Saturday, August 31, 2019

Marketing Strategies of Mcdonalds in India

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Marketing is a procedure of attracting prospective customers and consumers in your products and services. However the crucial word in the above sentence is â€Å"procedure â€Å", hence marketing incorporates researching, advertising, selling, and distributing your products or services. Hence we planned to focus on one of the best known brands worldwide, McDonald’s Corporation. The following executive summary presents the key marketing aspects of McDonald’s Corporation and should be read as a complement to the contents of this report. Summarized content Page No. †¢ Key facts about the firm. External environment forces and consumer behaviour. †¢ The concept of Marketing mix and its various aspects. †¢ Decision making process and brand image. 2 2 3 †¢ The Product Life cycle and what steps the company is taking to revitalise its existing products. †¢ The different communication strategies used by the company in advertising its p roducts and the varying styles of television advertising carried out since McDonald’s launch in India. †¢ The distribution and the supply chain network of the firm in India. †¢ The SWOT analysis of the firm along with inference and some recommendations. 8 9 10 1. 0 INTRODUCTION Marketing is understood by majority of business groups as simply to mean simply to promote, sell and advertise. But this is not entirely true as marketing incorporates all techniques from human behaviour and cultures through research, new product launch, product life cycle, advertising, public relations and finally the sales function. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) describes marketing as ‘the management method accountable for discovering, anticipating, and satisfying consumer requirement valuably. ’ Hence the most significant concept of marketing lies in knowing and understanding your customer. This report aims at investigating how McDonald’s Corporation, a global restaurant has achieved this enormous success in international growth and challenges due to its marketing strategies. 2. 0 BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION Out of the enormous market of fast food industry, McDonald's Corporation is the globe's fastest growing firm, with more than 20,000 restaurants in 100 countries (Vignali, 2001). In the UK, McDonald's operates a staggering 900 restaurants (www. bc. co. uk ). Initially it was started as a hot dog stand by Dick and Mac McDonald at California, USA in 1937. The business began in 1955 when Ray Kroc and the McDonald’s brothers opened a restaurant to the north of Chicago. From then on, McDonald's grew rapidly and today is known as an international brand. However, the cuisine menu has been changed to meet the demand and lifestyles of the customers. India has been a di fficult market for any overseas firm to do business considering its diversity and cultural differences. However McDonald’s established its first Indian outlet in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi in October 1996. McDonald's India has a 50-50 joint venture involving McDonald's Corporation, US and 2 Indian business men, Amit Jatia’s (Hard castle Restaurants Private Limited) and Vikram Bakshi (Connaught Plaza Restaurants Private Limited). About major percent of the menu available in McDonald’s in India is Indianized and exclusively designed to attract Indian consumers (Dash, 2005). But the success have not come at ease, the firm had to meet a lot of obstacles and problems in attaining its high standards. . 0 EXTERNAL MARKETING ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES McDonald’s faces many external marketing environmental forces, which the firm has to familiarize with and deal accordingly. With respect to environment forces, the firm has to adapt highly fragmented foodstuff marketplace and developing transportation. Considering the fact that India’s food expenditure is on the rise, Mc Donald’s also has to compete with the millions of road side stalls, dhabas (Regional Food Stalls) and carts which offer popular foodstuffs across India (Dash, 2005). Hence the company has come up with a variety of reasonable products at reasonable prices. In view of the cultural force, the firm has to conquer the major regional languages and the educational barrier among the people. Hence McDonald’s adapts to the local language and uses signs as a strong display of firm’s assurance to the localities (Chauhan, 2008). On the political front, the firm also has to check on the government intervention and pressure from various regional environmentalists and health camps (check http://www. hinduonnet. com ). Even on the economical front, some pressure exists as swadeshi (regional) mindset exists. The company also has to focus on the diverse distribution of income across the country. According to Mr Jatia, M. D, South and West Region, India, Indian people are increasing their visits to McDonald's as it has become more than an occasion meal especially to the middle class. (http://online. wsj. com ). Hence looking at the success, the fact can be drawn that both local management directors (Mr. Bakshi and Mr. Jatia) have played important roles in shaping McDonald’s to the prospects of the Indian market. . 0 MARKETING MIX The concept of Marketing Mix consisting of the 4P’ was formulated by McCarthy in 1975. This was used as principal foundation for many years. In the year 1996 Fifield and Gilligan added 3P’s (People, Process and Physical) to the existing 4P’s of Marketing Mix. These 3P’s are an integral part of services marketing. The 7P’s used to anal yse the Marketing Mix of McDonalds in India are: 1) Product (Features, Quality, Quantity): McDonalds aims to create standardized set of items, that taste same everywhere. But along with this it concentrates on localization by adapting to local tastes, customs, customer preferences etc. For example, McDonalds changed the ingredients of its ‘French Fries’ after it protested that it was made out of the oil from beef. This was done as Cow is considered sacred among Hindus in India. McDonalds has a variety of products specially made for the Indian market. Some of them are Vegetable McNuggets, Mutton based Maharaja Mac (as Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork). Apart from all these its menu includes beverages, frozen desserts and breakfasts combos. ) Place (Location, Number of Outlets): McDonalds follows concept of standardization in component of place also. The ambience and outlook all restaurants are the same. The reasons why most of its outlets in India are in Malls, shopping complexes, famous street markets is its locating strategies. It has over 130 outlets in 34 cities all over India. 3) Price (Strategy, Determinants, Levels ): In India McDonalds has set prices on the basis of the prices of its nearest organized competitors. For example, initially it set price in New Delhi on the basis of the price of Nirula’s, its biggest competitor in that area. Vignali, 2001) This way it attracted the customers, as they were getting an international brand at the price of a local brand. The pricing strategy of McDonalds with respect to competition is explained in the later stages of the report. 4) Promotion (Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relation): â€Å"Brand globally, advertise locally† is McDonald’s promotion strategy. (Vignali, 2001; Sander & Shani, 1991). For years it has maintained extensive promotion strategy. It focuses on children, overall eating experience and portrays itself as a ‘Family Restaurant’. Its global tag line is â€Å"I’m Lovin’ It†. Tag line to attract Indian customers is â€Å"Aap Ke Zamaane Mein Baap Ke Zamaane Ke Daam†, which means buy at a price, which your father used to buy in his days† 5) People (Quantity, Quality, Training, and Promotion): â€Å"The Company is strongly committed to staffing locally and promoting from within. This means that McDonald’s has managers who understand both the corporate and the local cultures† (Vignali, 2001). Particularly in India it is important to have local people, as language differs from state to state and staff from some other state might not be able to understand the local people’s language. ) Process (Blueprinting, Automation, Control Procedures): In McDonalds the procedure for making food is identical everywhere. For example, one out of two fries must measure 75mm, meat for Big Mac’s weighs 45g and is 20 per cent fat. (Vignali, 2001). The following is the process in McDonalds: 7) Physical (Cleanliness, Decor, and Ambience of t he Service): This is one of the most important components of the Marketing Mix. If the place where the food is served is not clean and hygienic then there will be no result from the components. Keeping this in mind, McDonalds aims at cleanliness, speed, quality and transparency of process. Strict standards of cleanliness are maintained at all times. 5. 0 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR In terms of consumer behaviour, McDonald’s associates its products with routine response behaviour and in some cases limited decision making for some classes. For example, enjoying a happy meal for some people may just be a case of hunger while some for some eating at McDonald's may be luxury and hence they may only turn up on occasions. Majority of the decision starts with experimental buying. Personal factors which affect the firm in relation to the consumer are demographic factors like age, gender and race. However the firm can also produce some situational factors like offering free sport coupons and offering 2 meals at one price (Deng, 2009). McDonald's also enhances the individual level of involvement by offering healthy meal packages for adults and toys for children. Bearing in mind the social factors, the firm has understood various cultures and classes across India. As different people have different local tastes, the firm produces products with a mix of regional taste (Dash, 2005). In terms of opinion leaders, celebrities are being increasingly used in marketing communication by marketers to lend personality to their products. 5. 1 UNDERSTANDING THE INDIAN CONSUMER Understanding an Indian consumer was extremely important for overcoming the challenges of expansion in India. Some facts of Indian consumer are that they have a high degree of family orientation. In solution to this? In India, McDonald’s has placed itself as a family restaurant. The foundation of its approach is to attract families and friends (Dash, 2005). Secondly Indian consumer is influenced by discounts and freebies. Hence the firm has constantly distributed free schemes on its products with its pricing strategies. Notable fact is that Indian consumers choose expensive products as they feel that price is an indicator of quality and they are likely to buy environmentally responsible products and packs as the environmental awareness has started affecting India. In response to this McDonald's attracts the consumers with good quality products and its ethical and ecological responsible products and packaging help in clean environment. . 2 DECISION MAKING PROCESS After investigating the behaviour of Indian Consumer, McDonald’s has produced an effective decision making process which involves five stages. The firm initially tries to recognize the desired need of the customer with its research on regional consumers. Secondly McDonald’s provides information of the products through internet, reports, media and campaigns which he lps the buyer to differentiate and understand the product better. Information related to pricing, offers and health are provided to the consumer. Thirdly McDonald’s provides a range of alternative products and its benefits to different consumers and helps them to evaluate accordingly. In the fourth stage the company uses its price strategy and benefits; the company aims to attract customers and their decisions to purchase their products. And finally, through quality and service, McDonald’s tries to improve its service with customers providing Post-purchase evaluation. 6. 0 BRANDING In terms of brand experience, McDonald’s is not just a product but a fast, clean and easy way for families to enjoy together. In view of the firm’s branding, McDonald's emphasizes on Customer driven and goal oriented techniques. According to Arvind Singhal, Head of Marketing at McDonald's India, McDonald's chooses to familiarize the customer with the brand in terms of a marketing communications. Since the brand image symbolizes how customers view the organisation, the company launched a clown named Ronald. Sitting on the Ronald McDonald bench and pumping sauce from the sauce machine became brand rituals for children. Hence the company ensured that it as to be aware of fundamental needs by identifying, predicting and serving their consumers rather than just selling the product (http://www. businessweek. com ). Hence the firm concentrates not only on delivering products for the instant demand but also defending the long term brand status. Family values being important in India, McDonald’s promotion assured that it’s is not just a fast-food joint but a quick, healthy and easy way for famil ies to relish together. Thus McDonald's focuses not only on delivering sales for the immediate present but also protecting the long term brand reputation. . 0 COMPETITION AND RECESSION In terms of pricing strategies, which is a part of marketing, McDonald’s faces tough competition on several fronts. Traditional rivals such as Pizza Hut, KFC and most importantly the local dhabas and road side stalls are eating reasonable margins of McDonald’s sales. Considering the prices, a happy meal in Pizza Hut which consists of 2 pizzas would approximately cost ? 4. 5 (Rs 350) and similarly a burger and drink at a KFC outlet would cost around ? 1. 5 (Rs 120). But with its consumer value strategies, McDonald’s offers a happy meal at only (Rs 90) ? 1. 12 (www. businessworld. in ) Recession may affect organisations to change their marketing policies because as recession occurs, the consumer spends less money on the product or switches to alternatives of low cost. But recession seems to be an advantage for McDonald’s as Consumers will cut back on high-end dining, and McDonald's is the beneficiary as they provide food at reasonable prices. (www. europe. wsj. com ). The company also introduces new offers accordingly to the situation. McDonald's has benefiting from its worldwide existence during the present recession, by the launch of new products like McAloo Tikki (prepared with potato and vegetables) and the Maharaja Mac in India (http://money. cnn. com/2009 ). According to Vikram Bakshi, M. D of McDonald's operations in India, McDonald's will be doubling-up its returns in three years, and tripling our restaurants in the next five years. Currently the fast-food chain has 123 outlets in India (http://in. reuters. com ). 8. 0 PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE Underpinning the product life cycle concept is the belief that products move through a sequential, predetermined pattern of development similar to the biological path that life forms follow. This pathway is known as the Product Life Cycle (PLC)† (Baines et al. , 2008). According to Kotler & Keller (2009), a company’s positioning and differentiation strategy must change as the product, market and the competitors change over its PLC. [pic] Figure 1 As it can be s een from the above figure a product basically has five stages, with four of them directly related to the consumers who in many terms dictate different aspects or the whole of product. Thus all products have a limited life for the consumer as well as the product. Since McDonald’s is a company that deals in food items, its products will have a definitive period within which they have to get acquainted to the customers tastes, grow in value and earn profits for the company. Also since the McDonald’s products are perishable they have a short life cycle (see www. bbc. co. uk). Thus regular innovation of the food items is required by McDonald’s. For instance, McDonald’s French Fries have been an important part of the company’s menu worldwide. But in India, at one stage their sales were on decline. To counter this problem the management tried to implement certain steps. They introduced the fries with a mix of certain Indian spices. The product came to be known as Shake Shake Fries. This was well received by the consumers and it once again revitalised the sales of the fries. Thus without cannibalising the existing product a new product was created by the firm to delay the decline of a well established product which had the potential to generate income (Ghosh et al. , 2009). 9. 0 MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS The managerial system that ensures timely and comprehensive input to the corporate information and the decision making process and consequence production and expression of credible, persuasive representations of beneficial exchange opportunities with actual and prospective customers and other stake holders. (Varey, 2002). On a more a simple terms it is the method of communicating the right message, through the right medium, to the correct audience (see www. thetimes. biz). If a firm fails to comprehend these steps, it may result in its product failure. The communication methods adopted by McDonald’s in India are as follows, Newspapers, Journals and other forms of Print Media †¢ Television advertisements †¢ Point of Sale Display †¢ Merchandising †¢ Direct Mail †¢ Door drops †¢ Demonstrations †¢ Tele-Marketing(see www. thetimes. biz) Thus effective communication is, when the company develops a campaign which makes use of the above methods to ge t the desired results. Considering only the Television Advertisements of McDonald’s in India, these were not on the company’s radar until the turn of the century (see www. thetimes. biz). This was despite its entry into the Indian market in the latter part of 1996. This step was undertaken by the company so that it could concentrate more on the development of its stores, improve the quality of its products and tailor its global menu to suit the Indian tastes. It was only after 2000 that the first advert of the firm was telecast. â€Å"The first advert of the firm featured a child who suffers stage fright and is unable to recite a poem. On entering McDonald's, he easily recites it in the store's familiar environment. † This advert of the company basically focussed on McDonald’s being a comfortable and a familiar place (Chaturvedi, 2008). The next ad was based on a family moving to a new place. The kid in the family feels lonely in the new surroundings until he finds a McDonald’s. This ad was basically the friendliness of the McDonald’s personnel. Also the management of the firm in India noted that the local people were price sensitive. Thus they took out and ad with a tag of ‘Yesteryear’s Prices’. â€Å"It features Bollywood stars from past decades together with their sons and a message that prices have not risen in line with the passage of time† (Chaturvedi, 2008). Thus McDonald’s with a clear agenda timed their ads to perfection which gave them good returns. McDonald’s also with its advertisements gave its tagline utmost importance. This is evident from the fact that its initial ads were delivered with a punch line â€Å"McDonald’s Mein Hai Kuch Baat† which translates to ‘There is something special in McDonald’s’. When McDonald’s had been successfully established, its tagline changed to â€Å"To Aaj McDonald’s Ho Jaye† which means ‘Why not celebrate with McDonald’s today†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Vikram Bakshi, MD, McDonald’s India). He also adds that the main focus of the company with its advertisements was to change the perception of the Indians that McDonald’s was an ‘American brand with typical American values’. As Arvind Singhal, Head of Marketing at McDonald's India says â€Å"From a marketing communications standpoint, we chose to focus on familiarizing the customer with the brand. † Presently all of the McDonald’s communication strategies are focused to move the consumers to some kind of action. This may either be to visit the restaurant, buy the product or recommend it to a friend. It is also framed so that the consumers remember the product. Thus the mantra of the firm is that the more it knows about the people it is serving the more it will be able to communicate messages that appeal to them. 0. 0 DISTRUBUTION AND SUPPLY CHAIN McDonald’s uses an outsourcing model al all its markets, in some places it actively imports but in India gets materials from different places in India (Dash, 2005) it has suppliers all over India, supplying different inputs. This is done on order to procure best quality of input at the best possible price. Selecting a supplier involves a fou r step process. In each step the prospective supplier is evaluated carefully. Only item imported is the equipment to dish out burgers. The major suppliers in India are: Input Product |Supplier Company |Location | |Iceburg Lettuce |Trikaya Agriculture |Talegacon(Maharashtra) | | |Ooty Farms |Ooty | | |Meena Argitech |Delhi | |Cheese |Dynamix Dairy |Baramati (Maharashtra) | |Milk & Milk Products for Frozen Desserts |Amrit Food |Delhi and Mumbai | |Buns & Sauces |1)Cremica Industries |Philluar (Punjab) | | |2) Shah Bector and Sons |Khopoli ( Maharashtra) | | | | | |Patties, Pies & Pizza puffs |Vista Processed Foods |Taloja | (Dash, 2005) The entire distribution process is carried on by AFL Logistics Ltd, McDonald’s official partner in logistics and supply chain. 10. 1 DISTRIBUTION McDonalds in India uses what is called as a ‘Cold Chain’. This means that the vegetables are stored in cold storage from the moment it is harvested. These are then transported to restaurants in refrigerated vans. Semi – finished products are also stored a particular temperature. This ensures freshness and maintains the moisture level of the food. In the restaurant also the products are refrigerated. In the restaurant the deliveries are made to the customer within 60 seconds and the mode of service is self service. This is done to maintain speedy and quick service. 11. 0 SWOT ANALYSIS McDonald’s in India has been for around for around 13 years. Till now it has complimented the values and the cultures of the locals in an extremely ethical way. But still it has some weaknesses and threats, which if not countered, may well become grave. Thus the SWOT analysis shows the areas where the firm can build up on its existing strong image. ? Strengths †¢ Strong Brand – The McDonald’s Corporation in India has been able to live up to its global image of being able to handle any type of market. It has shown that by adopting the right approach and methods, any market can yield positive results. This has not only consolidated its powerful image and strong brand values but also has made the job difficult for the new entrants. Customer Intimacy – The firm in India with its correct mix of communication has been able to tap majority of the audience it focused on and has also developed affection from the large children populace of the country with its Children Centric ads. †¢ Product Innovation – the Compan y with its timely product innovation has regularly kept the consumers interested in its menu which caters to their tastes. †¢ Variety in Menu, Reasonable Prices and Great Service – Also with wide options in the menu McDonald’s also offers great prices with burgers starting from Rs20 ( Around 15p) plus with ‘1 Minute Service’ customers do not return disappointed from the place. ? Weakness †¢ Product on the scale of Health – McDonald’s in India is still not selling products which are good for health or which are made keeping consumers fitness. They are trying to fine tune their menu by adding more baked products rather than fried patties, but apart from McCurry Pan (launched 2003) it has not been able to introduce more healthy products (Dash, 2005). This fact forces many health conscious people to avoid the place altogether. ? Opportunities †¢ Expanding in Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities – Despite the firm’s success in the urban and the metropolitan cities of India, McDonald’s has still not explored the whole of the country. This is due to the fact that the smaller cities in India are more inclined towards the home cooked food and eating fast food out is generally limited to local food joints that specialize in Indian cuisine. This presents a good prospect for the company to experiment with its menu, as McDonald’s has already localized its menu to a very great extent in the country. Entry into Breakfast Category – One of the other things that the company has still not made a complete foray into is the ‘Breakfast Menu’. McDonald’s have started only a couple of outlets in Mumbai and Delhi on experimental basis that serve Breakfast menu in December 2008. The options in this menu are available from 7 am to 11am in the morning. But the company is still to operate it on a large scale. †¢ Strong Beverage Brand – McDonald’s in India have till now only concentrated on to the food items they serve. The beverages they offer are just plain Coke available in small and large and coffee, tea and hot chocolate with no proper advertising. But it still has the opportunity to advertise and bring in its own brand of beverage as compared to something like Star Bucks’ The beverage may hot or cold and would give McDonald’s its own identity in the market which is dominated by Coke and Pepsi. ? Threats †¢ Changing Customer Lifestyle – Today, India has changed considerably as compared to 10 years back. Simultaneously the customer tastes are changing at a very fast pace. McDonald’s needs to keep this thing in mind since the customer taste for a particular product in today’s environment is very short-lived. †¢ Increased Competition – Today with the increasing number of malls and shopping centers in India, the number of fast food joints and restaurants has increased significantly that offer similar kind of food at comparable prices. This can turn out to be a disadvantage to the company since it mainly concentrates on opening its franchises in these malls. 12. 0 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS From the above report it is clear that McDonald’s marketing strategies in India have been successful. With complete understanding of the consumer and considering the various marketing environments, executing very reasonable prices to timely product innovation and lastly extremely effective communication techniques have included India in their long list of successful countries. The only thing that the company needs to focus on is to try and add more menu choice and variety to promote healthier lifestyles. Also it should contemplate its already existing operations before continuing expansion in rder to increase their profit margin and since India is a developing country the firm should try and concentrate on penetrating, at timely intervals, into more budding cities. 13. 0 REFERENCES Baines, P. , Fill, C. , Page, K. (200 8) Marketing Oxford University Press, New York. Chaturvedi, P. (2008) Super-localize me: how McDonald's evolved its marketing in India, Warc Exclusive. Chauhan, G. (2008) Language in India, Languages Group, Vol 8, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India. Deng, T. (2009) McDonald’s New Communication Strategy on Changing Attitudes and Lifestyle, International Journal Of Marketing studies, Vol 1, SolBridge International School of Business, South Korea. Fifield, P. and Gilligan, C. 1996) Strategic Marketing Management, Butterworth- Heinemann, Oxford. Ghosh, R. , Balaji, D. , Shah, J. , Sherlekar, N. , Sidana, D. , (2009) McDonald’s: Behind Golden Arches. Kotler, P. & Keller, K. L. (2009) Marketing Management, 13th Edn, Pearson Prentice Hall, USA. McCarthy. (1975) Basic Marketing: A Management Approach, Irwin, Homewood, pg – 98. Media Trust, The Institute For Volunteering Research (1997) Introduction To Marketing, Volunteering England and the Centre for Inst itutional Studies at the University of East London, UK. Prof. Dash, K. (2005) McDonald’s in India, The Garvin School of International Management, USA. Sander. D. M. & Shani. D (1991) â€Å"Brand Globally but Advertise Locally? An Empirical Investigation, International Marketing Review, Vol – 9, No – 4, pg – 18 – 29. Varey, R. J. (2002) Marketing Communication: Principles and Practice, Route ledge, London,pp 127-129. Vignali. C (2001) McDonalds: Think Global, Act Local – The Marketing Mix, British Food Journal, Vol – 103, No -2, pg – 97 – 111. INTERNET REFERENCES http://www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2/A593525 – viewed on November 16, 2009 http://www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2/A3816740 – viewed on November 16, 2009 http://www. hinduonnet. com/2001/05/06/stories/01060003. htm – viewed on November 16, 2009 http://online. wsj. com/article/SB124628377100868055. html – viewed on November 16, 2009 http://www. businessweek. om/innovate/content/may2006/id20060508_952455. htm – viewed on November 16, 2009 http://www. bbc. co. uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/marketing/productlifecyclerev1. shtml – viewed on November 23, 2009. http: //in. reuters. com/article/businessNews/idINIndia-29999520071015 – viewed on November 23, 2009. http://money. cnn. com/2009/07/10/news/companies/mcdonalds_global_international_menu. fortune/index. htm – viewed on November 23, 2009. http://www. businessworld. in/bw/2009_10_10_Quickening_Service. html – viewed on November 23, 2009. ———————– DELIVERY UNIVERSAL HOLDING CABINET ASSEMBLER INITIATOR FROZEN FOOD MATERIAL

Managerial Analysis: BYP6-2 Essay

Breakeven Point – Fixed Expenses / Contribution Margin Ratio Current Approach: 200,000 / .4 = $500,000 Automated Approach:600,000 / .8 = $750,000 The current approach without investing in the new robotic painting booth has a higher margin of safety (Total Sales- Breakeven sales = Margin of safety. Current: $2,000,000 – $500,000 = $1,500,000 Automated: $2,0000,000 – $750,000 = $1,250,000 Using the current approach, they cannot increase capacity and would have to turn sales away. As long as they are beyond the break-even of 500,000 for the automated approach, they can improve their sales and possibly their contribution margin and gross margin with purchasing the robot painting booth. On the down side, they would have to possibly lay off 25 of their skilled painters, which is not good for the community where the business is located. (c) Using the current level of sales, compute the margin of safety ratio under each approach and interpret your findings. Current ApproachAutomated Approach Actual Sales$2,000,000$2,000,000 Break-Even Sales$500,000$750,000 Actual Sales$2,000,000$2,000,000 Margin of Safety Ratio0.750.625 (Actual Sales- Break-Even Sales)/Actual Sales= Margin of Safety Ratio The purpose of margin of safety ratio is to evaluate the relative impact if the changes in sales would have on each approach. The difference in the ratio represents the difference in risks between Current and Automated Approach. To find the ratio, we use actual sales minus the break-even sales; the result is the margin safety ratio. Generally speaking, this ratio is the lower the better because it indicates the risk of operating loss; in this case, the Automated Approach is more favorable to the company. (d) Determine the degree of operating leverage for each approach at current sales levels. How much would the company’s net income decline under each approach with a 10% decline in sales? Current ApproachAutomated Approach Contribution Margin$800,000$1,600,000 Net Income$600,000$1,000,000 Degree of Operating Leverage1.331.60 Contribution Margin/ Net Income= Degree of Operating Leverage We find the degree by using contribution margin / Net Income of each approach; the results are the degree of operating leverage. This approach is important to the decision makers because the analysis indicates the earnings volatility; in general, higher operating leverage indicates a higher earnings volatility risk. The degree of operating leverage is an important tool aiming the company to know the behaviors of its competitors; as well as the comparison of two approaches if the management considering to adopt a new approach to replace the existing one. Assume the net income of each approach decline with a 10% decline in sales, the net income under Current Approach will reduce by 13.3% (1.33*10%), and the net income under the automated approach will decrease by 16% (1.60*10%). The conclusion is Automated Approach exposes to a higher earnings volatility risk because it has a higher  operating leverage. (e) At what level of sales would the company’s net income be the same under either approach? The level of sales that the company’s net income would be the same under either approach is $1,000,000. .6x + 200,000 = .2x + 600,000 .8x = 800,000 x = $1,000,000 (f) Discuss the issues that the company must consider in making this decision. Many items need to be considered before the company makes a decision. The automated approach has a lower margin of safety should sales decline meaning the company would lose money quicker than if it remain under the original approach. The operating leverage is also higher under the automated approach. All of the calculations indicate a greater risk to the company under the automated approach, but as often happens this is the approach that also offers the greatest potential for profits if sales continue to grow. These risks need to be weighed carefully to protect the company’s income.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Lead and Manage Group Living for Adults Essay

I work in a residential care home and as much as we try our very best to individualise and personalise care plans, bedrooms, give freedom of choice wherever possible, the home still has barriers to full freedom and because of the shared living space, it can be difficult for the residents to have their own space. The decision to come into a residential care setting usually means that the resident needs that extra support and wants the extra company and reassurance that being in a care home gives. Person centred care is set to enable everyone to live as independently as possible, but the reality is, people need care. Residential care homes and sheltered living accommodation have improved greatly when we compare the institutions of many years ago, the asylums, where people with all sorts of disabilities were held together. There were numerous reports of abuse in such places, which led to them closing and a more community style care service was put in place. Now there are many different options for the elderly, there is a lot of elderly people in Wales that are maintaining their independence at home, with a care package. Carers from an agency call several times throughout the day, night, depending on what the social services think they require, or what they can afford privately. As much as I think this is great, as it must be heartbreaking to give up your family home, it concerns me, as I hear horror stories of the elderly being left for several hours, maybe falling, sitting in their own urine or excrement and having limited choices throughout their day as to when they can get up out of bed, go to bed or even eat. The carers have allocated time slots each day and are allowed only a set time with each house visit, and then in-between they might be alone for long periods. I know that such people can have a lifeline, which they can press to get assistance, the lifeline reaches a call centre and the call centre will then contact the named people on their list to go and see if all is well, or might send an ambulance if they feel the need. Lifelines are a great idea, if they are used correctly, I have heard of several who leave theirs at the side of the bed, they either cannot reach, or fall whilst visiting the toilet and are unable to get to it. I have also heard tales of people pressing their lifeline to get some response off someone, someone to talk to, some company, as they are lonely or even fretful during the lonely  night hours. Sheltered accommodation is a great idea, each person has their own individual flat, often with a main front door with different door alarms on so they can call on the person they are visiting and go straight to see them. These flats are contained, small, easy to get around and keep clean, they can have call leads in several rooms in case of an emergency, they can cook for themselves if they so require, make themselves tea, watch what they want on the television and live quite independently. There used to be a warden present 24 hours a day, well almost, a 9-5 day shift, and then sleep in, during the night to be available in case of an emergency. Of course now there are so many cutbacks that live in wardens have been stopped throughout Wales, possibly elsewhere. There are now teams of 3 or 4 wardens that look after several establishments, they take turns to go around each unit, calling on the residents to ensure they are ok, they are usually there 9-1, half a day, then if the residents have any issues they must use their lifeline, or the emergency chord, which instead of being linked to the warden is now linked to a head office, who will contact relevant help for the resident. A residential home, I can only speak of ours, I have worked in 2 other nursing homes as well as the residential home I currently work in. Our home is homely, not clinical, it has carpet, not laminate or tiled flooring and it has a beautiful garden and outlook, large communal areas, including a big conservatory and lounge space split into two sides. The home is decorated tastefully for the residents, with flowers and plants and pictures, homely but not cluttered, the residents bedrooms are personalised by themselves with their belongings and choice of dà ©cor. The home does its best to treat every resident in a person centred approach, but it can be difficult to meet all needs accordingly. There are set meal times, which can be flexible to a point, they are offered alternative menu choices, but it isn’t always convenient for residents to eat whenever they so chose to. I must say that the residents are offered several snacks and drinks throughout the day so are very rarely hungry. The residents are able to come and go to their rooms as they wish, if they are safe to do so. The residents have a choice of communal area, or to go out and sit in the garden if they wish. Their meals are served in a communal dining room, but there are a few ladies that prefer  to sit alone in the communal areas to eat their meal, which is fine. There are carers available 24 hours a day, to assist as little or as much as needed for each resident, they are assisted with personal care, if required, with meals and much more. Throughout the home there is a nurse call buzzer system, if a resident needs help they can just buzz the buzzer, which is linked to a panel that shows the care staff where the buzzer has gone off so they can go and assist in whatever way needed. The home has a lift and a chair lift, aids in the bathrooms, toilets and showers, a laundry facility, a kitchen, domestic assistants, etc. I imagine many people compare the residential care setting to the hotel model of care, where residents come into care and do nothing much for themselves anymore. Maybe a lot of that is true, but not because they are not allowed to do anything for themselves, but because many chose not to, they are old, tired and have health complications and restrictions and want a rest. There are a few residents who like keeping busy and love to help with tasks around the home, laying tables, wiping tops, collecting cups, folding napkins, which is fantastic, but there are more that aren’t interested in any domestic chores. Housing with care for later life, a review written for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, suggests that there are so many different levels of housing facilities and choices available as a result of how care has developed in the UK over the last 20 years, with things changing to meet the needs of the tenants. Housing with some care is the most popular option that social and health care professionals like to choose for as many as possible, it seems to be the most popular as it is the most independent way of living for the elderly, with some level of support and security if needed. Extra care housing, which are establishments that provide a meal, additional services , barrier free environments are also known as very sheltered housing, I know very little about or I don’t know of any in my area, but they sound great. (Oldsman 200, Baker 2002) have written about such housing. There isn’t much difference between them and residential care homes, except they have their own front doors and are called tenants or owners, they can go and mix with other tenants in communal areas if they wish and are provided with a meal and the use of communal facilities or assisted technologies if they want them. It is important to consider an individual’s safety as well as their own choices, safety and security are as important as freedom of choice, as there are many elderly people that are extremely vulnerable and think that they are able to do much more than they can. Take for example Mrs H in our home; she loves to sit in her room alone for hours at a time. She is unable to walk, only transfer from chair to chair, to bed etc, she is a really bad epileptic and once she has a fit, it is difficult for ambulance staff, when called to bring her out of the fit, she usually requires hospital assistance as she has trouble breathing during her fit. She asks to go to her room all the time, but it is a huge risk and Mrs H has severe mental health issues after a brain bleed has been deemed to not have capacity to make safe decisions for herself. Several times when she has fitted, the care staff have seen it start in the lounge as they pass by and have managed to get to her in time to put her in the recovery position and remove anything that might cause her more harm Mrs H doesn’t understand when trying to explain to her why she is unable to go and sit in her room for hours at a time, but does go up for shorter time periods. It is important that any care setting is tastefully decorated to suit the residents that live there, to look homely, welcoming, and familiar, kept clean, and refurbished whenever necessary. Residents will feel more positive if they are in a pleasant environment, with a nice outlook, with comfortable furniture to sit on, with accessible amenities they can use themselves, a TV, drinks machine, books, music equipment, suitable lighting etc. Legal requirements have made a huge impact on care offered to the elderly today, when we look back at how things have changed, we have definitely come along way, but I would definitely not say we are there yet, as things are always changing, people change, and we need to also. Individualistic consumer led approach to care in the 80’s and 90’s led to the government looking at decreasing the dependency culture, to enable people to be as independent at they could. There have been many changes over the years with the financial support given to those with various needs, which enables them to choose their level of care and support and where they wish to live etc. The 1989 Caring for People white paper led the way for care in the community, as well as the NHS Community Care Act 1990, which promoted independent living for people with a more flexible care  service. In 200 the Care Standards Act came into place, they are basically in place to regulate all care facilities to ensure that everything within their power is being done to a satisfactory level. Along with the regulating, they also inspect care settings and have power to make big decisions and requirements for each place they visit, as a result of this Act we now have the National Minimum standards to adhere to.

Person Centred Approach Essay

The definition of person centred values is treating and seeing people in a care setting as equals, who are involved in decision making to promote an independent way of life and to ensure that the care that is provided is appropriate to their needs. It takes into account service users views and needs and places them, along with their family at the centre of all decision making. Working in a way that embeds person centred values is important to meet the needs of my service user. With my clients it helps to build relationships with them and their family members to ensure a good quality of life and provide the best possible quality of care. This ranges from me attending to my service users personal care needs in a respectful way and to support them to achieve tasks on their own, to choices of what activities they would like to do that can help them to express their individuality or help them to create new relationships and overcome any feelings of social exclusion or devaluation. I also believe it’s important to respect any religious or cultural beliefs that they may have and support the individual to follow their chosen faith. Read more:  Person Centred Care Firstly I would look at the way in which I communicate with my service user. If they are verbal the simplest way I find out about the individual is to talk directly to them as it allows them to fully express themselves and make their own decisions. If non verbal then I would communication methods such as makaton, picture cards and visual aids to learn of their likes and dislikes. Another way is to speak with siblings as they could provide information the client may be unaware of or may have forgotten but also so they are included in the building of the care plan and it helps me build an understanding and a relationship with them. Talking with social workers, previous support workers, doctors or any other professional involved in the clients care an also provide information about their preferences and anything that may be important to the individual. With these methods it helps me find as much information as possible about my service user. In order to take into account the history, preferences, wishes and needs of an individual when planning care and support I would refer to the principles of person centred care. Rather than just supplying a service, each person should be treated as an individual by offering a personalised service specific to their needs and preferences. For example if an individual enjoyed an activity such as walking but needed support to do so I would plan a time for a walk so that the individual would get enjoyment from doing activities they choose and feel valued. Also, they should be treated them with the same dignity and respect you would want for a member family of your own. Refer to support plans to ensure the highest level of person centred care is maintained. Each individual’s care plan outlines and details the service user’s preferences and day to day requirements so that they receive the specific care and daily support they require from the level of support required with an individual’s personal hygiene and how to do it in a respectful way to what food and activities they like. The information is centred on the individuals wants and needs to ensure independence and choice rather than control, choice should always be offered regardless of importance of the activity or task, therefore each individual’s care plan contributes to working in a person centred way. The term consent means giving permission to do something or agreement to an action and in a care setting consent is needed for a number of things. With my clients I need to ask for consent for administering medication, for help with bills, finances and banking, help with certain type of care such as bathing and personal hygiene. It’s important to gain consent for all activities as lack of it could be deemed as abuse as I would forcing someone to perform or to take part in a task or an activity they don’t want to be involved in. Consent however should not just be gained, but the client must fully understand what they are consenting to and any possible implications that the action or task can imply. It is also essential for protecting myself from any legal challenge. There are a few ways to establish an individual’s consent but it depends upon the individuals preferred communication. The methods I use with my clients are verbal, written notes, visual aids such as picture cards, makaton, some individuals communicate physically with body movements such as a nod or through a representative or advocate. Any of these are forms establishing consent that i would look to use with my clients. Establishing consent will vary as each individual’s capacity to consent is assessed. If consent cannot be established first steps would be to not carry out the task and document the information. If a person is mentally incapable of providing consent then you should refer to the individuals care/support plan that may have been established at a time when they were capable of making informed decisions. If this fails, consent can be given by next of kin or an advocate however I would ensure my client must be involved as much as possible to adhere to person centred values. Active participation is a way of working that allows an individual to be completely involved in every aspect of their lives. This could be what my service users have to eat, what they wear when they go out or go to work in, or it could be planning tasks and activities for the week ahead, deciding on where to go such as day trips out or holidays, arranging appointments to the doctors or the dentists and active participation in services that relate to their own care. Helping to be in control of their lives rather that a passive recipient. Active participation helps individuals by benefitting them in a number of ways. I believe it gives them independence and makes the service user feel in control of their own lives rather than having decisions made for them or having few choices. There are many benefits I’ve noticed such as growth in confidence in social situations, a sense of well being, a sense of achievement of taking control of their lives and I’ve noticed the mental and physical stimulation it also brings. Also encouraging individuals to participate in the planning and arranging of their own care increases their self confidence, independence and it is empowering. There are many ways to reducing barriers of active participation. In order to reduce any barriers to active participation you have to look at what the barriers could be. They could be lack of confidence or self esteem, a lack of opportunity to activities, difficulty in communication and lack of patience of others. To overcome these barriers I support my service users by offering them choices and in every aspect of their day to day lives and offering them opportunity to plan and do activities they enjoy which improves their confidence. I think it’s very important to have the patience to listen to service users and take time to understand how they feel and I find by discussing why they feel like this and talking through it can increase their feeling of self esteem. Communication barriers can be overcome by staff development and training, language and makaton are tools that can be learnt, but there other ways like picture cards and hand gestures I use with some service users to offer choices and to make decisions when they are non verbal. The method I find best to encourage active participation is by communicating and offering choices and then giving praise and encouragement to service users to increase their confidence to then go on to make more decisions in different aspect of their lives for themselves. I find it’s good to look for local events or if they show an interest in a hobby you could find out about local groups that would be prepared to support the individual to participate. You should always highlight the benefits of the activity and getting family members to join in with activities can make a big difference to encouraging participation from individuals. I would support an individual to make informed choices by giving the individual the full information regarding that decision. I would explain the positive and the negative effects of that decision regardless of my beliefs or views as my personal view should not influence an individual’s choice. The choices and decisions can be as simple offering the full information on items when supporting individuals with shopping, giving information on price and helping to find offers or decisions that may require risk assessments to make the individual fully aware of the any risks that may be involved. I believe all staff in a care setting should help to  empower their client by offering the information, knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions. I think risk taking can be part of an individual’s choices because there is risk in many day to day things that we do. Due to the nature of an individual’s disability, a simple task could be deemed a risk and would need risk assessing to make them fully aware of any potential dangers or threats to the individual’s safety. It’s important to make individuals aware of any risks or hazards Risk assessment processes are used to make an individual aware of the positive and negative consequences involved when for example taking part in an activity, we look at and record the risks and hazards involved and then decide if the risk is worth taking. However there are benefits that have to be taken in to consideration as new activities promote confidence and empowers individuals to live more independent lives. Having choice is an individual’s right, risk assessments provide support for them to make decisions in the safest way possible. I believe a worker’s personal views should not influence an individual’s choices because that is taking away their right to make informed choices. My views for example are not fact and should not be used to influence any decisions or life choices. I could inform an individual if a certain food was bad for them and suggest a healthier option however whatever they decide is their choice. Another example is religious or cultural choices and beliefs, my views are my own and I would support them to attend religious or cultural services and acknowledge religious holidays.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Political Attitude

Essay #3 Emily Sawyer Civics and Economics H: Mr. Gain 3rd block 10/28/11 An individual’s political attitude can transpire from many sources. These sources can be identified as one’s Personal Background, the media’s influence, and an individual’s claimed opinion. Personal Background has a large effect on a person’s political attitude because it includes family, experiences in a person’s life, and that person’s age. People become accustomed to their own lives, and don’t realize how much every little thing about you makes you who you are.Political attitude can be based on what an individual’s family has been telling them about the United States Government, but these things parents are telling their children, are the parent’s outlooks and attitudes. Such as a person who grew up with a full family of Republicans will most likely be a Republican. It’s almost like their family brainwashed them into having an exclu sive political perspective. People can develop a political attitude through the experiences in their life such as where that person grew up as a child, or their family’s economic class.A person who grew up in the southern states might be influenced to be a republican because in recent elections, southern state’s votes such as Alabama and Georgia’s came out as Republican. Age can also play a role in this because as everything changes and everyone changes, as so do times. Important events that would influence a person’s political view occur at different times. Media plays a role in the influence of political attitudes of American citizens today because within the last 50 years, there has been a significant advancement in technology.First there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet. A regular person wakes up in the morning and either reads the newspaper or a magazine, or some type of news. So, just becau se one article says something about their political view, a person who often reads and agrees with the magazine might start thinking the same thing. Again, some type of brainwashing. In work we usually know what we have to do based on our experiences and studies, however in our daily lives we rely on the media to get the current news and facts about what is important and what we should be aware of.An individual’s opinion is usually a combination of everything they know on the subject and what they are told and are willing to believe. So, our decisions, beliefs and values are based on what we know for a fact, our assumptions and our own experience. An individual’s political attitude can transpire from many sources. These sources can be identified as one’s Personal Background, the media’s influence, and an individual’s claimed opinion. A person’s political outlook can also change due to many of these things.

HIPPA Tutorial Summary Essay

HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA privacy rule was passed by congress in August of 2002. According to Understanding Health Information Privacy (2014), â€Å"The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for individually identifiable health information held by covered entities and their business associates and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of health information needed for patient care and other important purposes.† The Security Rule specifies a sequence of administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for covered entities and their business associates to use to assure the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of electronic protected health information (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). The HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, tutorials are a memento that there is c ontinuous need for progress on the part of health care professionals and individuals. There is a strong need among health care professionals to know the guidelines, rules and regulations to stay within the laws set onward by the federal government. What did you learn from the HIPAA tutorial? The HIPAA tutorial was very educational and informative. I learned many things from this tutorial; however, I found the online information the most fascinating. Personally, I started in healthcare soon before we had EMR’s (electronic medical records) or as HIPPA calls them, EHR’s (electronic health records). A majority of us feel that our health information is personal as well as private and should be protected. The federal government put in position the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to ensure you have rights over your own personal  health information, no matter what form it is in (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). The government also created the HIPAA Security Rule to require specific protections to safeguard your electronic health information (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). A few possible procedures that can be built in to EHR/EMR systems may include: â€Å"Access control† tools like PIN numbers and passwords, to help limit access to your information to authorized individuals (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). â€Å"Encrypting† your stored information. That means your health information cannot be understood or read except by those using a system that can â€Å"decrypt† it with a â€Å"key† (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). An â€Å"audit trail† characteristic, which records who accessed your information, when and what changes were made (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). There is so much new technology and more modern advances in technology to come. With just about everything being based on computers comes with a whole new set of procedures and policies to keep individuals personal health information private. Federal law requires hospitals, doctor offices, doctors, and other health care providers/professionals to notify you of a â€Å"breach† (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). The law also requires the health care providers/professionals to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). The Understanding Health Information Privacy (2014) â€Å"If a breach affects more than 500 residents of a state or jurisdiction, the health care provider must also notify prominent media outlets serving the state or jurisdiction.† This requirement helps patients know if something has gone erroneous with the protection of their information and helps keep providers accountable for HER/EMR protection (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Also, I did not know before the tutorial explained it that there are several layers of protection each computer system has. The different types of  protection systems have are fire wall, virus detection, cryptography, and intrusion detection systems (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Firewalls get rid and/or locate viruses (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Virus detection blocks distrustful traffic from entering the computer system (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Cryptography preserves confidentiality (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Intrusion detection systems look for patterns of misuse (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). The tutorial provided imperative information on integrity, confidentiality, and availability of all e-PHI’s created. Integrity is based on an individual’s values and trust (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Confidentiality is shielding information from unofficial disclosure (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Availability is appropriate authorized people having access to individuals personal health (medical) information that is required (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). All of the knowledge I have learned from the HIPPA tutorial I will be able to use not only in my future health care career but also as a patient myself. Why is this information important? Privacy allows us to make our own decisions free from compulsion (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). Privacy is valuable because it facilitates and/or promotes other essential values including ideals of personhood such as (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014): †¢ Personal autonomy (the ability to make personal decisions) (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). †¢ Individuality (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). †¢ Respect and †¢ Dignity and worth as human beings (Understanding Health Information Privacy, 2014). †Informational privacy is seen as enhancing individual autonomy by allowing individuals control over whom may access different parts of their personal information† (Pritts, 2010). It also allows people to maintain their dignity, to keep some characteristic of their life or behavior to themselves (merely because it would be embarrassing for other people to know about it) (Pritts, 2010). Pritts (2010), †Privacy also allows people to protect their assets or to avoid sharing information with others who would use it against them, such as discrimination by employers, educators, or insurers.† An individual’s health/medical records can include some of the most intimate details about a person’s life. They document a patient’s physical and mental health, and can include information on social behaviors, personal relationships and financial status (Pritts, 2010). I learned a huge amount of important information from the HIPAA tutorial. Case in point: the HIPAA law was passed in August of 2002 and it requires a covered entity to secure patient records containing individually identifiable health information so that the confidentiality of the information is protected (HIPAA Security Basics: Health Care Workforce, 2004-2010) (Hippa Health, 2010). Another item I learned was the six steps to comply and document each process (Hippa Health, 2010). Throughout the tutorial it discussed an assortment of information about risk assessments, viruses, and denial of services, hackers, and breaches and consequences of HIPAA Security policy (Hippa Health, 2010). How will you use this information in the future? The information I learned from the HIPAA tutorial will help not only me but other health care professionals to understand how important complying with the rules and regulations has to be in order to provide the best protection for patient information. Understanding the regulations implemented in HIPAA will help health care professionals make the right decisions when releasing, sharing and discussing patients health care information. Every person is entitled to privacy in their lives and it is no different when it comes to health care. Conclusion Understanding and having the general knowledge of the rules and regulations implemented in HIPAA will further assist health care professionals to make the correct decisions when releasing, sharing, and discussing patient’s personal health care information. The privacy of health information as well as personal information continues to be a challenging issue. As a majority of health information is computerized, individuals communicate concern about their privacy over their personal health information. To help alleviate public concerns, According to Understanding Health Information Privacy (2014) â€Å"Federal rules governing the use and disclosure of health information were promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (known as the HIPAA Privacy Rule).† References Understanding Health Information Privacy. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html Pritts, J. L. (2010). The Importance and Value of Protecting the Privacy of Health Information: The Roles of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the Common Rule in Health Research . Retrieved from http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Research/HIPAAandResearch/PrittsPrivacyFinalDraftweb.ashx HIPPA HEALTH. (2010). Retrieved from https://www.courses.learnsomething.com/scripts2/content.asp?a=9F7B983E559541A692699E4D6709D56D&ph=0A2241E0A9004D7EB6AD1293A5A86346&r=BeginFlashCourse&screenw=1280&screenh=800

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 42

Assignment Example With the right mindset while analyzing the data can make the difference between choosing two opposite arguments. For instance, knowing the intent of the people that produced the data will keep the reader objective about the so called facts (Graham 43). This approach might easily save the readers from falling victim to data mining or cherry picking. Having a little sense of accounting, finance, business and corporate laws can equip the readers with the right tools before making a decision of investing in the firm. The article in The Harvard Crimson, Death of Data by Raul Quintana declares that common populace lives in â€Å"post-truth† age of politics. This news article is in reference to the upcoming US presidential elections. It has become very easy to distort the facts statistically, as putting the stamp of individual belief on the data doesn’t rid it off the scent of spinning the data (Quintana). Representative Paul Ryan claims that Barrack Obama has doubled the size of the government, when in fact there is no data-matrix to confirm this. Institutes like Office of Management and Budget and Congressional Budget Office, and even Academia are facing criticism of being biased in their data projections or liberal bias. Instead of forming policies based on numerical facts, politicians formulate policies based on pre-existing ideology. What happens is that policies are made before objectively analyzing the data, and then to support the decision, the data is beaten to conform to the policy. Misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric are the predominant weapons used in twisting the data, and this is being done of regular basis. Data is no longer an objective input in a debate (Quintana). Showing one side of the picture is the most common tool for formulating policies that are based on an ideology. Politicization of data is one of the biggest challenges that the world (victims of policies/general public)

Monetary policy in the US Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Monetary policy in the US - Research Paper Example A monetary policy is the number one responsible for the country’s economic progress and the state’s overall development. The country’s monetary policy manages extensively all financial matters that concern the state. Its formulation requires a wide-range of consideration and employs complex economic concepts. Various factors affect the country’s financial condition which in effect impacts the overall development of the monetary system. It is the same with the United States, it takes a careful study and analytical approach when dealing with the monetary policy of the country. A monetary policy is the number one responsible for the country’s economic progress and the state’s overall development. The country’s monetary policy manages extensively all financial matters that concern the state. Its formulation requires a wide-range of consideration and employs complex economic concepts. Various factors affect the country’s financial condition which in effect impacts the overall development of the monetary system. It is the same with the United States, it takes a careful study and analytical approach when dealing with the monetary policy of the country. A monetary policy is the number one responsible for the country’s economic progress and the state’s overall development. The country’s monetary policy manages extensively all financial matters that concern the state. Its formulation requires a wide-range of consideration and employs complex economic concepts. Various factors affect the country’s financial condition which in effect impacts the overall development of the monetary system. It is the same with the United States, it takes a careful study and analytical approach when dealing with the monetary policy of the country. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW There had been numerous texts on the subject of monetary policy published in the past. It ranges from the theory of monetary policy to specific monetary policy applications. Authors like Michael Woodford, V. Chick have written manuscripts on the Theory of Monetary Policy such as the Interest and Prices: Foundations of a Theory of Monetary Policy, and The evolution of the banking system and the theory of monetary policy, respectively. Frederic Mishkin has written a Monetary Policy analysis in Monetary Policy Strategy. Manuscripts about monetary policy in the U.S. had also been published by authors like Richard Timberlake and John Odell. Monetary Policy in the United States: An Intellectual and Institutional History, and U.S. international monetary policy: Markets, power, and ideas as sources of change, respectively. 3. THE RESEARCH 3.1 BACKGROUND OF THE U.S. ECONOMY Today, America is one of the richest countries in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per Capita of $48,442 (â€Å"World Bank†). It ranked seventh on Forbes 2012 World’s Richest Countries based on the Purchasing Power Parity Adjusted - GDP per Capita (â€Å"World’s Richest Countries†). In terms of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) alone, America has the largest national economy in the world. The country currently has a GDP of $14, 657.8 billion which corresponds to almost 25% of the entire world’s GDP (â€Å"2012 Macro-Economic†). The country dominates world’s major industries like electronics, energy and medicine in the form of services, industrial and trading (â€Å"

Economy of United Kingdom Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economy of United Kingdom - Case Study Example Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to 3.2% growth, then slowed to 1.7% in 2005 and 2.7% in 2006. " (Exxun.com, 2007) The Economy of the United Kingdom can be classified as the "capitalist" economy. The most prominent characteristic of the capitalist economy is the control of few people on a large amount of Capital. These people are also responsible for taking important economic decisions. With the changing international circumstances the Governments of the world including United Kingdom felt the need of restricting the use of power of a specific group of people for their own commercial interests. This intervention resulted in shape of the British economy which can described as a "mixed" economy, with government playing an important role along with private enterprise. Although British people often disagree about exactly where to draw the line between their beliefs regarding, both free enterprise and government management, the mixed economy they have developed has been remarkably successful. The natural resources are considered as the most important ingredient of a nation's economic system. The United Kingdom is blessed with enormous reserves of minerals. The fertile soil and the moderate climatic conditions effectively eke the farming process.The labour plays vital role in the growth of an economy. Higher level of working population is considered as an important indicator of a progressive economy. The labour market of the U.K has always remained competitive due to an abundant supply of productive labour. A unique characteristic of the labour force is diversity. The 20th century British labour force constituted Asians and Latin Americans as the major part. This supply of the immigrants in the British job market also resulted in some periods of high unemployment. Many of these immigrants provide their services on relatively lower wages as compare to the native citizens. With the abundant supply of labour and the factors of production the economic growth multiplied increasing the chances for immigrants to find more job opportunities (Conte & Karr, 2001). British economy was facing boom before being hit by the events of 9/11. The economy had fastest growth rate and the lowest unemployment rate which was kept low for thirty years to a level of 3.8% in 2001 but after 9/11 the unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in 2003 more than a million jobs were loss lost during that period. The Government has applied different policies in order to address the issues facing the economy. Govt. has been trying to stable the economy by using cutting of taxes and lowering the interest rates, but these options are for short-term period. There are also some long-term issues to be reviewed. The U.K. economy has benefited from privatisation of industry, free market policies and the development of its oil and gas sector, the largest in the EU. (The Galt Global Review, 2007) Speeding the recovery: For the policy makers the main issue was to accelerate the

Children and Video Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children and Video Games - Essay Example Therefore, parents should be vigilant on this particular issue since it could be detrimental to the health of their children. It is in the best interests of the parents to ensure the children have limited time in playing video games. This will be a prudent approach in ensuring the children are not adversely affected by the video games. However, neglecting such an approach could be detrimental to both the children and their parents. Video games are practically indoor games. The children have to gather in a room and start to play. This clears out any instance where the children will participate in outdoor games. This reduces the physical contact with other children. As such, their physical muscles are not enhanced. This acts negatively towards a growing child. Apparently, children need to exercise frequently and run during outdoor games. This clears out any chances of fat concentration in the body. According to research, obese children in the United States have increased in numbers. Th is is an issue that has been affecting many families in the United States. When in physical play, children burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This reduces the chances of becoming obese as the children are frequently engaged in activities that burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This goes to greater heights in reducing other conditions that are brought by excessive fat deposits in the body. For instance, the children will have reduced the risks of getting heart diseases. On the other hand, children that engage in video games rarely run and make physical contacts while playing (Vorderer and Bryant 14). This increases the chances of having fat deposits in the body as they are not burned out. Therefore, the children will continue to have fat deposits in... Video games are practically indoor games. The children have to gather in a room and start to play. This clears out any instance where the children will participate in outdoor games. This reduces the physical contact with other children. As such, their physical muscles are not enhanced. This acts negatively towards a growing child. Apparently, children need to exercise frequently and run during outdoor games. This clears out any chances of fat concentration in the body. According to research, obese children in the United States have increased in numbers. This is an issue that has been affecting many families in the United States. When in physical play, children burn out excessive fat in their bodies. This reduces the chances of becoming obese as the children are frequently engaged in activities that burnout excessive fat in their bodies. This goes to greater heights in reducing other conditions that are brought by excessive fat deposits in the body. For instance, the children will hav e reduced the risks of getting heart diseases. On the other hand, children that engage in video games rarely run and make physical contacts while playing (Vorderer and Bryant 14). This increases the chances of having fat deposits in the body as they are not burned out. Therefore, the children will continue to have fat deposits in their body, which is a threat to a healthy living. Therefore, they will have increased chances of developing health conditions, which include obesity and other related issues.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Control a People's Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Control a People's Language - Essay Example Instead, they start by using sign language to communicate with their significant others. They learn such signs from the people who take care of them, thus highlighting their dependence on such individuals. Consequently, the caregivers of such children have the capacity to control the children as they take charge of their language. A look at the deaf community also highlights this important aspect. When children are born deaf, their caregivers take up the role of using signs that the young ones can use as their language of communication. Therefore, the caregivers control the deaf children as they teach them a unique and informal language unknown to other people. This creates a form of control since other people outside the circle of the caregivers may not understand the language. At the national and international levels, the people in charge of formulating such languages as the American Sign Language also control the communities that use the sign language. This is because the people invent signs that apply on a national level. Consequently, the deaf community, for instance, is compelled to use the language for them to contribute to nation building. The most conversant people in this language also possess the ability to advocate for the rights of such people. They can do this by raising awareness of the challenges faced by such people, thus promoting their voice in the nation. Such actions lead to greater recognition of the deaf communities, and may stop them from being classified as minorities (Jaspers, Verschueren & Ostman, 2010). P. 187. On the other hand, the people who possess such skills, as well as the ability to advocate for the rights of the deaf can choose to keep silent, thus hindering the ability of the deaf to get equitable opportunities. This explains that being in control of a people’s language leads to their control as the people get to decide what is to be done, and what should not be done. In

Frederick Douglass Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Frederick Douglass - Research Paper Example Some others are of the view that his autobiographies and speeches were like his audacious attempts to publicly declare his renegade status. Regarding his personal life, one can see that he was born in a slave cabin, in February, 1818, near the town of Easton, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass). He was separated from his mother from the very tender age itself and was under the care of his grandparents. Like many other slaves during his time, he was also taken to a plantation master by his grandmother who left him to work there. Though he was betrayed, unlike the other slave children, he was lucky enough to learn the alphabet with the help of his mistress. This kindled his life that he sharpened his knowledge in every possible ways and used his words as the powerful weapon to retaliate against the forces that suppressed the black community for a long time. Reading through Douglass’ chronology, it is understood that as a slave, during his life-time, he had to undergo various kind of physical and mental torture. Those bitter experiences and certain other factors like the ‘horrifying conditions that plagued slaves during the 270 years of legalized slavery in America’ (A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass), provided him the energy to pursue his studies earnestly and secretly. He conducted classes secretly for slaves which in turn caused for the displeasure of plantation owners and were often severely punished. Some of the notable occurrences of his life include his escape to New York in 1838, publishing of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1841, meeting with Lincoln to discuss the treatment of the black soldiers during civil war in 1863, becoming of U.S. Marshall in 1877 and the posting to the position of American consul-general to Haiti (Chronology). Douglass passed away on 20th February 1895 in

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom Essay

The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom - Essay Example Seibert’ book presents a number of interesting people and unsung heroes before it readers. Among all of them, one person that particular catches the interest is Calvin Fairbank. Fairbank lived in an affluent family that was 'assigned' with two slaves. As these slaves did all the housework, once he got the opportunity to listen to the slave-woman's tale of sorrow, which kindled anger in Fairbank. Once when he was in charge of a raft of lumber, he saw a woodsman who was going to be a slave very soon. Fairbank took him on the raft and helped him. Along with o an old slave woman with 7 children, he helped this man escape by taking them to a secure location on his raft. However, this met with a lot of issues because Fairbank was charged with helping the slaves help and was sent to the penitentiary. Before he was released, the Fugitive Slave law was passed, but this did not prove to be a deterrent to his ideas. According to him, 'I resisted its execution whenever and wherever possib le'. He continued to help the slaves escape. This landed him in the prison again and he spent more than 17 years of his life in the prison, where some phases were filled with physical and mental torture. Through his strategy of using disguises and helping people hide, he played pivotal part in making the life better for many slaves. One of the very interesting events in the book is about how the disguise was used as a very effective technique to help the slaves escape quietly without the threat of being caught.... Fairbank lived in an affluent family that was 'assigned' with two slaves. As these slaves did all the housework, once he got the opportunity to listen to the slave-woman's tale of sorrow, which kindled anger in Fairbank. Once when he was in charge of a raft of lumber, he saw a woodsman who was going to be a slave very soon. Fairbank took him on the raft and helped him. Along with o an old slave woman with 7 children, he helped this man escape by taking them to a secure location on his raft. However, this met with a lot of issues because Fairbank was charged with helping the slaves help and was sent to the penitentiary. Before he was released, the Fugitive Slave law was passed, but this did not prove to be a deterrent to his ideas. According to him, 'I resisted its execution whenever and wherever possible' (Siebert, 1898, p. 159). He continued to help the slaves escape. This landed him in the prison again and he spent more than 17 years of his life in the prison, where some phases wer e filled with physical and mental torture. Through his strategy of using disguises and helping people hide, he played pivotal part in making the life better for many slaves. One of the very interesting events in the book is about how the disguise was used as a very effective technique to help the slaves escape quietly without the threat of being caught. Mr. Sidney Speed of Crawfordsville narrates the incident when a mulatto girl was about 20 years of age reached their home. As the level of vigilance was very high, they could not move her despite many efforts. The owners of this slave were searching for her all across the place. When they got the right opportunity, she was taken to a coloured man's house to devise a plan of escape. There, she was disguised in a dress of silks and

Evaluation of Agency's personnel administration Essay

Evaluation of Agency's personnel administration - Essay Example Furthermore, they provide for training of labor and instill the organizations values in them so that they can conform to the requirements of the organization both within and outside environment (Leigh & Blakely, 2013). The urban planning human resource also ensures staffs awards are assured while offer punishment to those who break the policy. Therefore, the underlined factors above makes the human resource be a stronger department. Nonetheless, the committee also finds it hard to find the right personnel that provide a perfect fit for the organization. The agency is also thriving to reach the international standards of personnel management such as the level required by the United Nations labor management. This includes actions and not limited to utility theory approach. But incase the personnel department becomes inefficient, the agency outsources to provide for technical assistance (Buller, & McEvoy, 2012). It ensures that their employees are well managed, and the human resource acquires extra skills on how to deal with the staffs. As a result, global standards are maintained that makes the agency one of the best performing in the industry. The human resource department of the urban planning is tasked with hiring the right employees for the organization. The recruitment process begins by the department advertising the available opportunities that the qualified candidates will send the application to. They then review the applications and determine the best candidates who are then taken for interviews to determine their suitability (Breaugh, 2014). In doing so, they have to conduct a background check on the applicants since the personnel must be of integrity before they can be hired. The final component is the hiring criteria. The selected candidates are notified and provided with the employment contract letters. In the process, they are expected to provide to undergo medical tests to

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Explain the negative and positive issues that are now affecting the Essay

Explain the negative and positive issues that are now affecting the health of the UK economy and so, justify whether you believe that the UK economy is likely t - Essay Example The sub prime crisis meant the fall in the value of US dollar against most currencies of the world. The tentacles of subprime crises choked the progress of the UK economy to some extent and forced an interest rate cut. However with the expectation of the global economy to increase by 5% the UK markets expanded rapidly. Let us now compare the growth of UK economy with the other major economies of the world and discuss the various issues that affected the UK economy in 2007. We will also see the positive and negative issues that are now affecting the UK economy in 2008 and see whether the UK economy will continue its good run or struggle in 2008. In 2007, the growth in the emerging markets was stronger than expected and the growth in the developed countries was below the expected level. However, among the developed economies, UK was an exception recording a growth higher than the expected level. Growth in the UK economy was 3.1 % which is about 0.7 percentage point better than the expected growth. Growth in US economy was 2.2% against 2.3% predicted at the start of the year 2007. Growth is Japan was 1.8% while the expected growth was 2%. It is important to note that US and Japan are the largest economies of the world. ... UK economy has performed strongly in 60 consecutive quarters. Issues that affected UK economy in 2007 In the middle of the year 2007, negative sentiments were running high in England and the UK economy showed signs of recession. Some analysts felt rumours about a possible recession were highly speculative as the growth in the UK economy was well above the target. Negative issues Although the UK economy's growth was well above target there were certain issues that raised concern. 1. Global credit market crisis: The break out of global credit market crisis in the second half of 2007 forced the US to slash its short term interest rates by 100 basic points. UK joined US in slashing the interest rate and made minor changes to its monetary policy. The credit market crisis also resulted in lower bond returns in spite of the strong economic growth and higher interest rates. During this crisis the banks suffered from lack of credit to fund the growing economy. 2. Fall of UK housing market: Worries about a possible downfall of UK housing market made recession a high possibility. The UK housing market experienced severe downfall of prices. The housing market also saw very few mortgage approvals and lending in the 2007. Very few mortgages were approved in UK because of the high rate of defaulters in US. The high default rate of borrower lend to the sub prime crisis in US. UK did not want a similar situation in its economy. 3. Recession in manufacturing industry: The manufacturing industry was already into its second year of recession. The manufacturing sector performed dismally bad in 2006. Experts believed that the manufacturing industry because of its poor show in 2006 would suffer from lack

Dialogue Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dialogue - Assignment Example In essence, the term described the groundbreaking cultural shift from uniqueness to seriality, from authenticity to replication, and from the original artwork to its inherent soulless mechanical copy. Me: As far as the communication and journalism is concerned, the concept has come under serious criticism, especially the lack of clear-cut and stable categorization from your writings (Benjamin 23). Indeed, a portion of the critics suggests that your writings provoke multivalent and ambiguous, rather than offering neat shorthand for transition from the traditional to modern culture. Your take please? Benjamin: Well, I think their basis for criticism is rather vague. In my essay The Work and Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility, I specifically emphasize on the concept of aura and the decline of photography, similar to other technological innovations. Further, I challenge the uniqueness and originality of photography due to the unprecedented replications. Benjamin: A programmatic analysis of the essay that I previously mentioned will show that I present the relationship between photography and aura as a clear-cut opposition. Thus, photography, as a medium of mechanical reproduction, is among the driving forces behind the decline, and thus destruction, of aura. I clearly assert that the element that withers in the era of technological reproducibility of artwork is its aura. In essence, the process is symptomatic, and perhaps extends beyond the boundaries of art. This is because photographic reproduction of original works of art endows them with accessibility and mobility, thus altering their fundamental mode of reception (Benjamin 24). In this regard therefore, the contemplation characteristic of the traditional spaces of museum and gallery submits to an eagerness for control and possession. Me: That is a very sensational explanation.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Japanese media and pop culture in East Asia, especially in Korea Essay

Japanese media and pop culture in East Asia, especially in Korea - Essay Example Japan is one of the few countries that started experimenting with the television in 1920’s (Brown, J., & Brown, J. 2006, 198). Television, however, began dominating Japan’s households in the 1950’s. The NHK General TV and the Nippon Television were the first television programs. In as much as TV programs may vary across stations, News programs dominate the early morning hours. The early evenings comprise anime programs. On the other hand, most movies occur in the night hours. It is crucial to highlight that the typical Japanese television has always entailed dramas, animes, and science fiction movies. Both Korea and Japan strive to satisfy a diversified consumer base that comprises different preferences. For instance, adults prefer serious television programs such as news and political discussions. On the other hand, the younger generation gears towards anime and movies. Pop idols emerged in Japan in the early 1970’s. The society was growing out of conservatism and it entailed a reconnaissance that favored the proliferation of pop idols in Japanese cultural scene. In the Japanese cultural scene, idols are teens and twenty-year old young people who are considered media-attractive. Pop idols may be singers for popular groups, TV personalities, models, and actors. Sylvie Vartan, a Ye-Ye singer, was one of the most significant pop idols that ushered a new cultural scene in Japan (Iwabuchi, K. 2004, 124). By acting in a French film, Cherchez, she attracted instant popularity. Another prominent example regards the case of Momoe Yamaguchi, who became a singer and acted in several television dramas. It is essential to highlight that such pop idols appeared and quickly disappeared from the limelight. In the 1980’s, there would be as many as forty idols that would appear in a year. The popularity of female idols, however, waned in the 1990â€⠄¢s due to rising rock idols such as Kinki Kids and V6 (Craig, T. J. 2000, 89). Unlike their

Art final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art final - Essay Example o as Classical art, then a thousand years later to the influence of the Catholic Church and religious figures in what is now called Medieval art, to the more humanistic and mathematical dimensions of Renaissance Art, these three cultures have greatly impacted modern art today in the 21st century, and our understanding of beauty, balance, iconography, religious-themed works, and the mathematical beauty of depth and dimension. In ancient Greece, there was a cultural bend towards striving for perfection. Perfection in a social system, philosophy, governance, and, of course, art. The Greeks had a fascination with the human form and perfection. In Greek sculpture, there was almost no recognition of the individualism of personality in a work of art (Kallendorf 42). The facial expression and facial features in Classical Greek sculptures is irrelevant. What is most important is a balance of the positioning of the body, with perfect physical features. There is no room for imperfection in Classical Greek sculptures of the human form, noted by the "S-curve" of the spine (Stewart 21) and one forward leg of the upright pose, weight shifted back a bit on the back leg. The goal was to give the subject a timeless and confident pose. Most sculptures were positioned upright, with one foot foreword, and the weight mostly on the back foot, called, later, contrapposto position (Stewart 23), rejuvenated in Renaissance art. This pose suggested a confident, forward-looking air about the subject. With the eyes and face blank, with the hear upright, and chin out, shoulders square, the focus is all given to the human body-- a combination of physical perfection and balance. Poses of Classical statues were important to connivery a continuum of the societys art with its larger goals of human perfection in government and philosophy. There were very few religious-themes sculptures in Classical Greek art, as nature and common daily life was portrayed in a way which gave the subject a

Friday, August 23, 2019

Pharmacology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Pharmacology - Assignment Example In these tissues, CD243 helps protect the tissue from cytotoxic effects of toxins. Further still, P-gp promotes the excretion of drugs into the bile ducts of the liver, excretion of drugs into urine, and excretion of drugs into the capillaries of the BBB (Schinkel et al., 1995; Horn & Philip, 2004). Different studies have been conducted in which various inhibitors of P-gp (MDR1) have been used to evaluate the bioavailability of drugs following the inhibition of MDR1. In one such study, the investigators used Dipyridamole to inhibit MDR1. The study hypothesized that inhibition of dipyridamole inhibition will result in increased bioavailability of digoxin. The study found out that dipyridamole increases the absorption of digoxin at the intestine and the plasma levels of digoxin were increased (Celine et al., 2003). In another study, the effect of MDR1 inhibition was measured on the effect of drug interaction between digoxin and quinidine. Quinidine enhances plasma concentration of digoxin by inhibiting MDR1. The co-administration of quinidine and digoxin resulted in an elevated concentration of digoxin and reduced excretion in urine (Fromm et al., 1999). Another study on mice indicated that absence of MDR 1 resulted in reduced excretion of digoxin (Funakoshi et al., 2003), dexame thasone, and Cyclosporin A (Schinkel et al., 1995). Rifampin is an inducer of CD243. A study conducted to determine the bioavailability of digoxin following the administration of rifampin revealed that the plasma concentration of digoxin dropped significantly. The drop has been accounted for by the understanding that rifampin induces the activity of MDR 1. JP 789 inhibits the action of MDR1 and therefore it can be hypothesized that during the interaction study, JP789 will result in an increase in the plasma concentration of digoxin and its reduced excretion in kidney