What is Rock Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is Rock Music - Research Paper Example The rock music is a different kind of music for anyone to listen, save for those who love it for their own reasons. The genre came into being as ‘rock and roll’ in the United States in the 1950s. It has various styles developed over years worldwide. Rock music has heavy influences from rhythm and blues, country music, folk music, jazz and classical music. More specifically, early origins of rock music can be traced to African American music modes in the Mississippi Delta.1 Rock and roll refers to the first wave of this phenomenon in the 1950s that developed into rock music, and both terms are used interchangeably to refer to the same music genre. Michael Lydon observes that there are a lot of theories about rock music, attempting to define and distinguish it, but all these theories overlook the importance if the rock genre as music2. In this regard, rock music usually features the guitar, a rock group, and a 4/4 time signature in a verse chorus form. There have been several variances from this norm, depending on the kind of theme being enhanced by the particular artist doing a rock music. The music mainly explores themes in the social and political spheres, and is dominant among white youths. Incidentally, rock is hinged on electric live performances, and based on an ideological framework of originality and authenticity. Some have defined rock music as part of the United States tradition3 but Wicke opines that it is a midway between folk music and bourgeois music. This midway is characterized by an emphasis on individuality and distortion of perspective. Rock music is also a midway between the pre mass media explosion and the current age, being the first genre of music commercialized and distributed through media such as television, radio and film as opposed to bourgeois music with its concert hall performances and strict structure. Wicke goes on

Christianity and Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Christianity and Islam - Essay Example One should strongly uphold the values and teachings that Allah has taught them for these will serve as their guide to fulfilling a spiritually-rich life together with Allah. Since monotheism is part of the Islamic faith, Muslims is in continuous contention with the Trinitarian God that Christian faith believes. Islam would not allow anyone or any other being for that matter to be associated with Allah for they trust that Allah is incomparable and solitary. Angels are considered as the messengers of God. The existence of angels is generally acceptable as true among Muslims. Islam agrees that God has numerous angels who are good in nature. Satan is an exception to this generalization for he is the only angel who dared to refuse the fact that God has the Ultimate Power that Satan disobeyed His commands. An analogy is stated in the article to distinguish men from the angels. Angels are made of light while human beings are made out of clay. Jinns are described in this section as well. They are created by fire which is correlated with the power of speech or gift of tongues. Prophets and scriptures was the third doctrine on the article. Mohammad is named as the last descendant of the prophets who were assigned to introduce and disseminate the scriptures to the people.

Effects of the Change4Life Advertising Campaign

Effects of the Change4Life Advertising Campaign The NHS document will go through the changes that are going to be implemented in the NHS. This will go through what might improve in the NHS due to changes and what will not improve. It will go the criticisms that the proposed changes have received and also the positive points that have been received. The proposed changes in the NHS will mean that the GPs will be getting  £70 billion pounds annually. The purpose of this is to get the GPs to manage most of the NHS budget to buy patient care from the NHS hospitals and clinics. According to the new changes the government is planning to close 151 primary care trusts and have them replaced by GPs, the question that has been put forward by this proposal is that how much money is going to be spent on administration rather than health care? And how much money will the GPs take to pay themselves management fees? (Walayat, 2010) By the government announcing that the primary care trusts are going to be closing it marked the first step towards the NHS becoming privatised. The budget of  £70 million will not increase productivity but will lead to a less productive system instead just as the Labour Government experienced when they doubled the NHS budget. The budget will lead to all the GP surgeries to become part of private companies. (Walayat, 2010) Andrew Lansley the UK health Secretary launched a White Paper which was titled Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS under which every GP will have to join a commissioning group by 2011/12 which will close down the Primary Care Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities systems. The plans will see the GPs being responsible for  £110 billion of the health care budget, some of the budget  £80 billion of this will be going through to PCTs. (Pharmaletter, 2010) An important aspect of the proposal is that the health care providers will be paid according their performance, reflecting outcomes as well as activity and progress on outcomes will be supported by quality standards which are developed by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). (Pharmaletter, 2010) Some advantages of the proposal have been put forward such as that the white paper shows a move towards greater doctor and patient influence over clinical decisions. It is believed that the expansion of NICEs remit which promotes best practice is a high priority for the future of the NHS than the narrow cost effectiveness calculations on new medicines that it is currently conducting. (Pharmaletter, 2010) There are criticisms of the new proposal it has been stated that the plans could cost the NHS its  £20 billion efficiency savings target. Health director James Gubb stated that the NHS is facing the most difficult financial times in its history and that it is not the time to change structures but its better to get behind the difficult decisions PCTs will have to make. Other criticisms are that the White Paper was a waste of time and a waste of money. They also stated that the GPs do not have enough power to see any changes in the system. (Pharmaletter, 2010) The changes to the NHS will be taking place in 2013, already it has emerged that GPs that are covering half the country have already signed to start piloting the changes. The cost of the programme is  £1.4 billion, most of this will come over the next two years as more than 20,000 people from management and the staff from administration are being made redundant from the health authorities, primary care trusts and the Department of Health. (BBC, 2011) GPs will be expected to publish yearly reports of their performance. There will be a Health Watch network where feedback will be gathered from patients. The new bill will set out a duty to maximise access to a wide range of services. If GPs do under perform they will be financially penalised as a proportion of their income. (BBC, 2011) The British Medical Association believe that the government are taking a big gamble with the changes to the NHS and others have just stated that the health service will not be able to do what they are expected to do and that the new changes have a big risk of failing. (BBC, 2011) With the changes the ministers, including the secretary of state, will no longer be able to intervene when a hospital is threatened to close. Instead there will be a NHS independent board who will oversee the GPs. They will buy the care for their patients from any willing provider meaning from an NHS organisation or a private company. (Channel 4, 2011) Critics have said that this in a way is putting profit before care and that the services will end up closing down as they will not be financially viable even when they are need by the public. The changes in the NHS are complex and are mainly to do with management although Andrew Lansley the health secretary has ensured that patients are at the heart of the changes. (Channel 4, 2011) The changes mean that there will be a loss of 24,500 jobs and approximately 21,000 of them will be going through redundancy. The changes will be in place in 2013 and in the following year all hospitals will be foundation trusts, which will mean that hey will be controlling their own budget and have control. (Channel 4, 2011) The changes that are being made have been labelled as dangerous by the health experts and campaigners who are desperately trying to save the NHS. The changes will be getting rid of the targets that say that operations are performed within 18 weeks and also seeing your doctor within 48 hours. Private firms will now be able to bid for contracts for anything from standard check-ups to complex surgery. Patients will now have to wait longer to get appointments to see the GP, as local surgeries will be part of the financially powerful regional GP groups, as they now have almost  £80 billion of the health budget they could get rid of expensive treatments which in turn will make patients look for a different surgery which meets their needs. (Buckland, 2011) The patients will not see much change to the NHS but if the government does fulfil the aims it has set then the patients will have more control over their care than what they used to. The patients will now have a choice on how they want to be treated and where they want to be treated. Patients already have a choice on what hospital they want to go to but the choice is now extending to GPs. The boundaries that were set for registering with the GP are not in use any more and now they can choose whichever doctor they wish. (BBC (a) 2011) To conclude the NHS document has gone through what the changes are going to take place in the NHS and what this will cause. It has gone through the strengths and the criticisms of the changes. It has also stated that the GPs will now have control over the NHS budget and the changes will take place 2013. This assignment will be going through three health campaigns that are based in the UK to promote healthy lifestyles. The first campaign is change4life campaign it will go through what this campaign promotes, its aims and what it has achieved so far it will then go onto criticising the campaign and explain what has not worked. It will then go through whether enough is being done to promote healthy lifestyles. The second campaign is anti-smoking campaign it will again go the aims, what it has achieved and the criticisms of the campaign. It will then go through whether enough is being done to promote healthy lifestyles. The final campaign is sexual health campaign it will go through its aims, what it has achieved and its criticisms. It will then go through whether enough is being done to promote healthy lifestyles. The conclusion will bring the main points together and summarise what has been said in the portfolio and will also state whether the campaigns have done what they have aimed to do. Change4life is a society-wide movement that has the aims to prevent people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat better and move more. The campaign aims to motivate a societal movement in which anyone who has an interest in preventing obesity, they can be businesses, healthcare professionals, charities, schools or families can play their part. (Department of Health, 2010) The Change4Life campaign started in January 2009 and started by targeting young families with children aged 5-11 years. Since then the movement has grown and is now targeting parents of 1-4 year olds (Early Years) and new parents with babies (Start4Life). (Department of Health, 2010) The Change4Life advertising campaign has made the subject of weight and physical activity a hot topic and it urges us to make changes to our diet and levels of activity. The campaign talks about fat in the body rather that fat bodies and makes the link clear between fat and preventable illnesses. Change4life puts the blame of obesity onto modern life, which affects everyone instead of blaming the parents. (Department of Health (a), 2010) The steps that Change4life support will help people to improve health and their diet for example by swapping sugary food for healthier alternatives, cutting down on portion sizes and putting a limit on snacks. But a criticism that has been put forward is that change4life could be flawed from the start. They have been criticised for having partnerships with companies such as Nestle, PepsiCo and Mars. (Watts, 2009) Change4life tried to justify the partnerships by claiming that they want everyone to work together to fight obesity. However the question that has been put forward by critics is the involvement of manufacturers of fatty, sugary snack products going to help reduce obesity? (Watts, 2009) There is not enough evidence to say that social marketing is effective than other methods of improving health, but it seems that the government which is pursuing Change4Life have abandoned pursuing the steps that need to be taken to tackle obesity and focusing on how best to advertise the campaign. It was published in a report that it is urgent to act on the obesity crisis now as it was predicted that 9 out of 10 adults will be obese by 2050. (Watts, 2009) The department of health is now keen on getting corporate partners that the department seems to have forgotten the certain steps that need to be taken that can stop obesity such as protecting children from junk food marketing or forcing companies to use effective nutritional labelling. (Watts, 2009) The UK Public Health Association Chairman, David Hunter has warned that the governments  £75 million Change4Life campaign will fail to stop the rising levels of obesity unless it develops a strategy to change long-term behaviour. He has stated that the evidence that has been found that their campaign can have a positive effect for short term but it cannot be used for long term and so something needs to be done to prove that the campaign is not a waste of money and time. (Clews, 2009) Now it is being said that the new coalition government is taking away the funding from Change4life which was put forward by the Labour government. The new health secretary Andrew Lansley stated that the campaign should be supported by businesses not the government. (Tasker, 2010) Lansley stated that the new government will aim to use more social media to get the message of Change4Life across rather than the traditional advertising campaigns and will make it less of a government campaign but a social movement, by asking charities and local authorities and the commercial sectors to get involved. (Tasker, 2010) Lansley praised the scheme by saying that it has achieved a lot; especially in the way it has bought many people together such as healthcare professionals, teachers, charities, businesses and thousands of volunteers who have their support. (Tasker, 2010) Although there have been criticisms of the campaign there have been achievements. The campaign has worked alongside with a range of colleagues such as GP staff, primary schools and early years settings. In all the work they have encouraged colleagues to register as Local Supporters and to adopt the Change4Life brand in their activities. (Department of health, (b) 2010) A Change4life van is used by the Healthy Lifestyle team to deliver cooking sessions to help at-risk families learn how to cook simple, low-fat meals. Change4Life brand has also been incorporated into Healthy Heroes programme that was developed in primary schools to encourage children to be more active. Sport and physical alliances, School Sports Partnerships and Food Forums have all got the Change4Life sub brands and are using both Bike4Life and Walk4life in their cycling and walking schemes. (Department of health, (b) 2010) Anti-smoking campaigns uses advertising to put out their word to stop people smoking, a lot of different advertisements have been used which are directed to smokers. It has been found that a  £4 million advertising campaign which shows fat oozing out of the smokers artery has been a huge success for the anti-smoking campaign. After seeing the advertisement a total of 10,000 people contacted the British Heart Foundation charity and 62,000 have visited their website. Smoking has been estimated to cause 114,000 deaths in a year in the UK, 30,000 of these due to cardiovascular disease. (BBC, 2004) On the 1st July 2007, England introduced a new law to make all enclosed public places and workplaces smoke free. This will ensure that England has a healthier environment so that everyone can socialise, relax, travel and shop free from second hand smoke. The law also states that smoking is not allowed in public transport or in work vehicles where there is more than one person in the vehicle. Staff smoking rooms and indoor smoking areas are no longer allowed so everyone who wants to smoke will have to go outside the building. (Smokefree, 2007) Local councils are responsible for enforcing the new law in England. There are now penalties and fines for those who do not abide by the law, some of these fines are as follows: if someone is caught smoking in smoke free premises or in work vehicles will have a fixed penalty of  £50 or a maximum of  £200 if they are convicted by court. There is a fixed penalty of  £200 if there is a failure to put up no-smoking signs. There is also a maximum of  £2500 if the person who manages the premises or vehicles fails to prevent smoking. (Smokefree, 2007) The smoking ban has triggered the biggest fall in smoking ever seen in England. It has been found that more than two billion fewer cigarettes were smoked and 400,000 people have quit smoking since the ban was introduced, researchers have said that this will prevent 40,000 deaths over the next 10 years. There is no guarantee that the rates of smoking will not raise again so it is essential that the downward pressure is maintained. (Laurence, 2008) However it has been stated that the ban on smoking in public has failed to increase the number of people quitting. The proportion of men who smoke has risen since the ban while there has been no change among women. It has been hoped that the ban would help reduce the smoking rates among the poor but instead smoking in working-class men has risen. (Martin, 2008) The Health Survey for England, which was carried out by the NHS has raised fears that smokers are now simply smoking at home which is now putting children at risk. The Liberal Democrat Health spokesman Norman Lamb stated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦stark figures which demonstrate à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the governments strategy on smoking has not been successful. A spokesman from the pro-smoking pressure group stated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦figures show that the smoking ban has been an unmitigated failure. (Martin, 2008) However a spokesman from the Department of Health replied to the criticisms by stating that the Smoke free laws were put forward to protect employees and public from secondhand smoke, and that the legislation was never intended to be a measure to reduce smoking. (Martin, 2008) Now in America the district officials have said that the best way to get young people to stop smoking, is to use bar and nightclub scenes and advertisements that show men and women in sexually suggestive poses. They are now planning to spend millions of dollars over the next few years for this plan. The local health authority had determined that to counter methods that tobacco companies have used to lure young people into thinking that smoking is cool, the most effective way to stop people from smoking is to fight fire with fire. (Kanigher, 2010) A criticism of this idea was put forward that the advertisements message of anti-smoking is diluted by the images which promote booze and sex. The complaint was that they are not promoting a healthy lifestyle; they may be telling them not to smoke but instead are promoting drinking and sex. The answer to this criticism was the reason they put on the advertisements of bars and nightclub scenes is because young smokers are drawn to that lifestyle. (Kanigher, 2010) The sexual health campaign is in place to inform people to have safe sex to prevent sexual transmitted diseases (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. A lot of campaigns are now in place to inform mainly teenagers the importance of safe sex. The campaign aims to create a culture change where stakeholders and consumers are equipped and have the confidence in engaging in conversations about sexual health and relationships. (Everett, 2009) They have stated that they were behind in their target which was to halve the under 18 conception rate by 2010 and also another aim which they need to do is to lower the rates of abortion and repeat abortion as they remain high in people under the age of 25. (Everett, 2009) There are three marketing objectives that the campaign has the first is prevention-building attitudes, knowledge and skills that make safe sex more likely. The second is protection-which encourages protective behaviours that make sex safer and intervention-intensive support for those who are most at risk. Within these three marketing objectives there are six strands of activities which are for prevention-knowledge and education and communication and negotiation skills. For protection-there will be contraceptive choice, carrying condoms or access to condoms. For intervention-there will be integrated education and service delivery. (Waters, 2009) The campaign gets their information across by using the television, radio and the press. They use stories from media to support the campaign and fuel discussions. By doing this they persuade people to find out more information about their campaign through their website which is hosted by the NHS Choices which have details of the services available and how to get in contact with the service providers. (Hadley, 2009) Statistics have shown that teenage pregnancy rates have fallen, according to data collected from the Office of National Statistics there was a fall of 3.9% of pregnancy rates of girls under the age of 18 in 2008 while pregnancy rate for under sixteen year olds fell 7.6%. However, this is far short of the government aim to have it halved. (Bawden, 2010) Victoria Sheard, who is deputy head of police at Terrence Higgins trust, stated that there is a need for young people to be given more information to protect themselves. She also stated that it is not easy for the teenagers to get hold of information and support that they need from schools. (Bawden, 2010) It has been stated that the pregnancy rates will rise unless the government takes renewed action. The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) has warned that the budget cuts and the changes in the NHS are going to threaten the current downward trend in teenage pregnancy. The under-18 conception rate has been at the lowest for over twenty years, on the other hand experts have said that the target to halve the teenage pregnancy rate will be missed. (BBC, 2010) The TPIAG is calling on the current government to invest in contraception, sex and relationship education, they have stated that the pregnancy rates will rise again unless there is sustained commitment and investment in contraceptive services, along with better sex education. The local authorities and primary care trusts will be facing bigger bills if the contraceptive services are reduced. (BBC, 2010) In November 2009 a national campaign called sex worth talking about was launched by the Department of Health who had the aim to help young people to become better informed about their sexual health, how to avoid unwanted pregnancies and access treatment for STIs. The first phase of the campaign was focused on contraception and the choices available. The second phase was launched in 2010 which shifted the focus onto Chlamydia with the warning that this has no symptoms and can be passed on without people knowing. Then the third stage which was also launched in 2010 moved the focus back onto contraception again. (Politics, 2011) The factors that are behind the poor sexual health of Britain have been debated and there is no single suggestion. Many have complained that the culture and the increase of sex education promote promiscuity which makes it certain that people will transmit STIs or unwanted pregnancies. (Politics, 2011) Others have put forward that the current education policies are not successful in adequately equipping young people to promote their own sexual health and others argue that Britain need to have an open attitude towards sex to encourage safe sexual behaviour. A lack of resources for sexual health services have been blamed for the rates of infection. (Politics, 2011) The Department of Health does admit that the sexual health services do need to be more modernised and they have set themselves targets to cut the rate of unwanted pregnancies and reduce the spread of STIs however, they also state that they have had achievement in lowering the rate of pregnancies. (Politics, 2011) The British Medical Association (BMA) warned of a sexual health crisis in Britain and called on the government to reduce rates of STIs. The BMA warned that clinics will not be able to cope with the rising rates of STIs without the government support. (Politics, 2011) The three campaigns above are linked by the personal responsibility agenda that is now being put forward by the government. The personal responsibility agenda puts forward that there is the need for people to take charge of changing their own behaviour instead of relying on the interventions that are in place. It has been stated that it will be difficult in shifting the focus this way. However, it is what is needed as it could change behaviour. (BBC, a, 2010) A lot of people have supported this idea by stating that the interventions that were put forward did not work but actually made health inequalities worse. But for this agenda to work there has to be support from the coalition government. (BBC (a) 2010). There have been criticisms of the personal health responsibility agenda, some of which are that the agenda blames the victim, because they ignore the social context in which the individual makes their decisions and health related actions take place. This is more problematic with the poor as it is said that poverty is the main risk factor for illnesses. (Minkler, 2009) Another criticism is that the personal health responsibility agenda is that the government will move the blame from themselves to the individual. The basis of this criticism is that the conservative government have used the personal responsibility agenda to justify the cutbacks needed in health social programmes. (Minkler, 2009) Looking at the criticisms and the strengths of the agenda it has to be put forward that after all the years spent on interventions and other campaigns supporting people to change behaviour will the personal responsibility agenda work? Will people change their behaviour after living in unhealthy lifestyles for so many years? The three campaigns that have been mentioned in the portfolio have given an overview of what the campaign does and the strengths and weaknesses. Overall with the campaigns it has been found that the campaigns have got their strengths but also have a lot of criticisms that they have top work on to improve which they have been doing to prove that they do work. Each campaign has in its own way given information on the health risks and what can prevent them. All three of the campaigns are linked by the personal responsibility agenda which states that the people have to take responsibility for their own health, this has its own strengths and weakness with one of the main criticisms being that the government do not want to take the blame if this does not work instead the blame will be going to the individual who did not take responsibility for their own health. Overall the portfolio went over what the campaigns promote, what they have achieved, their criticisms and what they are aiming for in the future. The campaigns overall do give out a positive message to the public but now need to improve on how they are going to lower the rates of the health risks mainly in those who are living in poverty.

Freedom of Expression on the Internet Essay -- Freedom of Speech

I.Introduction This paper addresses whether we should censor or block access to websites with controversial material. It looks at the issue from several sides: The relevant US laws that are in place, how censorship is used at the university and corporate levels, how other countries are attempting censorship, and finally what I feel about the topic. Given all that I have read in preparing this paper, I have come to the conclusion that without a set of globally-accepted rules, we should not be censoring the Internet except where these rules are being broken. We could perhaps get agreement for those things that are obviously illegal and unethical (child pornography), but what about other areas such as gambling (is it legal but unethical or visa versa?). There would be very few rules we could agree upon if 100% global agreement is a requirement, and I believe it is. II. America's View A. The Laws The United States government has enacted (or attempted to enact) several laws regarding freedom of speech and the internet. A short overview of these follows. 1.The First Amendment Given how short the First Amendment is, it has caused a surprising amount of controversy and an untold number of new laws and regulations. The text simply states â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.†[i] The First Amendment has been enforced at different levels depending on the type of media itself. Television and radio are both broadcast media and are under strict government regulation as to cont... ...8520&key2=7604425701&coll=portal&dl=ACM&CFID=16081397&CFTOKEN=88949163 [xxxi] Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, Working Together Towards a Responsible and Vibrant Society, 2003, 08 Feb 2004, http://www.mita.gov.sg/pressroom/press_030908.pdf [xxxii] Amnesty International, People's Republic of China Controls tighten as Internet activism grows, 28 January 2004, 08 Feb 2004, http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170012004 [xxxiii] Julie Hilden, The First Amendment and the Internet, Why Traditional Legal Doctrines Apply Differently In Cyberspace 2002, 24 Jan 2004, http://writ.findlaw.com/hilden/20020416.html [xxxiv] Tina Inzerilla, â€Å"Re: hello there†, email to the author, Feb 2004 [xxxv] Jennifer Rast, The UN Plan to Take Over the Internet, Contender Ministries, 10 Jan 2004, 11 Feb 2004, http://www.contenderministries.org/UN/wsis.php

Genetically Modified Food and Monsanto Essay

Monsanto is a multinational world leader in the production of the herbicide glyphosate and in the manipulation of genetically modified (GM) seeds. They were a chemical company, which shifted into the new life science area developing numerous patents related to genetic techniques and GM seeds variety. The company entered in the agrobiochemical industry, which is in its growth life cycle based on continuous product improvements and replacement by superior traits. The industry is focused on chemical products used in agriculture and genetically modified crops. There are rivals in the agrobiochemical industry and during the early 2000s; government regulation, public and medical concern about the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods affected its sales and profits. Analysis of the external environment: Economic segment The lack of food experienced by countries and the consequent increase of their costs given the opportunity to private and public companies to invest in appropriate researches in biotechnology to mitigate food security problems and improve food quality. Mergers and acquisitions among agrobiochemical multinationals have been developed in order to improve technologies and promote researches. Global segment The globalization of market provided opportunities for private industry to expand their sales in other countries. The major market for agrobiochemical products is USA and Europe. Developing countries such as Brazil, and India have started to increase their production acreage and to invest in biotechnological products. Political/legal segment Intellectual properties and patents laws are important issues in the agrobiochemical industry; they consent to control all products and process. Many of the agrochemical products and genetically modified foods are influenced by policy environment and government regulations, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU). These limitations could provide a market opportunity for more advanced or higher value replacement products. Socio-cultural segment Strong negative perception of consumer about safety of GM foods threatens the new technologies applied in agrochemical industries especially in Europe and USA. However there is a lack of appropriate research and tests on it. Demographic segment High technically specialized farmers and farming communities producing cotton, soybean and canola. Technological segment Private companies more than public companies developed new complex technologies in the area of genetic. These affected highly the traditional methods of farmers work. For firms with good innovation capabilities this represents an opportunity to target different niche market. Conclusion New developing countries such as Brazil and India offer big opportunity for the industry. The research and development of new biotechnologies applied to the agriculture created many new lucrative possibilities to enterprises however, a negative consumer perception on GM foods, started to threat the industry profits. Analysis of Industry Environment In the agrobiochemical industry, research and development are the main capabilities that produce a competitive advantage. This advantage is difficult to understand and to imitate. Patent laws and intellectual property enable also firms to maintain and extend their leadership. Barriers to entry for new competitors New entrants that want to compete on the fertilizers and GM crops market must have strong financial resources to invest in order to face companies such as Monsanto. New competitors require intellectual property right and patent licenses to market their product. They can choose to obtain them through leader companies, although these are very selective and often base their decisions on economies of scale. Biotechnological products also need governmental approval to enter the market. Generally in the agrobiochemical industry there are low switching costs among products however leaders such as Monsanto tent to â€Å"lock in† their customers with licensing fees and agreements. There are high entry barriers and this constitutes a low threat for the existing companies in the industry Bargaining power of suppliers In the industry the supplier’s goods are critical to buyer marketplace success. There are few major suppliers. Some of them, including Monsanto, have vertically integrated companies for the production of seed and for supply raw materials. It increased their power market. The fact that there are few major suppliers permits them to have a high bargaining power. It constitute a high threat Bargaining power of buyers Highly specialized farmers are the predominant buyers in this industry. They have a greater amount of information about the manufacturer’s products and costs through the Internet. They have a high bargaining power especially in the pesticide sector where switching costs are low. They constitute a high threat. One-reason farmers decrease their power, though, is often the agreements signed with the companies that supplies their products. Threat of substitute products Due the high costs of technology, patents and government regulations there are no competitive substitute in the market. The only substitutes are the traditional pesticides and crops, which are still on the market with a percentage of 53%. They could constitute a high threat if patent and intellectual properties are banned. Rivalry among existing competitors Government regulation and patents laws have a major role in this market. The high cost involved with research and development increased the rivalry among competitors for market share. High exit barriers also increase rivalry. An exiting barrier experienced by the firms is the high fixed cost of technology agreements. The degree of vertical integration in which the firm is involved consists a barrier as well. Conclusion: In the agrobiochemical industry buyers and suppliers have high bargaining power and there are no good products substitutes. The industry is unattractive particularly because patents laws and government requirements increased the monopolies of few companies and the rivalry for market share. The industry also requires high financial resources. Competitor analysis The main competitors in the industry are Monsanto, DuPont, Novartis and American Home Products. Monsanto is the leader in biotechnology on the marketplace. Due their intellectual properties and R&D capabilities Monsanto had the opportunity to gain market share and power. The benefit of being a first mover permitted them to gain the loyalty of the customer. Monsanto’s strategic action often undertaken to maintain competitive advantage is decrease costs of the products due their high margin profits. DuPont is a large company that produces a Monsanto’s product imitation. They however depends on Monsanto’s licenses to access traits. Novartis is pointed out as one of the potential rival of Monsanto and DuPont. It is a company with but has the highest capital-spending budget for research in biotechnology. Due their financial resources Novartis are more likely to launch competitive action when Monsanto’s license will expire. AHP introduced an alternative to Monsanto main product. Strongly focused on market research they posed a significant threat to Monsanto. They invested in marketing survey and developed a quality product that better satisfy the needs of the consumers. Conclusion: In the agrochemical industry the competitive rivalry among the firms is strong due the high cost involved in R&D and the slow growth of the market caused by licenses and intellectual properties. Monsanto supports its first mover position in the marked licensing patents to others firms. However companies such as AHP started to threaten them through competitive actions. Internal analysis of Monsanto Resources: Tangible Intangible Financial resources: Monsanto has the ability to generate internal funds:  ·They generate high profits especially from Roundup’s sales and GM crops.  ·Investment and acquisitions  ·Compliance activities Human Resources:  ·Managerial capacity especially in developing consolidation strategies ·Long term vision ·Communication skill across all level of the organisation in order to retain talent and maximize human synergies. Physical resources:  ·Monsanto create extensive backward integration to access easily to raw materials  ·Plant and equipments for bioengineering researchesInnovation Resources: ·High scientific capabilities  ·Ability to innovate Technological resources:  ·They signed license patent agreements with competitors and customers.  ·Patents and trademarks ·Training system Reputational Resources: ·Good national and international reputation with customers ·Brand name linked to R&D ·Marketing  ·Long-term relation with suppliers.  ·Good relation with governmental entities such as FDA ·Goodwill Organisational resources: ·Distribution channels To create a sustainable competitive advantage Monsanto must focus on their capability and explore those which are rare, valuable, costly to imitate and non substitutable. Valuable capabilities ·Capability to strengthen long-term relation with suppliers and customers ·Capability to develop new technologies in bio-engineering and plant genetic  ·Ability to protect their intellectual property ·Distribution channel and service activities Rare to imitate ·Capacity to create human synergies especially after acquisition and merger strategies ·Capability to develop new technologies ·Ability to protect their intellectual property Costly to imitate  ·Capability to strengthen long-term relation with suppliers and customers ·Capability to develop new technologies ·Ability to protect their intellectual property ·Distribution channel and service activities No substitutable ·Capability to strengthen long-term relation with suppliers and customers ·Capability to develop new technologies ·Ability to protect their intellectual property ·Distribution channel and service activities Conclusion: The ability of Monsanto to innovate due their st rong research and development program and the ability to protect their intellectual property gave them a competitive advantage on the market. Research and Development (R&D) and intellectual properties are core competencies that are impossible to imitate in short and medium term. They are rare, because Monsanto possess them, and valuable. Based on an analysis of the value chain however it is possible to underline that Monsanto has effective marketing and service activities, which permit to maintain a strong connection with the customers. These capabilities, if better explored could become a core competence in the future. SWOT Analysis StrengthWeakness  ·Capability to produce high competitive products ·Strong Research and Development base and quality Human Resources ·Good customer services ·Agreements  ·Economies of scale due to acquisitions  ·Intellectual Proprieties ·Patents ·Strong presence in international market and recognition as market leader ·Good network with universities and laboratories ·Alliance and join ventures ·Missing links between communication and research  ·Lack of market research ·Lack of flexibility due at vertical integration  ·Dependence on government regulation and patents laws Opportunity Threat  ·Expanding to new geographic areas such as India and Brazil ·Vertical integrations ·Merge or Acquisition of rivals ·Opening to explore new technologies due on their well developed R&D  ·Patents expiration ·New products on the markets  ·Adverse public opinion on GM foods ·Shifts in buyer needs for products  ·Costly new governmental regulations ·Difficulty in achieving synergies Strategies Business Level strategy: present and future In order to gain competitive advantage and above average return Monsanto focused on differentiation strategy targeting a group of highly skilled and technologically well-developed farmers. Monsanto offers to their customers, quality, training and a trusted system of distribution. This strong marketing ability, the service and the high quality of the product are the key for differentiation. However, Monsanto’s focus on R&D caused them to miss out on market research narrowing the customer perception of product’s value. It created an opportunity for competitors. They should reorganize their firm infrastructure activities and create value developing an information system to better understand customer’s purchasing preferences. They could outsource agencies to implement marketing surveys and focus more closely on customer’s needs. In the future Monsanto could apply their research to breed animals and explore new industry segments. Corporate level strategy: present and future In order to gain market power and develop economies of scope, Monsanto, used a related constrained diversification strategy. They create value and synergies through operational relatedness, sharing both primary and support activities of the value chain. It is underlined by backwards and forwards vertical integration that they use. Due patent expiration, vertical integration, however in the future, can constitute a threat because decrease their flexibility especially in reducing prices. In the future in order to support the expensive costs of R&D and explore new industry segments, Monsanto could merge with Novartis. They could create value through corporate relatedness using a related linked diversification strategy. It can produce private synergies by sharing resources and capabilities. Based on high financial resources of Novartis and Monsanto R&D they could bring improved products to market faster. New researches on GM food could be developed also to improve the negative perception of the customers. International strategy and Cooperative strategy: present and future Based on their strong basis in biotechnologies Monsanto strengthen relations with governments of new developing countries such as Brazil and India, where there are basic resources but lack biotechnological research. Monsanto’s scope is to extent their leadership and the product life cycle in order to recoup heavy investments in R&D. Monsanto also to consolidate costs and rationalize industry capacity engaged in mergers and acquisition with other companies such as Cargill Seeds Business, which reduced their costs and their time to entry in international market. Based on the slow cycle of the market, due the high costs involved, Monsanto could engage in strategic alliance or franchises in new developing countries markets in order to hold down labor costs and compete more effectively in the global market. It permit them to share costs, resources, and risk and overcome problem of integration. Conclusion The biotechnological products developed by Monsanto have future until they can produce an above-average return and gain economies of scale. Based on their ability to innovate Monsanto have the capacity to explore new markets and new geographical areas however, high R&D costs, negative consumer perception and patents expiration are stated to threaten their leadership position on the market. To recover investments, they should focus more on consumer products demand and engage in strategic alliance that permits to increase the product life cycle and absorb the high costs of R&D. References Hanson D. , Dowling P. J. , Hitt M. A. , Ireland R. D and Hoskisson R. E (2008). Strategic Management. Competitiveness & Globalization. South-Western College

Urban design

Urban designOverviewWhat is built-up design?Urban conceive is the method of organizing the personal scene for life in towns, small towns and small towns. It is the art of doing topographic points. It engages the conceive of constructions, assemblies of constructions, infinites and countrysides, and puting up the methods that make booming development possible. Why are so legion locations so terribly designed? Why are the locations we are building so distinguishable from the locations we like? So legion new enlargement snuff out what makes a location exceptional and give the consequence of holding been conceived ( if that is the word! ) by person with no sense of what makes a booming topographic point. Why is so much development so terribly designed? The item that 84 per centum of planing entries are drawn up by person with no conceive instruction may hold certain thing to make with it. But being taught in conceive does non necessarily mean that the person to fault for the development will gestating certain thing that might do a booming topographic point. After all, they may non hold glimpsed that as their occupation. They may hold been gestating merely of restricted and short-run purposes: to build certain thing that the developer can cover rapidly ; or to help the edifice ‘s users, other than doing a more pleasing know-how for individuals transient by.The public involvement is broader, and longer term. Urban conceive petitions to individuals who are involved in more than merely the conceive of a solitary building or the concerns of a lone user. What gets built-up interior decorators out of bed in the morning is the difference of gestating a location that will be utilized and relished by a wide assortment of distinguishable individuals for distinguishable grounds, non merely now but in old ages to come.A new professionUrban conceive is one of the newest profe ssions. The grade ‘urban interior decorator ‘ is little more than 25 old ages old. Much of what built-up interior decorators do – organizing the locations where we reside – was finished by professionals of diverse types before so, but the occupation was glimpsed from the point of view of specific professions. Architects and contrivers utilised to postulate about the maps of their two professions. Architects would impeach contrivers of impeding with aesthetic personal businesss about which they were non trained to judge. Planners would impeach designers of gestating constructions entirely as things, with small attempt to take history of their context or of their expected influence on the milieus. In 1978 some designers and contrivers called a armistice. This adept sniping is unpointed, they said. We have certain thing in common: we are all in the endeavor of doing topographic points. That should be the basis of our employed together.Peoples with a missionThe Urban Design Group was formed, and shortly designers, contrivers, countryside designers, applied scientists, public originative persons and a assortment of other professionals were confirming their house promise to built-up design. Their aim was to alter how the natural environment was shaped. They contended that designers should be worried with the location, non merely with gestating a building to carry the client ‘s claims entirely. Planners should be worried, non merely with land usage, but with the personal form of development. Landscape architecture should be engaged in look intoing and groking sites at the start of the designing and conceive method, other than being conveyed in at a late phase to mask unattractive constructions with some planting. Highway applied scientists should utilize their abilities to do locations that are delighting to be in and to saunter through, other than concentrating narrowly on keeping the traffic traveling. Modern built-up conceive can be advised as portion of the broader control and regard of Urban planning. Indeed, Urban planing started as a action chiefly used by with personal businesss of built-up design. Works for illustration Ildefons Cerda ‘s General Theory of Urbanization ( 1867 ) , Camillo Sitte ‘s City Planning Harmonizing to Artistic Principles ( 1889 ) , and Robinson ‘s The Improvement of Cities and Towns ( 1901 ) and Modern Civic Art ( 1903 ) , all were chiefly worried with built-up conceive, as did the subsequent City Beautiful motion in North America. ‘Urban design ‘ was foremost utilized as a characteristic period when Harvard University hosted a sequence of Urban Design Conferences from 1956. These seminars supplied a phase for the commencing of Harvard ‘s Urban Design plan in 1959-60. The Hagiographas of Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, Gordon Cullen and Christopher Alexander became important plants for the school of Urban Design. Gordon Cullen ‘s The Concise Townscape, foremost released in 1961, and moreover had a big purchase on legion built-up interior decorators. Cullen analyzed the customary originative attack to town conceive of theoreticians for illustration Camillo Sitte, Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin. He conceived the impression of ‘serial vision ‘ , characterizing the built-up countryside as a sequence of associated infinites. Jane Jacobs ‘ The Death and Life of Great American Cities, released in 1961, was moreover a accelerator for involvement in constructs of built-up design. She critiqued the Modernism of CIAM, and claimed that the publically ownerless infinites conceived by the ‘city in the park ‘ thought of Modernists were one of the major causes for the increasing offense rate. She contended instead than for an ‘eyes on the street ‘ attack to village designing, and the Resurrection of major public infinite case in points, for illustration roads and rectangles, in the conceive of metropoliss. Kevin Lynch ‘s The Image of the City of 1961 was furthermore seminal to the action, particularly with considers to the impression of discernability, and the lessening of built-up conceive thought to five fundamental constituents – paths, vicinities, margins, nodes, landmarks. He moreover made good liked the usage of mental charts to groking the town, other than the planar personal expert designs of the predating 50 old ages. Other outstanding plants encompass Rossi ‘s Architecture of the City ( 1966 ) , Venturi ‘s Learning from Las Vegas ( 1972 ) , Colin Rowe ‘s Collage City ( 1978 ) , and Peter Calthorpe ‘s The Following American Metropolis ( 1993 ) . Rossi presented the impressions of ‘historicism ‘ and ‘collective memory ‘ to built-up conceive, and suggested a ‘collage metaphor ‘ to gain the montage of new and older types inside the indistinguishable built-up infinite. Calthorpe, on the other manus, evolved a pronunciamento for sustainable built-up home by intermediate denseness home, every bit good as a conceive manual for building new towns in understanding with his impression of Transit Oriented Development ( TOD ) . Bill Hillier and Julienne Hanson in â€Å" The Social Logic of Space † ( 1984 ) presented the impression of Space Syntax to calculate how action patterns in towns would help to built-up verve, anti-social demeanor and f iscal success. The attraction of these plants produced in periods for illustration ‘historicism ‘ , ‘sustainability ‘ , ‘livability ‘ , ‘high value of built-up constituents ‘ , etc. go mundane idiom in the country of built-up planning.