St. Louis Communities :: essays research papers

"Where do you live?" If you have ever met anyone in St. Louis, this is probably one of the first questions asked. Whether you are from the city, county, north, south, east or west, most people in St. Louis are convinced that they can identify you by what community you come from. The actual city of St. Louis is broken into three main parts; the North Side, South City and the Central West End. The three areas combined have approximately eighty established neighborhoods. If you decide to add the western part of St. Louis County, this number is most likely to double. Many areas of the city were originally established by separate ethnic groups while most others were developed by social groups. You don't have to be a genius to realize the area known as "Dutchtown" was established by German immigrants. However, it may not be so easy to identify areas such as "Dogtown" or "The Hill" as the Irish and Italian areas of town. The Central West End is historically a very liberal yet sophisticated part of the city. This area can be further subdivided into a middle class and a very wealthy area depending on which side of Kingshighway you live on. University City was started mainly by Washington University students and is still predominantly populated by area college kids. This portion of the city has also grown a subdivision known as "The Loop." The Loop is extremely liberal and thought of by most people as almost mysterious or bizarre. A new phenomenon happening in our city is the rebirth of many of our older and rundown areas. One of the best examples of this is the "Soulard" area of town, which now has an established nightlife as well as exquisite historical antique homes. Lafayette Square has also enjoyed the same type of success as Soulard. It is still in the middle of a high crime area, but is populated by upper-class people with beautiful homes with elaborate wrought iron fences and intricate security systems. This trend of fixing up old flats is spreading out from the areas of Soulard and Lafayette Square to neighboring communities at a rapid pace. The Compton Heights area is coming back with rebuilt old Victorian styled houses and private gated streets that contrast the French styled flats of Soulard. The Shaw and Tower Grove area are also following the lead of revitalization similar to these charming old neighborhoods.

Effect of rice and rye straw

AbstractionPurposes: To analyze the suppression of the growing of Microcystis aeruginosa by different-term infusions of rice straw ( 0.2, 10, 50 and 100 yearss ) and rye straw ( 0.2, 5, 15, 40, 50, 100 and 150 yearss ) . Methods and Consequences: All infusions with high concentration indicated repressive consequence on the growing of M. aeruginosa, and the 0.2-day infusion from rice straw and the 40-day infusion from rye straw indicated the most effectual 1s with EC50 values of 28.0 milligrams C l-1 and 18.9 milligrams C l-1, severally. The extract concentration of rice straw had negative relationship with the maximal growing and growing rate regardless decay continuance, whereas rye straw showed the negative relationship between the extract concentration and the lone maximal growing of M. aeruginosa. Features of infusions through extremist violet optical density should be changed due to debasement of straws. Decisions: Rice and rye straw infusion showed the possibility to command the growing of M. aeruginosa, and nevertheless, might be considered as an facet of another unexpected potency pollutant. Significance and Impact of the Survey: To place most effectual agent against algal growing, extracts from long-run debasement of straws could give more opportunity and possibility to happen allelochemicals. Keywords: long-run infusion, allelopathy, suppression, rice straw, rye straw, SUVA, Microcystis aeruginosaIntroductionTellurian workss have been known to incorporate assorted allelochemicals with anti-algal belongingss ( Rice, 1984 ) . For illustration, barley straw studied comparatively more than other straws like rice and rye has been reported to demo an suppression consequence of algal growing ( Pillinger et al. , 1992 ; Newman and Barrett, 1993 ; Barrett, 1994 ; Everall and Lees, 1996 ; Barrett et al. , 1996 ; Everall and Lees, 1997 ; Cooper et al. , 1997 ) due to assorted compounds extracted from barley straw under many different conditions, for case, oxidized phenolic compounds from lignin beginnings ( Pillinger, 1993 ; Chesson et al. , 1982 ) , p-coumaric and ferulic from cell wall-bound constituents ( Chesson et al. , 1982 ) , and tannic acid ( Hussein, 1982 ) . Rice straw has besides been known to let go of allelochemicals with phenolic compound to restrict the sprouting, gr owing, photosynthesis, respiration and metamorphosis of other workss ( Rice 1984 ; Inderjit et Al. 1995 ; Chung et Al. 2001 ) . Park et Al ( 2006 ) showed interactive and repressive consequence of assorted phenolic compounds extracted from rice straw on the growing of Microcystis aeruginosa. These straw-derived compounds may dwell of legion complex chemicals with assorted features in an aqueous status. As straws would be applied into aquatic ecosystems to command detrimentally algal growing, straw-derived chemicals would be excreted continuously, accumulated or changed into H2O column and features of chemicals would be changed harmonizing to the debasement clip which might be linked with the lability of chemicals. However, there was small information on this relationship between allelochemical production and debasement clip about rice and rye straws. Therefore, our purposes were to analyze whether released chemical from rice and rye straws harmonizing to decomposition clip has different suppression consequence on the growing of cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, known as nuisance algae around the universe, and to foretell the alteration of features of extracted stuffs during decomposition clip.Materials and methodsCollection of works stuffsRye straw ( Secale cereale L. ) was collected in Keumsan, South Korea. Rice straw ( Oryza sativa L. ) which was non applied with pesticides to analyze insect pathology was obtained from Kangwon Province Agricultural Research and Extension Service, South Korea. All stuffs were instantly moved to research lab, rinsed several times with tap H2O, dried at 50? for 3 yearss and stored in a dark status at room temperature. Stored workss were cut, mortared, and sieved through 1-mm mesh before experiment.Preparation of short or long-run decomposed infusionsNine gms of each works stuff ( dry weight ) were placed in a 2 L Erlenmeyer flask, incorporating 1.8 L of Moss medium. The composing of Moss medium was ( in milligram ) 16.8 Ca2+ , 5.0 – 10-4 Co2- , 3.0 EDTA, 2.0 – 10-2 Fe3+ , 2.2 K+ , 2.4 Mg2+ , 2.0 – 10-2 Mn2+ , 4.0 – 10-3 Mo6+ , 13.6 Na+ , 6.4 NH4+ , 21.0 NO3- , 0.9 P5+ , 3.3 S6+ , 4.9 Si4+ , 5.0 – 10-3 Zn2+ , 3.3 – 10-8 Cyanocobalamin ( B12 ) , 3.3 – 10-7 d-Bioti n, 3.3 – 10-8 Thiamin-HCl ( B1 ) in 1 L of distilled H2O. To break up straws for a long clip, an aerator provided aerophilic status into the 2 L Erlenmeyer flask because maintaining aerophilic status was of import for the production of phytotoxic chemicals. For illustration, Welch et Al. ( 1990 ) indicated that microbic decomposition of barley straw was critical for the suppression of algal growing, and Newman and Barrett ( 1994 ) suggested that the chief demands for straw to be active are the care of aerophilic conditions and an active and diverse microflora. Humidifier prior to the aerator was installed to forestall the loss of infusions and civilization medium from the vaporization by blow uping dry air. The infusions from rice straw were sampled after 0.2, 10, 50 and 100 yearss from puting straws in the civilization medium and those of rye straw were obtained after 0.2, 5, 15, 40, 50, 100 and 150 yearss from presenting straws. Each subsampling, 200 milliliter of infusions were filtered through a glass fibre filter paper ( Whatman, GF/F ) , and so filtrate was lyophilized and stored in a icebox until Microcystis aeruginosa growing trial. Culture medium including infusions was made by fade outing 20 milligram of lyophilised stuff in 100 milliliter of sterilized Moss medium and filtered through a glass fibre filter paper ( Whatman, GF/F ) . Then, to quantitatively look into the suppression of M. aeruginosa growing by infusions, civilization medium including infusions was diluted with sterilized Moss medium to a scope of concentration of infusions ( test solution ) . Tested concentrations of infusions each decomposition period of straws were in Table 1. The concentrations of dissolved o rganic C ( DOC ) in infusions were determined utilizing the TOC analyser ( TOC-5000A, Shimadzu ) . Each 10 milliliter of civilization medium was stored at 4? to mensurate UV 260nm optical density.Culture status and growing finding of M. aeruginosaEach 4 milliliter of trial solutions was transferred into five glass civilization tubings ( c.a. 11 milliliter, USA Scientific Culture Tube ) with a cap and so, autoclaved. After 1-day chilling, each 0.3 milliliter of M. aeruginosa ( obtained from Institute of Hydrobiology, China ) was inoculated into four tubings and cultured. Remained one civilization tubing was used to mensurate clean value of fluorescence or optical density to observe algal growing each infusion. M. aeruginosa in exponential or stationary growing phase was inoculated for the experiments. Culture tubings were incubated in 25 ±1? and illuminated by fluorescent visible radiations to give about 80? E m-2 s-1 for 24 h every twenty-four hours. Tubes were agitated with a whi rl sociable twice a twenty-four hours. The places of experimental tubings in an brooder were randomized at least four times a hebdomad. In vivo fluorescence of M. aeruginosa was measured with 1 or 2 yearss interval utilizing a spectrofluorophotometer ( RF-1501, Shimadzu ) at 343 nanometer of an excitement wavelength and 680 nanometer of an emanation wavelength. Absorbance ( 680 nm ) of algal cells to mensurate algal growing was determined with 1 or 2 yearss interval utilizing a spectrophotometer ( 101, Hitachi ) alternatively of fluorescence after 50-day infusion of rice straw and 100-day infusion of rye straw.Determination of M. aeruginosa growing and statistics techniquesTo cipher maximal growing ( K ) and growing rate ( u ) of M. aeruginosa, a logistic map was used to show a sigmoid curve for algal growing ( SigmaPlot 9.0, Jandel Scientific ) as follows: EC50 values ( concentration, when 50 % suppression consequence occurs ) were obtained from maximal growing values of each trial compared with control on log-probit graduated tables. A consecutive line linking the two closest values above and below the line matching to 50 % suppression was obtained ( Yamane et al. , 1984 ) . In instance of 50 and 100 yearss in rice straw and 0.2 twenty-four hours in rye straw, EC50 values were calculated by the extrapolation of two closest informations of less than 50 % suppression. To cipher â€Å" no-inhibition upper limit tested concentration † , referred as a maximal concentration shown no-inhibition out of tried concentrations, repeated measured analysis of discrepancy ( ANOVA ) with station hoc of Dunnett trial was used ( p & gt ; 0.05 ) to compare the distribution of optical density or fluorescence for observing M. aeruginosa growing between control without infusion and trial solutions. One-way ANOVA ( station hoc Duncan trial ) was util ized ( p & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) to compare normalized maximal growing or normalized growing rate among three groups of dissolved organic concentration ( DOC ) of infusions, and normalized maximal growing or normalized growing rate are calculated by divided maximal growing or growing rate in trial solution by in control, severally.Ratio of UV260 and DOC in infusionsIn order to foretell the alteration of features of infusions during decaying, the ratio of UV optical density at 260 nanometers and DOC concentration ( SUVA ; specific extremist violet optical density ) was measured. The UV optical density and DOC were measured by a spectrophotometer ( UV-2401PC, Shimadzu ) and TOC analyser ( TOC-5000A, Shimadzu ) , severally.ConsequencesConsequence of infusions of rice and rye straws on M. aeruginosa growing harmonizing to decomposition continuanceEffectss of infusions from rice and rye straws harmonizing to decay periods on M. aeruginosa growing were in Table 1. In rice straw, 0.2-day decay i nfusions showed the highest suppression consequence of the growing of M. aeruginosa among four different decomposition periods and the EC50 value was 28.0 mg C l-1. The infusion of 10-day decay was followed with EC50 value of 30.7 milligrams C l-1. In 50-day and 100-day of decomposition, repressive effects were much less than those in 0.2- and 10-day infusions, and stimulus effects were shown in the scope of less than 23 mg C l-1. Although each period has different concentration of infusions, when no-inhibition maximal concentration was considered in all decomposition periods, 0.2-day and 10-day decay with & A ; lt ; 9 and & A ; lt ; 2 milligram C l-1, severally, could bespeak higher inhibitory possible to command the growing of M. aeruginosa than 50-day and 100-day decay with 23 and 17 milligrams C l-1, severally. Likewise, growing per centum against control at maximal concentration each decay period showed similar form in malice of otherwise maximal concentrations. Overall, repres sive ability was mostly increased in scope of more than approximately 30 milligrams C l-1 in all decay periods ( Figure 1 ) . In rye straw, suppression capableness from 0.2-day decay to 40-day decay increased harmonizing to decay clip through decreasing of EC50 values ( Table 1 ) . Although suppression ability was diminished from 50-day decay infusion, suppression of M. aeruginosa growing increased until 150-day decay. Infusions of 40- and 150-day decay of rye straw had the highest repression capableness with 18.9 and 19.7 milligrams C l-1 of EC50 value, severally. Stimulus or repressive effects on the growing of M. aeruginosa coexisted in similar concentration of infusions from different decomposition clip ( Figure 1 ) . This phenomenon might give equivocal information to construe the repressive consequence by infusions from assorted decay phases. However, it was clear to demo positive relationships between extract concentration and repressive consequence, and perchance to bespeak that different substances from straws might be produced harmonizing to decay periods.Consequence of extract concentrations on the maximal growing and growing rate of M. aeruginosaPercentage of maximal growing ( K ) and growing rate ( u ) of M. aeruginosa in each trial solution normalized by K and u in control was shown in Fig. 2, and three groups were differentiated by merely DOC concentration of infusions irrespective of decay periods ; low ( 2-10 milligram C l-1 ) , medium ( 11-30 milligram C l-1 ) , and high ( & gt ; 30 milligram C l-1 ) DOC. In rice straw, means (  ± SE ) of normalized K and U of M. aeruginosa were 102.5 (  ± 4.9 ) and 96.9 (  ± 2.9 ) in low DOC and 95.0 (  ± 11.1 ) and 102.1 (  ± 5.1 ) in medium DOC, severally, and there was no important difference in K ( p=0.655 ) and u ( p=0.710 ) between low and medium DOC ( one-way ANOVA, n=13 ) . However, agencies (  ± SE ) of normalized K and U in high DOC were 20.4 (  ± 18.5 ) and 43.4 (  ± 21.9 ) , sever ally, and infusions in high DOC might incorporate strong suppression ability against both maximal growing and growing rate of M. aeruginosa. In rye straw, there was important difference in K among three degrees ( one-way ANOVA, F2,25=22.386, P & A ; lt ; 0.001, station hoc Duncan, n=26, P & A ; lt ; 0.005 ) , but no important difference in U among three degrees ( one-way ANOVA, F2,25=0.664, p=0.524 ) . This rye infusion showed repressive consequence on maximal growing but non on growing rate. Means (  ± SE ) of normalized K and u were 106.3 (  ± 6.8 ) and 101.4 (  ± 5.5 ) in low DOC, 67.3 (  ± 8.8 ) and 111.5 (  ± 7.9 ) in medium DOC, and 33.9 (  ± 8.5 ) and 89.9 (  ± 20.6 ) in high DOC, severally.Change of features of infusions harmonizing to decomposition clipSUVA values versus decay periods each infusion were shown in Fig. 3. Those SUVA values were increased harmonizing to decay periods in both straws. It might propose that features of infusion were altering during decomposition of straws, and both infusion could hold different stuffs. Slopes between decay clip and SUVA in rice and rye straw were 0.017 ( R2=0.63, P & gt ; 0.05 ) and 0.019 ( R2=0.93, P & A ; lt ; 0.01 ) , severally.DiscussionThis probe of time-course decomposition in rice and rye straws demonstrated that suppression capacity of infusions on the growing of M. aeruginosa increased with high concentration, whereas low concentration showed no-effect or stimulation for its growing in all decay periods. In rye straw, all infusions after 5-day decay showed higher suppression ( lower EC50 values ) than 0.2-day decay ( Table 1, Fig. 1 ) . Particularly, infusion of 150-day decay along with 40-day had maximal suppressive consequence, and this consequence was similar to the survey of Gibson et Al. ( 1990 ) utilizing barley straw, which indicated that the repressive consequence was produced increasingly during the decomposition of the barley straw and reached a maximal after six months. However, the survey utilizing rice straw showed different forms, where the leachates of short-run decay were more effectual than that of long-run decay although limited factors for comparative experiment between rye and rice straw were existed such as deficit of decay continuance and narrow concentration scope of rice straw. The growing of M. aeruginosa in a bioassay experiment would be inhibited due to the chelation of food by the leachates or straw-secreted antialgal bioactive compounds. The former ground might be ruled out, because there were ample foods and hint elements for the growing of M. aeruginosa in the civilization medium and the stimulation of algal growing in lower concentrations of leachates could non be explained by chelation mechanism. Similarly, one of indispensable growing factors, such as vitamin B12, would be more likely to be produced by straw microflora so removed from solution ( Welch et al. , 1990 ) . For the latter ground, several surveies demonstrated that algal growing inhibited by straw-secreted antialgal substances was associated with the straw decomposition ( Gibson et al. , 1990 ; Pillinger et al. , 1994 ; Ridge and Pillinger, 1996 ) . Ridge and Barrett ( 1992 ) showed that the straw was active even at low concentrations against a scope of algae in natural Waterss including unicellular and filiform green algae and blue-green algae. The difference of lignin content between rye and rice straws could be contributed into different forms of algal suppression when considered that lignin content of rye straw was much more treble than that of rice straw ( lignin content: 21 % in rye straw from Kocheva et al. , 2008 and 7 % in rice straw from Sun et al. , 2000 ) , although we did n't analyse lignin contents of our tried straws. Pillinger et Al. ( 1995 ) showed that lignin-enriched brown-rotted wood is repressive to both Chlorella and Microcystis to a greater extent than lignin-depleted white-rotted wood. As decomposition status in this survey, oxidization of straw may ease lignin solubilization and/or enhance toxicity of the solubilized materal ( Pillinger et al. , 1994 ) . Besid es, lignin appears to be the most promising beginning of compounds like the methoxyphenols ( Ridge et al. , 1995 ) . Methoxyphenols every bit good as quinones, used theoretical accounts for oxidised phenolic compounds, have shown antialgal activity against Microcystis ( Pillinger et al. , 1994 ) . Other phytotoxic compounds such as ferulic, p-coumaric, vanillic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were found both in cold-water infusions of the straw of barley, rye, wheat, and in alcoholic infusions of their roots ( Borner, 1960 ) , and in rice straw ( Rice 1984 ; Inderjit et Al. 1995 ; Chung et Al. 2001 ) . The ground demoing otherwise repressive activity during straw debasement would probably be due to the continuum of production, the accretion of stubborn fraction and the chemical transmutation from assorted allelochemicals. As an application of an algae-growth inhibitor, adopted straws would undergo aging, decease, and decomposition in aquatic ecosystem. Under these conditions, plant-induced allelochemicals may be excreted or degraded continuously, be piled up into H2O columns, and besides contribute to the pool of organic affair in the aquatic ecosystem. These plant-derived allelochemicals contribute the formation of humic substances. SUVA can give information about the extent of aromacity of DOM related with humification. Increase of inclines between SUVA and decay periods in tried straws might ensue from the formation of stuffs such as humic substances harmonizing to decay periods and the gradual increasing of fractious fraction instead than labile one ( Fig. 2 ) . Chemical constr uction of straw infusions can be changed during biological and chemical decomposition, i.e. , labile fractions might be much more easy degraded than stubborn 1s ( Fig. 2 ) . For illustration, SUVA, an index of aromatic C content, has been shown to be negatively correlated with biodegradable DOC ( Kalbitz et al. , 2003 ) . However, qualitative designation and each specific consequence on the algal growing from decayed infusions remain to be studied. Although specific chemicals may be needed to be identified for the ecologically and environmentally safe options of Restoration, interactive consequence by combination of several chemicals might be considered ( Park et al. , 2006 ) . Short-run extraction from straws might lose out the opportunity to happen much better option, since this survey showed that infusions were chemically changed due to debasement and changed infusions showed different ability to suppress both maximal growing and growing rate of M. aeruginosa. Conversely, the sig nificantly algicidal chemical might be missed from infusions of low concentration demoing stimulus consequence on M. aeruginosa growing in this survey. Particularly, notable would be the observation to demo the different form about the suppression of maximal growing and growing rate between rice and rye straw infusions ( Fig. 2 ) , and nevertheless, these physiological features might be remained to be elucidated. Although all tested workss showed the suppression of algal growing in this survey, before works leachates incorporating allelochemicals are applied to command algal growing, the addition of the organic affair by leachates in the lakes or reservoirs demands to be considered. The importance of the control of organic affair is beyond difference in the H2O quality direction and research lab consequences should be extrapolated to the field with cautiousness.DecisionAll extracts with high concentration expressed by DOC showed repressive consequence on the growing of M. aeruginosa, and the 40-day infusion from rye straw indicated most effectual 1 with the lowest EC50 value of 18.9 mgC l-1. It was found that the extract concentration of rice straw had negative relationship with the maximal growing and growing rate, whereas rye straw showed negative relationship between the extract concentration and the lone maximal growing of M. aeruginosa. Through UV optical density, features of infusions s hould be changed due to debasement of straws, and this alteration might be linked with their repressive ability on the growing of M. aeruginosa. However, increasing DOC as unexpected pollutants every bit good as extrapolation of research lab plants into field status should be considered anterior to using infusions from straws as an option for Restoration technique.MentionsBarrett, P.R.F. , 1994. Field and laboratory experiments on the effects of barley straw on algae. 1994 BCPC monograph No.59: comparison greenhouse & A ; field pesticide public presentation II pp.191-200.Barrett, P.R.F. , Curnow, J.C. , Littlejohn, J.W. , 1996. The control of diatom and cyanophyte blooms in reservoirs utilizing barley straw. Hydrobiologia 340, 307-311.Borner, H. , 1960. Liberation of organic substances from higher workss and their function in the dirt illness job. Bot. Rev. 26, 393-424.Chesson, A. , Stewart, C.S. , Wallace, R.J. , 1982. Influence of works phenolic acids on growing and cellulolytic a ctivity of first stomachs bacteriums. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 44, 597-603.Chung, I.M. , Ahn, J.K. and Yun, S.J. ( 2001 ) Appraisal of allelopathic potency of barnyard grass ( Echinochloa crus-galli ) on rice ( Oryza sativa L. ) cultivars. Crop Prot 20, 921-928.Cooper, J.A, Pillinger, J.M. , Ridge, I. , 1997. Barley straw inhibits growing of some aquatic saprolegniaceous Fungis. Aquaculture 156, 157-163.Everall, N.C. , Lees, D.R. , 1996. The usage of barley-straw to command general and bluish green algal growing in a Derbyshire reservoir. Wat. Res. 30, 269-276.Everall, N.C. , Lees, D.R. , 1997. The designation and significance of chemicals released from break uping barley straw during reservoir algal control. Wat. Res. 31, 614-620.Gibson, M.T. , Welch, I.M. , Barrett, P.R.F. , Ridge, I. , 1990. Barley straw as an inhibitor of algal growing II: research lab surveies. Journal of Applied Phycology 2, 241-248.Hussein, A.S.M. , 1982. Algicidal belongingss of Acacia nilotica. Fitoterapia 53, 175-177.Inderjit, K.M.M. Dakshini, and F.A. Einhellig ( explosive detection systems ) , 1995. Allelopathy: Organisms, Processes, and Applications. ACS Symposium Series 582. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society.Kalbitz K, Schmerwitz J, Schwesig D, Matzner E ( 2003a ) . Biodegradation of soil-derived dissolved organic affair as related to its belongingss. Geoderma 113:273-291L.S. Kocheva, A.P. Karmanov, M.V. Mironov, V.A. Belyi, V.Yu. Belyaev, Yu.B. Monakov, 2008. Straw Lignins: Hydrodynamic and Conformational Properties of the Macromolecules. Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry, 81 ( 11 ) : 2033-2039.Newman, J.R. , Barrett, P.R.F. , 1993. Control of Microcystis aeruginosa by break uping barley straw. J. Aquat. Plant Manage. 31, 203-206.Park, M.H. , Han, M.S. , Ahn, C.Y. , Kim H.S. , Yoon, B.D. and Oh, H.M. 2006. Growth suppression of bloom – forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa by rice straw infusion, Letters in Applied Microbiology 43: 307-312.Pillinger, J .M. , Gilmour, I. , Ridge, I. , 1995. Comparison of anti-algal activity of brown-rotted and white-rotted wood and in situ analysis of lignin. J. Chem. Ecol. 24, 1113-1120.Pillinger, J.M, Cooper, J.A. , Ridge, I. , 1994. Role of phenolic compounds in the antialgal activity of barley straw. J. Chem. Ecol. 20, 1557-1569.Pillinger, J.M. , 1993. Algal control by barley straw. Ph D Thesis, Department of Biology, The Open University, Milton Heynes. U.K. cited in ‘The control of diatom and cyanophyte blooms in reservoirs utilizing barley straw. Barrett, P.R.F. , Curnow, J.C. , Littlejohn, J.W. , 1996. Hydrobiologia 340, 307-311. ‘Pillinger, J.M. , Cooper, J.A. , Ridge, I. , Barrett, P.R.F. , 1992. Barley straw as an inhibitor of algal growing III: the function of fungous decomposition. Journal of Applied Phycology 4, 353-355.Rice, E.L. , 1984. Allelopathy. Academic Press, London. p. 422.Ridge, I. , Pillinger, J.M. , 1996. Towards understanding the nature of algal inhibitors from barley straw. Hydrobiologia 340, 301-305.Ridge, I. , Barrett, P.R.F. , 1992. Algal control with barley straw. Aspects of Applied Biology 29, 457-462.Ridge, I. , J. Pillinger, and J. Walters, 1995. Relieving the jobs of inordinate algal growing. In The Ecological Basis for River Management. Wiley, Chichester. cited in ‘The designation and significance of chemicals released from break uping barley straw during reservoir algal control. Everall, N.C. and D.R. Lees, 1997. Wat. Res. 31 ( 3 ) :614-620. ‘Sun, R. , J. Tomkinson, F.C. Mao and X.F. Sun, 2000. Physicochemical word picture of lignins from rice straw by H peroxide intervention. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 79 ( 4 ) : 710-732.Thurman, E.M. , 1985. Organic geochemistry of natural Waterss. Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. p. 51.Welch, I.M. , P.R.F. Barrett, M.T. Gibson and I. Ridge, 1990. Barley straw as an inhibitor of algal growing I: surveies in the Chesterfield Canal. Journal of Applied Phycology 2: 231-239.Yamane, A.N. , M. Okada and R. Sudo, 1984. The growing suppression of planktonic algae due to wetting agents used in rinsing agents. Wat. Res. 18 ( 9 ) :1101-1105.

Servis Shoes

SERVIS SHOES BY Muhammad Umer Hassan Masood S ervis Industries was started by two young energetic friends from Gujrat. These young individuals named Ch. Nazar Muhammad (Late) and Ch. Muhammad Hussain (Late) started a small scale business in 1941 in Lahore. At that time, they only manufactured handbags and a few other sports goods. But in few years, their business flourished and in 1954, they installed a shoe manufacturing plant in Gulberg, Lahore. Later, this plant was shifted to Gujrat and in 1959, Service Sales Corporation (Pvt. ) ltd. was established which has taken Service Industries to its highs.Service operates in to sectors, one is the manufacturing and other is the marketing. Manufacturing is under the Sevice Industries, while the marketing is under the Service Sales Corporation that was established in 1959. The main manufacturing plants or Service Indurtry is located in Gujrat and Mureedkay while the Service Sales Corporation is located in Lahore. Servis Shoes has a distribu tion alliance with many international brands which includes the following: * Nike * Hush Puppies * Pierre Cardin * Urban Sole * CAT * Ecc While the Servis Shoes include the following brands: Don Carlos * Cheeta * Soul * CALZA * Liza * Skooz * Toz Servis has over 400+ branches in Pakistan and 100 branches in Lahore itself. It is a growing business in international market, and currently it has retail outlets in operating in gulf areas (Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates), Keyna and Europe. Servis Shoes enjoys a rich history of excellent performance and it has given its consumers the best quality products within their economic range and with high durability. Servis Shoes offers nearly 200 products per season which is summer and winter.It entertains it consumers with variety, quality and durability which is within the income brackets of the consumers. Mission Statement â€Å"Spending time selecting the right footwear and making sure that they are comfortable, is time well spent† Vision Statement â€Å"To become a Global, World class and diversified company this leverages its brands and its people SWOT Analysis Strengths 1. Cover wide variety of customers 2. Extensive Retail Network 3. Employee Loyalty 4. Diversified range of businesses 5. Highly qualified management 6. Partnership with high end brands 7. Less Employ turnover rate . Strong brand image 9. Advanced Technology 10. Low cost of production 11. Largest footwear group in Pakistan Weaknesses 1. No proper planning regarding advertisement 2. More focused on sports and casual footwear rather than formal shoes 3. Female market penetration is weak 4. Low aspiration value in high income group 5. Weak corporate image of Service Group 6. As compare to other competitors distribution network is weak Opportunities 1. E commerce 2. Penetration in female segment 3. Entering new segments of market 4. Innovative products 5. New mediums for advertisement 6.Improve shopping experience at retail outlets Threats 1. Electricity and gas crises 2. Unstable political condition 3. Increase in Taxes 4. Poor law and order situation 5. Devaluation of Pakistani rupee 6. Stiff completion in market from local and foreign brands 7. Unbranded small players competing against different brands of servis Current Situation Political Trends Political instability is affecting the footwear industry and energy crises are the main issue as it increases the cost of production. The import of underpriced shoes has badly affected the domestic footwear industry.The government of encouraging both import and export that encourages the foreign investors to invest in Pakistan but it is making it difficult for the domestic producers to compete in prices of the product both domestically and internationally. Economic Trends Economic crises have badly affected footwear industry especially to the raw material used in manufacture footwear. The combine export of the shoe industry has decreased substantially. Social Trends In Pakis tan the life style of people is changing with a fast pace. Their life has become more money and time oriented. There is a major shift in the values of the people of Pakistan.People now prefer western life style rather than the traditional one. As cities are growing and more people shifting from ruler areas to urban areas therefore increase students, people having jobs and trend to play sports and healthy physical activities so this social trend has direct positive impact on demand of footwear industry. Technological Trends New technology trends also effecting footwear industry in Pakistan. Multinational competitors are introducing innovative techniques to manufacture footwear. Like in sports footwear new technology is being used regarding technical aspects on that particular sport.For processing of raw material like leather new techniques are being implemented by multinationals Decision Making Product line decision In the product line the major decision is the expansion of product l ine or the changes in the product mix which consists of the product lines. The marketing division of the Service Industries has to check what is the relation of new product to its existing product line. On the other hand it also has to check that what  will  be  the  effect  of  introducing  the  new  product  upon  the  existing products line or the  company image.The  expansion  in  product  line,  in  Service  Industries,  is  such  that  it  canintroduce a new product without pruning any product from the product line. Or  the company may introduce a new product while prune another product from the product line. There are some reasons for the pruning of a product from this product line. One reason may be that the product is not producing the desired profits Packaging decision The package decision about the product is another important area. Manymarketers have called packaging as the fifth ‘P’ of marketing. In Servic e Industries, zonal managers do the  packaging.They call the designers to  make the package design and select the best out of the total design Branding decision Branding  decision  is  also  one  of  the  most  important  decisions  in  themarketing. Service  Industries  has  branded  its  products  by  the  name  of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Servis† Styling and designing Another way to product distinctiveness is through style and design. Some companies stand out for design distinctiveness. Service Industries is also one of these companies because it has its own styles and designs. In service industries the styles and designs are made with the help of local purchase officers who are responsible for making new  design Planning 012 will be a year full of challenges, and they want to be a company that outperforms the market in challenging times. The company’s diversification strategy, in its existing business and perhaps even in new businesses , is being followed with the country’s dynamics in mind. Continued focus on exports to identify new markets will turn out positively as the management believes that there are still many untapped markets in the world. The share in the domestic market still leaves room for growth, both in the tyre business and in the footwear business. Strategic plansThe strategic plans of the servis group are no different to other companies. To develop an organization with a cross-functional and self sustaining staff that champions the vision that has breadth and depth of knowledge in their function as it relates to producing a best-of-class product. The organization wants to increase the market share by attracting more valuable customers. But the main concern is to satisfy  customer by always providing them with the best quality product. To  be ahead of its competitors, by effectively utilizing the organizations competitive advantages.Never  get satisfied with  the  level  of  q uality; they always  strive  for  continuous improvement using latest techniques. To make their presence in the market well known they want to create a healthy and positive image of the products among consumers. Tactical Plans The tactical plans for the servis group is to keep up with the employment needs of the organization as they know that employees are the real assets and are as important as external customers. They want to stabilize their growth due to the financial crisis all over the world.The prices of raw material has increased substantially during past few years so they want to keep their over head costs as low as possible so that they will be able to provide quality products to the customers at affordable prices. Customer turnover rate has increased because of the launch of new low priced brands in the market; an extensive advertising plan is in action that will help retaining and bringing back the customers. Long term plans The long term plans of the ‘servisà ¢â‚¬â„¢ is to increase its market share by penetrating deeper into the market.Short-term plan The short term plan of the servis is to stabilize the growth of the company. In the retail shops Servis will sale their A pair articles through the advertisement then near the off  season  through  sales  then  through  reduction  in  prices then company will stop the production and send these all articles from retail to FOL and sale these articles Management by Objectives MBO is being strongly followed in the organization as almost all the employees work as a team and effectively participate in the decision making process.The employees are not over burdened by setting some unrealistic goals and employee evaluation is done once a year to check employee’s performance according to the objectives. For this purpose HR department uses 360 degree feedback as standard performance appraisal system. ISO 9001 certified The servis shoes are ISO 9001 certified this means that the y have:- * A quality policy that is well understood and followed at all levels and by all employees. * Each employee works towards a measurable objective. Business makes decisions about the quality system based on recorded data. * Quality system is regularly audited and evaluated for conformance and effectiveness * Company designs products after determining customer requirements * Organization has created systems for communicating with customers about product information, inquiries, contracts, orders, feedback, and complaints. * Organization regularly reviews performance through internal audits and meetings. Organization determines whether the quality system is working and what improvements can be made. Makes sure no one uses a bad product, * Determines what to do with a bad product, * Deals with the root cause of problems, and * Keeps records to use as a tool to improve the system. Chain Of Command Region 4 Region 3 Region 2 Region 1 CEO President Executive Vice President Chairman Executive Vice President Head of Human Resource Head of Exports Chief Financial Officer GM SIL Muridke Factory GM Domestic Sales Chief Commercial Officwer GM SIL Gujrat Factory The chain of command for service is quiet easy and simple to understand .It clearly defines that who reports to whom and everybody know its required work and there is no barriers to communication because according to HR Manager Mr Bilal Alam he said that â€Å"We make sure that there is no barriers between top managers and employee and we put our effort to ensure that every employee get an equal right in what he want to say and he has full access to the top authority†. Unity of command is also used by Service in order to get the best results possible from their employees because if there is no clear direction for employees that who will assess their work than they won’t be able to perform well and conflicts will rise.Span of control Wide span of control is used by the service because they have a large variety of products and manager needs quite wider range of subordinates. Managers of service make sure that theie employees work effectively and efficiently by assessing their work and providing them with the clear guidelines. Centralization VS Decentralization Decentralization process is used by the service department but within the limited range. They pass down the authority to those employees who have been working for the organization for more than 5 years because they have a better experience in handling the situation.Organic organization Service is based upon the organic organization which means that they are low in specialization, formalization and centralization. Servis has created a friendly environment within the organization and doors are always open for service employees to share their problems with the top authorities. Informal communication channel is being practiced with few rules and flattered structures. Structure of the organization Matrix structure is used b y the organization and the main reason behind it is that service has large amount of different product range and every products requires a product manager.Service has a major drawback in terms of this structure because its cost is high and it can create a sense of resentment within employees but on the other hand its advantages far exceeds its disadvantages. Servis has adopted the framework of the learning organization which means that they do not stick to the traditional ways of doing work but rather are adaptable to change and this has given Servis an edge over its competitors Bata which still sticks to the traditional methods. Over past years Servis has updated its staff, its machineries as well as their communication channels.Motivational Policies Promotion policies The company also motivates its employees by promoting them to higher level  jobs after specific period. For example, an employee working as a helper is promoted to the assistant supervisor after  specific period. Bonuses The company also motivates its employees by giving them bonuses. These bonuses   depend  on   yearly   profits  of  the  company. Usually they  give  the bonuses once a year according to the wages and the salaries of the workers Compensation and Reward systemSalary, Health Insurance,  Group Life Insurance,  Perk, Provident Fund, Bonus, Leave Fare Assistant, Paid Leaves etc. all these lay in the field of  compensation  and  rewards  management  in  SIL  these  rewards  and  jobcompensation are given to employees for keeping their morale high. 30%discount is given to  its employees on Service all products Employee Palnning:- Like any other organization, Servis undertake employee planning in order to make sure that they have right number of employees at the right time and at the right place.Employee planning is reaccessed every year in order to get their organization updated with employeees who can provide Servis with the best output possible. Recruitment Process:- The recruitment process is undertaken by HR manager every year and advertisement and interlinks are being used as a recruiting sources. It is not a pet decession to recruit employees through training and main emphasis is given on interlinks. Individuals and pannel interviews are being undertaken once the individuals get through that process than screening and short listing is being done.After all this process, employees are being recruited and there are mainly 2 types of employees 1. Experienced Employee 2. Fresh employee Work ethics are not thaught to employees because it comes with the employees but norms and values are being taught to everyone so that they may be familiar with the organization and perform their jobs within the boundaries defined by the organization. After employees has been part of the organization employee orientation is taken into accouny which means that employee are introduced to the company.Training is also an important part of the Servis in order to update their employees and achieve the highwst standards set by the organization. The important type of on the job trainig conducted by Servis include job rotation in order to develop multiple skills and off the job training include vestibule as well as simultaneous exercises. Conclusion and Recommendations Servis Shoes is doing exponentially good in the market and is proving to be a local Pakistani brand that is able to meet the quality bench mark set by Bata in Pakistan.Servis Shoes have used varies techniques to give this international brand a good competition with in Pakistan and is also spreading its network abroad. Servis’s sales have increased over the past three years and there has been no noticeable fall in the quality of Servis. However, there is still a need from the consumers’ side of further better quality products. Soul is doing exponentially good in market, and so is Cheetah, but from the analysis and research, it has been seen that Don Carlos is not doing as good as the other two products of Servis that were analysed.The quality of Don Carlos need to taken into account. Currently, Bata, the major competitor or Servis, is not giving any such competition to Servis in this line but other international products are. Zara, a local brand, is gaining popularity quickly; Studio Empoli has already made its image in Pakistan and so on. Servis needs to realize that in Don Carlos, its prime competitor is not Bata, in fact its multiple other brands, local and international both. Hence, Servis should cater to the needs of the consumers and expectations of the consumers accordingly.

Johnson & Johnson Global Business Environment

Johnson & Johnson: Successfully Strategizing for the Changing Global Business Environment I. Introduction Johnson & Johnson is the world's largest healthcare company. Founded in the United States in 1886, the company has been profitable for 75 straight years and currently operates 250 subsidiary companies in 57 countries. Its products fall into three segments: pharmaceuticals, with 39% of total sales; medical devices and diagnostics, with 36%; and consumer products, with 25%. Additionally, the company employs 119,200 people worldwide and sells its products in 175 countries.A truly global corporation, Johnson & Johnson has securely positioned itself to overcome the challenges its ever-changing business environment poses, as well as take advantage of the opportunities presented. With a focus primarily on Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical segment, this paper seeks to explore the complex multinational environment within which the company operates as well as the opportunities and threats that the environment poses. Next, the paper will analyze Johnson & Johnson's current positioning, describing its value-chain and competitive positioning.The paper will close by evaluating how Johnson & Johnson both can seize these opportunities to realize the goals of the company. II. Analyzing the Environment In industries as competitive as pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer goods, analyzing the environment is vital for being able to make sound strategic decisions. Since Johnson & Johnson strives to anticipate the external factors that affect its international business environment, as well as adapt to those changes, it is important that it understands the environment in which it is operating.The two sets of external forces that face the company are competitive and contextual. A. Competitive Environments – Five Forces Model Michael Porter’s five forces model provides a way of analyzing Johnson & Johnson’s competitive environment. Due to a lack of available information about the bargaining power of suppliers as it applies to Johnson & Johnson, this paper will address the four other forces: the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of customers, and the rivalry among industry competitors. 1. The Threat of New Entrants – High Barriers to EntryThe threat of new entrants is not of particular concern to Johnson & Johnson. Barriers to entry, especially in the industries of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, are extremely high if not unsurpassable. The world’s top pharmaceutical companies have extensive manufacturing capabilities, distribution systems, and economies of scale that have been built up over decades and would be virtually impossible for a new entrant to replicate. These top firms also have patents that protect their current products, as well as established research pipelines that ensure the continual development of new products.Also, they have strong brand names and la rge marketing budgets with which to defend them. Finally, the exceptionally high capital requirements for founding a pharmaceutical company and the sharp retaliation that new entrants could expect from the established competitors render the threat of new entrants very low. The medical device industry has similarly high barriers to entry. While entering the consumer goods market is easier, relatively, the vast number of competitors makes this industry very competitive, thus a strong brand name is vital for standing out.As the world’s most respected company according to Barron Magazine, new entrants to the consumer goods market do not pose a threat to Johnson & Johnson. 2. The Threat of Substitutes – The Rise of Generics The threat of substitutes is much more problematic than that of new entrants, especially in the pharmaceutical segment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that generic drugs be bioequivalent to their brand name counterparts, making them seri ous substitutes. Once a patent expires, generic manufacturers are quick to reverse-engineer the formerly proprietary drugs and sell generic versions at a fraction of the cost.Virtually all the top pharmaceutical companies, Johnson & Johnson included, face an influx of upcoming patent expirations. The impending loss of sales when generic versions of the drugs inevitably become available is a serious threat to the profitability of many players in the industry. For example, Risperdal, a drug for schizophrenia made by a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson’s called Janssen-Cilag, was a significant source of profits, with sales that totaled $3. 5 billion in 2005 and surged 21% percent in the first quarter of 2006, to $1. 2 billion.However, when the patent for Risperdal expired in December of 2007 and became available in generic form in October of 2008, the company’s revenue from pharmaceutical sales stagnated. In fact, in July of 2007, Johnson & Johnson announced plans to elimin ate up to 4,800 jobs, citing patent expirations as the main motivation to trim the workforce and thus save money. If the company does not prepare for the difficult transition between enjoying market exclusivity and losing that security as those patents expire, it will face more negative consequences. 3. The Bargaining Power of Buyers – Influence of GenericsIn the pharmaceutical industry, buyers include patients, medical doctors who prescribe drugs, pharmacists, hospital boards, insurance companies, and other health authorities. The bargaining power of patients goes hand in hand with the threat of substitutes. When drugs are patent-protected, pharmaceutical companies enjoy a monopoly where they can set prices to include high profit margins. Since there are few to no substitutes for their products during this time, customers have little choice but to pay these prices, especially if their lives depend on the drugs.However, once cheaper, generic versions of the drugs become avail able, buyers gain more power. Patients’ switching costs, an important element in determining the bargaining power of buyers, are fairly low, and price-sensitive buyers will likely switch to generic versions once available. Johnson & Johnson’s main tool in combating this problem is its strong brand name. Many customers have more trust in brand name products and are willing to pay extra for this perceived security. The other groups within buyers of pharmaceutical products, while fragmented, have more power than patients.Within the American healthcare system, insurance companies and health maintenance companies (HMOs) have considerable bargaining power, as they decide which drugs to endorse and provide. Since they have an interest in lowering costs, they exert a strong downward pressure on drug prices, partly due to the threat of the availability of generics. European governments’ national healthcare systems have a similarly high level of power, if not higher due t o strict price controls. Thus, pharmaceutical companies have a need to establish successful relationships with these groups and market towards them heavily. 4.The Degree of Rivalry – Fierce and Changing Competition Competition in the pharmaceutical industry is intense and growing in intensity. While the numerous competitors remain fairly fragmented, mergers and acquisitions have increased rivalry, as the top firms’ areas of expertise began to overlap. Rivalry is especially intense in saturated markets, such as the pain reliever segment, in which Johnson & Johnson competes with its products Tylenol and Motrin. In growing markets, innovation is a key driver of competition since pharmaceutical companies depend on â€Å"blockbuster† drugs for a large proportion of their revenue.With only one out of every 10,000 discovered drugs approved to be sold, stakes are high to find the cash cow drugs that recuperate the increasingly high costs of development. Since â€Å"me too† drugs are not as profitable, innovation drives the race to be first-to-market. While the main competitors in the pharmaceutical industry are concentrated in the United States, Europe, and Japan, an increasing number of players – especially generic drug manufacturers – are appearing in developing countries, such as China and India. These companies are driving the shift in the industry toward becoming more commoditized.Also, numerous biotech upstarts, which are smaller, more agile, and have lower overhead costs than their conglomerate competitors, are growing in power and taking market share. As the dynamics of the industry change, the established companies will find themselves facing stiff competition from all sides. B. Contextual Environment – PEST Analysis A PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) analysis is a useful tool for understanding the larger environment within which the company operates. Companies can use this tool to identify a multitude of important aspects of their environments that may impact their businesses. . Political Environment – Changing Politics and Policies First, the politics on local, regional, national, or international scales can exert strong forces on businesses. Since Johnson & Johnson operates worldwide, it must keep track of the political developments that may affect its business. For example, in the Czech Republic, health care is the subject of a major political debate. Changes in the healthcare system may affect to whom Johnson & Johnson needs to market, and with whom it needs to negotiate if the company wants its products covered by the Czech healthcare system.Also, Johnson & Johnson should be aware that the Czech Republic has a weak Parliament that will change in 2010’s elections. The company needs to anticipate which policies may shift under the new government. Finally, Johnson & Johnson should be aware that the Czech Republic will serve as president of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of 2009. This is the best time for the Johnson & Johnson branch located in the Czech Republic to lobby for any policy changes regarding the company’s interests and the business environment. 2.Economic Environment – The Crisis and the Euro The economic climate is also important for Johnson & Johnson to analyze in order to predict when its business may face challenges, as well as when it can seize an opportunity for growth. Operating in the European Union and larger European community means that Johnson & Johnson has felt the effects of the current economic crisis. Aware of the crisis, the company has been able to plan for its impact, and fortunately, the effects on Johnson & Johnson have not been severe, as medical products remain necessities even in periods of economic downturn.In respect to the Johnson & Johnson branch in the Czech Republic, the economic environment is one that quickly transitioned from a communist, plan ned economy to the free market. Though the Czech Republic has embraced free market principles since the fall of the Soviet Union, it is important that Johnson & Johnson recognize that this change was relatively recent, and certain aspects of working in the Czech Republic may still be affected by this history. Finally, discussions surrounding the use of the euro and the benefits and disadvantages of a common currency are debates that Johnson & Johnson should be aware of in this time period.While Slovakia adopted the euro in January 2009, the Czech Republic has kept its own currency. A switch to the euro in the Czech Republic could have a wide range of effects, some positive and some negative, and Johnson & Johnson should understand the implications for its business if that change occurs in the Czech Republic. For example, adopting the euro would make transactions with other countries more convenient, and Johnson & Johnson should be prepared for a possible increase in transactions or the speed in which transactions take place in order to take advantage of the opportunities this change could provide.It should also be ready for the numerous practical difficulties with tasks such as accounting that may occur with a change in currency. Keeping these economic scenarios in mind is the kind of forward-thinking that is crucial to Johnson & Johnson's success. 3. Social Environment – Aging Population and Public Health Problems There are two major social changes on the horizon that will both affect Johnson & Johnson as well as provide tremendous opportunities. The first is the aging population.The gigantic baby boomer generation, consisting of those born between 1946 and 1964, has had a huge social and economic impact on the world since its birth. This trend will continue as the generation is beginning to enter old age. The influx of senior citizens will create huge demands throughout all realms of medical care. Johnson & Johnson can expect to see increased sales ac ross all three of its segments – pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics, and consumer goods – in the coming decades, and must plan production accordingly to be able to meet the needs of this huge generation as they enter their most medically-dependent years.Additionally, in order to cater to the aging population, Johnson & Johnson is pioneering developments in preventative medicine as well as less invasive surgery techniques. Another major social change affecting Johnson & Johnson is the phenomenon of surging rates of various health problems, especially in developed societies but spreading worldwide, from obesity and diabetes to cancer and mental disorders. Though highly problematic for society, companies in medicine-related industries such as Johnson & Johnson are finding themselves with an increasing number of people to treat and cure.As a company that invests heavily in research and development, Johnson & Johnson has the opportunity to lead the way in find ing ways to address these serious public health issues. 4. Technological Environment – Promising New Fields As many pharmaceutical drug markets become saturated and the blockbuster drug strategy becomes obsolete due to the major changes occurring in the industry, innovation and breakthrough medical technologies are essential for finding blue oceans in which to compete.Predictive medicine, which entails predicting diseases based on genetics and preventing them, and personalized medicine, which involves managing a patient’s health based on his or her individual characteristics as opposed to following the more traditional â€Å"standards of care† model, are growing fields into which Johnson & Johnson can expand. The company’s strong emphasis on research and development and its leadership in the medical devices and diagnostics segment put it in an excellent position to become a frontrunner in making new discoveries in these promising new technological fields. C. Determining Threats and Opportunities 1.Threats – The Uneducated Consumer and Mergers and Acquisitions One of the biggest threats facing a company like Johnson & Johnson is the uneducated consumer. Especially within the consumer products and pharmaceuticals markets, with the increasing availability and lower cost of generic products, a key component of continued competitiveness is the discerning consumer who has preferences when it comes to treatment options. Johnson & Johnson must continually work hard to make sure that people are aware of its products and the quality that it ensures through effective branding and promotional practices, as well as consumer education.Patent expirations are also a constant concern for Johnson & Johnson as proprietary information is an integral part of sustained revenue streams. Mergers and acquisitions (M) present both potential opportunities and threats for Johnson & Johnson. The company has pursued M that have served to expand the compan y’s resources and help penetrate new and diverse markets. For example, Johnson & Johnson recently acquired Mentor Corporation in order to expand its operations in to the aesthetic and reconstructive medicine market.Also, an important new medical product called the Fibrin Pad was developed with the cooperation of three Johnson & Johnson-owned subsidiaries. These are just a couple examples of how Johnson & Johnson is able to both grow and innovate through M. On the other hand, M between other companies in the healthcare industry have the potential to upset Johnson & Johnson’s value chain and competitive advantages. Johnson & Johnson must pay close attention to the actions of rival companies in order to maintain its market-leader positions and barriers to entry against competitors. 2.Opportunities – Research, Synergies, Emerging Markets, and the Aging Population Johnson & Johnson’s greatest opportunity is found in its heavy investment in research and develop ment. This is especially important for its medical devices and diagnostics and pharmaceutical divisions. It is necessary for the company to be on the leading technological edge when it comes to medical devices to ensure that it can offer the most accurate and up-to-date machines available. As for the pharmaceutical sector, patent expiration and generic drugs demand constant innovation and addition to Johnson & Johnson’s pipeline of products for sustained success.Strong pipelines in its pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors are a major source of confidence in the company’s long-term success. With eight new late-stage compounds in the pharmaceutical sector and the introduction of several new products to new markets in the medical devices sector, Johnson & Johnson seems to be advancing its pipeline quite progressively. It also strives to be a consistently innovative company, and around 40% of its current products have been developed within the last 3-4 years. In 2008 , Johnson & Johnson spent $7. billion on research and development. The reinvestment of 11% of sales in to R, versus the industry average of 3%, demonstrates a source of competitive advantage for the company. Synergies between product branches are yet another source of opportunities for Johnson & Johnson. Through the well-coordinated efforts of its pharmaceutical and consumer products divisions, Johnson & Johnson was able to make the formerly prescribed drug Zyrtec available as an over-the-counter drug, which came to be the company’s most successful product launch in 2008.This is yet another example of how the company is able to pool its resources in order to find ways to fulfill both the needs of both its customers and stakeholders. Other opportunities for Johnson & Johnson are present in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Its products are currently available to only 25% of the world’s population. However, through its decentralized management app roach and the adjustment of its products and strategies to match local needs and preferences, Johnson & Johnson is reaching an ever-increasing consumer base.One method Johnson & Johnson has been able to reach a broader consumer base through is the de-featuring of products, such simplified blood-glucose meters, which allows for access to lower-income customers and dampens the parasitic effect of cheap substitutes. One final opportunity exists in the demographic trend towards an ageing population. People are living longer, and because of this, new types of medical needs are arising all the time. Many types of medical treatments and surgeries are being developed and becoming more commonplace, such as hip replacements and plastic surgery.Patients want to be able to fix their ailments and expect a quick and uncomplicated recovery afterwards. It is up to Johnson & Johnson to develop and provide the best possible equipment and supplies to do this and fulfill the company promise of customer success. III. Establishing European and Global Opportunities A. Expansion into New Markets – Developing Countries Despite the many challenges of working in both the European and global business environments, it is clear that these environments also allow Johnson & Johnson to strengthen and continue to grow its business.With income and living standards on the rise in many European countries such as Turkey and the Czech Republic, where sales have already increased, and across the globe in developing countries like China and India, Johnson & Johnson has many opportunities to sell its products in new markets or expand more in markets it has previously penetrated. In order to take advantage of the broadening market field, Johnson & Johnson has begun to offer products that will appeal to people in less affluent nations. Its objective is clear: make products that are affordable for most of the world.To do this, Johnson & Johnson has created de-featured versions of products that can be sold at a lower price, thus becoming accessible to more patients. B. Domestic Market Defense – Competition and Mistakes While Johnson & Johnson expands to serve more customers in new markets, it must also maintain its secure position domestically. Though the consumer segment only accounts for only 25% of its total sales, the company realizes that keeping up its reputation and remaining a household name will help it as it moves into foreign markets. To put it simply, Johnson & Johnson must remain synonymous with quality, safe products.Next, Johnson & Johnson must be ready to compete with an even greater number of competitors, such as Pfizer, Merck, Novartis and Eli Lilly. Despite being the world's largest healthcare company, it still faces competition and has run into problems when it has attained the market lead, grown too confident in its product, and then lost the lead. Because Johnson & Johnson has twice lost its lead with one particular product, a heart stent, it now seems aware of this problem in its business strategy and therefore will be prepared for similar situations as it continue to penetrate new markets.IV. Analyzing Johnson & Johnson’s Current Position A. Value Chain Analysis – Synergies, Cost Reductions, and Relationships A value chain analysis of Johnson & Johnson reveals several key sources of value generation. Johnson & Johnson consists of 250 companies that operate in 57 countries worldwide. The widespread nature of its operations and decentralized management practices allow for a high degree of local autonomy and adaptation. This makes Johnson & Johnson very efficient in discovering and reacting to changing consumer demands across the globe.Also, the convergence of knowledge and information from branches across the globe gives the corporation a great advantage in the development of new products and technologies. Flexibility and detailed, location-specific knowledge coupled with heavy investments in technology, most n otably IT, are the main production-based value drivers of the corporation. They allow for timely, adaptive responses to changing needs and the ability to achieve first leader power in emerging markets. Johnson & Johnson is making progress in finding ways to reduce costs.Standardization initiatives in its pharmaceutical sector enabled the company to streamline operations and cut costs by $1. 6 billion in 2008. Cost savings are also created by means of acquisitions. For example, Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare is expected to generate up to $600 billion in â€Å"cost synergies† by unifying the efforts of the two companies. Johnson & Johnson also emphasizes the importance of relationships with both its consumers and employees in its company credo.A talented and dependable workforce is important for innovation and efficiency in operations for any corporation. The company demonstrates its desire for employee welfare with healthcare services and carefully developed online resources. With an employee turnover ratio of less than 5%, Johnson & Johnson demonstrates that it is capable of attracting and retaining the right kind of people to help it remain successful. B. Competitive Positioning – Differentiation and Resource Allocation As stated in the annual report, Johnson & Johnson is a company focused on broad-based human healthcare.It offers a plethora of products throughout its pharmaceutical, medical devices and diagnostics, and consumer products divisions. These products are made in response to both local and global consumer demands, representing solutions for many different customer segments. These factors are evidence that Johnson & Johnson has chosen the competitive strategy of differentiation. Using this strategy affords Johnson & Johnson a sense of prestige and quality and this is evident in its pricing practices.However, the company does use competitive pricing strategies and is continually trying to find ways to lower costs without sacrificing quality or reputation. Johnson & Johnson is constantly seeking to expand its product portfolio across all divisions and spends large amounts of money in R&D to that end. A Johnson & Johnson representative said, â€Å"Be the first, be the best. † This is the most effective way for the company to enter new markets and secure a strong position by being the first to offer the right products in the right locations in a time efficient manner.Johnson & Johnson’s ability to perform these actions successfully is due to the sprawling nature of its subsidiaries and the amount of resources dedicated towards making sure that they all work with each other and share information. Johnson & Johnson holds a very strong competitive position versus other corporations due to the amount of its resources and depth of its operations. It is able to maintain its position as market leader in several product categories, as well as penetrate emerging markets, be cause of its ability to adapt quickly and intelligently.The company must remain vigilant, however, as complacency can result in loss of market share. V. Assessing Effectiveness and Conclusion In today’s fast-paced business environment, any firm needs to consistently reevaluate its strategic positioning, but in industries as competitive as the ones in which Johnson & Johnson competes, continual evaluation is vital for long-term success. By any quantitative measures, Johnson & Johnson is a very successful company, and the fact that it has earned a profit for 75 straight years suggests that there is a definite plan for long-term success.The company’s famous credo, known as â€Å"Our Credo† and written by former chairman Robert W. Johnson in 1943, may have a role in this success. The credo outlines Johnson & Johnson’s responsibilities to its customers, employees, communities, and finally its stockholders. It also establishes the principles that guide the comp any, from making high quality products and recognizing employees’ merit to protecting the environment and experimenting with new ideas. Johnson & Johnson’s credo has endured, unchanged, for over 65 years. While it does not explicitly state long term goals, the principles within it express the company’s intrinsic values.According to the company’s website, â€Å"Our Credo is more than just a moral compass. We believe it’s a recipe for business success. The fact that the Johnson  & Johnson is one of only a handful of companies that have flourished through more than a century of change is proof of that. † Johnson & Johnson has indeed flourished. It consistently tops the corporate reputation charts and is a role model for social responsibility. Moreover, the company is clearly prepared for the many challenges its ever-changing international business environment poses.Due to its strategic positioning and eye on the future, Johnson & Johnson will likely survive another century. REFERENCES Academic Visit to Johnson & Johnson, Prague, Czech Republic. â€Å"2008 Annual Report. † Johnson & Johnson Gassman, Oliver, Gerrit Reepmeyer and Maximilian von Zedtwitz. â€Å"Leading Pharmaceutical Innovation. † Springer â€Å"The Global Pharmaceutical Industry. † Duke University â€Å"Mental health drug market tapped out? † CNNMoney. com â€Å"Our Credo Values. † Johnson & Johnson. â€Å"Patent Expirations Behind J&J Cuts, C&T Looks Closer at Patents. † Cosmetics and Toiletries

Article Critique Essay

The author of this article is a Canadian who has raised the alarm on the increasing number poverty stricken people hence springing up of ghettos in big cities. The author rhetorically is asking a question whether there are ghettos in Canadian cities. The author is coming up with many ghetto synonyms but yet they are of not the same meaning. The name like enclave sound more ethnical and it has been described as a grouping of people from the same ethnic group living in a low income earning or a poor neighbourhood. The article pinpoints that in the year 2001 families residing in high poverty levels doubled the year 1981. The message in the article is directed to the authorities in these cities to get warned of a looming crisis and look for ways to alter the trend. The message is not has to any group that it mentions that is the people from the enclaves and the ghettos. The article has outlined many causes of ghettos in Canadian cities. Poverty has been rated as the number one cause and this article gives figures from the research to substantiate its claim. The exact time is given when immigration policy of Canada was changed and the change swung Canada into a cultural and social crisis or socio cultural crisis. According to the authorities and the research that has been carried out immigration puts Canadian cities on spotlight of having many poor neighbourhoods. The author also makes a comparison between Canadian and American cities whereby Canadian cities are going more enclave than ghettos in America. In American cities the traditional definition of a ghetto is a residential district that concentrates racial Enclave tends to collect people of the same ethnic background together while ghettos collect poor people from various ethnic backgrounds. In both cases, people involved are affected by poverty and low income level. From one of the researches that have been done, the article reveals that an alarm was raised about the growth of neighbourhood poverty in Canada. The article pinpoints groups of people who make up the population who end up to the ghettos. Their background is partly covered by poverty and the article further expose that these are immigrants from Asia, Africa, West Indies and Latin America. The research that was conducted showed that between 1971 and 2001 is the period when the majority of the Canadian population was born in the back mentioned countries. Nevertheless, some cities like London there are no ghettos and this is due to the efforts of the councils. However, I take the article head to mention that it does not clearly outline and show the consequences of the increasing population in ghettos and mushrooming of ghettos and enclaves. In many a times these nighbourhoods have been associated with crime and drugs. Does is it mean the researches that were conducted didn’t capture these common phenomenon that is associated with ghettos? Furthermore, the article does not highlight any ways that have been adopted to combat the expanding ghettos and enclaves without necessarily disrupting the social cultural set of these people in the ghettos. Reference: Walks, A. R. Bourney, L. S. (2006). The Canadian Geographer Publication:

Write About a Member of Your Family That You Feel

I have one member in my family that truly consider â€Å"special†. This person is my youngest son, Adrian. Let me tell you a few things why I think that he is a special person. Adrian was diagnosed with Autism when he was about 2 1/2 years old. He is anti-social and non-verbal. Anti-social means that he doesn't interact with others that are around him. For example, Adrian likes to play by himself. The non-verbal means that he has no ommunication through speech. Even though h is lacking speech, he can communicate his needs in his very own way. For instance, when Adrian wants something to eat, he would come to me, grab my hand and pulls me to the refrigerator. On the other hand, it can get frustrating for him because I am the only person that can understand his body language cues. In addition to his anti-social and non- verbal communication, I have to mention that Adrian s the most loving child I have seen. The reason being is usually children with Autism do not like to be hugge d or cuddled. Adrian loves to give hug and cuddle with me as well as he does with others. Finally, I understand that my son is anti-social and non-verbal. At the same time, he has the ability to be social and communicate with me. He does it in a way no other person would it. As a result of this, I feel that this makes my son a â€Å"special† person.

Sustainability Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainability Management - Essay Example This report will cover several areas of vital importance related to the two career paths that we have proposed to you. These are: Work Responsibilities Education requirements Salary and benefits Working conditions Job outlook At Trapeze solutions, we would like to extend our gratitude for choosing to consult with us on your career choice. Should you need to make the next move as you follow the trajectory of your career, please know that we will be here for any service needed, regarding the furthering of your career. We wish you all the best in your goals and endeavors. Sincerely, (Signature) (Name) Career consultancy Manager TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦. 4 Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Project Consultant†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦. 7 Education Requirements†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.. 7 Work Responsibilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. 8 Salary and Benefits†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.. 8 Working Conditions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. ... ........................................................................†¦.†¦. 11 Salary and Benefits†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦. 11 Working Conditions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦ 11 Job Outlook†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Conclusion and Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. 12 Appendices of References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦. 13 Executive Summary In the pre sent day environment of business the project related field in most sectors is growing at a steady pace. This report is developed to give you a better understanding of two fields in this sector, which are project consultancy and project management. The report will compare the two and recommend the best career choice for you. The reviews include: Academic Requirements Education requirements for project consultancy and project management are both consistent. For either, most companies and institutions will require a bachelor’s degree in Business administration and related fields. The trend also points to preference being given to master’s students in the same field. Certifications are becoming a major standard in both fields. This report gives information about the vital certifications required. Work Responsibilities The project manager directs all activities relating to the project. He manages materials, staff, costs, appliances and machines, and motivates his staff. His role is to manage the everyday activities of the project from initiation to conclusion. The project consultant is involved in the implementation of projects via offering expertise technically, and preparing, communicating and reporting