failure to offer what they really want. Licensing It is a good way to start in foreign business and a door to comparatively low risk relationship -Any of the both companies get most out of the effort they do. Capital wont be tied up in foreign operation The participation remains limited to specific product, process or length of agreement. The Licensor has less control over the licensee than it does over its own production and sales facilities. Potential returns from manufacturing and marketing might be lost. -This strategy requires considerable planning, findings of fact, investigation and translation. Joint Ventures Sharing of risk as it is partner with foreign company Joint financial strength Good strategy for firms that lack physical, financial or managerial resources to undertake the venture alone. The partners might not agree over policies, marketing and investments. It may be impossible to recover capital if needed. This kind of strategy might prevent MNCs from carrying out manufacturing and marketing policies globally. Direct Investment The firm can minimize its cost economies by cheap labour or raw materials, freight savings and incentives by foreign government. The company will have good image because it creates job opportunity in the host country. The firm can have full control over its investment and hence can develop marketing and manufacturing polices. The primary disadvantage of this strategy is the firm exposes itself to the risk like worsening markets and devalued currencies. Secondly, the firm might find it really expensive to reduce or close down its operations, because the host country needs substantial severance pay to the staffs. (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) Every market entry strategy has certain pros and cons, and looking at the above table I personally would suggest Exporting strategy as a market entry method for Advancis Medical. Having considered exporting as a better strategy for the company, Advancis Medical can avoid much risk and maximize the profit. With this strategy, the company could get a better chance to know and analyze the market and if it looks favourable the firm can switch to other strategy accordingly. 4.1 Implementation It has been considered that Advancis Medical is going for exporting strategy, now it needs to look for a reliable distributor in India to sell and distribute its product. Advancis Medical needs to point out which product to distribute in India. The product named Activon Tube from Activon Medical Manuka Honey Dressing category is the best product that matches the needs of market. According to (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006), it has been argued that many manufacturing companies think that their job is done once the product leaves the factory. But they need to pay attention to how the product moves within the foreign market. They should be focused on the potential problem that might arise during the distribution of products to final users. The theory can be illustrated by the following diagram: Source: (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) There is a potential distributor in India named AK Pharma Pharmaceutical Distributor. It is situated in a town called Karnataka and is a leading pharmaceutical distributor all over India. The company does more than 13000 products from 250 of Indian and Multinational companies and have a client base of over 1500 customers including hospitals, medical dental colleges, chemist druggist and doctors (akp.in; online resource). The strategy adopted by the company will follow the 4Ps of marketing in following way: Product: Medical product/medicine is a pharmaceutical product offered by all the pharmaceutical oil companies. It is difficult to offer customers a point of difference with medicine. However, Advancis medical does so by selling medicine as well as the bandages that is better and faster for wound healing. Price: With common products in pharmaceutical industry, prices between competitors are easily matched, which means its difficult to differentiate the product based on price. Advancis medical is constantly monitoring the price and if possible cut costs and make the price reasonable to compete in the market. Place: Advancis medical distributes its product in more than 30 countries. And is expanding globally which is a vital strength in the firms marketing strategy. Talking about Advancis medical in India, I believe its a perfect location for the company due to the countrys demographic factors which ensures the right number and qualities of products are supplied to various places. Promotion: This might include the company to do advertising, marketing through radios or carrying out loyalty programmes to drive sales volume and retain the customers (Bennett R., Blythe J., 2002). Hence, having an overall analysis in the report, it can be seen that Advancis Medical needs to follow an exporting strategy to India and sell and distribute the product to that targeted market.

Living Within Constraints :: essays research papers

Living Within Constraints Constraints on the Expansion of the Global Food Supply In the early ages people were hunters, or predators; they had to survive by killing other species. Although predators are supposed to be the strongest in the food chain, people were vulnerable because they had to depend on the same species below them. Our senses were not developed as well either; hearing, smelling, eye sight were and still are not as good as of those below us. We can’t kill with our teeth or nails, like some alligators could. So after 4 ice ages, only 25,000 people were left. That’s when they realized that they had to change their loosing strategies and that’s when they came up with Subsistence Agriculture. People domesticated animals, plants, and according to the number of the population today, we are doing real well. The world population grew slowly over much of the historic past; it was not until after 1900 that growth accelerated. The 1992 population was 5.5 billion. Now the world population is increasing at about 1.7% yr, corresponding to a doubling time of 40 years. In the early 1960s, most nations were self-sufficient in food; now only a few are. Except for parts of Africa, production exceeded population growth throughout the world. Per capita production has now slowed and appears to be declining. In line with recent studies, we estimate that with the world population at 5.5 billion, food production is adequate to feed 7 billion people a vegetarian diet, with ideal distribution and no grain fed to livestock. Yet possibly as many as two billion people are now living in poverty, and over 1 billion in ‘utter poverty’ live with hunger. Inadequate distribution of food is a substantial contributing factor to this current situation. Less than one half of the world’s land area is suitable for agriculture, including grazing. Nearly all of the world’s productive land, flat and with water, is already exploited. Most of the unexploited land is either too steep, too wet, too dry, or too cold for agriculture. Water Shortages: Pressures from growing population have strained water resources in many areas of the world. Worldwide, 214 river or lake basins, containing 40% of the world’s population, now compete for water. If we improve conservation of water, it would enhance rainfed and irrigated crop yields. A major difficulty arises simply from the rate with which food supplies would have to be expanded to pace or to exceed population growth rates in those countries experiencing high growth rates.