Social Policy stigma

Social Policy Theories and Concepts Essay What do you understand by ‘Stigma' and do you agree that social policies can stigmatize people? If so, what is the solution? In this essay I will discuss what my understanding of the word ‘Stigma' is, whether I agree or not if social policies stigmatize certain groups of people and if so, what are the solutions to these stigmas attached to these groups. â€Å"Stigma is a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart. When a person is labelled by their illness they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination† (www. entalhealth. wa. gov. au). In modern society, stigmas are nearly almost of a negative kind. They have a negative effect on those being stigmatized and can cause experiences and feelings such as; shame, blame, hopelessness, and distress. â€Å"In every branch of the social services, some provisions are stigmatizing and others are not; but the reasons for the pattern of stigmatization are not immediately clear† (Spicker, Stigma and Social Welfare p. 36). Because stigma is socially onstructed, it varies from setting to setting, there are many different types of groups in society which all react differently to the stigmas which are appointed.All of these different reactions must be considered when planning social policies. In every different society not everyone is going to be content with policies that are made, some may stigmatize groups of people and the groups who have been victims of certain stigmas will also have feelings of discontent, hopelessness and distress. Erving Goffman, one of the most important sociologists of the twentieth century, efined stigma as â€Å"the process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity'. (Nettleton, 2006: 95).Goffman believes that there are three types of social stigmas, including: 1 . Stigma of character traits 2. Physical Stigma 3. Stigma of group identity Goffman considers the stigma of character traits to be â€Å"blemishes of individual character perceived as weak will, domineering, or unnatural passions, treacherous and rigid beliefs, and dishonesty, these being inferred from a known record of, for example, mental disorder, imprisonment, addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality, nemployment, suicidal attempts, and radical political behavior. The physical stigmas he refers to are different bodily formalities. When Goffman refers to the ‘stigma of group identity he is referring to being of a particular race, nationality, religion etc. whether or not a person understands or agrees with stigmas, they are passed on from one generation to the next, thus there will always be certain stigmas associated with certain groups of people. Stigma nowadays, would be considered a central issue in relation to social welfare and social policy. When discussing stigma, it s important to mention the Poor Law. The stigma of the Poor Law is renowned. In the past and in many cases still today, people often Judged others who claimed money trom the state in the torm ot benetl ts and there was a policy that mar ed k these people off from others in society. This left us with the debate whether or not welfare should be provided, to whom it should be provided and what kind of welfare? This concept of the â€Å"undeserving† and â€Å"lazy' public who refused to work was thought to be ethically corruptible by people relying on the state and not seeking to improve their ndependent source of income or by any policy of substantial kindness. The last remnants of the Poor Law were scrapped in 1948. The stigma of pauperism, which had seemed to be the result of a conscious policy, has proved resilient to eradication. † (Spicker, Paul, Stigma and Social Welfare, 1984, p 9) over the past few years, people have begun to move away from the idea of the Poor Law and have begun to accept how social policies deal with groups of people who do not receive adequate independent income, although there will always be slight stigmas attached o these groups. It is hard to understand why this is so, when cautionary policies have been deserted, right to benefits established, and the administration of benefits has significantly changed.As Goffman has explained, stigmas can be carried in two different ways; stigmas can be discredited or discreditable. Discredited stigmas are those that a person cannot stop everyone else from knowing, for example stigmas that may be associated with a certain race or the use of a wheelchair whereas, discreditable is when a person believes that the general public do not know about heir stigma, due to the fact that it cannot be seen and is not distinctively obvious, for example, their sexual orientation or their religion. Kennedy, P (2013) Key Themes in Social Policy). I believe that social policies do and do not stigmatize certain groups of people. I think that the majority of the time the social policies that some may say attach stigmas to groups are Just highlighting the stigmas that already exist. I think that the Irish government have created a durable system so as to prevent negative stigmatization. Unemployment benefit in Ireland is very generous, for this reason eople often attach negative stigmas to those who receive it.Many believe that those who receive unemployment benefit have little motivation to find employment because they are so well funded, this also leads to many of them being stuck in the poverty trap. The government started an initiative to encourage unemployed people to seek work. This initiative is a government-funded agency known as ‘F†¦S'. The government creating this agency and many unemployed people using it to gain training for future employment should reduce the negative stigmas that are attached o those receiving unemployment benefit.Thus I consider that this initiative is a good solution to the stigmatization of unemployed people in I reland. People may often feel stigmatized if the way in which they act is different to what are known as ‘norms'. This is definitely not fair or Just but it will always exist within society. For example, although our society is changing and gay people are becoming more and more accepted in society, there are most definitely those who see them as different and do not accept them. Whether this is right or not does not take away from the fact that it appens.As a result, gay people will feel stigmatized because of their sexual orientation. This can be because of social policy because it is not the way in which we are told to behave and is not seen as a ‘norm'. As regards to these sort of stigmas, they will always exist within society for the first number of years until it becomes a more regular and frequently occurring thing. Thus I believe that there are not any solutions to these torms ot stigmatizations . For the reasons that I nave discussed, I would agree that some soci al policies have caused stigmatism.

Henkie Essay

6.1 Lehman Brothers Lehman Brothers was one of the main casualties of the US end of the global financial crisis that began in 2007. The US Government, fearing the loss of confidence in the financial markets bailed out Fannie May and Freddie Mac, AIG, and some other financial institutions. But when it came to Lehman Brothers, then the fourth largest investment bank in the US, the Government refused to support and the bank filed for bankruptcy. Whether this was a sound decision is, probably, not the subject for this case – though that decision did precipitate a lot of subsequent problems. Rather the case has been written to generate discussion about the domination of a major institution by one man – Richard S. Fuld Jr. The case claims that Lehman Brothers was dominated by Richard S. Fuld Jr. Was this desirable? What steps could have been taken to avoid it? Who could have initiated these steps? The discussion should raise questions: where was the board, particularly the independent outside directors? Did they understand the risks involved in the business model being pursued by the CEO? Were they acquiescent, pliable, too-trusting, or dominated by the man who was chairman of the board, chairman of the executive committee, and CEO? Where was the audit committee, indeed, where were the auditors? Where was the nomination committee, which should have been considering board structure and membership? Indeed, where was anyone capable of standing up to Fuld? The second issue concerns the directors’ ages. Certainly many of them had relevant past experience, but many were old. True, some old people can contribute significantly to board discussions from the experience, knowledge and wisdom. But others deteriorate with age. The Lehman’s board lacked a balance. The third question – is it possible for the research analysts of a financial institution to give independent investment advice to clients about a company when the financial institution has an interest in that company? – can generate an important discussion that corporate regulators still struggle to control 6.2 The Siemens AG case 1. What might Kleinfeld have done to avoid resigning? Given the apparent cultural clash between Kleinfeld’s apparent Anglo-Saxon approach to tough-minded management and the more socially-concerned German supervisory board perspective, there might have been little he could do, other than, perhaps, communicating more closely with the labour and financial members of the supervisory board. In fact, subsequent rumours about the situation surfaced, which suggested there was more to the problem than a clash of expectations. Students might be able to unearth more information from press reports. 6.3 Tokyo Electric Power and the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi This case exemplifies how a company can report confidently that it has satisfied all the required corporate governance criteria and yet have serious governance flaws that led to a serious problem becoming a catastrophe. 1. Did the structure of the board contribute to the failures? The board was large, executive and lacking any sense of independent outside directors. This is typical in many well-established Japanese companies, as we will see in this chapter. Attempts by the Japanese Government and some international institutional investors, such as US CalPers, have largely failed to change attitudes in the boardroom, to where power should reside and who should be ‘promoted’ to the board. 2. How do you account for the discrepancies between the company’s alleged concern for corporate governance on its website and the catastrophic failure? This was a company that apparently did not accept the significance of professional corporate governance thinking, but went through the motions to satisfy the regulators and stock market investors. 3. What advice would you give to the chairman of TEPCO? Encourage the students to appreciate the personal and cultural aspects of the situation. â€Å"Replace the board with a majority of independent directors† is not a satisfactory answer. This is not the US or the UK. There is no tradition of independent directors, it runs contrary to many top executive beliefs. Moreover, where are these INEDs to come from? Pressure from institutional investors to resign might work: but there has to be a replacement. Alternatively, consulting advice, mentoring, attitude changing activities, experience on other boards could all be among the ideas suggested. 6.4 The TYCO case What should a board do to ensure that a CEO does not treat the company as a private fiefdom? Recognize that the CEO probably played a major part in the appointment of the other directors. Furthermore, resignation from the board may have little effect on the CEO’s behaviour. This is another corporate governance classic. The challenge to students is to go beyond normative generalisations about how boards should be constituted and how directors should behave. They need to realize that personalities really matter. As in many corporate governance sagas mentioned in the textbook, powerful people can exercise considerable charisma, influence and authority over others – particularly if they have chosen them themselves. What was required was a group of INEDs who would insist on knowing what was going on, and if dissatisfied stand up to the CEO/chairman. If appropriate, this case can be explored further from a legal aspect to see what offences Kozlowski committe d.

What is Medical Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology?

Radiology diagnostic imaging is an important tool for appropriate therapy planning and for clinical diagnosis of diseases. However, in recent years, there has been an increase of requests require diagnosis by radiation (Siciliano, 2017). So, as the use of radiation increase and become very important in evaluate and diagnose pathology, it become essentially importance to focus on its risks, especially in pediatric. In young person's, exposure to ionizing radiation must kept low as can as possible, because their tissues are highly radiosensitive. In this age radiation induce risks is relatively high as tissues mitosis rates are high. As a result, it is fundamentally more vulnerable to damage than inactive tissues, it cause DNA metabolism damaged by radiation. The radiation risk is therefore highest in infancy and early childhood. Children, who have many years left to live (life expectancy), are more likely than adults to develop radiation-induced cancer; also, as future parents, they are at risk for passing on radiation-induced genetic defects to the next generation. (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011). For these reasons, whenever possible, radiological studies on children should replace by other imaging modality that does not involve radiation such as, magnetic resonance or ultrasound imaging. Pediatric conventional X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) require special examining protocols and techniques sets by the radiology department that are suitable to the patient's age and to the indication for the study in order to prevent the patient from unnecessary dose (Siciliano, 2017). This article is to discuss the principles of radiation protection for pediatric in general radiography, components of equipment using in the plain radiograph and it's function in lowering radiation dose in pediatric patient, the role of radiographer, technical and radiation exposure consideration in this issue with clinical example to evaluate the radiation dose for some common pediatric x-ray examination performed by digital radiography system. Body The attention of the medical communities and scientific has greatly focused on the biological effects of ionizing radiations and, in general, on the radiation protection. The purpose of these studies is to provide protection and health for persons who are subjected to radiation exposure especially for pediatric patient (Siciliano, 2017. â€Å"searches estimated that exposure to radiation in the first ten years of life induces a risk two to three times higher than exposures incurred between thirty and forty years of age†( Siciliano, 2017 pp.134) . In particular, the pediatric patient in this age they are still growing so ,they are more radiosensitive than an adult (and having a longer life expectancy), therefore, â€Å"the probability of health effects by IR in a child is three times greater than that of an adult†(Siciliano,2017) . A child's body differ in some respects from adult's body. Actually, pediatric body is short and wide in contrary, to the adult body which is long and less broad. If the trunk of small child's body is X-rayed, the shape of the body make it difficult to avoid non-require part from irradiate that's because the larger areas of the body lie within the radiation field and are consequently, more affected by scattered radiation. (Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011) . That is mean for example if trunk is x-rayed, other parts like extremities will be affected by scatter radiation. Tissue, which is at high risk of damage by radiation such as hematopoietic bone marrow, differ in location between adults and infants. â€Å"In adults, 74% (spine, ribs, and pelvis) is located in the trunk, and only 9% in the extremities. In infants, 29% is located in the trunk and 35% in the extremities†(Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011.pp.408). This indicates that child hematopoietic bone marrow distributes widely in all parts of the body. That is why we must to reduce the dose to the pediatric patient. The use of radiation in pediatric radiology must be minimize as can as possible in order to protect child patient form radiation induce risk or try to lower the radiation dose by following certain criteria in pediatric imaging particularly in examinations that require more radiation and more than one projection such as skeletal survey. Equipment use in general radiography: Equipment that carry general examinations have an essential role in reducing the dose to the young patients. Most digital radiography (DR) now are sufficient in lowering patient radiation dose compared to screen-film radiography and previous used equipment but reverse is also possible (uffmann, 2009). Because the modern DR system have detectors with higher detective quantum efficiency (CsI:TI/a-Si DR detectors )it become able to improve image quality with less radiation dose(Knight,2014). This system use technique of raising the KVP and lowering the mAs which responsible to the radiation dose (Knight,2014) . This fact make it perfect to use in pediatric radiography. However, in digital system blackening of film at higher dose not exist in the radiograph as this will lead to unnoticed increase in dose over time when using digital system with manual tube sitting(uffmann, 2009). To overcome this problem, the radiographer can manipulate exposure factor and select it carefully without affecting the image quality (Knight,2014). The radiographer have an important role in lowering radiation dose and provide radiation safety to the pediatric patients using several methods and techniques for maximum protection while obtaining optimum diagnostic image.Wearing colorful uniforms to gain child trust and make them cooperative (Sulieman,2015) .Obtain good position by positioning the patient correctly in close contact with the cassata to prevent scatter radiation and repetition (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Use the infant holder rather than let someone to hold and give unnecessary radiation to that person (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Adjust optimum exposure factor.Using of immobilization device will avoid movement and repetition of image.Apply gonad protection will lead to reduce the dose absorbed by testicular by up to 95%. Protecting ovaries will lower the dose up to 50% (Sulieman,2015)Preparing the patient perfectly to avoid any appearance of artifact in the image which will cause to repeat the image and consequently increa sing the dose.There is a lot of consideration and techniques must be follow to lower the radiation dose to young patient. ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable) is an important techniques to achieve the optimum dose for an X-ray examination in pediatric radiography while obtaining good image quality. Firstly, should to consider in tube voltage use for each examination. As the result of smaller and thinner body of children than adult then the dose deliver to the child must be lower (Alzen and Benz-Bohm,2011). The American Society of Radiologic Technologists(ASRT)white paper says â€Å"using the highest kVp with the lowest amount of mAs is needed to provide an adequate exposure to the image receptor and therefore decrease amount of attenuation and dose to the patient is the best technique for pediatric in digital imaging† (Stephen,2014) . In addition, the authors' research has shown that using an additional tube filter of 1mm aluminum (Al) and 0.1 to 0.2 mm copper (Cu) for pediatric radiography will result in decreasing the surface dose by half. Also using proper collimation help to minimize primary and scatter radiation. Karami.et.al,(2016) focused on the essential role of increasing the X-ray focus to film distance (FFD) in lowering the radiation dose to the chest in general pediatric radiography. Study shown that is increasing FFD from 100 cm to 130 cm its effective to reduce patient radiation dose. Specifically, following special technique when imaging chest x-ray in pediatric is very important. The breast tissue in this age is very sensitive to the ionizing radiation. Therefore, a PA chest technique is favorable if the patient is cooperate and can perform it (Sulieman,2015). This to prevent this sensitive tissue from primary beam. . Table 1. Briefly, demonstrate the techniques of pediatric patient protection in plain film radiography. This case study was done in SQU Hospital for 7 months old male patient come to the department for skeletal survey. He has skeletal abnormality from birth. Doctor requested to do AP and lateral skull, AP chest, AP spine, AP pelvic, AP full lower limb, AP feet, AP both upper extremities, PA both hands. There was absence of right hand and forearm and meromelia â€Å"which is a partial absence of part of the limbs†(Nayak S et al.2016,pp pp106-108) of right upper limb with normal appearance of right humerus, right humerus is slightly smaller compared to left humerus. As many projection was done I compared the radiation dose (DAP) given for some part with the standard dose should give to the pediatric patient in plain radiograph a according to diagram below. In AP skull the patient get 1.41 dGycm2 (14.1 µGy.m2) and for lateral skull 0.400 dGycm2 (4  µGy.m2).Dose considered high in AP skull compared to the standard, this due improper selection of exposure factor. In contrary, lateral skull dose its optimum. Also an image for humerus was repeated and expose patient again due to poor immobilization and movement of the patient that cause increased dose to the patient. In conclusion, protecting child from radiation is necessary for many reasons; the most important one is because of their tissue sensitivity as they still in growth stage and does not mature yet. As result they will be more vulnerable to radiation induce risk and the radiation effect noticeble more in them. Pediatric group are more likely than other age group of society to be irradiated for several reasons, one of them is that, child in this age become sick or get disease easily therefore, they need sometimes for x-ray for accurate diagnosis. Researchers and those who are interested in radiology done many studies in this topic and they found that, there is many methods and ways to reduce dose to the pediatric patient some of this ways come with the machine and some based on radiographers. For example reducing exposure factors, use gonad protection, immobilization device in addition to perform spatial techniques in imaging pediatric patient.

Final Project A Comparison of World Religions Essay

Final Project A Comparison of World Religions - Essay Example It is noted that many religions in the world pay respect to a specific being that they consider supreme and who has extraordinary qualities. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. According to this religion God discloses himself as personal, here God is considered to exist as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The origin of this God remains a mystery to Christians. The God of Christians declares that there is no any other God apart from him. In Isaiah 44:6 he confesses that â€Å"I am the first and the last and apart from me there is no any other God,† meaning that he does not admit the existence of absolute reality. He is considered different from other gods, such as the Krishna. The bible only gives the account of one creation of heaven and earth by God (Shah, nd). Judaism is also a monotheistic religion. The religion is about a personal God who reveals himself through the story of Jewish people this is according to (World Scripture, 2014). Its scriptures are found in the Torah of the Jews and in the Old Testament of the Christians. In the begging of these scriptures, God is presented as to be creating heaven and earth. Judaism results from the inspiration of Brahman. It then considers that the physical world and humans are signs of Brahman (Valea, 2011). Islam is another monotheistic religion after the Christianity and Judaism. It originated from the times of Abraham, and its teachings are quite related to those of Christians and Jewish. Islamic religion proclaims one sovereign and powerful God, Allah. He is considered the creator who works through the prophets to communicate his desires. Just like Christianity, Islamic offers two choices for mankind, either heaven or hell. They believe in the teachings of Mohammad who was a prophet as recorded in the Qur’an (Valea, 2011). Hinduism is not one religion, but a number of religious and theoretical trends. Its tradition does not follow a

Aldi supermarket Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aldi supermarket - Essay Example In Aldi product innovation could be related to the introduction of products that do not currently exist in the UK supermarket industry, even if their differentiation from the industry’s existing products would be small: for example, an energy drink of different ingredients depending on the status of health and the age of consumers would be a product that meets the terms of product differentiation. Through product differentiation Aldi could manage to acquire a sustainable competitive advantage, i.e. an advantage that ‘cannot be copied by competition’ (Lamb et al. 2011, p.42). For developing a sustainable competitive advantage Aldi should try to ensure that its products are aligned with the needs of the local market and that they could attract the interest of local consumers (West et al. 2010); this means that the advantage of the firm’s products towards them of its competitors should be clear to the consumers. Another approach that Aldi would use for acquiring a sustainable competitive advantage would be the following: the firm could use social marketing, which ‘promotes behaviours that provide well-being for individuals or for society’ (Kapoor and Kulshrestha 2013, p.10). For example, Aldi could use its marketing campaign for increasing the awareness of people on the health consequences of the consumption of milk-based products. Of course, other strategies, for acquiring a sustainable competitive advantage would be also available to Aldi: for example, by decreasing the price of a specific category of products would result to a sustainable competitive advantage for Aldi, even in the short term (Lamb 2012). In the context of marketing, a PEST analysis is a valuable tool for assessing the status of a particular market, i.e. to identify the market’s current performance in regard to one or more industries. In addition PEST analysis can help to check the prospects of a market, i.e. its potentials for growth in the future, as related to a series of

The Role of Black Holes in the centers of Galaxies Essay

The Role of Black Holes in the centers of Galaxies - Essay Example In the Milky Way, the supermassive black hole is known as Sagitarrius A*, which is read as â€Å"A-star† (Naeye & Gutro, 2008). Sagitarrius A* is known to be â€Å"27,000 light years from the Earth [and] is four million times bigger than the Sun† (Ghosh, 2012). However, NASA reports Sagitarrius A* to be 26,000 light years away from the Earth, and not 27,000 (â€Å"A Mystery,† 2002). In fact, the existence of black holes has long been theorized by British astronomer Sir Martin Rees in 1974 and, according to him, â€Å"Supermassive black holes [or] ones with a million or even a billion solar masses might exist within the centers of some galaxies† (â€Å"A Mystery,† 2002). According to Durham University astrophysicist Ian Small, â€Å"The black holes [that we studied] are seen precisely at the point where they can have the most influence on the properties of the galaxies they reside in† (qtd. In Lovgren, 2005). This means that if the supermassiv e black holes are located at other points in the galaxy except the center, then it cannot exert equal influence on all parts of the galaxy. In short, for it to exert an almost equal gravitational force on every part of the galaxy, then it has to be at its center. The same principle works if the supermassive black hole is to release energy towards every part of the galaxy it is in, but this release of energy is merely hypothetical. According to Professor Richard Genzel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, â€Å"The center of the galaxy was a â€Å"unique laboratory for the study of the strong gravity, stellar dynamics and star formation with a level of detail ‘never possible beyond our galaxy’† (qtd. in â€Å"Black hole,† 2008). This means that there must be one good reason for the supermassive black hole to eventually reside in the galactic center other than position. Genzel’s hypothesis is therefore the possibility that the ph ysics of the center of the galaxy is unusually different from the rest of its parts. Perhaps then there is a much stronger gravitational attraction as well as different principles of stellar dynamics and star formation towards the galactic center. Furthermore, according to Cain, the center of the galaxy, where the supermassive black holes reside, serves as the place where â€Å"every galaxy serves to focus and concentrate material as the galaxy was first forming† and it is also possible that this is the same exact point â€Å"where the black hole formed first, and collected the rest of the galaxy around it† (Cain, 2008). The aforementioned statement means that the possible origin of the galaxy may in fact be the exact point where the supermassive black hole is located and perhaps the galaxy still continues to grow from that central point. The implication of this theory is that, if it is true, then much constructive material is located in the black hole and that the gal axy is in fact never growing old and its parts constantly being replaced by these materials from the black hole. Another observation of Lovgren (2005) is that, according to scientists, â€Å"pairs of galaxies – and their black holes often merge together [thus producing] tidal forces [that] drive a lot of gas toward the center of the

Advertisers use principles of visual search and attention to increase Essay

Advertisers use principles of visual search and attention to increase the likelihood that people will notice their message - Essay Example Within the world of advertising,there are a number of ways through which the advertising message is delivered to the target audiences.What this means is the fact that the right people should be conveyed the right message at the right time and in the right capacity. This will impact the people in a very strong and effective way, as well as make them realize about the needs and wants that they might have forgotten about or not paid enough heed to in the past. The advertisers use a number of methods and techniques in order to make sure that their message is propagated in the exact manner as they want it to be delivered. Processing this message is one thing and getting it delivered in a similar manner is an entirely different proposition. What this paper studies is the basis of the advertisers using principles related with visual search and attention in order to enhance the likelihood that people will pay attention and notice the message that has been intended for them (Fulton 1996). Dif ferent theories and evidence studies have been drafted so that a proper understanding of the subject at hand is reached upon and that there are no shortcomings within the comprehension of this study in essence. This paper will specifically deal with issues that advertisers face from time to time and the manner under which they tackle the problems related with visual search and attention are highlighted in essence. Without advertising, marketers can only think of their product lying on the retail outlets waiting for angels to come and satisfy themselves (Kotler 2005). People need to be told the plus points of their brands (by the company) so that they actually go out and make the eventual purchase which in all fairness, not an easy job for the company, say that is producing a shoe polish which does not stick on to the shoes as much as do the other competitor shoe polishes already available in the market (Agres 1990). If the customers do not know or are not given the liberty to compre hend the different features of the brand which is being advertised by the company, they would not make that valued effort on their part and hence the company will be the one to suffer in the end and no one else. One must consider that advertising is the art and indeed the science of reaching to the right sets of eyes in order to sell the product that is under discussion. Since advertisers have a clear cut task at hand, it is their duty to make sure that they draft their message in such a way that the audiences find it easy to understand and thus carry it forward to their circles of influence (O’Shaughnessy 2003). However the latter part seems to be somewhat of a complicated one because it involves quite a few areas which will not be discussed at length within this paper. What shall be the point of discussion here is the fact that advertisers use gaze motion to make sure that their audiences view the advertisements in the exact manner that they would like them to see (Cameron 1994). If there is a headline within the advertisement that needs to be viewed first by the audience, the advertisers do everything to make sure that the viewers see the headline initially and then move forward with the rest of the content in the advertisement (Levine 2003). This also signifies the basis of understanding that the elements of advertisement drafting are important and should be tackled in such a way that there is no catch within the relevant equations and that there is complete harmony within the related ranks as far as comprehending the real meaning of attracting audiences is concerned. Attention towards advertisements is indeed the key to achieve immense recall and value for the message that is being delivered by the advertisers all over the world. What this implies is the

How to Get a Job Easily Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How to Get a Job Easily - Essay Example The paper explores the difficulties in getting hired for required position and analyses why some people cannot find a job easily even if they are expert in their field. Or how can we reflect the true picture about our skills which can fit with the required position. Therefore, it's important for work seekers to learn some steps in order to get hired at the first attempt. However, the realization of this desire does not happen easily and automatically. To some, it is a whole nightmare to go through the job searching process because of the numerous records of how other people have failed. But the proposition of whether getting job easily or through the hardest way out is a phenomenon that does not happen by chance. It actually takes a person to work his or her way through to getting a job easily. To most job experts, there is a three-tier model or principle that if the job seeker uses, he or she is much likely to land on a job easily. This three-tier model is dubbed good CV-good search method-good interview. The simple implication behind this model is for the job seeker to first and foremost have very good curricula vitae (CV), use an effective job searching medium and also have command over interviews. In the first instance, a curriculum vitae or resume should be seen as a fundamental tool in getting a good job. The resume is actually a powerful ultra scan tool that has the power of bringing to light the potentials and capabilities of the job seeker that cannot be readily seen through observation. The resume therefore speaks for the job seeker by outlining his qualifications, skills, interests, aims, experiences and ambitions for a given job. It is therefore important that job seekers approach the designing of their resumes professionally. It must be recognized that the resume is considered by most employers as an academic principle that ought to follow certain strict format and procedure. It is therefore important to include such things as name, date of birth, address, contacts, work history master list, list of experiences starting from the latest one, qualification and training master list, interests and referees. It is also important to make available on demand certificates and other documentations to proof everything that is stated on the resume. Above all, the resume needs to be accompanied with a cover letter, explaining why one is interested in a particular organization and determine the pertinent skills and experience. After settling with a very good resume, one has to take decision on the job search method to use. To find job easily, it is advised that a job seeker will cast his net wide. It is wrong for a person to put all his eggs in one basket because in that case if the person loses that basket he losses all his eggs. In other words, it is prudent to use as varying means and media of searching for job as possible. Ultimately, the internet, newspaper, radio and job hunt agencies would do. A modern and effective trend has also been found to be the use of networking whereby a person relies on information of job openings from friends, relatives and old mates. This is very effective because it has been research that most job openings are not advertised in any of the mediums stated above (Gardener, 2009). This way, a person will be exposed to wider range of job openings. This will give the job seeker the opportunity to be highly selective of the kind of jobs to go for and those to avoid based on experience and qualification. Ultimately, the job seeker but remember that the fact that he needs a job does not mean that he should apply for just any job opening at all even if that does not meet his qualifications

The Former Soviet Satellite of Ukraine Research Paper

The Former Soviet Satellite of Ukraine - Research Paper Example Within such a construct of analysis, this paper will seek to identify key issues as well as provide a rational response to the ways in which these can work to be ameliorated. With regards to the geography of Ukraine, it occupies a territory larger than any other European nation asides from the Russian Federation. As such, due to the fact that the Russian Federation is divided between Europe and Asia, Ukraine can definitively be said to be the largest wholly European country. As with a large part of Eastern Europe, the landscape of Ukraine is mostly flat with fertile steppes stretching out over nearly 80% of nation. One of the defining aspects of the nation’s geography is that of the Danube and the Dnieper. The Danube accounts for the nation’s southwestern border whereas the Dnieper runs laterally bisecting the nation and flowing through a majority of the major cities and industrial centers of the nation. Geo-politically speaking, the nation is bordered by Russia and Belarus to the north, Poland and Slovakia to the west, Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea in the South. Of course it is difficult ot discuss the geography of the nation without discussing the way in which several failed Soviet experiments have inalterably changed the landscape and geography. Although there are a number of factors that contribute to this, a lion’s share of the death rate is directly linked to heavy smoking and alcoholism; both issues that continue to plague the nation.   Though it may seem to the reader than an extensive understanding of the demographic situation is not required before delving into the way in which the nation seeks to house and provide for its people, the fact of the matter is that such an issue has a direct correlation to the need, demand, and production of housing within the system (Tsenkova & Turner, 2004).

Running the business from the palm of your hand Essay

Running the business from the palm of your hand - Essay Example In this context the mobile digital platform is gaining significance nowadays. Now people are using their mobile as a means not only to call, chat or message, but to carry out their business functions as well since mobile is one thing they always carry with them. With the introduction of Mobile OS like iPhone OS, Android, Windows OS people are developing apps which caters to everyday needs right from their home to business. Hence application making companies like GP Apps, IndiaNIC, Grapple, SourceBits etc are coming out with apps which cater to everyday business needs. Mobile application is software developed to serve a specific need of individuals, business organization etc. Business Functions are basically operations that need to be carried out by an organization. Like for a Software company the key operations are writing codes, testing, maintenance etc. For a Bank it is accepting deposits, giving loans etc. In TCHO Chocolate, which creates unique flavors of chocolate uses iPhone applications that helps his business process function smoothly. It enables the owner Timothy Childs to remotely control the Flavor Machine, control the time, temperatures, and turn on and off whenever he needs. Through the app Childs can remotely view several video cameras and thus know the status of the factory. General Electric Mobile has their own Mobile center of excellence which develops apps which caters to their business needs. For GE’s Sales and marketing personnel it acts as a great boon as they can share business information and presentation with their colleagues and customers. They also use Transformer Monitoring app which manages their gas turbine inventory and electric transformers in the whole world. Along with it their PDS Movement planner helps monitor railway tracks and diagnose the locomotives. In Dow Corning, the employees use a Roambi Visualizer app which helps them to view the business data including sales figures, their trends and projections in real time basis and analyze them. Their Analytics App for iPhone monitors the Web site traffic along with the online sales for their XIAMETER brand. Using these executives monitors globally what contents are useful for them. Sunbelt Rentals uses Mobile SalesPro app which integrates several databases and systems for the sal es team. Hence this helps the sales team to stay up breast with the latest information on rental rates and availability of equipment. Answer 2 Operational efficiency is the ratio between the input that a business needs and the output which a business delivers. Inputs can be people, money or time. Outputs are new customers, money, innovation, speed, customer loyalty etc. (Kenneth, 2010, p.81). There are several reasons as to why a business should invest in information systems. 1. Operational excellence: Information helps managers to achieve higher levels of productivity and efficiency in business operations. For example Wal-Mart uses a RetailLink system, which links their suppliers to all Wal-Mart's stores. When a customer purchases an item, the supplier knows that he has to ship a

Leadership & Ethics- Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Leadership Ethics- Research Paper Essay Introduction With the collapse of major corporations like Enron, Tyco International, WorldCom and the like, corporate corruption and mismanagement has been in the forefront of some of the major issues that corporate organizations have to overcome and manage. With this research paper, my aim is to review and present three scholarly journals that highlight the impact that leadership can play on the ethical performance of an organization. Firstly, in the â€Å"Cultural Leadership Predictors of Corporate Social Responsibility Values of Top Management: A GLOBE Study of 15 Countries†, the study states, that with the spread of globalization, it has become imperative to understand managerial values that guide their actions. The authors suggest that the three main dimensions of managerial values that are relevant to the study of CSR are: shareholder/owner values where the aim is to maximize profits, stakeholder relations which refers to ethical and positive relations towards employees, consumer groups and the like and thirdly, community/state welfare which is based on the principle of public responsibility. In a more in-depth analysis the study explores the correlation of societal culture factors such as institutional collectivism, in-group collectivism and power distance on the above three managerial values that impacts managerial decision making. Furthermore, the paper proposes that visionary leadership and integrity enhances corporate social responsibility (CSR) values on moral and ethical grounds. Secondly,† The Association Between Ethical Leadership Employee Outcomes – The Malaysian Case† will help understand the value in gaining employee commitment and trust through effective ethical leadership skills. This article studies the impact of ethical leadership on the employee outcomes in areas such as organizational commitment and trust. A micro study was done on the country of Malaysia which has experienced a tenfold increase in corporate crime over the last 15 years. From the study one gathers that the main reason for such an exponential increase in such crimes is due to fact of the failures on part of corporate leadership to act ethically in their decision making process. Lastly, with â€Å"Leadership Styles the Moral Choice of Internal Auditors† I will examine how an employee’s self interest and management leadership guides their ethical decision making. This study plays close attention to one set of an organization’s workers the Internal Auditing professionals, in order to understand the how their choice in making ethical decisions are subjective to various factors , one of them being leadership. The primary viewpoint of this study indicated that an auditor’s decision making is enhanced by the leaders who adopt a standard achievement oriented leadership style and when they see clear benchmarking, fair performance assessment and growth opportunity. In conclusion, this can be held true for any employee within an organization. Hypothesis According to the GLOBE study, there were three main hypotheses that the researches proposed. The first hypothesis testing was split in two parts wherein, they proposed that â€Å"societies stressing institutional collectivist values will have a positive relationship with stakeholder’s relations and community/state welfare CSR values while societies stressing in-group collectivist values will only have a positive relationship with shareholder relations CSR values (Waldman et al).† The second theory states that cultures that have a high power distance tend to have low CSR values (Waldman et al). Lastly, visionary leadership and integrity on part of CEO’s, adds variance to the prediction of followers (stakeholders) CSR values that go beyond the effects of societal cultural values (Waldman et al). With the Leadership and Employee Outcome – The Malaysian Case, the two main hypotheses of the study were based on the notion that â€Å"there was a significant relationship between ethical leadership behaviour and employee’s organizational commitment and, that ethical leadership behaviour was positively associated with employee’s trust in leaders (Ponnu, Tennakoon).† This study aimed to examine the empirical significance of ethical leadership on employee attitudinal outcomes. The main hypothesis of the â€Å"Leadership Styles the Moral Choice of Internal Auditors† study was to understand the motivational factors that influence internal auditors when faced with ethical dilemmas pertaining to â€Å"spilt loyalty, expectation gaps and conflict of interest (Woodbine , Liu).† The authors proposed that the dependent and independent variables such as â€Å" personal needs strengths, leadership styles, the interaction between needs strength and leadership styles and situational factors impact an internal auditors moral choices when faced with an ethical issue (Woodbine , Liu).† Sampling In the GLOBE research paper the selected firms were picked from diverse sectors such manufacturing, information systems and tourism, however government run and educational institutions were excluded from the sample. Each firm had an average of 500 employees with six or more respondents from each firm. The final analysis was based on the responses of 561 firms from over 15 countries from various regions and a total of 4656 individuals completed the survey. The respondents comprised of CEO’s and several of their subordinates i.e. top executives. The leadership (two variables- vision and integrity) and societal cultural dimensions (three variables – institutional collectivism, in-group collectivism and power distance) were measured using reliability and confirmatory factor analyses. Cronback’s alpha for the above measures ranged from 0.70 to 0.90 for a five factor model. A two factor model was also used however it was not considered to be a good enough of fit. Control Variables such per capita gross domestic product, firms performance, average of age of respondents, average education and average gender, were used to enhance precision of the model (Waldman et al). Mean, standard deviations and correlations amongst the variables were interpreted and a hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the three main hypotheses. All survey items were standardized by country using Z – scores, so as to control potential differences in items scores and rating processes between countries (Waldman et al). Lastly various data collection strategies were put in to play in order to avoid single source bias issues. The Malaysian cross sectional case study was based on the primary data collected from 172 intermediate managerial employees from a wide variety of industries within the corporate sector in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The sample included 77 males and 97 females, age range from 20 to 53 and with 84% of the respondents holding bachelors or post graduate degrees. The data was collected through self administered questionnaires and â€Å"convenience sampling was used in drawing samples ((Ponnu, Tennakoon).† SPSS Version 14.0 was used to analyze the data and test the studies hypothesis. Correlation matrix and reliability analysis was done all variables to determine relationships among constructs and lastly in order to allow for correlation amongst factors,† exploratory factor analysis using principle components with oblique rotations was conducted (Ponnu, Tennakoon).† With the Internal Auditors case study, the sample population description comprised of full time internal auditing jobs with respondents that had at least one year experience with their respective organizations. The study was conducted in Australia and comprised of mailed out questionnaires. The total sample size was 128. The demographics were as follows: 84 males and 44 females, average male age 44 years and average female age of 36 years. Out of the 128 respondents, 48 of them were audit managers of equivalent. Organizations involved in the sampling were government departments, private sector and accounting firms. Statistical methods that were employed included correlation analysis for the dependent variables using a two tailed test and significant relationship amongst the three variables was found to exist and Q-Q plots and detrended normal plots were used to validate normality and reliability. For the independent variables such as leadership styles, growth needs and the like principal component analysis was used. Reverser measurement and regression analysis using stepwise method was used to explore relationships between the variables and in certain instances to test validity of model. Major Results Findings From the two GLOBE tables listed below the hypothesis that in-group collectivist values results in positive shareholder/owner is unconfirmed. The statistical analysis has confirmed and supported the authors proposal in that institutional collectivism positively predicts stakeholder CSR values, with a positive ÃŽ ² coefficient of 0.13 (P ≠¤ 0.01); power distance is negatively predictive of stakeholder CSR values, with a ÃŽ ² coefficient of -0.20; and that the leadership variables of vision and integrity enhanced CSR values, with ÃŽ ² coefficients of 0.23 and 0.13 respectively and variance of 9% (P ≠¤ 0.01) (Waldman et al). With GLOBE table 2, total variance amongst the three main managerial values are: shareholder/owner dimension equals 22%, stakeholder values is 45% and community/state welfare is 28% with a 5% significance level. Hence the model best suits stakeholder CSR values. The main findings with the GLOBE study are as follows: 1.The authors multidimensional of managerial values with the dimensions of shareholder/owners, stakeholders and community/state welfare values were appropriately construed. 2.The research indicates that manager from wealthier countries are more inclined to favor shareholder/owners values and less likely to consider the welfare of the state or community at large. In comparison, managers from poorer countries feel a greater personal responsibility towards society. 3.Managers from institutional collectivist societies tend to have greater value for the three managerial values while there has been no significant relationship between the two variables for in-group collectivism. 4.In societal cultures that have great power distance, managers tend to devalue CSR values, thus leading to a more manipulative use of power with little consideration given to stakeholders such as employees, customers, environmentalist. This could pose a definite risk for multinational firms in today’s global economy. 5.Organization variables such as CEO leadership in terms of vision and integrity are very likely to account for variance in managerial attitudes and decision making. One of the major recommendations of the GLOBE study is the need for multinational firms to pay close attention to cultural and leadership factors that have a critical impact on management CSR values. For example CSR values and policies of a multinational firm could be strong and this may be due to the home country’s high institutional collectivism and low power distance however managers in a subsidiary country may have weaker stakeholder CSR values as a result of weak institutional collectivism and high power distance (Waldman et al). The resulting scenario could lead to conflicting policies and business practices that can have an adverse effect on multinational firms. This further reiterates the authors’ proposal that in cases such as this, it’s the firm’s leadership values of integrity and vision that help managers look beyond the economic and cultural limitations. In the Malaysian case as mentioned earlier, correlation analysis was preformed to test strength and linear relationship amongst the variables. With the first hypothesis there was a medium positive correlation between ethical leadership behaviour and organizational commitment. The Malaysian Table 1 below shows correlations r = .46 and p .0 5 and, co-efficient of distribution is 21% of the variance, which can be explained. Hence with the supporting empirical data the research shows that â€Å"high levels of perceived ethical leadership behaviour are associated with higher levels of employee’s organizational commitment (Ponnu, Tennakoon).† As for the second hypothesis, there was a strong positive correlation between ethical leadership behaviour and employee trust. The Malaysian Table 2 below shows correlations r = .634 and p .0 5 and, co-efficient of distribution is 40% of the variance, which can be explained. Hence with the above results supporting hypothesis 2, it can be safely concluded that â€Å"high levels of perceived ethical leadership associated with higher levels of employee’s trust in leaders (Ponnu, Tennakoon).† Some of the main antecedents to the Malaysian case findings are as follows: 1.If leaders make ethics a cornerstone of all business practices they gain internal organizational fellowship and employees tend to value a more social exchange with the organization rather than an economic exchange. Employees reciprocate these sentiments through organizational behavioral commitment and are â€Å"willing to exert considerable effort in terms of job dedication and job commitment, on behalf of the organization (Ponnu, Tennakoon).† 2.When an organizational leader priortizes the group’s interest first, who does not wish to seek personal gain at the expense of others, who respects the rights of others and treats them fairly; tends to harness employees trust. 3.When leaders empower employees and involve them in decision making processes they not only facilitate employee well being and growth but increases their trust in them as well. With the Internal Auditors case the major findings of the study support Path goal and ERG theories (Woodbine, Liu). As per the table below, internal auditors are motivated to make ethical decisions based on their personal growth needs. Leadership styles play a significant role as well especially Standard achievement oriented approach that encourages individual performance and achievement (Woodbine, Liu). Lastly gender, age and experienced was an important predictor, as female respondents that were younger and less experienced showed less motivation towards making moral ethical choices. Conclusion The GLOBE study has been extremely informative and clearly structured to provide an in-depth understanding of how societal cultural factors and leadership guide managerial values when it comes to decision making within an organization. Some of the key limitations to the study were that the analyses were limited to 15 countries and the surveyed firms did not represent a wide range of industries (Waldman et al). Actual CSR performance was not measured and lastly, due to multiple levels of data to be collected, additional insight could not be gained. The study indicates that even though leadership integrity is a significant and unique predictor of managerial CSR values, it remains to be an under researched variable. This may be due to the fact that leadership integrity is associated with more tangible organizational outcomes such as reductions of business of costs. However, the authors still believe that it a significant factor that enhances managerial decision making and is worth future examination and research. My personal opinion would also include a more directed research towards in-group collectivism in order to find a relationship between individualistic societies and importance of CSR values towards society at large. The study concluded that, organizations that have strong corporate social responsibility values gain the trust of both internal and external stakeholder which in turn solidifies the foundations for an ethical culture. It also states that Neo – charismatic leadership that is guided by the principles of visionary leadership and integrity have a strong impact on an organization’s ethical performance. The Association Between Ethical Leadership Employee Outcomes – The Malaysian Case† study showed me a direct link between leadership ethical behavior on employee commitment and trust. It empirically proved that unethical leadership can adversely impact employee outcomes that in turn affect organizational performance. I noted related some factors such supervision, leadership honesty, trustworthiness, fairness and care, have an impact on employee perception and outcomes. The key limitations of the Malaysian study as noted by the researchers due to time and budget constraints, was that, convenient sampling may not be representative of the entire population due to insufficient representation of the entire corporate sector of the country and could be subject to self-selection bias; secondly the study could not measure if distance with top/senior management has an effect on employee perception of ethical leadership. Hence lower level employees who have very minimal contact with upper level management may rely more on information based on public opinion then direct leadership experience (Ponnu , Tennakoon). Both authors found that their study although valid and reliable, needed to be border in terms of sample size and area of study in order to fully understand and demonstrate the importance of ethical leadership. It was also suggested that since the research focused on† superior direct relationships â€Å"(Ponnu, Tennakoon) it would be recommended to gather relevant data from lower level employees within the organizational hierarchy. Finally they suggested further research on the relationship between â€Å"employee psychological empowerment and authenticity of ethical leader behavior (Ponnu, Tennakoon)†. As per my personal suggestion further research can be geared towards relating individual organizational commitment and performance. In conclusion to the Malaysian study, the authors state that corporate crime is still rising as a large number of top executives do not see the importance of ethical leadership values in their business operations. Corporate leaders should set an example of strong ethical and moral values in order to earn loyalty and trust of all major internal and external stakeholders. Organizations that have strong ethical leaders and principles are held in high esteem and enable the organization to employ and retain the best human capital available in the market. The case study on the internal audit profession, provided for a keen micro analysis on the personal motivations that guide employees to make moral decisions especially in professions that require a high level of ethical decision making. The limitations of this study as mentioned by the authors included variable identification and measurement, sample size and the use of a far too simple three vignette based model (Woodbine, Liu). Further research in to gender differences and issues that affect one’s ethical and moral decision making ability. Lastly a broader analysis that analysis the organization as whole as opposed to a particular profession would help enhance understanding of the internal motivations that guide moral decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas. The authors also recommend a new variable for research i.e. â€Å"employee religious affiliation† as a possible predictor to moral choices. Even though the authors conclude that codes of conduct and governance systems provide for an internal control mechanism, whistle blowing channels and develop cultures of honesty and accountability, the study strongly suggests that employee’s moral choices are still subject to their motivation needs. Finally, employee’s motivation to making moral decisions can be difficult to predict however they can be encouraged with proper leadership (Woodbine , Liu). All three scholarly articles empirically supported the main objective of this study, which was to reiterate the sound business principle that, ethical leadership lead to the responsible management of business processes and decision making that will in turn help an organization manage its risk of failure as a result of unethical business practices. Works Cited Ponnu, Cyril H., Tennakoon , Girindra. â€Å"The Association Between Ethical Leadership Employee Outcomes – The Malaysian Case.† Electronic Journal of Business Ethics Organizational Studies 14:1 (2009). Web. Sept 19th, 2010. Walman, De Luque, Washburn et al. â€Å"Cultural Leadership Predictors of Corporate Social Responsibility Values of Top Management: A GLOBE Study of 15 Countries.† Journal of International Business Studies 37:6 (2006). Palgrave Macmillan Journals. Web. Sept 19th, 2010. Woodbine, Gordon F., Liu, Joanne. â€Å"Leadership Styles The Moral Choice of Internal Auditors.† Electronic Journal of Business Ethics Organizational Studies 15:1 (2010). Web. Sept 19th, 2010.

Should stem cell transplants be done Essay Example for Free

Should stem cell transplants be done Essay Stem cell transplants are often one of the last choices a patient has to survive cancer. All have already gone through chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both and this is the next step in their treatment. Patients have two choices in transplants autologous or allogeneic. In an autologous transplant stem cells are collected from the patient and then given back to them at a later date after the body has been properly prepared for transplantation. In an allogeneic transplant stem cells are collected from a donor, related or unrelated to the patient, then transplanted into the patient. Stem cells can be collected in two different ways. One way is via bone marrow and the other is via peripheral blood. The donor’s or patient’s bone marrow is collected from the pelvis, femur or sternum, though the pelvis is the most common, and then infused into the patient via a central line. In a peripheral blood stem cell collection the donor or the patient has their stem cells collected via a central line in a process called apheresis. This can take multiple collections to ensure enough stem cells for transplantation. Both procedures need to be meticulously planned and all support medications given to ensure successful collection. There are many cancers that stem cell transplants are commonly used for. Multiple myeloma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease and chronic myelogenous leukemia are more commonly treated with transplantation. Each of these cancers has a different success rate, some have a higher success rates than with chemotherapy alone. Proper preparation is important for stem cell transplants. All patients undergo chemotherapy prior to transplantation. This is used to clear out the bone marrow of cells to ensure a successful transplant. Also most patients have already undergone chemotherapy in hopes of curing their cancer without having to have a stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy is not the only medication used to aid in transplants. Patients generally receive G-CSF injections to help promote cell production prior to harvest and to aid in engraftment. Transplantation is not without risks, patients can experience fatigue, infections, lowered red blood cells and platelets or even graft versus host disease. These can all be treated though with good supportive care by the physicians and other support staff. Research shows that stem cell transplants should be done in certain cases because it can allow a greater quality of life by ridding the body of cancer and promoting healthy cell growth and allowing a patient to have other options of therapies to overcome cancer. Multiple myeloma is one of the cancers that can have successful outcomes by a stem cell transplant. Though research shows this is not a true curative treatment for patients, it can give them a chance at a longer life. Both autologous and allogeneic transplants can be done for multiple myeloma though allogeneic transplants are more successful. Bruno et al, (2007) attributes this to the inability of the pre-transplant chemotherapy to eradicate all myeloma cells. Also allografting using stem cells from a HLA-identical sibling has higher success rates than transplants using non HLA-identical siblings. Another cancer that has successful outcomes after transplantation is acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Kiehl et al, (2004) shows that up to 46% of patients who receive an allogeneic transplant have successful disease free survival. Higher risk patients and patients who are in their second complete remission should undergo a stem cell transplant for a greater chance at long term survival. Those who are in their third complete remission, or have had induction failure, have a lower chance at a successful transplant with disease free survival. As stated by Kiehl et al, (2004) these patients only have a 5-15% chance of long term survival despite transplantation. The allogeneic donor can either be related or unrelated, though the donor of choice is a matched sibling. This is not always possible so transplantation should go ahead with and unrelated donor. Hodgkin’s disease can be successfully cured with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, though some patients will need transplantation at some point. Research by Sureda et al, (2001) shows that these patients can achieve long term survival after an autologous stem cell transplant. These patients have generally relapsed after initial chemotherapy or have refractory disease. Poorer outcomes after transplantation can be found in patients who have a short remission period or bulky disease at time of transplantation. This is not a deciding factor in not attempting a transplant though. Stem cell transplants continue to be the only curative option for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Most of these patients receive an allogeneic transplant though some undergo and autologous if no donors are available. Maziaz and Mauro, (2004) show that an allogeneic transplant from a sibling donor had a 60% disease free survival at 5 years. Autologous transplants have an 80% survival rate at 5 years though these patients are only in remission not truly disease free. Age, other health factors, and donor availability are factors to be considered prior to transplant. Maziarz and Mauro, (2003) bring up the question of non-transplant therapy by using Imatinib. This medication is still being researched regarding its efficacy and curative rates. This could be an option for patients who are too ill to undergo a transplant. Stem cell transplants are reliant on multiple medications prior to and after transplantation. Chemotherapies are used to ablate the bone marrow and ready it for production of new healthy cells. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor, G-CSF, is used pre and post transplantation. This medication assists in cell production for a successful harvest and then for successful engraftment. High dose chemotherapies such as Ifosfamide, Carboplatin and Etoposide are often used prior to transplantation. (Schlemmer et al, 2006, Straka et al, 20003) These medications ready the bone marrow for transplantation by destroying cells, both good and bad. Elderly patients and patients who cannot tolerate full dose therapy are often given doses at a decreased rate. This does not decrease the chances of a successful transplantation. (Straka et al, 2003) Without obliteration of all cells successful engraftment could not happen. The stem cells would be overrun by cancerous cells and the disease would continue. This is one reason why so much chemotherapy is given prior to transplantation. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor, G-CSF, is a very important part of stem cell transplantation. It stimulates the bone marrow to produce more leukocytes. G-CSF is used both pre and post transplantation. When used pre transplantation it helps produce more lymphocytes that are then harvested for transplantation. Post transplantation it is used to support engraftment and decrease neutropenia. Samaras et al, (2010) states the use of G-CSF can reduce the time to engraftment and potentially lower the risk for post-transplant infections. There are different side effects and complications that can arise from transplantation. As the body is prepared for transplantation, the body is stripped of its natural defenses against infection. With no white cells to help battle against opportunistic infections a patient can become extremely ill. They are also at risk for anemia and thrombocytopenia as the chemotherapy also destroys red blood cells and platelets. This is one reason patients are kept in the hospital for many days during high doses of chemotherapy. They are also at continued risk after transplantation until engraftment and cell recovery happens. Another major side effect that can happen is graft versus host disease (GVHD). This is where the donor cells perceive the recipient’s body as foreign and begin to attack the body. There are 4 grades of graft versus host disease and they can either be acute or chronic. Acute GVHD generally happens as the new cells are engrafting into the host body. Chronic GVHD can happen years later and is more severe in effects to the body. In the acute phases of GVHD the patient can be treated and cured by the use of short term immunosuppressant therapy and steroids. Long term immunosuppression can lessen the effects on the body in chronic GVHD. This in itself can lead to infections due to chronic immunosuppression. (Kiehl et al, 2004, Bruno et al, 2007) Most patients experience some level of fatigue while recovering from transplants. This can be exacerbated by nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, sleep issues and other side effects of transplantation. As patients experience more fatigue they become less inclined to do further activities. It is important to treat all symptoms effectively and encourage patients to be up and moving. This can shorten hospital stays and lessen the chances of infections. (Hacker et al, 2006) Stem cell transplants though complicated and risky are still one of the best choices for many patients. They can be the last chance at survival for patients as well as the best option for the possibility of longer life living with cancer. Relapse and failure of transplant are risks that patients choose to take. There is a complex series of chemotherapy and supportive medications for transplant, but without these, transplantation would not be possible at all. Though side effects can happen, the benefits far outweigh the risks associated with transplantation. Research shows that stem cell transplants should be done in certain cases because it can allow a greater quality of life by ridding the body of cancer and promoting healthy cell growth and allowing a patient to have other options of therapies to overcome cancer. As the years continue and further research is done stem cell transplants will become the first step in caring for cancer patients.

The Launch Of The Renault Logan Marketing Essay

The Launch Of The Renault Logan Marketing Essay Introduction The launch of the Renault Logan and the subsequent events is a happening which deserves recognition from strategists all around the world. The Logan was launched to appeal to the developing nations. Renault then launched a variation of the car for the Western European. This was immensely successful in both the regions and has been a key driver in the success of the company. The Logan, a low cost car manufactured by the French auto giant Renault SA, was intended to be its world car and was developed at the Romanian subsidiary, Dacia. Meant to be sold in the emerging markets of the world, it managed to achieve success even in developed nations like France, Spain Germany. This lead Renault SA to introduce a Logan variant especially for these markets. We discuss the factors that made Renault to get into the low cost car segment. It also examines the approach of Renault to give to the developing world a car with a pre-designated sale price, various cost reduction methods. It goes on to discuss the launch of the Logan in Western Europe where the company launched a variant based on the early success of the company. We broadly look at the following issues while discussing the launch strategy: To examine the strategic reasons behind a major auto companys decision to manufacture a low cost car for developing markets. To understand the reasons behind the success of the Logan, not only in developing nations but also in the developed nations markets. To examine the strategy employed by the company while entering new markets History of Renault 1898-1918 The Renault Corporation was founded in 1899 as Socià ©tà © Renault Frà ¨res by Louis Renault and his two brothers Marcel and Frerand in Boulogne. The founder was extremely fond of cars, the most important invention in the field of transportation in that century. He invented the first direct hold gearbox while he was working on a new design for his car. He succeeded to sell the gearbox to one of his fathers friends who was really impressed by the product. After patenting the product, he set up the company with his brothers and 2 friends. He was in charge of production and development and his brothers managed the administration stuff. Renault factories started mass production in 1905 and started following Taylorisms, a method of Scientific Management to increase economic efficiency in labour intensive industries, in 1913. The first cars were bought only by the very rich people because of the price which was around ten years worth of a normal workers salary. The company thus promptly decided to diversify by getting into the production of taxis and trucks. At the same time, the brothers understood the importance of advertising and began to field Renault cars in automobile races. The First World War presented a way for the company to become the first private manufacturer in France and it became well-known due to the participation in the war effort with production of various products ranging from munitions, military planes to tanks like the FT17. 1919-1945 After the war, the company diversified into the agricultural and industrial sectors. But the competition in the automobile sector became harder because of cheaper cars being available on the market. At this time, Renault met some financial problems in a period that was hard for the social and economic environment in France. During the 1920s, the company tried to overcome these difficulties. In 1920, the first Renault concessionaire appeared. A modernization process was launched in 1929 with the installation of the first assembly line in the Billancourt factory (in the West of Paris). Moreover, the demand for cars became very large especially for small automobiles designed for private individuals. Renault did limit its frontiers to the French market but enter foreign ones like the United Kingdom and its colonies. It was also a period which saw a lot of technical improvements in Renault cars. During the Second World War and the German occupation of France, Renault produced trucks for the Germans but stopped the civil small automobiles because of the War. Louis Renault was arrested for collaboration at the end of the war and the provisional French government decided to nationalize the company in January 1945 which became the Rà ©gie Nationale des Usines Renault (the National State Control of Renault Factories). 1945-1975 With the reconstruction time after the world conflict, the company modernized its installations, built and bought new production sites. The French economy at the time was really prosperous and amongst the fastest growing at the time. Renault tried its hand at internationalization and succeeded to a degree but failed to enter the lucrative US market. Cars during this period really became indispensable for private use and thus big successes arrived with popular cars for everybody: the 4CV, and then the Dauphine, the Renault 4, the Renault 5, etc. The first premium model was born with the Renault 16 and other Renault sports cars continued to meet a lot of success in cars races in which Renault invested a lot of money. 1975-1992 The growth stage for the company went on until the beginning of the 1980s. Many new models were launched and the premium products in particular- the Renault 25 and the Espace appeared and became big ticket selling items for the company. At the same time, the Renault brand grew strongly not in a small part due to the excellent performances in the Formula 1 world- the automobile racing championships. Nevertheless, Renault encountered big losses in the 70s and the economic crises during the 1970s accentuated the problems. A drastic policy for reducing all the costs and refocusing on the core competencies was started and started paying dividends as seen in 1987 when Renault made profits again. 1992-2005 The 1990s presented new opportunities for Renault. First, an alliance with Volvo was planned but it fell through. However, the real change came with the privatization of the company in the year 1996. 3 years later, in 1999, the company signed a merger deal with Japanese car maker Nissan a deal which through cross holding saw Renault getting 44.5% ownership of Nissan and Nissan getting 15% of Renault. Formula 1 during the period saw Renault become title challengers through Fernando Alonso. This again contributed to the brand equity for Renault. The Innovations and went on with models like the Megane and the Laguna which contributed the maximum to the sales of Renault during this time. In the 2000s, the Renault-Nissan alliance has become stronger and the companies have found synergies which can only help in the alliance. The group internationalization is a big objective now and this can be seen the buyouts of Samsung Motors and Dacia. They brought over 99% of the Romanian company and this subsidiary of Renault was the one that actually brought the Logan to the market. Renaults context The New Global Strategy Renaults necessity to capture the emerging markets stems from the fact that markets in the developed nations are not growing fast enough to cater to the growth requirement of an international car company. For this very reason, the global strategy of Renault was renewed, and it was decided that the optimal one would be to strengthen their position in their natural market, meaning the European one and to enter new market with a high potential of development, meaning emerging markets. In the year 2004, Renault-Nissan was the fourth largest manufacturer in the car industry. The objective defined in the new strategy formulated in 2004 was to become the third largest company by 2010 and to achieve an increase of 30% on the number of car sold (meaning an increase of 900 000 cars). This objective meant to sell 6.5 millions of cars in 2010 instead of 5.6 in 2004, hence capture 10% of the global market. The purpose of this plan was to take Renault into the car industrys global group. They also wanted to restore the operating margin which has been deteriorating since early 2005. An international strategy needed a global vision of the market, hence defining what was common to consumers all over the world. This was Renaults strategic context that led to the launching of the Logan. The Need to enter Emerging Nations Developing a car for developing markets has become a quest within the automobile in recent years. It all began with Fiat nearly doing it with the Palio; Launching a car in this segment- modern yet affordable- in lower-income regions is an essential tool available in the hands of automotive companies for expanding the car industry on the whole. In the absence of these models, the streets of the emerging markets are full of obsolete western designs which are still in local production, or used imported cars from developed markets that have been dumped there. The dumped cars are old and invariably never adhere to environmental standards, thus making the low-cost modern cars an even better value proposition for not only environment lovers but also for people who are sensitized to the issue. These cars match up to all the environment standards set around the world thus appealing to the people living in the developing or emerging nations. Old designs can still be seen in many countries and the factories setup over 30 years back are still making the car they were initially setup to build, albeit with some minor adjustments. An example of this is the Maruti 800 in India which has been in production from 1982. Another example of the same is the 40 year-old car, the Zhiguli, a car by Russian giant AvtoVAZ. The examples given above are not really about car makers from developed nations dumping old generation products in emerging markets. This can be seen from the example of the Nissan which still makes the Tsuru, a budget-priced version of the 1980s Sentra, in Mexico. Another of Brazils top sellers, the Fiat Uno, has also been in production since at the local factory back in 1976. All these models share the same basic economic model the production line is bought and paid for; the RD costs of the models were amortised long ago. Theyre made in simple plants with low-cost labour and using local suppliers, to tolerances that would not be acceptable in the developed world. Theyre easy to maintain and spares are readily available. In a nutshell, theyre cheap. And mostly rather nasty. The trick is to replace them with something thats equally cheap but cheap and cheerful instead of cheap and nasty. Cheerful in that its safe and clean. But thats fiendishly difficult to achieve. Fiats Project 178 of 1996 was the first concerted attempt to create such a car. Fiat has substantial interests in a number of emerging markets, principally Latin America and Central Europe, but also in North Africa, South Africa, Turkey and India. Project 178 spawned a number of vehicles off a new platform Palio hatch, Siena sedan, Palio Weekend wagon and Strada pick-up. And Fiat talked the project up, predicting sales globally of close to a million units a year. In reality, it hasnt come close. So far about 3.5m units have been built including more than 2m in Brazil. But over the 10-year lifespan of the project, thats only 350,000 a year. Part of the problem was a failure to set up a meaningful alliance in China Fiat has a low-key operation with Nanjing Automobile, established in 1999, and only sells about 30,000 cars a year there. But more importantly, the Project 178 cars werent cheap enough to take over from the entry-level clunkers they were intended to replace. In Brazil, the Uno Mille soldiers on as Fiats cheapest model, with Palio positioned as something of an upmarket alternative. Brazil is an oddity among emerging markets too in that its consumers like hatchbacks. In most emerging markets, the traditional booted sedan is the carriage of choice, largely because small cars tend to carry more people on an average journey than in the west, so a separate, larger luggage compartment is preferable. The sedan version of the Palio, the Siena, is too large to be an entry model in Central Europe or India, and in these markets it is sold as a mid-range model. In India, as in Brazil, the Uno props up the range. Fiat seems to accept this its Siena/Palio replacement, codenamed D200, is due to be unveiled next month. And itll be larger than the Siena, closer in size to a Toyota Corolla, according to reports. Renault has come much closer to the holy grail with the Logan. Like Fiat, Renault has a reasonably large emerging markets footprint, which became much more appealing once it had acquired its former Communist-era partner, Romanias Dacia, which had survived the post-Ceausescu turmoil by cranking out ancient Renault 12s in a crumbling plant. Logan was created along a brief to build a car that would sell for less than EUR5,000. It involved raiding the parts bin mainly Clio, though the suspension is from the Modus and producing a simple four-door sedan to be built in Romania and other emerging markets. While the EUR5,000 target turned out to be theoretically possible, such a vehicle has never existed as the specification would have been too basic even for Romanian tastes. Logan prices start around EUR7,000, and the project has undoubtedly been a success, with more than 250,000 sold in the first 18 months of production. As well as Romania, Logan is also manufactured in Russia, where 25,000 vehicles were produced from April 2005 to May 2006, as well as Morocco and Colombia. Production will soon start at a major plant in Iran, where 250,000 units a year are targeted, followed by India in partnership with Mahindra Mahindra and Brazil in 2007. A wagon version was premiered at the Paris Show in September, and panel van and pick-up derivatives will also be built. Logan has outperformed Palio because its a bit smaller, a bit cheaper and the production is better spread. There are potentially genuine economies of scale thanks to annual volumes at full production of around 800,000 units a year. It would be an even greater success if Renault could get it into China but talks about building it in partnership with Dongfeng-Nissan stalled last year and have remained unresolved. The idea of the Logan The initial idea of the Logan came from the former CEO Louis Schwetzer, who imagined, during a trip to Moscow in 1997, an economic saloon car (Berline) for the Russian market. The Logan was one car from car manufacturers which was not a sub product of a car already in existence in the developing world. Thus the car could be designed from scratch and thus could add to its probability of success in these markets. This gave developers more flexibility right from the design phase to the actual manufacturing phase. This flexibility and ability to create the product just for the emerging nations gave Renault a big competitive advantage over competitors. They could thus follow a low cost strategy right from the very start. The  low cost strategy There are two parts in Renaults low cost strategy to ensure that the product launch is successful; firstly it lays emphasis on a specific organizational and production strategy to match the low prices thus incorporating extreme efficiency in the organization and secondly on achieving the right product positioning which is supposed to fulfil consumers needs in both developed as well as emerging countries. 1. Low cost Strategy To answer the needs of a mass market, the price of the car needs to be such that the car is accessible to everyone. The production costs will then have to be lower than for a normal car under the criterion set by Renault. But at no stage should our product not fulfil the consumers expectations, in particular concerning the safety of the car. Certain factors in cars are hygiene factors and they are a necessity no matter what the cost. This also has to be taken into account while making the final decision. As the Logan was not a product derived from some other product, the whole production process was to be adapted to the main idea underlying the concept of the car; it had to be extremely lean and efficient. We had to control the costs and thus make production less expensive and yet meet high level of expectations regarding the reliability, strength and performance of the product. Reducing the costs was a strategic phase of the project, and with this low cost approach, Renault could put on the market a car that was sold with a sub 5000 Euro price tag in emerging countries. The company also standardized its processes in all the plants across the world in order to ensure lowest possible costs. The company has taken the best practices from various companies around the world. They have incorporated concepts like Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, Just in Time, etc based on the success at other firms around the world. The company is known for its logistics and follows the following principles for the same. This has been especially in practice ever since the launch of the Logan as the volumes for the company have really picked up as a result. 15,000 trucks and 26 trains are used to ship parts and cars are transported daily in around 400 wagons, 10 ships and 1,200 trucks. The transport budget totals around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 470 million for supply and another à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 725 million for vehicle distribution. 7 large function families    Logistics at Renault is divided into 7 main families covering all logistics activity, from design to project to series life apart from spare parts and accessories. They include Production Supply and Management Logistics Quality Shipment and Transport Industrial Planning and Programming Supply Chain Architecture Physical Flow Engineering Process Engineering The low cost method Renault could apply a low cost model for the production of a new car, as it had all the core competencies for it. He used the method  design to cost for the Logan, already used with the Twingo in 1992. With this method all the processes are defined regarding the feasibility of a technique and the savings it would lead to. It is a centralized method, one manager was appointed to check all the process, instead of having each business unit participating to the project. This manager had a broad decision power, and it saved time and resources. The material was chosen as per the availability of the material all over the world, as the productions sites were supposed to cater to the nearest possible consumers markets. The contractors were also chosen depending on the location of the production site. The number of components was reduced from 4000 on an average for a car to about 1400 for the Logan. Another important cost reduction was the reduction of the promotional budget (mainly in developed countries). 150 Euros is spent for one Logan, whereas the average cost of promotion is 400 Euros for one car. All these competencies are not easily imitable by Renaults competitors. 2. The Original Positioning Traditionally, consumers need for a car were analyse as opposite between developed and emerging countries. For the emerging markets, the development of a middle class is the appearance of a new market for the car industry as more and more people can afford one. Until the Logan, the consumers from this new middle class could only afford a second hand car. With the Logan, Renault is offering a new car at the same price than a second hand one, with the possibility to personalize your car with a broad choice of options. The second advantage of the Logan is the guarantee of safety as it is constructed by a well-known car constructor. Another argument for the emerging markets is the fact that it is a foreign brand. Indeed, for emerging markets consumers, it can be better for your social status to have a foreign brand car. In developing countries, the launching of the Logan was a success even if it was not meant to be launched at first in developing countries. For example in Germany, the consumers were attracted to the idea of having a popular car. In those markets, the price argument was extremely important but all the attraction of the Logan came from the fact that it could be personalized has any other car. With the Logan, Renault was able to sell a low cost car to consumers by make them forget it was a low cost car. Even if the price is the common factor in both markets, the motivations surrounding the price are different. The possibility to buy a new car is mainly linked to the social status for emerging countries consumers whereas what attracts developed countries consumers is the rationality of buying a safe new car at a low cost. Marketing strategy The originality of Renaults positioning is to have made one product and to adapt the marketing strategy to the specificity of each market. The price is the first difference between markets. A Logan is sold in France 1500 Euros more than in Romania. This difference can be explained on a strategic point of view; because Renault didnt want that the Logan became the only car sold in France by Renault. If the price had been too low, the Logan would have competed with others Renaults products. (In French it is called the cannibalism effectà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ not sure if the translation exists; it is a concept in marketing) Apart from that specificity of the French market, the price is changing depending on the countries mainly because it is possible for a client to invest in options and then pay more. Sales Owing to its marketing strategy adapted to each local market, Renault intends to satisfy a maximum of different expectations and obtain an optimisation of its sales. The low cost positioning of the Logan is original because it links a low price product to a diverse offer in order to meet different consumers expectations. Emerging countries markets and their specificities In that context, an offer adapted to the revenue of the emergents countries consumers was suppose to be Renaults way to enter those markets with high growth potential. The specificities of emerging countries car market are that it is today underdeveloped, meaning that its potential growth is very high. The importance of having a product adapted to these markets for Renault was also the only way to be able to compete with the future competition coming from India and China. Launching the Logan The first production centre for the Logan was based in Romania. The car was initially sold in 16 countries Romania, Croatia, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Rep, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia,  Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Baltes countries, Moldavia, Poland). Launched the 9th of June 2005 in France, it was also sold in Germany and Spain. The decision to launch the Logan in Western Europe was a forced decision as a parallel market appeared. It was the only way for Renault to avoid competition with its others cars in Western Europe. Renault in Western Europe Renault originally did not have plans to launch Logan in Western Europe. However, the company started importing a more expensive version of the car in 2006 which was priced at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 7000. The car was a success in Western Europe contrary to the beliefs of the company. This showed the predilection of the buyers for a low cost no frills car. The car is sold under the name of Dacia Logan in the western European region. The car manufactured mainly for the developing nations in Eastern Europe was not intended to be launched in the developed markets of Western Europe. Dacia was assigned the task of developing a car which is low cost and suits the need of developing market and the success in Western Europe did come as a surprise for Renault. By 2007, over 15% of the total sales of Logan was coming from France and Germany. For people in Western Europe the looks are not that good. The Logan MCV shares the same dowdy lines as its siblings. You also dont get many features. To keep costs down, Dacia minimized the frill factor to such a low that they were almost non-existent. Nevertheless, the Logan MCV handled city streets with ease. The steering is direct. The suspension is firm but still comfortable. To deal with the often-unpaved roads of its target markets, the Logans suspension is slightly higher than other comparably sized vehicles. Like many European cars, the Logan comes with small and efficient engine options. Despite the small engine the car performed well under traffic. The major reason for the success should be attributed to the price. Compared to the others cars in the segment the price that Logan was charging were unbelievably cheap. Others cars in the segment were priced at around à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 13000. The appetite for low cost cars in Western Europe is a tantalizing development and it could serve as a major point to sell more cars in the markets which are believed by most to be saturated. The low cost cars have a potential to be bought by families who want more than one car. This could also fulfill the requirement of students and the working class early into their career. The scope is wide and prospects wider. Failure of Logan in India Renault launched its low cost car Logan in India in April, 2007. The car had been hugely successful worldwide. The low cost car was conceived primarily for developing markets, but due to its huge success in Eastern Europe, Renault chose to launch it in Western Europe as well, where it turned out to be successful. Renault entered India via a joint venture with Indian automaker Mahindra Mahindra, which provide market insights and distribution reach, while the engines were to be sourced from France. During the launch, the company had projected sales of 30,000 units a year, or 2500 units per month. The actual sales in October 2009 were around 500 cars per month. The joint venture was supposed to deliver synergy and allow Renault the platform to grow its brand in India. Each partner was expected to deliver a resource which the JV could exploit. While Mahindra provided marketing and distribution, Renault brought to the table technology. However, the JV failed to deliver for the following reasons: The price point for Logan was a major problem. The petrol range starts at Rs 4.43 lakh going up to Rs 5.32 lakh and the diesel variant is priced at Rs 6.68 lakh. The competitors of Logan in the low cost segment, like Maruti Swift Dzire and Tata Indigo CS, had much more aggressive price tags, and cars like like Ford Ikon and Hyundai Accent that were available in a price bracket close to the Renault model put pressure on demand for Logan. The reason for Logan having to price higher than its other low cost competitors was the fact that 50% of Logans parts and the engine itself were sourced from France, which is higher than any other manufacturer. As a result costs went up The issue here that prevented synergy was the lack of trust between Renault and Mahindra. Renault refused to part with its technology in an attempt to retain power in the JV and it to keep open its option of having an independent future in India. Another problem that the JV faced was the rising Euro. Due to the fluctuations in currencies, the costs of the company kept going up, and it could not move to a more aggressive price point. Moreover, being just over 4 meters long, Logan was in an excise bracket higher than other low cost cars. To top it all, Renault felt that the current volumes were not large enough to justify localized supply. This showed lack of commitment towards the JV. After the JV with MM, Renault initiated talks with Bajaj for its small car and also started contacting other auto manufacturers. This strategy of having multiple partners in the same category, especially when these partners maybe competitors, is not a smart one. Due to this apparent lack of commitment from Renault, the Logan was relegated to the backstage in Mahindra outlets with no dealer push coming forth for the car. The company MM and its dealers preferred to push the Scorpio more, for obvious reasons. Therefore, the Logan entered the market with limited dealer push in spite of having one of the strongest distribution networks in India. There was very little by way of branding done for the Logan. After the initial launch campaign, there was precious little brand building. The JV tried to drive growth by discount ads, provided primarily by local dealers. As a result Logan never became a strong brand in India. This lack of customer pull, coupled with the lack of retailer push mentioned above ensured that the brand Logan never really took off in India. Moreover, news about the rocky relationship between the partners kept consumers away from the car due to uncertainty about service in the future. Lessons from the failure We can derive many lessons from the unexpected failure of the Logan in the Indian market. It teaches us how to derive value from a resource like a JV. Both partners must be committed to the joint venture for it to succeed. Renault was in talks with other manufacturers, as a result Mahindra did not take the JV seriously. This led to low retailer push, bad press and low investment in marketing activities. In its attempt to grow too quickly Renault actually jeopardized its existing brand. The partners have to share a degree of trust. The JV sourced about 50% of the parts and the engine from France. This would not have been the case if Renault could have trusted MM with its technology. Even though that would have given greater power to MM, it would have ensured a successful take-off for the Logan. Renault could have built its power in the JV by gradually developing its own distribution network over a period of a few years. However, in its rush to grow quickly it jeopardized a very good product. Renault could also have signaled its commitment and trust by building manufacturing facilities in India, but refrained from doing so.