Business Processes and SystemsSAP SD exercise Assignment

Business Processes and SystemsSAP SD exercise - Assignment Example The system was to create efficiency in marketing, finance, sales, service and support, IT, and human resource departments. The following report shows all the tasks I carried out. Implementing SAP system in GBI organisation had to involve the financial benefits and costs associated with the system. The system enables the provision of data integration, maintenance of the system and support and complex segments of reporting. The system stores all the relevant information that the organisation needs to know about the customer. Provision of material management model in the system resolves the audit points raised during the process of procurement. Auditing is made easy with the system because it stores all the payment data involved in any transaction. Thus, in case of any problem with the payment, the finance department would always refer to the data in the system. The system records data about the type of currency and method of payment the customers use to pay for goods. The sales and accounting departments have a natural time to create and maintain data using the system because it distributes data in order for different people in the organisation to see. The SAP system would help GBI team improve its speed, efficiency and flexibility because the system is useful for making decisions and accessing data faster. The system can give each new customer a unique number that it keeps a record. The data registered in the system could be used by all the staff if they need it because of flexibility in the system. The segmental reporting in the system would help the organisation to reduce errors (the system gives report for the loss and profit, and analysis of variance). SAP System can produce financial reports, and thus it cannot be compared with the other current systems that cannot produce such reports. The system can record the currency that customers use in the payment and the terms of payment

Partisan Comedies Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Partisan Comedies - Thesis Example Reviews done by various popular media outlets as well as people’s reactions on the show will be analyzed. In conducting such study, the researcher proposes that partisan comedies in the US have significant influence on the social and political views of the American people. Introduction Comedy is a form of entertainment art which primary purpose is to provoke laughter. It does not only include the elements of humorous dialogue or actions but also the elements of surprise, incongruity, conflict, repetitiveness, and the effect of opposite expectations. Actually, there are various forms of comedy based on their source of humor, the method of delivery, and the context in which it is delivered (Griffin, p.1). One of the most popular forms of comedy is satire. It is a composition that deals with the fragments of society. And the person who uses satire is called satirist. Certainly, the word satire was coined to describe a collection of literary poem or commonly known as poetic medley. Then, it may also mean a poem that was riddled with vices. It was widely used to describe many works of literature that exposes foolishness or vices in humans, organizations, or even governments. It is a form of entertainment which uses the art of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or humor/comedy in order to effect reaction, change or even to prevent it. It is widely available in written verse or prose, vocal and even in visual form (Griffin, p.1). Today, partisan comedy shows are becoming very popular in the US since it was revolutionized in media. In fact, it becomes an effective tool especially in exposing political and social issues. Thus, this research paper attempts to determine the specific publication or revi ews, or media perception of partisan comedy shows in the US as well as to analyze the influence of the show or comedy on published opinion and public reaction through review of published literature and to determine any link or consequential political or governmental action regarding the comedy or show. The researcher has found these objectives important in this study because these have significant contribution in the evolution of partisan comedy in the United States. Literature Review Evolution of Comedy in US Comedy is a popular literary or entertainment which usually use humorous performance, satirical tone, or jokes to amuse and make the audience laugh. It also includes the elements of surprise, incongruity, conflict, repetitiveness, and the effect of opposite expectations. Actually, comedy was used in varied forms of arts and entertainment. But, the development of each form also marked the conceptualization and development of another form i.e. the radio comedy leads in the devel opment of comedy in television (Rourke, 324). In the United States, partisan comedies can be traced back after the American Revolution when the country was already freed from worries and chaos and when the American citizen begun to appreciate the works of art such as comedy. At first, comedy was only used in writing and speaking but years later it expanded in other forms such as in literatures, cartoons, magazines, animation, theater, vaudeville, radio, recordings, television and films even in standup comedy (Rourke, 324). In literature, the earliest available material for comedy and satire was the work of Thomas Morton from Marymount, which was entitled the â€Å"New English Canaan† published and circulated in 1637. The author used humor and wit to compare the cultural values of native people and English Puritan colonists. Another was

Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Assignment - Research Paper Example The major causes of TBI include head bang, falls, vehicle accidental, construction accidents and sports. Sports have been classified as the most lethal and rampant contributor to the development of head injury. The prevention of the occurrence of this disease depend on the cause of the problem. Reduction of car accidents can result to tremendous decrease in the incidences of TBI. Change in the common practices in sports can also do well in the prevention of its occurrence. Wearing of head gears have statistically proven positive in the prevention. Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury Medical impact The occurrence of traumatic brain injury in individuals at any stage of development has adverse medical impacts. The cost of treating the disease has proven to be one of the most expensive procedures in the world. This means apart from medical covers available in the country one has to deep hands in their pocket and cover for the expense (Finkelstein et al, 2006). The test carried in the diagn osis stage to make a decision on the kind of medical treatment and operation can adversely alter the health of an individual. The prolonged medication applied on the individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury could lead to several side effects on the person undergoing the medical treatment. The complicated surgeries conducted for the recovery of the individuals could be costly as well as critical for patients in case of lapses on the part of the surgeon. The increase in cost of treatment bore by the individual is also an impact of the prolonged medical treatment for recovery from traumatic brain injury. Due to the prevalence of TBI, the disability it causes can cause increased risk of other health conditions. Recent studies show that 1to 3 years post injury, people with TBI are 1.8 more likely to develop epilepsy and new health problem associated with it can develop in the aging process (Ferguson et al, 2005). This includes development of depression, Alzheimers and mental ret ardation. Therefore, the medical impact varies from the cost and the side effect of treatment to the development of other diseases. Physical impact TBI is accompanied by several physical inabilities, the signs and symptoms can vary from total inability to partial one. Headache, change in the sense of taste, dizziness and trouble in balance are some of the minor insistences that results to partial inability. Loss of speech, sight and hearing causes complete impairment on the personnel life. The traumatic brain injury of an individual leads to physical limitations and disabilities. The injury suffered in the brain due to accidental falls, violence or vehicle accidents is causes alteration in the internal functions of the brain that leads to changes in the cerebral blood flow. The injury in the skull also affects the blood pressure in the brain. This could cause partial or complete paralysis over a period of time in the individual who have suffered the traumatic injury. The increase in disability of the individual, therefore, causes limitation to the person’s physical or bodily functions (Mallonee et al, 2006). Educational impact The traumatic brain injury affects the individuals in the course of their educational progress. The effect is on the students learning progress and even the way the tutor has to teach. The alteration in the function of the cerebrum caused due to the traumatic injury could lead to cognitive drawback that pulls back the level of understanding as compared to the

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges

Retail pharmaceutical industry and its challenges In times of global economic recession, retailers will need to be more vigilant in meeting consumers demands to remain viable in the ever more competitive market. Retail pharmacy in Malaysia are faced with unique set of challenges deriving from historical past and cultural practices to consumers lifestyle changes. Therefore there is a need for retail pharmacy operators to re-evaluate existing marketing plans by means of understanding current market condition and observing future trend. Then recalibrate their marketing plans and strategies to reposition themselves securely in the market. 1.1 Objective The report aims to provide an overview retail pharmacy industry and evaluate factors that propel and restrain the market, government policies, sales trends, potential growth and market outlook. Challenges related to the pharmaceutical retail sector will be outlined and assessed, and insights into marketing plans being deployed to tap into available market opportunities in Malaysia will also be discussed. 1.2 Overview : Retailing in Malaysia Malaysia retailing environment has undergone a continuous and marked change over the years. The nation has been classified by the World Bank as a upper-middle income country with middle-income household making up more than 50% in 2007. Between 2004 and 2005, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, on an average, the urban household spent 1.8 times more than its rural counterparts that is about USD 735 (MYR2,285) monthly and USD 428 (MYR1,301) monthly respectively. By 2015, according to UN data, the urban population is forecasted to account for approximately 76% of the total population (Euromonitor 2010). Retail sales will likely benefit from this. According to Q4 BMI Malaysia Retail Report, it projected that retail sales will increase from USD 43.65 billion (MYR 153.76 billion) in 2010 to USD 71.44 billion (MYR 251.63 billion) by the end of the forecast period. The key factors supporting this forecast is due to low unemployment rate, rising disposable incomes and a strong tourism industry. BMI forecasts Over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical sales to grow from USD 404million in 2010 to USD557million which translates to 38% increase therefore elicit a positive effect on retail pharmacy. 1.2.1 Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Malaysia total healthcare expenditure in 2009 exceeded USD 7 billion Figure 1.0, and is projected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2020. Malaysia ranks fifth among the Asian nations in terms of healthcare expenditure and is projected to grow approximately 13% yearly (Frost Sullivan 2008). Retail pharmacy sector contributes 17% of the total expenditure only due to restrictions pertaining to government policies, profession workforce, and population perception. The retail pharmacy sector can be described using organization size and product/service mix criteria. Sole units are comprised primarily of independent pharmacies, usually owned by pharmacists. Multiple-unit pharmacy organizations, or chains, can be divided into small chain and large chain (e.g. 30 or more units). Besides organization size, the retail pharmacy sector can also be characterized by the product/service mix of the organization. Some traditional categories include, supermarket (e.g. AEON), and, beauty and healthcare stores (e.g. Guardian, Watsons). Pure drug store is virtually non-existent in the Malaysian retail pharmacy sector because pharmaceutical products can be sold and dispensed by medical practitioners as well pharmacists. Consequently, this policy does not encouraged the setting up of pure drug store in Malaysia. Therefore, current retail pharmacies stores usually offer both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical product/services to maintain viable in the market. The major players in the Malaysian retail pharmacy scene are large multinational corporations such as GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd and Watsons Personal Care Store whereas local companies include Caring Pharmacy and Trustz Pharmacy, and a plethora of small independently operated pharmacies Figure 2.0. In 2009, the multinationals, GCHs Guardian and Watsons collectively dominated 54% of the total market share whilst 46% was divided among local retail pharmacies as shown above (Euromonitor 2010). Generally experienced in dealing with large industries, these multinational corporations compared to the domestic counterparts, have the experties in handling processing, packaging, logistics, inventory management etc. In addition, they have the advantages of economies of scale, retailing of in-house brand, increase in market profit and share, and wider discount parameter for retail healthcare products. 2.0 Current Market Status 2.1 External and Internal Factors Influencing Retailers Marketing Strategies The spillover from the subprime mortgage crisis has badly affected the global economies and Malaysias economy has not been spared too. In 2009, retailing current value growth (CVG) showed a decreased compared to 2008 but still at a positive pace (Euromonitor 2010). In 2010, real GDP growth is expected at 5.7% supported by stronger exports. Increased spending by private consumers as a result of improving labour market conditions will soon strengthen domestic demand (Euromonitor 2010). GDP forecast was reevaluated in May 2009 from 4% to 5% (Euromonitor 2010). Though consumer confidence dwindled, spending on health care continues to be a priority within the consumers household as seen in Figure 3.0. Consumers are still willing to spend a little bit more during promotional period or turned to cheaper alternatives such as mid-priced/economical in-house brands or generic medications. Ongoing urbanization trend, higher education levels and better living standards have generated greater interest among consumers regarding self-medication. This further strengthened the importance of retail pharmacy stores as consumers are able to acquire OTC healthcare, nutritional products and prescription drugs from them. Overall trend of the retail pharmacy sector is gearing towards the sales of generics and OTCs. Profit derives from generics is generally higher compared to branded/innovator products (Shafie Hassali 2008). However, sales of non-prescription products such as OTCs, TCMs, vitamins and supplements are still the main contributor to the retail pharmacys revenue at 79%. Having said so, retailers still need to employ different marketing strategies to distinguish themselves from existing competitors and attempt to reposition themselves as market leaders some successful while some struggled. Strategies pertaining to each of the different type of organizations will be further discussed as follow: 2.2 Strategies Employed by Multinational Corporation The multinationals such as Guardian and Watsons have taken a broad spectrum approach by attempting to diversify from traditional dispensing services common to the concept of a pharmacy, into a wider market segments such as general health and beauty care. The retailers responded by engaging in regular promotions and extended sales period to encourage spending and offering a combination of both pharmaceutical services with beauty care. Rapid expansion strategies undertaken by leading chained retailers resulted in a substantial escalation in the chained store numbers in the nation. 2009 saw a slight improvement in the average selling space per outlet of beauty and health specialist retailers especially in larger shopping malls than standalone establishments. Survey has shown that these are the places where the crowd/consumers prefer. Variety in choices/shops and competitive price products are some of the factors that attracts them. Most beauty and health specialist retailers launch their retail chains in Klang Valley. This is largely due to greater purchasing power among urban consumers. Nonetheless, beauty and health specialist retailers are also expanding outside Klang Valley in order to serve the rising population and growing purchasing power of consumers in East Malaysia and secondary states. Launching of budget in-house brand is to cover a wider range of consumer segment. 2.2.1 Guardian : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Hong Kong based Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. It is 78% owned by the Jardine Matheson Group, which is listed on the FTSE Stock Exchange and also listed on the Singapore Straits and Bermuda Stock Exchanges (Euromonitor 2010). In Malaysia, the company is involved in the operation of Guardian pharmacy, Cold Storage supermarket and Giant hypermarket outlets. In 2009, as a result of its aggressive expansion, 20 new Guardian outlets were added, and promotions including daily specials has boosted the companys pharmaceutical market share to 35% Figure 2.0, occupying the largest portion of the retail pharmacy market segment. Guardian retailing format is gradually becoming popular in Malaysia. For instance, Guardian spearheaded the concept of  modern retail pharmacy by providing professional consultation and service by registered pharmacists, plus holistic health and personal care solution. In response to the Malaysian governments support initiatives designed to spur small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, most of Guardian in-house brands are source and manufactured locally. Therefore, it is able to offer quality products at very affordable price targeting at all consumer segments and is expected to continue to source and develop wider products range. Guardian is aggressive in promoting its in-house brand products by advertising and promotions. For instance, Guardian dedicated half a page or full-page advertisements in their in-store brochures or leaflets for their in-house brand products. GCH Retails share of in-house brand products has been growing steadily largely due to developing brand recognition as well as the wider range of items available. External and Internal Analysis (Guardian) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Decentralized marketing function: inconsistent brand image Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Good management: able to respond to market change Strength Change in consumers spending pattern Both external and internal factors how the company decides to operate. The external factors will be same for all market players. 2.2.2 Watsons : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Watsons Personal Care Stores (WPCS), being the largest beauty and health retail chain in Asia, is a subsidiary of the AS Watson Group based in Hong Kong and wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. WPCS has been in Malaysia since 1994 and is considered one of the most accomplished personal care chain stores (Euromonitor 2010). Following the successful merger and acquisition of Apex Pharmacy Sdn Bhd in Jun 2005, WPCS has 211 outlets nationwide. In 2009 due to its extensive stores expansion and merger , its pharmaceutical value share managed to increase to 19% Figure 2.0 of the entire pharmaceutical retailing in Malaysia.WPCS still remains the largest community pharmacy retail chain in Malaysia. To support and reinforce its image positioning Watsons employs promotional pricing, selling list prices then running price-off sales periodically, continuous marketing efforts and promotions such as television advertisements, complimentary beauty and health information to consumers, and storewide 20% discount campaign. Moreover, WPCS products are competitively priced and carry quality in-house brand products which are usually cheaper by 20% to 25% below manufacturers brand in the same product range. Its in-house brand lines consist of a large proportion of skin-care products, hair care, OTC healthcare products, toiletries, bottled mineral water, electrical items designed to meet the needs of the mass consumers . To further promotes its in-house brands, it has dedicated more shelf space in-store for them. Coupled with growing brand recognition and wider range of products to cater for all segments of consumers, this marketing trend may continue in future. External and Internal Analysis (Watsons) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Over expansion resulting in dissipated consumer services Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Import/Export: Malaysian Ringgit vs Hong Kong Dollar Extensive outlet coverage nationwide Strength Change in consumers spending pattern 2.3 Strategies Employed by Small Retail Phamacy Marketing model of smaller retail pharmacies focus on establishing good rapport with its customer base by providing individually customized pharmaceutical services for their clients according to their needs and wants, Furthermore, they also provide extended after working hour services for the convenience of their customers, to access to pharmaceutical items and advice. Loyalty marketing is also introduced to maintain or expand their customer base in light of even more competitive environment. This model is gaining popularity in Malaysia and is already established in Europe, Australia and Canada. Specialized services exclusive to pharmacy such as pre-packed dosettes medications (to ensure better compliance to medicine), insulin dose adjustments for uncontrolled diabetes management and methadone replacement therapy for heroin dependent patient, targeting a unique consumer segment is gradually incorporated into their marketing plans. 2.3.1 Caring : Target Market, Product Services, and Promotion Caring Pharmacy Sdn Bhd is a group of pharmacies under one banner collectively shares the same supply and inventory management similar to that of chain stores, however each outlets are independently owned and operated by pharmacists. Caring Group currently have 46 registered pharmacists operating 40 outlets in Klang valley. Therefore giving the Group the highest number of pharmacist to outlet ratio among retail pharmacy operators in Malaysia. With market share of 12% in 2009 Figure 2.0, Caring is fast emerging as one of the most established local community retail pharmacy. Providing extended hour services from the early hours up to midnight proved to be a potent marketing strategy in establishing its market share as it provides time flexibility to consumers. Caring offers professional consultation by registered pharmacists on uncomplicated ailments and medication management solutions such as pre-packed medications for consumers convenience. The group has been actively promoting its pharmacist consultation service. For instance, public awareness talks by pharmacists on health topics such as hypertension, diabetes, weight-management etc. are frequently organized. Launched in 2006, the first pharmacy reward program as a points accumulation and gift redemption card with Malaysias premier multi-party loyalty program BonusLink, enabled Caring to establish closer contact with their regular clients. External and Internal Analysis (Caring) External Internal Threats Economic slowdown Too focused on domestic/localization growth Weaknesses Retracted consumer spending Increased rivalry between competitors Opportunities Change in consumers spending pattern Good corporate core value: pharmacist service for all consumer segments Strength 3.0 Marketing Strategies 3.0 Strategic Recommendation For the Retail Pharmacy Industry Global economy remained sluggish in 2009, likewise in Malaysia. Even though consumer spending has retracted in Malaysia, where healthcare is concerned, consumers are still spending. Retail pharmacy registered an increment in sales of 0.2% for 2009 against 2008 Figure 3.0. 3.1 Marketing Mix Strategy Target consumers Promotion mix Sales promotion Advertising Sales force Public relations Direct online marketing Offer mix Product Services Prices Adapted from Marketing: An Introduction from an Asian Perspective ( Kotler et al. 2006) 3.2 Target Consumers : Population Demographic Outlook and Lifestyle Trend According to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in 2007 Malaysias population was just over 27 million and by 2015 it will be more than 30.7 million. In addition, nearly 60% of Malaysian is below the age of 30 in 2007 (Euromonitor 2010). Needs and wants of consumers changes with age. Marketers must use different marketing approaches for different age and life-cycle groups. The mature segment of the population in Malaysia, are usually relatively established in terms of financial, family and home and more aware of their health status. Marketers needs to woo this segment consumer by employing positive images and appeals. This segment will be the key buyers of medical and health-related products and services, including pharmaceuticals and OTC drugs, vitamins and dietary supplements, health drinks and medical equipment. While there will be new emphasis on products for mature consumers, younger consumers will still remain a potent force since they made up half the population in Malaysia by 2015. They are more savvy, health conscious and more willing to try new products thus exercising significant purchasing power and driving continuing demand for the wide range of youth oriented products. Hence, this will spur demand for core healthcare products and influence sales in tangential sectors such as food and beverages, and healthcare services. 3.3 Offer Mix : Product Portfolio Adjustment and Pricing Tactic 3.3.1 Product Portfolio Adjustment Consumers remained largely loyal to established brands mainly because these brands are trusted names that consumers used to purchase or are just comfortable with its effectiveness. Coupled with strict registration requirements in Malaysia for all medicines, either branded or generics, in-house brand is unlikely to perform well in certain healthcare lines such as oral analgesics, cough, cold and allergy but may do well in other health product category. For example, in-house brand such as wound care, vitamin and supplements are projected to grow due to regional disease outbreak and economic slowdown. As living costs, including healthcare costs increases, consumers will be more adventurous to try out economical in-house brand products and self-medicate. Using the pull and push marketing strategy, potential consumers will come to understand the helpfulness of vitamins and dietary supplements as preventative measures against environment, diet, importance of taking balance nutrition and age-related ailments such as joint and back pain, immune systems, osteoporosis etc. Personal selling and sales promotion will be expected to heightened awareness of in-house brand products. Marketers need to expand their consumer healthcare product ranges in order to maintain competitive in the market. Figure 4.0 shows that in-house brand product line will continue to grow. Therefore, marketers should focus on marketing in-house brand products such as topical analgesics, antipruritics, other wound treatments, vitamins and dietary supplements, that enjoy strong demand. 3.3.2 Pricing Tactic Consumers will be shopping around for the best deals. It is not necessary for retailers to cut list prices, but may offer more short termed price promotions, lower quantity threshold discounts, provide credit to long-standing customers, and more aggressively price smaller pack sizes. In tough times, price cuts attract more consumer support than promotions such as mail in offers and sweepstakes. 3.4 Promotion Mix : Conventional Advertising and Online Marketing 3.4.1 Conventional Advertising Despite the growth of electronic communications, printed newsletter and television still play an important role in Malaysians daily life and their pursuit of information and entertainment. As shown in Figure 5.0, printed adspend dominated 54% followed by television adspend at 37% of the total adspend respectively for the year 2009. Major newspapers include three English-language dailies, two Malay-language dailies, five Chinese-language dailies, and two Tamil-language dailies. The Malaysian has a wide range of magazines covering lifestyle, fashion, business, and special interest topics such as fishing, motoring, health and wellness and childcare. Magazines in Malaysia are usually published on a fortnight or monthly basis and are available via subscription, at retail outlets, convenience shops and small grocery stores. Although there seems to be a slight plateau Figure 6.0, conventional printed media will still be the medium of choice currently to disseminate promotional information for pharmacy retailers. 3.4.2 Online Marketing The internet has had a significant impact on Malaysia over the past several years. The number of internet users grew from nearly five million users in 2000 to more than 12 million users in 2007, reflecting growth of 144%. Just as significantly, the household penetration rate of personal computers in Malaysia increased from 13.5% in 1995 to 34.7% in 2007. Tethered with such growth, online adspend recorded 72% spike growth from 2007-2009, and is expected to continue capturing readership share at the expense of printed media, in-line with household penetration rate of internet enabled computers increases in Malaysia. Mobile advertising will be in vogue as internet handheld devices gains market penetration, particularly among the younger population. Advertising platforms such as Apples iAd is a prime example of cutting-edge mobile advertising where advertisements are not just informative but interactive as well. Advertisements of this kind, can be updated real time by retailers with short-term sales promotion similar to Malaysia Airlines lunch-hour flight deals or provide interactive online shopping experience, will revolutionize conventional concept of promotional advertising. Pharmacy retailers can tap into this market and formulate marketing plans unique to loyal mobile shoppers. Conventional in-store consumers are bombarded with too much product information creating confusion thus delaying purchases. Retailers and manufacturers should collaborate to satisfy consumers needs such as using attractive colors and creating simplistic product packaging to facilitate consumers search for healthcare products. Hence, online advertising and internet retailing is expected to increase. This will have an impact on how retailers attempt to reach Malaysian consumers and, in a less significant but growing way, on how Malaysians shop. 4.0 Conclusion Consumers in Malaysia are changing their healthcare shopping behavior in various ways. While many opted for other more economical retailers, there are some who remained loyal to their preferred retailers. They are more comfortable in seeking out deals and using coupons, and will purchase both in-house brands or branded products whichever provides the best value. Definition of value is also changing. Previously, value is often perceived as quality and options, but now this is synonymous with price, value will mean that consumers get what they want at the best possible price. Pharmacy retailers can capitalize on consumers needs by providing increased personalized marketing and shopping experience. Consumers are also seen shifting towards meaningful and unique shopping experience, particularly in purchasing healthcare items. 4.1 Consumer In Charge Consumers know what they want and many will go the distance in search of the best offers; some consumers, due to their lifestyle fluidity simply require products that satisfy their needs. By giving consumers multiple product choices at different price and benefit levels, brands especially in-house brand, can be capitalized by using different marketing strategies to make them to stand out from the crowd. Mobile shopping, will be the next frontier for retailers to venture into as on-the-go consumers will emphasize on shopping convenience and speed of transactions. 4.2 Retailers Diversity and Rebrand to Stay Relevant Pharmacy retailers diversifying into in-house product line need to factor in consumers shopping preference on established branded healthcare products when formulating in-house product marketing plans. Many consumers maintained loyalty to established brands due to familiarity to a product or confident with its effectiveness. New and improve in-house product lines with convenience in mind such as topical analgesics and sachet digestive remedies, will appeal to consumers particularly the younger customers. Retailers may need to revamp certain product lines with new design, improve in-house brand offers and promote them with a compelling ad-campaign, to appeal to target consumers. 4.3 Future of Retail Pharmacy in Malaysia Retail pharmacy landscape is shifting largely attributed to economic changes, the growth of online retailing and more recently mobile commerce. With increasing use of smart handheld devices in Malaysia, mobile advertising and commerce is projected to grow substantially. Retailers will have to employ a multi-channel marketing approach. Online retailing will provide a platform for retailers to disseminate unique and targeted product offers for consumers to research, plan their shopping trips and ultimately attract consumers into stores. Consumers will also look for premium service coupled with simplified shopping experience in terms of product availability and ease of locating the products. Now more than ever, consumers are becoming more sophisticated and informed in making choices.They desire to know the origin of the product, what they are made of and how their lives can be improved with them. In general, future consumer wants a simplified, personalized and meaningful shopping experi ence with a focus on value. In summation, regardless of the organization size and retail focus, marketers must have the foresight to recognize change and take advantage of it by shifting its resources in line with market trends.

What Is Petroleum Engineering Biology Essay

What Is Petroleum Engineering Biology Essay Petroleum engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons which can be either crude oil or natural gas and there is subsurface activities that presume to fall within the upstream sector of oil and gas industry which are activities of finding and producing hydrocarbons(refining and distribution to a marked are referred to as the downstream sector)explored by earth scientists and petroleum engineering are the oil and gas industrys two main subsurface disciplines in which focus on maximizing economic recovery of hydrocarbons from petroleum of engineering focuses on estimation of the recoverable volume of the recourses using a detailed understanding of the physical behavior of oil , water and gas within a porous rock within a very high pressure and The combined efforts of geologists and petroleum engineers throughout the life of a hydrocarbon accumulation determine the way in which a reservoir is developed and depleted, and usually they have the highest impact on field economics. Petroleum engineering requires a good knowledge of many other related disciplines, such as geophysics, petroleum geology( drilling, economics, reservoir simulation,well engineering, artificial lift systems) The Drill is a machine which creates holes (usually called boreholes) and shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person.[citation needed] They sample sub-surface mineral deposits, test rock, soil and groundwater physical properties. Drilling fluid: A drilling fluid is any fluid which circulates through a well in order to remove cuttings from a wellbore. This section will discuss fluids which have water or oil as their continuous phase. Air, mist and foam, which can be used as drilling fluids, will not be discussed at this time and drilling fluid must fulfill many functions in order to drill a well successfully, safely, and economically. The most important functions are: 1. Remove drilled cuttings from under the bit. (2) Carry those cuttings out of the hole. (3) Suspend cuttings in the fluid when circulation is stopped. (4) Release cuttings when processed by surface equipment . (5) Allow cuttings to settle out at the surface. 6. Provide enough hydrostatic pressure to balance formation pore pressures. 7. Prevent the bore hole from collapsing or caving in. 8. Protect producing formations from damage which could impair production. 9. Clean, cool, and lubricate the drill bit Occasionally, these functions require the drilling fluid to act in conflicting ways. You can see that items #1-3 are best served if the drilling fluid has a high viscosity, whereas items #4-5 are best accomplished with a low viscosity. In its most basic form a drilling fluid is composed of a liquid (either water or oil). If nothing else is added, whenever the hydrostatic pressure is greater than the formation pore pressure (and the formation is porous and permeable) a portion of the fluid will be flushed into the formation. Since excessive filtrate can cause borehole problems, some sort of filtration control additive is generally added. In order to provide enough hydrostatic pressure to balance abnormal pore pressures, the density of the drilling fluid is increased by adding a weight material (generally barite). Preparation: The oil drilling process starts with finding the land to drill on. After selection, there are normally environmental studies to ensure no damage is done. The mineral rights will need to be acquired as well. A water source will have to be established, if one isnt nearby, and the site will need to be cleared of debris, trees and other objects. A hole is then dug where the main drilling will be. The Base Liquid: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Water fresh or saline à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Oil diesel or crude à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mineral Oil or other synthetic fluids Dispersed Solids: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Colloidal particles, which are suspended particles of various sizes. Dissolved Solids: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Usually salts, and their effects on colloids most is important and all drilling fluids have essentially the same properties, only the magnitude varies. These properties include density, viscosity, gel strength, filter cake, water loss, and electrical resistance. Though this type of drilling fluid is easy to describe, it is hard to define and even more difficult to find. In the field, a normal fluid generally means that there is a little effort expended to control the range of properties. General rules include: 1. It is used where no unexpected conditions occur. 2. The mud will stabilize, so its properties are in the range required to control the hole conditions. 3. The chief problem is viscosity control Formations usually drilled with this type of mud mainly sands. Since viscosity is the major problem, the amount and condition of the colloidal clay is important. To do this, two general types of treatment are used: 1. Water soluble polyphosphates: (a) They reduce viscosity (b) You should use it alone or with tannins 2. Caustic Soda and Tannins: (a) They also reduce viscosity. (b) You have to use it under more severe conditions than phosphate treatment. The drilling fluids are made to combat particular abnormal hole conditions or to accomplish specific objectives. These are: 1. Special Objectives: (a) Faster penetration rates. (b) Greater protection to producing zones. 2. Abnormal Hole Conditions: (a) Long salt sections. (b) High formation pressures. Lime Base Muds: 1. Water base mud. 2. Treated with large amounts of caustic soda, que-bracho, and lime. 3. Ratio of 2 lb caustic soda, 1.5 lb quebracho and 5 lb lime per 1 barrel of mud. 4. Will go through a highly viscous stage, but will become stable at a low viscosity. 5. Good points: (a) Can tolerate large amounts of contaminating salts. (b) Remains fluid when solids content gets high. 6. Weakness it has a tendency to solidify when subjected to high bottom-hole temperatures. Lime-Treated Muds: 1. Similar to lime based mud differ only in degree. 2. A compromise attempt at overcoming the high temperature gelation problem. (a) Use less lime than lime-base mud. (b) Not nearly so resistant to salt contamination. Emulsion Muds Oil in Water: 1. Oil can be added to any of the normal or special mud with good results 2. No special properties necessary 3. Natural or special emulsifying agents hold oil in tight suspension after mixing. 4. Oils used are: (a) Crude oils. (b) Diesel. (c) Any oil with API gravity between 25 and 50. 5. Oil content in mud may be 1% to 40%. 6. Advantages are: (a) Very stable properties. (b) Easily maintained. (c) Low filtration and thin filter cake. (d) Faster penetration rates. (e) Reduces down-hole friction. 7. Major objection is that the oil in the mud may mask any oil from the formation. Includes muds: 1. Mud with inhibited filtrates. 2. Large amounts of dissolved salts added to the mud. 3. High pH usually necessary for best results. 4. Designed to reduce the amount of formation swelling caused by filtrate inhibit clay hydration. 5. Disadvantages: (A) Needs specialized electric logs. (B) Requires much special attention. (C) Low mud weights cannot be maintained without oil. (D) Hard to increase viscosity. (E) Salt destroys natural filter cake building properties of clays. Gypsum Base Muds: 1. A specialized inhibited mud: (a) Contains large amounts of calcium sulfate. (b) Add 2 lb/bbl gypsum to mud system. (c) Filtration controlled by organic colloids. 2. Advantages: (a) Mud is stable. (b) Economical to maintain. (c) Filtrate does not hydrate clays. (d) High gel strength. 3. Disadvantages: (a) fine abrasives remain in mud. (b) Retains gas in mud. Oil Based Muds: 1. Oil instead of water used as the dispersant. 2. Additives must be oil soluble. 3. Generally pre-mixed and taken to the well-site. 4. To increase aniline value, blown asphalt and un-slaked lime may be added. 5. Advantages: (a) Will not hydrate clays. (b) Good lubricating properties . (c) Normally higher drill rate. 6. Disadvantages: (a) Expensive. (b) Dirty to work with. (c) Requires special electric logs. (d) Viscosity varies with temperature. Inverted Emulsions: 1. Water in oil emulsion. Oil largest component, then water added. Order of addition is important 2. Have some of the advantages of oil muds, but cheaper. Oil-Based Mud Systems: There are two types of systems: 1) invert emulsion, where water is the dispersed phase and oil the continuous phase (water-in-oil mud), and 2) emulsion mud, where oil is the dispersed phase and water is the continuous phase (oil-in-water mud). Emulsifiers are added to control the rheological properties (water increases viscosity, oil decreases viscosity). Air, Mist, Foam-Based Mud Systems: These lower than hydrostatic pressure systems are of four types: dry air or gas is injected into the borehole to remove cuttings and can be used until appreciable amounts of water are encountered, mist drilling is then used, which involves injecting a foaming agent into the air stream, foam drilling is used when large amounts of water is encountered, which uses chemical detergents and polymers to form the foam, and aerated fluids is a mud system injected with air to reduce the hydrostatic pressure. Workover Mud Systems: Also called completion fluids, these are specialized systems designed to minimize the damage formation, be compatible with acidizing and fracturing fluids and reduce clay/shale hydration and They are usually highly treated brines and blended salt fluid. Set Up and Drilling: The main hole is dug wide at the top and is drilled down with just a basic small drill. Two other holes are also dug to store equipment and dirt. Next the main rig is brought in and set up over the main drilling hole. The basic rig is made up of a drill bit and piping that sends the drill further and further down, scaffolding with cable and pulley to bring the drill up and an engine to turn the drill. The drill is sent down, where it chews up the earth. The mud is moved up the piping into a hole built for storage. As the drill goes down, more piping is added, and when a drill wears out, it is pulled up and replaced. Finding Oil: Once mud, being pulled up from the drill site, shows signs of oil residue, the drill is removed and testing is done. Core samples are taken as well as pressure and gas tests. When it is confirmed that the oil has been found, an explosive charge is sent down in the form of a perforating gun. This will crack the rock so that oil can flow into the drill area. After the rock is cracked, a pipe is lowered down for the oil to be collected. The hole is then capped off to avoid spillage and a pump is set up to pull the oil out of the ground.

James Joyce and the advent of Viagra Essay -- Sports, Olympics, Sex Ve

The Olympics are an international competition event for summer sports and winter sports that happen every 2 years. It was originally an event created for men to compete in various sports. However, women were allow to participate in the early 1900s due to the increasing number of female athletes. After female athletes started to participate in the Olympic games, the question of gender identification arose. People fear that males may masquerade as females and have an unfair advantage over other participants in women-only events. To prevent this from happening, the International Olympic Commitee (IOC) started sex verification to test the participant’s sex. The question of sex verification in women’s sports started in 1936, when a Polish journalist accused the American gold medallist in 100m track and field of being a man. Helen Stephen, the gold medallist who broke the 100m record of track legend Stella Walsh was a 6 foot tall female athlete.(Carlson, 2005). Her size brought up the questions about the definition of femininity. Ironically, when Stella Walsh was found dead in an accident it was discovered that she had ambiguous genitalia and abnormal sex chromosomes. Another stunning case which prompted developing the sex verification protocol involved an athlete named Hermann Ratjen in the mid 1950s (Carlson, 2005). Ratjen admitted that he was persuaded to masquerade as a female in an Olympic event in 1936. He hid his genitals and used a fake name, â€Å"Dora,† to compete in the women high jump event. Although he set a world record in 1938 and definitely had some advantages over other female participants, he only came in at fourth place in 1936. This case made a lot of people question the sexuality of some Eastern Bloc competitors. ... ...discriminating. Due to all the human right issues and Semenya’s privacy, her test result was never released to the public and she is able to continue her sports career (Swarr,Gross & Theron, 2009). After all, sex testing is not a reasonable way to identify masquerading men, it only puts female athletes in trouble. The only case of masquerading is Hermann Ratjen, and apparently he did not even win the competition. Sex testing is discriminatory and inaccurate while it is time and money consuming. It puts a number of female athletes with genetic disorders in a nightmare situation. Luckily, Maria Patino and Caster Semenya were re-qualified in the end. We can only conclude that sex testing is simply a black and white method to categorize male and female, but this world has more than male and female. Sex testing underestimates the complexity of the human structure. James Joyce and the advent of Viagra Essay -- Sports, Olympics, Sex Ve The Olympics are an international competition event for summer sports and winter sports that happen every 2 years. It was originally an event created for men to compete in various sports. However, women were allow to participate in the early 1900s due to the increasing number of female athletes. After female athletes started to participate in the Olympic games, the question of gender identification arose. People fear that males may masquerade as females and have an unfair advantage over other participants in women-only events. To prevent this from happening, the International Olympic Commitee (IOC) started sex verification to test the participant’s sex. The question of sex verification in women’s sports started in 1936, when a Polish journalist accused the American gold medallist in 100m track and field of being a man. Helen Stephen, the gold medallist who broke the 100m record of track legend Stella Walsh was a 6 foot tall female athlete.(Carlson, 2005). Her size brought up the questions about the definition of femininity. Ironically, when Stella Walsh was found dead in an accident it was discovered that she had ambiguous genitalia and abnormal sex chromosomes. Another stunning case which prompted developing the sex verification protocol involved an athlete named Hermann Ratjen in the mid 1950s (Carlson, 2005). Ratjen admitted that he was persuaded to masquerade as a female in an Olympic event in 1936. He hid his genitals and used a fake name, â€Å"Dora,† to compete in the women high jump event. Although he set a world record in 1938 and definitely had some advantages over other female participants, he only came in at fourth place in 1936. This case made a lot of people question the sexuality of some Eastern Bloc competitors. ... ...discriminating. Due to all the human right issues and Semenya’s privacy, her test result was never released to the public and she is able to continue her sports career (Swarr,Gross & Theron, 2009). After all, sex testing is not a reasonable way to identify masquerading men, it only puts female athletes in trouble. The only case of masquerading is Hermann Ratjen, and apparently he did not even win the competition. Sex testing is discriminatory and inaccurate while it is time and money consuming. It puts a number of female athletes with genetic disorders in a nightmare situation. Luckily, Maria Patino and Caster Semenya were re-qualified in the end. We can only conclude that sex testing is simply a black and white method to categorize male and female, but this world has more than male and female. Sex testing underestimates the complexity of the human structure.

Understanding Counter Reformation Essay -- Catholic Church Political R

In order to understand the Counter Reformation one must consider the political factors and motivators behind them as well as the belief factors when examining clashes with the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church during 16th century experienced a reformation that was both politically and belief driven. The Catholic Reformation also known as the Counter Reformation allowed the church to clearly define its position, eliminate unchristian practices and examine its role in world. This paper will address the political motivators of the Counter Reformation, the unchristian practices that fueled corruption and the clearly defined religious concerns of reformers. It will establish that the use of patronage and nepotism ultimately undermined the spiritual piety of the church. Also, the movements that brought spirituality back to the church will be addressed along with those movements that led to separation from church. In detailing the events and character of this era and analyzing the outcomes of reform it will be concluded that the Counter Reformation was the beginning of a stronger church and an end to an era that quite possibly could have led to the dissolution of the Catholic Church. One must understand the political make up of the Catholic Church during this period prior to addressing the reforms to the church. The church was far more than a religious institution. The Catholic Church was supreme in Europe. The power of the pope was total and this was supplemented by the power the Holy Roman Emperor had as temporal defender of the Catholic Church. Even though the church had no determinate territory it was a state. It had a monarch as a pope, it princes in prelates and its subjects in Western Christendom. It had legislative assemblies in ecumenical councils, a constitution in cannon law, and fiscal agency in the Curia. It went to war, negotiated treaties and collected taxies. The church was the Holy Roman Empire with a stronghold throughout Europe. But this would quickly change.(www.History) At the time of the reformation there was great concern that the Old Church with all its history and tradition was in trouble. This concern came from both within the church and outside the church. Protestant and Catholic reformers alike were troubled by the corruption in the church and its inner workings. Reformers saw that the Christian faith had in many ways been taken... ...ounter-Reformation after the Council of Trent a large shift in power occurred in Italy. The Pope who was once a large political figure in Italy had lost his political power but gained Religious Power. Patrons, who had dispersed kin as clergy members all over Italy, also lost power. Their power of placement of clergy was no longer allowed and bishops were given the choice of where clergy members should be located. The Political power that had once belonged to both the Pope and the Patrons had now been given to the sovereigns of the separated nations, who full well knew that in the Council of Trent their power would grow. The Council of was a turning-point in the Catholic Church. There was a certainty in practices and beliefs, the church’s foundation had been strengthened and there was a base to grow. Catholicism had reestablished itself and it was a force to be dealt with. By the end of the sixteenth century the Catholic Church was still making some serious reforms. This reform movement which extended into the seventeenth century raised moral and educational standards of the clergy. All inspired by the church with a new zeal and morale. One must conclude that reform was needed. Understanding Counter Reformation Essay -- Catholic Church Political R In order to understand the Counter Reformation one must consider the political factors and motivators behind them as well as the belief factors when examining clashes with the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church during 16th century experienced a reformation that was both politically and belief driven. The Catholic Reformation also known as the Counter Reformation allowed the church to clearly define its position, eliminate unchristian practices and examine its role in world. This paper will address the political motivators of the Counter Reformation, the unchristian practices that fueled corruption and the clearly defined religious concerns of reformers. It will establish that the use of patronage and nepotism ultimately undermined the spiritual piety of the church. Also, the movements that brought spirituality back to the church will be addressed along with those movements that led to separation from church. In detailing the events and character of this era and analyzing the outcomes of reform it will be concluded that the Counter Reformation was the beginning of a stronger church and an end to an era that quite possibly could have led to the dissolution of the Catholic Church. One must understand the political make up of the Catholic Church during this period prior to addressing the reforms to the church. The church was far more than a religious institution. The Catholic Church was supreme in Europe. The power of the pope was total and this was supplemented by the power the Holy Roman Emperor had as temporal defender of the Catholic Church. Even though the church had no determinate territory it was a state. It had a monarch as a pope, it princes in prelates and its subjects in Western Christendom. It had legislative assemblies in ecumenical councils, a constitution in cannon law, and fiscal agency in the Curia. It went to war, negotiated treaties and collected taxies. The church was the Holy Roman Empire with a stronghold throughout Europe. But this would quickly change.(www.History) At the time of the reformation there was great concern that the Old Church with all its history and tradition was in trouble. This concern came from both within the church and outside the church. Protestant and Catholic reformers alike were troubled by the corruption in the church and its inner workings. Reformers saw that the Christian faith had in many ways been taken... ...ounter-Reformation after the Council of Trent a large shift in power occurred in Italy. The Pope who was once a large political figure in Italy had lost his political power but gained Religious Power. Patrons, who had dispersed kin as clergy members all over Italy, also lost power. Their power of placement of clergy was no longer allowed and bishops were given the choice of where clergy members should be located. The Political power that had once belonged to both the Pope and the Patrons had now been given to the sovereigns of the separated nations, who full well knew that in the Council of Trent their power would grow. The Council of was a turning-point in the Catholic Church. There was a certainty in practices and beliefs, the church’s foundation had been strengthened and there was a base to grow. Catholicism had reestablished itself and it was a force to be dealt with. By the end of the sixteenth century the Catholic Church was still making some serious reforms. This reform movement which extended into the seventeenth century raised moral and educational standards of the clergy. All inspired by the church with a new zeal and morale. One must conclude that reform was needed.