The Annual Inflation Rate essays

The Annual Inflation Rate essays Just about everything we do as a nation lends to the annual inflation rate. In this article, though, I have chosen four of the most important variables that influence inflation the most. Inflation is the sustained increase in prices, or in other words, a steady decline in the buying power of the dollar. I have come up with an equation that includes the following variables: the unemployment rate, the federal funds interest rate, per capita income, and new home sales. These variables consistently have shown a relationship to the inflation rate and aggregately may help to explain the cause of inflation. The first variable I chose was the unemployment rate. This is the annual average of persons 15 years of age or older, actively seeking and available for work, but unemployed. (BLS). The relationship between unemployment and inflation provides evidence of a short-run trade-off between the two variables known as the short-run Phillips curve (BLS). The relationship suggests that by accepting higher inflation levels, the Fed can use monetary policy to stimulate the economy and temporarily reduce unemployment. When prices go up, the wages are affected also. This occurs because if no adjustments are made, then the same wages will buy less goods and services, which affects consumer spending. Less spending means less profits, which ends in layoffs and higher unemployment. The flip side reveals the effect of unemployment on inflation. The hypothesis for this variable is that as the unemployment rate decreases, the annual inflation rate will increase. The reasoning here is that if more people are employed and have money, there is more spending, more demand, and therefore prices will rise. The second variable I chose was the federal funds interest rate. Federal funds are the Feds channel of affecting the economy through the banks. The Fed aims to maintain a steady economy with steady growth and stabl ...

30 Problem Words and Phrases

30 Problem Words and Phrases 30 Problem Words and Phrases 30 Problem Words and Phrases By Mark Nichol Tried-and-true words and phrases are convenient, but they are also truly trying as with clichà ©s, when a writer relies too heavily on stock usage, the resulting prose is tired and uninspired. Watch out for the following deadly usages. 1. After having: â€Å"After looking around, I chose a seat† is fine, and so is â€Å"Having looked around, I chose a seat,† but â€Å"After having looked around, I chose a seat† is redundant. â€Å"Having† means that the action has already been performed, so the context is clear that the writer is writing after the fact. 2. Aged: Identifying the age or age range of a person or a group with this word puts the subject(s) in a category with cheese or wine. Write â€Å"50 years old,† for example, instead of â€Å"aged 50 years,† or â€Å"ages 21–34† rather than â€Å"aged 21–34.† 3. Aggravate: To aggravate is to make something worse, not to bother, annoy, or irritate. 4. And also: And and also are redundant; use one or the other. 5. Anticipate: To anticipate is to foresee (and perhaps act on that foresight), not to expect. 6. Anxious: To be anxious is to feel distressed or worried, not eager. 7. Approximately: How about using about instead? Save three syllables. For scientific or technical references, approximately is fine, but it’s a bit much in most other contexts. 8. As to whether: â€Å"As to† is extraneous; use whether only. 9. At this point in time: Omit this meaningless filler. 10. Basically, essentially, totally: Basically, these words are essentially nonessential, and you can totally dispense with them. 11. Being as/being that: Replace these phrases with because. 12. Considered to be: â€Å"To be† is extraneous; write considered only, or consider deleting it as well. 13. Could care less: No, you couldn’t. You want to convey that it’s not possible for you to care less, so you couldn’t care less. 14. Due to the fact that: Replace this phrase with because. 15. Each and every: Write â€Å"Each item is unique,† or â€Å"Every item is unique,† but not â€Å"Each and every item is unique.† 16. Equally as: As is superfluous; write equally only. 17. Was a factor, is a factor, will be a factor: If your writing includes one of these phrases, its presence is a sign that you’re not done revising yet; rewrite â€Å"The vehicle’s condition is a factor in performance,† for example, to â€Å"The vehicle’s condition affects its performance.† 18. Had ought: Had is redundant; use ought only. 19. Have got: Got is suitable for informal writing only; if you’re referring to necessity, consider must rather than â€Å"have got,† and if the reference is to simple possession, delete got from the phrase â€Å"have got.† 20. In many cases/it has often been the case: Reduce the word count in statements containing these verbose phrases by replacing â€Å"in many cases† with often, for example. 21. In the process of: This extraneous phrasing is acceptable in extemporaneous speaking but unnecessarily verbose in prepared oration and in writing. 22. Is a . . . which/who: If you find yourself writing a phrase like this, step back and determine how to write it more succinctly; â€Å"Smith is a man who knows how to haggle,† for example, can be abbreviated to â€Å"Smith knows how to haggle.† 23. Kind of/sort of: In formal writing, if you must qualify a statement, use a more stately qualifier such as rather, slightly, or somewhat. 24. Lots/lots of: In formal writing, employ many or much in place of one of these colloquialisms. 25. Of a . . . character: If you use character as a synonym for quality, make the reference concise. â€Å"The wine has a musty character† is better rendered â€Å"The wine tasted musty, and â€Å"He was a man with a refined character† can be revised to the more concise statement â€Å"The man was refined,† but better yet, describe how the man is refined. 26. Of a . . . nature: Just as with character, when you use nature as a synonym for quality, pare the phrasing down: Reduce â€Å"She had a philosophical nature,† for example, to â€Å"She was philosophical.† 27. Oftentimes: An outdated, unnecessary complication of often. 28. On account of: Replace this awkward phrase with because. 29. Renown: Renown is the noun (as well as a rarely used verb); renowned is the adjective. Avoid the like of â€Å"the renown statesman.† 30. Thankfully: In formal usage, this word is not considered a synonym for fortunately. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial Expressions75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk†25 Idioms with Clean

Virtual Reality Endangers Our Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Reality Endangers Our Future - Essay Example Virtual reality could be considered dangerous, as this simulation could cause decline of ethics and traditional values, as well as transition to absolutely new ways of life, where the existence of people will lose its entire meaning. The technology itself has been a source of great use in the recent world as can be clearly witnessed in the use of the technology in different realms of life. Virtual reality is of great significance in the spheres of medicine, business, law, and design. Doctors are starting to use virtual reality devices for conducting medical operations, as well as creating suitable conditions for the faster recovery processes (for instance, for patients with mental disorders). Thus, virtual reality assists in the development of medical industry and moves it to a new level. Besides, this equipment gives an opportunity to reconstruct crimes, hold conferences, or model buildings. Virtual reality becomes a new dawn for entertainment industry, especially in the field of video-games and 3D movies. Headsets could improve realistic and engaging effects to plunge the player or spectator into an artificial environment. Therefore, virtual reality devices are crucially important in the advancement of technol ogy and scientific progress, and its importance should not be overestimated. The other benefit of the concept revolving around virtual reality is the development of the Internet as a new platform which will constitute a major part of the online networking centers. Nowadays, social media has already replaced real-life communication by creating a platform through which people can easily carry out their tasks by using the internet. The existence of public institution websites and online stores abolish the need to leave one’s house. Virtual reality devices expand the borders of the Internet, breaking the fourth wall between a user and the entire system. The borders of

Moral obligations extend only to human beings Essay

Moral obligations extend only to human beings - Essay Example The moral obligations need to be legitimized before one can remark them as being conclusive or completely incomprehensible. The fact of the matter is that these moral obligations have to be performed no matter how difficult or tough it gets at the end of the day. The human beings need to understand their due role and go about completing the tasks and activities that are asked of them in the long run (Stivers, 1996). There simply does not seem to be any other ideology behind the same dictum. The moral obligations come about in the wake of the adherence to ethical and moral standards that are asked of the human beings, and how they go about executing the same is an important manifestation of their behavioral domains. Having said that it is also important to notice the kind of activities that moral obligations can actually bring to the fore as has been found through research and evidence of practice. One must fathom the fact that morality is something very integral to a person’s realms and he should therefore understand the ideology behind having it (Mullen, 2008). If there is a good amount of concentration laid on the premise that morality will come about with the performance of certain standards, which are for the betterment of the human beings in the long run, then this goes to show the amount of optimism which exists within the related circles. On the other hand, if this does not come about this easily, then there are bound to be serious repercussions for the human beings which must be discussed in entirety. In essence, the moral obligations must be understood across the board. This is because these obligations have a great amount of say in the eventual make-up of the human beings and how they conduct their tasks in relation with one another. This is the need of the hour to make sure that these moral obligations are carried out in a good enough way (Himma, 2008). It will solve the quandaries related

Therapeutic Cloning to Obtain Embryonic Stem Essay Example for Free

Therapeutic Cloning to Obtain Embryonic Stem Essay Therapeutic Cloning to Obtain Embryonic Stem Cells Is Immoral The point is to cause each of us to think deeply about whether there is any essential difference between the reality of [World War II] Nazi experiments and therapeutic cloning. In this two-part viewpoint, David A. Prentice and William Saunders discuss the science and the ethics of therapeutic cloning. In the first part, Prentice argues that creating clones for the purpose of embryonic stem cell research, called therapeutic cloning, is no different from reproductive cloning, which creates a living human child. Also, he points out, therapeutic cloning is not therapeutic for the embryo. In the second part of the viewpoint, Saunders builds on Prentices argument and goes even further. He argues that therapeutic cloning is really no different than the horrific experiments performed by the Nazis during World War II. Saunders notes that supporters of embryonic stem cell research contend that the research is beneficial to humankind; however, Saunders argues, the Nazis used this same reasoning to Justify research on the mentally ill, the disabled, and the feeble-minded. Prentice and Saunders are senior fellows at the Family Research Council, a onservative Christian think tank and lobbying organization. As you read, consider the following questions: 1. Why does Prentice claim that therapeutic cloning will lead to reproductive cloning? 2. What was the point of the Nuremberg Code, according to Saunders? 3. Why does Saunders say that therapeutic cloning violates the Nuremberg Code? Part I Cloning always starts with an embryo. The most common technique proposed for human cloning is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This cloning is accomplished by transferring the nucleus from a human somatic (body) cell into an egg cell which has had its chromosomes removed or inactivated. SCNT produces a human embryo who is virtually genetically identical to an existing or previously existing human being. Proponents of human cloning hold out two hopes for its use: (1) the creation of children for infertile couples (so-called reproductive cloning), and (2) the development of medical miracles to cure diseases by harvesting embryonic stem cells from the cloned embryos of patients (euphemistically termed therapeutic cloning). All Human Cloning Produces a Human Being All human cloning is reproductive. It creates†reproduces†a new, developing human intended to be virtually identical to the cloned subject. Both reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning use exactly the same technique to create the clone, and the cloned embryos are indistinguishable. The process, as well as the product, is identical. The clone is created as a new, single-cell embryo and grown in the laboratory for a few days. Then it is either implanted in the womb of a surrogate mother (reproductive cloning) or destroyed to harvest its embryonic stem cells for experiments (therapeutic cloning). It is the same embryo, used for different purposes. In fact, the cloned embryo at that stage of development cannot be egg and sperm. Trying to call a cloned embryo something other than an embryo is not accurate or scientific. Biologically and genetically speaking, what is created is a human being; its species is Homo sapiens. It is neither fish nor fowl, neither monkey nor cow†it is human. Created in Order to Be Destroyed Therapeutic cloning is obviously not therapeutic for the embryo. The new human is specifically created in order to be destroyed as a source of tissue C, as Robert P. Lanza and colleagues report in a 2000 JAMA article]: [Therapeutic cloning] requires the deliberate creation and disaggregation ofa human embryo. Most cloned embryos do not even survive one week, to the blastocyst stage, when they are destroyed in the process of harvesting their cells. Experiments with lab animals show that even these early embryos have abnormalities in genetic expression. Beyond the abnormalities caused by the cloning procedure, embryonic stem cells from cloned embryos will still face problems for their use, including the tendency to form tumors, and significant difficulties in getting the cells to form the correct tissue and function normally. Therapeutic Cloning Leads to Reproductive Cloning Because there is no difference in the nuclear transfer technique or the cloned embryo, allowing therapeutic cloning experimentation to proceed will inevitably lead to reproductive cloning. The technique can be practiced and huge numbers of cloned embryos produced. In fact, the lead scientist of the South Korean team that first cloned human embryos in February 2004 in a press conference on their experiments that the cloning technique developed in their laboratory cannot be separated from reproductive cloning. His statement affirms what others have pointed out before: allowing therapeutic cloning simply prepares the way for eproductive cloning. Human cloning is unsafe and unnecessary. There are no valid or compelling grounds†scientific or medical†to proceed. A comprehensive ban on human cloning is the only sufficient answer. Part II As Dr. Prentice has shown, cloning indisputably destroys innocent human life. This basic truth should lead the world to reject human cloning. However, in an effort to extricate human cloning from this ethical vise grip, its supporters attempt to draw a distinction between human life, which begins at conception, and human personhood, which begins only at their say-so. Unfortunately, the arbitrary denial f personhood to human beings has a long and cruel history. The Nuremberg Code, formulated in the years after World War II, is particularly instructive with regard to the current debate on human cloning. For instance, when the principal author of the report on human cloning issued by the National Academy of Sciences testified before the Presidents Council on Bioethics, he stated that reproductive cloning would violate the Nuremberg Code: The Nuremberg Code, with which I am in full agreement, outlines those kinds of things you would not simply [do] for the sake of knowledge that involve human subjects. The Nuremberg Code The Nuremberg Code is a body of ethical norms enunciated by the Nuremberg Tribunal, which, after World War II, had the responsibility of Judging the actions of the Nazis and their allies. The point of the code was to restate and apply the established ethical norms of the civilized world. Nazis Deemed Some Life Unworthy Nazi laws had defined Jews and other undesirables as non-persons. Eventually, camps and killed. However, before the killing in the camps began, the Nazis had engaged in an extensive campaign of euthanasia against the mentally and physically handicapped, which not only foreshadowed but also prepared the way for the xtermination camps. In his book The Nazi Doctors, Robert Jay Lifton draws our attention to a book titled The Permission to Destroy Life Unworthy of Life, written during the campaign. Lifton writes: [It was] published in 1920 and written Jointly by two German professors: the Jurist Karl Binding and Alfred Hoche, professor of psychiatry at the University of Freiburg. Carefully argued in the numbered-paragraph form of the traditional philosophical treatise, the book included as unworthy life not only the incurably ill but large segments of the mentally ill, the feeble-minded, and retarded and deformed children. T]he authors professionalized and medicalized the entire concept; destroying life unworthy of life was purely a healing treatment and a healing work. The Nazis were determined to cleanse the genetic pool to produce better Aryans. Nazi officials announced that under the direction of specialists all therapeutic possibilities will be administered according to the latest scientific knowledge. The result of this therapeutic treatment of inferior lives was that eventually a network of some thirty killing areas within existing institutions was set up throughout Germany and in Austria and Poland. In their book, The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code, George Annas and Michael Grodin reveal that: At the same time that forced sterilization and abortion were instituted for individuals of inferior genetic stock, sterilization and abortion for healthy German women were declared illegal and punishable (in some cases by death) as a crime against the German body. As one might imagine, Jews and others deemed racially suspect were exempted from these restrictions. On November 10, 1938, a Luneberg court legalized abortion for Jews. A decree of June 23, 1943, allowed for abortions for Polish workers, ut only if they were not Judged racially valuable. Later, the Nazis created the extermination camps for the Jews and other inferior races. In the camps, Nazi doctors engaged in cruel experiments on the Jews, Gypsies, Poles, and others. They exposed them to extreme cold to determine the temperature at which death would occur. They injected them with poisons to see how quickly certain lethal elements moved through the circulatory system. They subjected twins to all manner of disabling and brutal experiments to determine how genetically identical persons reacted to different conditions. Some of the experiments were nonetheless designed to preserve life†not of the subject, but of, for example, German pilots who were forced to parachute into freezing ocean waters. Everyone agrees the Nuremberg Code prohibits reproductive cloning. What relevance does it have for therapeutic cloning? If human embryos are human beings, then therapeutic cloning, which creates an embryo only to destroy it in the process of exploiting its stem cells, violates a cardinal principle of the Nuremberg Code: There is to be no experimentation on a human subject when it is known that death or disabling injury will result. Regardless of the good that might be produced by such experiments, the experiments are of their very nature an immoral use of human beings. Subverting the Meaning of Healing Recall how the Nazis subverted the meaning of heali ng. Recall how they used the them. Recall that the Nazis eliminated those unworthy of life in order to improve the genetic stock of Germany. Recall how the Nazis undertook lethal experiments on concentration camp inmates in order, in some cases, to find ways to preserve the lives of others. The point is not to suggest that those who support therapeutic cloning are, in any sense, Nazis. Rather, the point is to cause each of us to think deeply about whether there is any essential difference between the reality of those Nazi experiments and therapeutic cloning. As we have shown, each case involves a living human being, and that human being is killed in the aim of a perceived higher good. Cloning proponents try to distinguish between the two cases by saying that the cloned human being has no potential. But in each case, it is the actions of other human beings that rob the first of potential (in the first case, the actions of Nazi executioners; in the second, the laboratory technicians). In either case, the human ubject is full of potential simply by being a living human being. Of course, almost miraculously, many of the inmates of the camps did survive when the allies rescued them. Equally miraculously, frozen embryos have been implanted in a womans womb and brought to live (and healthy) birth. As we have shown, every embryo is not merely potentially a life, but [is an] actual life, a human being from the first moment of existence. Furthermore, any living human embryo has the inherent potential to develop into a healthy baby. It is disingenuous for supporters of cloning to claim the cloned human embryo is only potential life because they plan o mandate by law that it be destroyed before it can come to birth. Regardless of its location, the human embryo, by its nature, is full of potential, unless the actions of adult human beings deprive it of the opportunity to realize that potential. Guard Against Inhuman Acts [Russian author] Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a man who chronicled and suffered under another ideology that denied the dignity of each and every human being, observed, Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right hough every human heart, and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates. Solzhenitsyn did not regard the perpetrators of brutal crimes in his own country as inhuman monsters. Rather, he saw the essential truth†they were human beings, engaged in immoral acts. They engaged in those acts by dehumanizing the persons on whom their brutality was inflicted, and they did so in the name of (perhaps in the passionate belief in) a greater good. But Solzhenitsyn reminds us that, unless we are willing to admit that, for the best as well as for the orst of motives, we are also capable of inhuman acts, we will have no guard against committing them. No one is safe from brutality so long as we think that it is only inhuman others who are capable of inhuman acts. Rather, we will be secure when we are willing to look honestly at the objective reality of our acts, while realizing that we, too, are capable of acts that violate the inherent dignity of another, and refuse to engage in such acts despite the good we believe would result from doing otherwise. In the debate over the cloning and destruction of embryonic human beings, this essential truth must be our guide. Books Brian Alexander Rapture: How Biotech Became the New Religion.

The Late Bronze Age :: essays research papers

Trade and Phoenician Development in the Late Bronze Age   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Little is known about the Phoenician way of life other than the fact that they were a society founded on trade with other, larger nations. These people made use of their natural resources to establish trade with such nations as Egypt and Assyria. The geographical locations of the Phoenician city-states were also advantageous to their role as a trading state. Located on the east coast of the Mediterranean, where Israel lies today, the Phoenicians were able to trade with virtually all of the Mediterranean nations. Little else is known about their actual culture, other than what is written about them in other nation’s texts. In a text from the seventh century, the rules of trade are established, and appear to have been independent of any local rulers, traders acted on their own accord. Phoenicia became one of the greatest trading states in all of history, due to the fact that they possessed a large amount of valuable materials, a good location for trade, and a n unsurpassed knowledge of the sea. It is through these advantages that Phoenicia was able to become such an influential state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phoenicia was located in what is now present-day Israel, a very valuable plot of land even today. This was an undeniable resource for the Phoenicians, and without it there success as a trading nation would have been severely deterred. Being located on the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians had equal access to both Egypt and Assyria, the two most influential nations in the region. In the text, it is clearly stated that should a trader be stranded in another nation they should be returned to their home, but their ‘booty’ is free for the taking (Kuhrt, 407). This fact made trade easier, due to the idea that fear of capture was greatly reduced by the trade rules. Clearly, if Phoenicia had not been located where it was, their influence on trade would have been dramatically decreased. By making use of their location the Phoenicians capitalized on trade, and their wealth of resources contributed greatly to their role.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phoenicia was rich in natural resources such as timber and metal. â€Å"Because of the demands made on them . . . the coastal cities appear to have concentrated their energy and resources on the production of luxury commodities such as ivory inlaid furniture for royal consumption† (Kuhrt, 407). This fact produced a wealth of skilled craftsmen, who are still famous today for their creations.

Organizational Behavior – Eden Mccallum

1. If you were a partner at Eden McCallum what would you do – grow or cut? If I were a partner at Eden McCallum I would cut. Eden McCallum was started during a great time where they had a smooth market entry and a keen business strategy. While their business strategy is still working to their advantage, poor market conditions continue to exist and many of the firm’s clients are starting to feel the economic pressure. The firm has already â€Å"faced increasing demands to cut fees. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] This fact, coupled with the consultant’s fear of lack of security, indicates that Eden McCallum should consider making organizational changes that would support the concerns of both parties. According to the firm’s corporate vision on value, clients come first and consultants come second. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] Eden McCallum should make sure that they stay in line with their corporate vision when making considerations to cut. They should focu s on cutting as many areas that do not directly affect the client and the consultant. I would recommend that they cut the part-time employees and the new staff members to start since it takes one to two years to learn the business. Another value of their corporate vision is to focus on the long term, and the short term will take care of itself. [ (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] Focusing on the long term for Eden McCallum would include keeping the Amsterdam office knowing that it â€Å"is on the cusp of breaking even† and knowing that if they did not they would be losing credibility within the market. (Gardener & Eccles, 2009) ] However, I believe that long term goals could hurt short term profits which will, in turn, hurt long term profits. According to the growth figures provided, Eden McCallum should look at reducing overhead; and limiting the number of partners to reduce salaries paid. 2. At the outset of the case, Advisory Board Member, Robert Harris, said, â€Å"One rarely regrets cutting too early or too deep. † Do you agree with Harris? Why or why not ? One rarely regrets cutting too early or too deep† is interpreted as the â€Å"better safe than sorry† approach. I agree with Harris under the circumstances presented to us in this case that it would be better to play it safe with the financials of the company becoming fragile. The goal of the firm should be to minimize loss. In an uncertain marketplace where factors such as the possibility of a double-dip recession, the partners should consider making cuts sooner than later and in more depth to minimize the sting. To make cutbacks sooner may be resisted by some partners, however, Harris’ point is that the company wouldn’t regret it because it did what was best for the company at that time. 3. Was the organizational structure at Eden McCallum appropriate? Do economic conditions factor into your answer? The organizational structure of Eden McCallum is appropriate for the size and type of organization it represented. Eden McCallum is a functional organization with its environmental change viewed as stable and its complexity as simple. Should environmental change be necessary, the simplicity of its structure will allow for a smoother implementation of the change. Its structure includes professional bureaucracy as clients have specialized needs and consultants offered specialized solutions due to the knowledge-based nature of their work. Eden McCallum has a cellular organizational form in that it the company itself is serves as a coordinator of the relationships between the clients and the business professionals known as consultants. Economic conditions are a factor because it could cause an organization to restructure itself as the supply and demand of the industry changes. Bibliography Gardener, H. K. , & Eccles, R. G. (2009). Eden McCallum: A Network-Based Consulting Firm (A). Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Difference in Lymphatic Function in Health and Disease State Essay

ABSTRACT High Performance Liquid Chromatography has been used to evolve an analytical procedure for the evaluation of the content of paracetamol in the bulk, dosage forms and in urine, a body fluid. Separation and resolution have been achieved with a combination of methanol and 2.5% acetic acid (15:85) on a reversed-phase column at ambient temperature. Elution was isocratic with UV detection at 257nm. Internal standard calibration method was used for quantitation with caffeine as the internal standard. Mean retention times for paracetamol and caffeine were respectively 2.61  ± 0.13 min and 11.98  ± 0.72 min . The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.1-5.0ÃŽ ¼g/ml. The method was also suitable for the assay of paracetamol-codeine combination drug as well as estimation of the amount of constituents in urine when the wavelength of UV detection was 245 nm with acetanilide as the internal standard. Keywords: Chromatography, isocratic, internal standard, in vivo and in vitro INTRODUCTION Paracetamol (N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide) tablets are listed among the essential drugs selected for the health care delivery system in Ghana. OH NHCOCH3 Figure 1: Chemical Structure of Paracetamol Paracetamol is very much used for antipyresis and analgesia without prescription. The drug is useful in mild to moderate pain such as headache, myalgia and postpartum pain. It is a very good alternative for mild to moderate pain in patients who cannot take aspirin because of allergy,  haemophilia, history of peptic ulcer and asthma. (Katzung, 1989). As a result of the Ghana government’s policy of generic prescribing, the liberalization of trade and import laws, and the ever-increasing number of pharmaceutical industries, a wide range of paracetamol products appear on the Ghanaian market. According to the Ghana National Drugs Policy, only drugs conforming to nationally accepted and/or internationally recognized quality standards shall be permitted to be procured and distributed in the country (Ghana National Drugs Policy, 1999). Any study therefore designed to monitor and improve the quality evaluation of pharmaceutical products both at the time of registration and post-market is very essential in the policy and technical guidelines of drug regulatory authorities such as the Food and Drugs Board. Such a study also benefits the Ghana Health Service in the sense that procurement staff, prescribers, dispensers and patients have access to high-quality and efficacious drug products. Pharmaceutical industries may also have simpl e analytical procedures for both in-process and finished product evaluations. The HPLC has been used to determine paracetamol in tablets. Franeta et al (2002) used the HPLC for the  19 simultaneous determination of acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, caffeine and phenobarbital in tablets on a reversed-phase column using a mixture of acetonitrile and water (25:75 v/v) adjusted to pH 2.5 with phosphoric acid. The Bio Rad 1801 UV-Vis detector was used (207 nm). Ramos-Martos et al (2001) also described a rapid reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection for the simultaneous determination of acetylsalicylic acid, caffeine, codeine, paracetamol, pyridoxine and thiamine in pharmaceutical preparations using two successive eluants of water for 5 minutes and acetonitrile-water (75: 25 v/v) for 9 minutes, both eluants adjusted to pH 2.1 with phosphoric acid. Codeine was determined at 240 nm whilst the rest were detected at 285 nm. Okine et al (2003) used a mixture of methanol and 0.05M NaH2PO4 (17:83), pH  2.0 with UV detection (273 nm) for eluting ascorbic acid, paracetamol and caffeine combined in a tablet. Apart from the high cost of acetonitrile for routine analysis, the systems were not selective for unchanged paracetamol in urine. It therefore becomes imperative to evolve a system that is cost effective and selective for paracetamol in the bulk powder, dosage forms and biological fluids s uch as blood and urine for easier routine in vitro and in vivo monitoring of drug samples. EXPERIMENTAL Components of the Liquid Chromatograph Pump: Spectra System P100 (Spectra Physics) Detector: Spectra 100 Variable Wavelength Detector (Spectra Physics) Integrator: CR501 Chromatopac (Schimadzu) Sample Injector: Syringe loading sample injector fitted with an external 20 µl loop (Model no. 8125-095) Stationary phase: Spherisorb HPLC column, S10 ODS2 (10cm, 4.6mm) Materials  Pure paracetamol powder (Chemcon GmbH, Germany), Paracetamol tablets (Phyto-Riker Ltd., Ghana), Paracetamol tablets ( PZ Co Ltd., Ghana), Paracetamol tablets (Tylenol Forte, Cilag Ltd., Switzerland), Paracetamol-codeine combination product (Paracod, Phyto-Riker Ltd., Ghana), Paracetamol-codeine combination product (Co-codamol, Alpharma, UK), blank urine sample, deionised water, urine samples with unchanged drug and drug metabolites, methanol (BDH), acetic acid (BDH), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (BDH), caffeine (BDH), salbutamol sulphate (Shubhmets, Mumbai, India), citric acid (Acid India) and phenyl ethanolamine (Blue Bird, Mumbai, India) Method Design Considerations Information on the physico-chemical properties of paracetamol and the other chemicals above were searched. Details considered include solubility properties, chemical structures, acid dissociation constants (pka), level of purity, stability in solution and ultraviolet light absorption pattern in acidic, basic and neutral media with their respective wavelengths of maximum absorption (Moffat, 1986; British Pharmacopoeia, 2000). The substances were found moderately polar. Based on their polarity, reversed-phase HPLC was  considered more applicable because in this mode, a nonpolar stationary phase and a polar mobile phase were utilised so that more polar substances were eluted before the relatively nonpolar. The differences in the physico-chemical properties of paracetamol and the other chemicals aided in selecting an internal standard for the study since they all interacted differently with a chosen combination of mobile phase to give a chromatogram of different separations, resolution s and retention times. Various combinations of methanol/phosphate buffer and methanol/water (pH and ionic strength modified with acetic acid) were tried in order to optimise column capacity factor for separation and resolution. Each concentration of phosphate buffer or water (various pH) was combined with methanol in various proportions, starting with a 50:50 combination and gradually increasing and decreasing the aqueous content while monitoring their respective effects on separation and resolution. All the mobile phase combinations tried could elute both paracetamol in the bulk powder and tablet matrix with reasonable retention, but not all the other chemicals being considered for an internal standard (caffeine, salbutamol, citric acid and phenyl ethanolamine). Some had poor resolution and tailing peaks while others had poor resolution and unduly long retention times. Some of the mobile phase combinations that could conveniently separate and resolve paracetamol in vitro could not separate and resolve blank urine (urine from a healthy person before drug was administered) spiked with a standard solution of paracetamol. Further altering the combination ratio, ionic strength and pH of the mobile phase produced the optimum system that could satisfactorily resolve paracetamol in the bulk powder, tablet matrix, spiked blank urine and unchanged paracetamol and other paracetamol metabolites  excreted in urine. Among the list of chemicals for an internal standard, caffeine was found the best under the optimum chromatographic conditions of the study. The best mobile phase combination was methanol/2.5 % acetic acid (15:85). Elution was isocratic because a single mobile phase combination was used. After other investigations, the best wavelength of maximum absorption for UV detection was 257 nm, absorption unit fraction scale (aufs) for  quantitative detect ion of the analyte at very small concentrations , 0.5, flow rate of mobile phase, 1.5 ml/min and chart recorder speed, 5 mm/min. Preparation of mobile phase The volume of mixtures do not usually equal the sum of the separate volumes making up the mixture as a result of differences in density and other physical factors such as volume expansion and contraction. The mobile phase was therefore prepared by measuring separately the volume of each component and mixing them together. All mobile phases prepared were filtered through a membrane filter before use. Validation of Analytical Method Various parameters can be evaluated for validating any newly developed analytical system. These include linearity, precision, accuracy, sensitivity and comparison to other standard methods. Comparison of new method with standard spectrophotometric method, (BP, 2000) The method was applied to paracetamol products from three pharmaceutical companies. Twenty tablets of each of the experimental paracetamol products were weighed together and finely powdered. A quantity of the powder containing 0.15g of paracetamol (0.1692g of Phyto-Riker Paracetamol, 0.1578g of PZ Paracetamol and 0.2001g of Tylenol Forte) was weighed and quantitatively transferred into a 200ml volumetric flask with 50ml of 0.1M NaOH and then diluted with 100ml of distilled water and shaken mechanically for 15 minutes. Sufficient distilled water was then added to produce 200ml. After filtration, further dilutions were made with distilled water such that the final concentration of paracetamol in solution was 0.00075 %w/v an d the NaOH, 0.01 M. The absorbance of the resulting solution was then taken in triplicate with the Cecil 7020 double beam UV spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 257nm with quartz cuvette of path length 1 cm using 0.01 M NaOH as the blank solvent. New Method For each of the experimental brands, sample preparation was done by crushing 20 tablets. A quantity of the powder equivalent to 0.1g of paracetamol (0.1128g of Phyto-Riker Paracetamol, 0.1052g of PZ Paracetamol and 0.1333g of Tylenol Forte) was weighed and quantitatively transferred into a clean 100ml volumetric flask with 20ml of methanol. It was then mechanically  shaken for 10 minutes. It was diluted to the 100ml mark with deionised water. Insoluble excipients were filtered off through a medium porosity sintered glass filter. A 0.1%w/v aqueous solution of caffeine was also prepared as a stock internal standard solution. A final solution containing 0.00025% paracetamol and 0.001 %w/v caffeine was prepared for the HPLC analysis. Triplicate injections onto the column were successively done for each of the experimental brands. Average peak area ratios (test sample/internal standard) for the various samples were calculated from their chromatograms. The actual concentration of paracetamol in each of the samples analysed was interpolated from a calibration curve using the average peak area ratios. The student’s t-test was used to compare the means of the two methods while the variances were compared with the f-test. Calibration Graph The range of concentrations used was 0.000005%-0.001%w/v. The new HPLC method was used for the determinations. Injections were done in triplicate for each of the concentrations in the above range. A graph of average peak area ratio was plotted against concentration. All the concentrations used gave signals but not all the signals were proportional to concentration. Concentrations that were not detected proportionally defined the limits of detector linearity under the given set of experimental conditions. Before preparing the solutions for the calibration curve, the paracetamol reference powder was identified and characterised according to BP 2000. Determination of inter-day variation of  analytical method The inter-day variation was investigated to assess the likely variations in results from day to day when the new method is used. This involved the HPLC assay of paracetamol of approximately the same concentrations on two different days under same conditions. The results for the two different days were paired and the f-test applied to determine likely significant difference in their variances. Determination of intra-day variation of the analytical method Several assays of paracetamol were done within the same day to determine the repeatability of the new method. Seven sets of solutions of approximately the same concentration (0.0001 %w/v) from the same homogenous stock were prepared and successively analysed with the HPLC. Each set was run three times and the average peak area ratio taken to represent that set. Actual concentrations of solutions were interpolated from the calibration graph. The relative standard deviation of results was calculated to determine the level of repeatability. The concentration of paracetamol solution was so chosen to ensure that readings were taken within the linear region of the calibration curve. Application of analytical procedure to urine, a body fluid After following all pharmacokinetic protocols (Shargel and Andrew, 1993) six healthy male volunteers between the ages of 26 and 32 years were each given 1.0g of paracetamol tablets and had their urine samples collected at specific time intervals for 24 hours. All subjects had the same time points of urine collection after administration of the tablets and these were: 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0, 18.0 and 24.0 hours. The entire volume of urine voided during each sampling interval was pooled together and recorded and the analysis done immediately. Where urine samples had to be kept overnight, quantities were kept tight in sample tubes and frozen. Other applications The new HPLC method was also applied to a combination product containing paracetamol and codeine both for assay and determination of unchanged forms of the two constituents in urine. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Since paracetamol is a compound of moderate polarity as shown by its chemical structure in Figure 1, a reversed-phase column with a polar mobile phase was used. The mobile phase was methanol/2.5% acetic acid (15:85). In reversed-phase separation, compounds were separated based on their hydrophobicity. Retention increased as the solutes decreased in polarity; thus, polar species were eluted first. Hence, eluting time increased by increasing the polarity (water content) of the eluent. The pH of the eluent  as well as the pka of the drug being separated affected the elution profile. Figures 2 (a-c) therefore show different elution profiles and retention times because of the differences in the physicochemical properties of the analytes under review. The retention time of caffeine (11.98  ± 0.72 min) was greater than paracetamol (2.61  ± 0.13 min) because it was greatly retained on the column as evidenced by the tailing nature of the caffeine peak because of its relatively greater h ydrophobicity. The components of the blank urine though poorly resolved, had shorter retention times (< 2.5 min) than paracetamol because they were relatively more polar and interacted better with the polar mobile phase, resulting in decreased retention. The presence of aromatic rings together with auxochromes in the chemical structures of paracetamol and caffeine made UV absorption possible for monitoring the column effluent. As regards the intra-day precision of the new method, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of repeated assay of separate identical samples of concentration 1 µg/ml was 2.17% (Table 1 and 2). According to Dong (2000), only HPLC analysis with modern auto samplers yields RSD of less than 2.0%. Manual sample injections with RSD of 2.17 can therefore not be said to have a poor potential to give reproducible data under the same experimental conditions. Random errors from analysts might as well have contributed to the RSD value being greater than 2.0%. The degree of agreement among the individual observations was indicated by the value of the absolute precision (0.02). This appears small and suggests a good level of agreement between test results. The inter-day precision from Table 3 and 4 was high as there was no statistical difference between the variances of the set of analytical data generated for two different days at a confidence level of 95%. The method therefore was reproducible and could produce data for peer analysis. There was a positive correlation between peak area ratios and the concentrations of analyte (Figure 3). Correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.9998 implies that the scatter presented in Figure 3 was accurate enough for predictable purposes within limits of detector linearity. From Table 5, the range of detector linearity was established as 0.1-5.0  µg/ml. Under the set of experimental conditions, the lowest concentration of paracetamol that was detected but did not necessarily produce a signal that was proportional to concentration was 0.05  µg/ml. However, signal for 0.2  µg/ml paracetamol solution was approximately twice that of 0.1  µg/ml. Since the minimum concentration of paracetamol that started varying proportionally with peak area ratio was 0.1  µg/ml, it was chosen as the limit of quantitation of the method. This observation was in good agreement with what has been reported that in many cases, the limit of quantitation is approximately twice the limit of detection (Seth i, 1993; Olaniyi, 2000). The upper limit of quantitation was also set at 5.0 µg/ml because there was no proportional increase in peak area on increasing paracetamol concentration from 5 to 10  µg/ml. Evidence of correlation between the new method and that of British Pharmacopoeia (2000) for the assay of paracetamol tablets was positive. The F-test at 95% confidence level, showed no significant difference between the variances of both the HPLC and UV methods (Table 6). This means that within certain limits, both methods have comparable precisions. However, the absolute precision of the two methods at the same confidence level indicates that the HPLC method has a better precision. The absolute precision values were respectively 1.90 and 2.12 (Table 7). As regards accuracy, even though the results of both methods complied with BP (2000) limits for content of paracetamol in tablets (Table 8), a significant difference was observed between the means of the two methods when the student’s t-test was applied (Table 6). Assessing the absolute error of the mean for the two methods, the HPLC results (2.3%) was found to be more accurate than the UV (4.3%) (Table 7). Moffat (1986) reported that when a dose of paracetamol tablets is administered orally, close to 5% is excreted unchanged in urine. As found in this study, only a small fraction of the absorbed dose was excreted unchanged for all the paracetamol products. These were 5.3 ±0.9%, 5.3 ±1.2% and 5.0 ±0.7% respectively for Paracetamol CoA, Paracetamol CoB and Paracetamol CoC (Table 9). These values are closely in agreement with what has already been reported, making the new method suitable for the detection and quantitation of paracetamol in urine. CONCLUSIONS Paracetamol in the bulk, dosage form and urine has been analysed accurately and precisely by HPLC with Methanol / 2.5% acetic acid (15: 85) in the reversed-phase mode at a wavelength of 257 nm using caffeine as the internal standard. The method has also been used for the detection and quantitation of codeine and paracetamol in urine as well as codeine-paracetamol combination tablet. The wavelength of detection in this case was 245 nm with acetanilide as the internal standard. REFERENCES British Pharmacopoeia (BP) (2000). Volumes I &II, CD-ROM, The British Pharmacopoeial Commission. Dong, W. M. (2000). Precision in HPLC. In Today’s Chemist at Work (2000), 9 (8): 28-32. Franeta, J. T., Agbaba, D., Eric, S., Pavkov, S., Aleksi, M. and Vladimirov, S. (2002). HPLC assay of acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, caffeine and phenobarbital in tablets, Farmaco Sep; 57 (9): 709-13 Ghana National Drugs Policy (1999). Ministry of Health, Ghana. pp 4, 7, 12 and 19 Katzung, G. B. (1989). Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 4th edition, Appleton and Lange, Norwalk, CT. p 444 Moffat, A. C. (1986). Clarke’s Isolation and Identification of Drugs, 2nd edition, the Pharmaceutical Press, London. pp 420-421, 849-850 Okine, N.N.A., Asiedu, K.S. and Acheampong, J. (2003). RP-LC determination of ascorbic acid, paracetamol and caffeine in multicomponent anti-cold preparation, Journal of Science and Technology, 23 (1): 55 Olaniyi, A. A. (2000). Principles of Drug Quality Assurance and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Monsuro Publishers, Ibadan, Nigeria. Ramos-Martos, N., Aguirre-Gomez, F., Molina-Diaz, A., Capitan-Valley, L. F. (2001). Application of liquid chromatography to the simultaneous determination of acetylsalicylic acid, caffeine, codeine, paracetamol, pyridoxine and thiamine in pharmaceutical preparations. J.A.O.C. Int. May-Jun; 84 (3): 676-83 Sethi, P. D. (1993). Quantitative Analysis of Drugs in Pharmaceutical Formulations, 2nd edition, C.B.S Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi. pp 33-37 Shargel, L., Andrew, B. C. Y. (1993). Applied Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, 3rd edition, Appleton and Lange, Norwalk, CT. pp 205-209

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management Root and butt rot is one of the most common forms of tree disease affecting hardwoods. Many fungi are capable of causing root rots and some cause considerable decay of the butts of trees as well. Root rots are more common on older trees or trees which have sustained root or basal injury. Root rots thrive on poor soil conditions. Trees with extensive root rot are less able to tolerate extreme weather conditions like extended droughts, long periods of heavy rain, or unusually high temperatures. Recognition Trees with root and butt rots (the one of most concern is Armillaria root disease) typically have combinations of crown dieback, loss and/or discoloration of foliage, and a generally unhealthy appearance. Internally, diseased roots exhibit patterns of discoloration and decay. Diseased trees can live for years without symptoms but, more commonly, trees with extensive root rot decline and eventually die in several years. Conks (fruiting bodies) at or near the base of declining trees are indicators of root rot. Prevention You can only control root diseases in trees by prevention. Prevent root diseases by avoiding root damage and wounds to the lower trunks of trees. When planting trees in areas where trees have previously died of root disease, remove old stumps and roots to reduce local fungus spread. Consider soil sterilization with an appropriate pesticide such as methyl bromide or vapam according to local conditions and state and federal regulations. Contact you county extension agent for specific information. Control Effective treatments for curing established root diseases in trees are unknown. Sometimes careful crown reduction by pruning and fertilization can prolong the life of diseased trees by reducing the transpirational demand on ailing root systems and promoting overall tree vigor.

Growing and Maintaining Your Fig (Ficus Carica)

Growing and Maintaining Your Fig (Ficus Carica) Common fig (Ficus carica) is a small tree native to southwest Asia but widely planted in North America.  This edible fig is widely grown for its fruit and is commercially grown in the United States in California, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The fig has been around since the dawn of civilization and was one of the first plants ever to be cultivated by humans. Fossilized figs dating to 9400-9200 BC were found in an early Neolithic village in the Jordan Valley. Archaeology expert Kris Hirst says figs were domesticated five thousand years earlier than millet or wheat. Taxonomy of the Common Fig Scientific name: Ficus caricaPronunciation: FIE-cussCommon name(s): Common fig. The name is very similar in French (figue), German (feige), Italian and Portuguese (figo).Family: Moraceae or mulberryUSDA hardiness zones: 7b through 11Origin: native to Western Asia but distributed by man throughout the Mediterranean region.Uses: Garden specimen; fruit tree; seed oil; latexAvailability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree. The North American Timeline and Spread There are no native temperate figs in the United States. Members of the fig family are located in tropical forests of the extreme southern portion of North America. The first documented fig tree brought to the New World was planted in Mexico in 1560. Figs were then introduced into California in 1769. Many varieties have since been imported from Europe and into the United States. The common fig reached Virginia and the eastern United States in 1669 and adapted well. From Virginia, fig planting and cultivation spread to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Botanical Description Leaf: deciduous leaves are palmate, deeply divided into 3 to 7 main lobes, and irregularly toothed on the margins. The blade is up to 10 inches in length and width, fairly thick, rough on the upper surface, softly hairy on the underside. Flower: small and inconspicuous Trunk/bark/branches: droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for clearance and weight reduction; Breakage: susceptible to breakage either at the crotch due to poor collar formation, or the wood itself is  weak and tends to break Propagation Fig trees have been raised from seed, even seeds extracted from commercial dried fruits. Ground or air-layering can be done satisfactorily, but the tree is most commonly propagated by cuttings of mature wood 2 to 3 years of age, 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick and 8 to 12 inches long. Planting must be done within 24 hours. The upper, slant cut end of the cutting should be treated with a sealant to protect it from disease, and the lower, flat, end with a root-promoting hormone. Common Varieties Celeste: a pear-shaped fruit with short neck and slender stalk. The fruit is small to medium and skin purplish-brown.Brown Turkey: broad-pyriform, usually without a neck. The fruit is medium to large and copper-colored. The main crop, begins in mid-July, is large.Brunswick: fruits of main crop are oblique-turbinate, mostly without neck. The fruit is of medium size, bronze or purple-brown.Marseilles: fruits of main crop round to oblate without a neck and on slender stalks. Figs in the Landscape Southern Living Magazine says that, in addition to being a delicious fruit, figs make beautiful trees in the Middle, Lower, Coastal, and Tropical South. Figs are versatile and easy to grow. They grow the perfect fruit, they love the heat, and the insects just seem to ignore them. You will have to share your tree with birds that flock in for a meal and partake of the fruits of your labor. This tree is a birders dream but a fruit pickers nightmare. Netting may be used to discourage fruit damage. Protection From Cold Figs cant stand temperatures that consistently fall below 0 degrees F. Still, you can actually get away with growing figs in colder climates if planted against a south-facing wall to benefit from the radiant heat. Figs also grow well and look great when espaliered against a wall. When temperatures dip below 15 degrees, mulch or cover trees with fabric. Protect the roots of container-growing figs by moving them indoors or transplant them to a frost-free area when temperatures fall below 20 degrees F. Avid fig growers in cold climates actually dig up the root ball, lay the tree in a mulching ditch and cover with their preferred compost/mulch. The Extraordinary Fruit What is commonly accepted as a figs fruit is technically a syconium with a fleshy, hollow receptacle with a small opening at the apex partly closed by small scales. This syconium may be obovoid, turbinate, or pear-shaped, 1 to 4 inches long, and varies in color from yellowish-green to copper, bronze, or dark-purple. Tiny flowers are massed on the inside wall. In the case of the common fig, the flowers are all female and need no pollination. Favorite Tips Where Do You Plant?: Figs require full sun all day to produce edible fruit. Fig trees will shade out anything growing beneath the canopy so nothing needs to be planted under the tree. Fig roots are abundant, traveling far beyond the tree canopy and will invade garden beds. How Do I Prune and Fertilize? Fig trees are productive with or without heavy pruning. It is essential only during the initial years. Trees should be trained with a low crown for fig collection and to avoid trunk-breaking limb weight. Since the crop is borne on terminals of previous years wood, once the tree form is established, avoid heavy winter pruning, which causes loss of the following years crop. It is better to prune immediately after the main crop is harvested, or with late-ripening cultivars, summer prune half the branches and prune the remainder the following summer. Regular fertilizing of figs is usually necessary only for potted trees or when they are grown on sandy soils. Excess nitrogen encourages foliage growth at the expense of fruit production. Any fruit that is produced often ripens improperly. Fertilize a fig tree if the branches grew less than a foot the previous year. Apply a total of 1/2 - 1 pound of actual nitrogen, divided into three or four applications beginning in late winter or early spring and ending in July. Fig Pests: From a Perdue University Report Fig trees are prone to attack by nematodes, but weve not found them a problem. Still, a heavy mulch will discourage many insects with the  proper application of nematicides. A common and widespread problem is leaf rust caused by Cerotelium fici. The disease brings about premature leaf fall and reduces fruit yields. It is most prevalent during rainy seasons. Leaf spot results from infection by Cylindrocladium scoparium or Cercospora fici. Fig mosaic is caused by a virus and is incurable. Affected trees must be destroyed.

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic management - Essay Example The organization has gained a successful name for its leadership in the management process. Right from its inception the company has shown accelerating growth over the years. William Procter and James Gamble; one being candle maker and the other being a soap producer started a partnership business long back in 1837 in Cincinnati named P&G. The company won a very fruitful contract during the American civil war. The organization was supposed to supply candle and soaps to the Union army during the civil war as per the contract. Gradually working systematically over time the company has gained its giant social appearance. It now engages in the production of beauty, grooming, food and drink and pet care, cloth and habitat care, baby and family unit care segments, health care. As estimated in 2012 the companies operating income is about $13.29 billion (P&G, 2012). It provides large employment opportunities in the economy. Objectives and Mission The company’s mission is to provide go od quality products to the people and improve the quality of their life. This is because by doing so they can achieve leadership sales, value and goodwill in the market. The mission of the company would help its employees and shareholders to prosper in their activities. The company attempts to provide good quality products to the consumers all over the world and help to improve their quality of lifestyle. They trust the fact that their profit, value and fame in the market can be automatically generated, if the consumers have faith in the quality of their manufactured goods (Mullerat, 2011). The company claims to recruit the best employees in the Globe. The employees are rewarded or promoted in the company only on the basis of their performance. This is the sole reason for which all the workers give their 100% to make the company work better over time. Thus one of the most important assets of the values of the company is to think their employees as their assets. The company has keen leadership and ownership qualities. It realizes every step of its business in a strategic pattern. The workers take the assets of the company as their own wealth. The company gives values to perform tasks with integrity and trust. The company works completely with empirical observations and intellectually advocates all its proposals and risks. The company always gives importance to the interests of all the individuals. At the same time the organization separates the interests of the individuals and the company. The company has always claimed to focus on its operations. P&G always gives maximum importance to innovations. The company is always focused externally; it constantly tries to build good customer relations and fine corporate populace. The company follows a motto of ‘be best the best’. They believe that communal interdependence is the best way of existence. The company wants to enhance their core business and make it a global leader. It wants to innovate new brand s. It wants to accelerate its growth all over the world, mainly in the western part of the globe. The organization desires to drive growth in the developing economies. Social Responsibilities of the Company P&G has continually enhanced the