Sub issue and recommendation for Biovail Case Essay Example

Sub issue and recommendation for Biovail Case Essay Example Sub issue and recommendation for Biovail Case Essay Sub issue and recommendation for Biovail Case Essay Sub issue: Other than having fraud conducting of revenue recognition, Biovail Corporation also has overestimated the amount of Wellbutrin XL on the truck. The company estimated that revenue associated with this shipment was in the range of $10 million and $20 million and confirmed that the manufacturing cost value of this shipment had been fully insured. The trooper estimated that the truck was about one-quarter full. After the investigation done, the analyst stated if there had been $20 million worth of Wellbutrin XL pills on the truck, it would have been full or nearly full. In addition, Biovail Corporation also has expired of Legacy product patents. The Legacy product portfolio included the well-known brands Cardizem CD, Ativan, Vasotec, Vaseretic and Isordil. These products were not actively promoted by Biovail and represented non-core assets for which patent protection had expired. However, sales of Cardizem CD have represented 40% of product sales at Biovail. Biovail Corporation also having problem in report the revenue because it based on channel stuffing. Channel stuffing is the action sends the distributor more product than they are able to sell in order to increase earning. Distributors hold the excessive amount of product. The conflict of the self-interest is the one of the issue that will be arise as the CEO of the company has the share in Biovail Corporation. Recommendation Have the code of ethics. Biovail Corporation should have the code of ethics in it management. In calculating revenue, FOB structure of the product should have been understood in the deep. The overestimated of the product quantity should be avoided because it can lead to bad reputation of Biovail Corporation. The overestimated of quantity of product in the truck that are involved in accident has make the public look at the Biovail Corporation as the firm that are not have the ability in having efficiency management. Other than that, it will give bad reputation because public seen Biovail lied as to get the insurance claim. Biovail Corporation also should follow conservatism principle in record the loss and revenue in uncertainty situation. Have the code of ethics to understand each product term and ethics according to the  accounting principles. This ethics code can save the company from doing the fraud. Renew the legacy product patent Biovail Corporation should renew the legacy product patent. From the case, these products were not actively promoted by Biovail Corporation and represented non-core assets for which patent protection had expired. This situation will lead the competitor to compete with Biovail. Biovail should be caution because one of the legacy products, Cardizem CD has representing 40% of product sale in it firm. So, renew the patent will maintain this percentage of product sale. Having the Good Corporate Governance Structure Biovail Corporation should investigate the background of the Corporate Governance before hire. It must be make sure that they are independent and free from bias.

Barracuda Facts

Barracuda Facts The barracuda (Sphyraenidae spp) is sometimes portrayed as an ocean menace, but does it deserve such a reputation? This common fish found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans as well as the Caribbean and Red seas, has threatening teeth and a habit of approaching swimmers, but its not the danger you might think. Fast Facts: Barracuda Scientific Name: SphyraenidaeCommon Name: BarracudaBasic Animal Group: FishSize: 20 inches to 6 feet or moreWeight: Up to 110 poundsLifespan: Varies by species; giant barracudas live up to 14 yearsSpeed: Up to 35 miles per hourDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, Caribbean and Red SeasPopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Not Evaluated Description Even if youre new to  fish identification, youll quickly learn to recognize the barracudas distinctive look. The fish has a long, slender body that is tapered at the ends and thicker in the middle. The head is somewhat flattened on top and pointed in front, and the lower jaw projects forward menacingly. Its two dorsal fins are far apart, and its pectoral fins are positioned low on the body. Most species are dark on top, with silver sides and a clear lateral line that extends from the head to the tail on each side. The barracudas caudal fin is slightly forked ​and curved on the trailing edge. Smaller barracuda species may max out at 20 inches in length, but the larger species can achieve a startling 6 feet or longer in size. Is there anything more unnerving than being approached by a fearless fish with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth? Barracuda have big mouths, with long jaws and a characteristic under-bite. They also have a lot of teeth. In fact, barracuda have two rows of teeth: an outer row of small but sharp teeth for tearing flesh apart, and an inner row of long, dagger-like teeth to firmly grasp its prey. A few of the barracudas teeth point backward, as an extra aid for securing squirming fish. Smaller fish are mercifully swallowed whole, but larger fish are efficiently chopped to pieces in the hungry barracudas jaws. A barracuda can open its mouth wide enough to snatch just about any fish it encounters, from a tiny killifish to a chunky grouper. Image Source/Getty Images Species The name barracuda doesnt apply to one specific fish, but rather an entire family. The Sphyraenidae is the group of fish known collectively as barracuda. The species most people picture when thinking of a barracuda is probably the great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), a commonly encountered fish. But the worlds oceans are full of all kinds of barracuda, including the pickhandle barracuda, the sawtooth barracuda, and the sharpfin barracuda. Some species are named for the area where they are found, like the Guinean barracuda, the Mexican barracuda, the Japanese barracuda, and the European barracuda. Habitat and Range Most species of barracuda live in near-shore habitats, such as seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs. Theyre primarily marine fish, although a few varieties can tolerate brackish water at times. Barracuda inhabit the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and are also commonly found in the Caribbean and Red seas. Diet Barracuda have a diverse diet, preferring small tunas, mullets, jacks, grunts, groupers, snappers, killifishes, herrings, and anchovies.  They hunt mainly by sight, scanning the water for signs of prey as they swim. Smaller fish are most visible when they reflect light and often look like shiny metal objects in the water. This, unfortunately, can lead to misunderstandings between barracuda and humans in the water. A swimmer or diver with anything reflective is likely to get an aggressive bump from a curious barracuda. The barracuda isnt interested in you, necessarily. It just wants to sample the object that looks like a shiny, silverfish. Still, its a bit unsettling to have a barracuda come barreling toward you, teeth first, so its best to remove anything reflective before getting in the water. Behavior A barracudas body is shaped like a torpedo and made for cutting through the water. This long, lean, and muscular fish is one of the fastest creatures in the sea, capable of swimming up to 35 mph. Barracuda swim almost as fast as the notoriously speedy mako sharks. Barracuda cant maintain top speed for long distances, however. The barracuda is a sprinter, capable of bursts of speed in pursuit of prey. They spend most of their time swimming slow enough to survey for food, and only accelerate when a meal is within reach; they often swim together in small or large schools. Reproduction and Offspring The timing and location of barracuda spawning are not as yet well-documented, but scientists surmise that mating takes place in deeper, offshore waters and probably in spring. Eggs are released by the female and fertilized by the male in open waters, and then are dispersed by currents.   Newly hatched barracuda larvae settle in shallow, vegetated estuaries, and leave the estuary when they have achieved a length of about 2 inches. They then stay in mangrove and seagrass habitats until they are about one year old.   Great barracuda have a lifespan of at least 14 years, and they typically reach sexual maturity at two years (male) and four years (female).   Fotosearch/Getty Images   Barracudas and Humans Because barracuda are fairly common and inhabit the same waters where people swim and dive, the chance of encountering a barracuda is quite high. But despite their proximity to people in the water, barracuda rarely attack or injure humans. Most bites occur when the barracuda mistakes a metallic object for a fish and attempts to snatch it. The barracuda isnt likely to continue biting once it realizes the object in question isnt food. Barracuda attacks are rare and almost never fatal. Those teeth will do some damage to an arm or leg, though, so victims usually require stitches. While smaller barracuda are generally safe to eat, larger barracuda can be ciguatoxic (poisonous to humans) because they consume larger fish with higher toxin loads. At the bottom of the food chain, toxic plankton known as Gambiendiscus toxicus attaches itself to algae on the coral reef. Small, herbivorous fish feed on the algae and consume the toxin, too. Larger, predatory fish prey on the small fish, and accumulate a higher concentration of the toxin in their bodies. Each successive predator accumulates more toxins. Ciguatera food poisoning is unlikely to kill you, but its not an experience youll enjoy. The biotoxins cause gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular symptoms that persist for weeks or months. Patients report hallucinations, severe muscle and joint pain, skin irritation, and even a reversal of hot and cold sensations. Unfortunately, theres no way to identify a ciguatoxin barracuda, and neither heat nor freezing can kill the fat-soluble toxins in a contaminated fish. Its best to avoid consuming large barracuda. Sources Family Sphyraenidae – Barracuda. Fishbase.org, 2012.Martin, R. Aidan. Record-Breakers: Hauling Bass. Biology of Sharks and Rays. ReefQuest Center for Shark Research, 2003.Bester, Cathleen. Sphyraena barracuda: Great Barracuda. Florida Museum, University of Florida.Lawley, Richard. Ciguatoxins. Food Safety Watch, January 30, 2013.Olander, Doug. The Perils of Ciguatera: Will your next fresh-caught fish dinner be a toxic time bomb? Sport Fishing Magazine, May 5, 2011.

Strategic Information Systems Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Information Systems - Case Study Example the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to show a profit. However, as e-businesses shift their focus (Hoffman, D.L. and Novak, T 2000) from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. Networking and Internet technology have been successfully implemented at REI to create a very strong value chain. In the mind of the consumer, all three REI entities (seventy stores, two Web stores, and an adventure-theme travel service) can be viewed as one. E-commerce is fundamentally changing the economy and the way business is conducted. E-commerce forces companies to find new ways to expand the markets in which they compete, to attract and retain customers by tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). ... tailoring products and services to their needs, and to restructure their business processes to deliver products and services more efficiently and effectively. However, despite rapid and sustained development of e-commerce, many companies doing e-business are still in the investment and brand-building phase and have yet to make a profit (Zwass 1998). Many e-businesses (or Internet companies) have focused on the visual attractiveness and ease of use of their Web sites as the primary method of increasing their customer base. However, as e-businesses shift their focus from building a customer base to increasing revenue growth and profitability, they should re-evaluate their current business strategies, if any, and develop strategies that provide a clear path to profitability. This study uses McCarthy's According to McCarthy (1960) and Perreault and McCarthy (1999), a firm develops its marketing strategies by first identifying the target market for its products or services. It then develops a marketing mix-a particular combination of product, price, promotion, and place (i.e., distribution and delivery functions in the supply chain) designed to enhance sales to the target market. A unique mix of these elements in a given industry allows firms to compete more effectively, thus ensuring profitability and sustainability. For example, by coordinating various product offerings and associated price discriminations with sales promotions and effective logistics, a firm can increase its sales and profit. Since the Internet has a significant impact on the makeup of this marketing mix, Internet companies should develop strategies that take the unique nature of online marketing into account.

The Turkish invasion in Cyprus at 1974 Research Paper

The Turkish invasion in Cyprus at 1974 - Research Paper Example All these were taking place in the knowledge of three guarantor powers which reacted three days after the Turkish invasion in Cyprus. The guarantor powers that included the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey decided to agree upon the fate of the invaded island. Seemingly, Turkish had a lot of interest in having the most of the island, and, in fact, it ended up acquiring more than a third of the island illegally (Freedman 402). This came as a result of their Attila II pre-planned physical attack which saw them through their acquisition of the island disregarding opinions of other guarantor powers. The above actions were devastative in nature as many things were destroyed ranging from property in the island to individual lives that were claimed in the process of the attack. As a consequence of their brutality, more than 5000 individuals lost their lives. In addition, there resulted a fate unknown, and nobody could account for 1,614 missing Cypriots as well as 4 citizens from the US duri ng the invasion period, Congregation Record (18108). Before the attack on Cyprus by the Turkey, Greece had come up and led a coup whose intention was made known all. As Freedman (402) noted in his book, the Greek-led coup was to unite Cyprus Island with Greece. This is the sole reason why the Turkish military launched an operation to invade the same island to respond and resist the Greek dominion over the same island (Freedman 402). It is a clear fact that Greece was involved in the fight with Turkey over the Cyprus Island which led to atrocious consequences as the one that had previously mentioned. They tried various means of acquisition of the island including military approaches just to win it over Turkey, but it did not succeed as its expectation was. This fight between Greece, and Turkey over Cyprus made them differ over the Aegean territories. As a result, Greece itself tried to apply a diplomacy involvement in solving the issue at hand by then. This included their withdrawal from active participation in the NATO military command from the year that they experienced the fight between them and the Turkey (Freedman 402). This was s due to their partly protest over the issue regarding Cyprus Island that dominated largely by the Turkey. Huth, (136) brings an important aspect of Greek operations which are regarded to be full of diplomacy. For instance, the Greece itself was not willing to confront Turkey by counter attacking them using their available military to continue fighting over Cyprus Island. They avoided this kind of confrontation but rather withdrew and stayed calm over the issue. According to Huth (136), there have been three main crises that rank nationally between Turkey and Greece over Cyprus. The earlier ones, which happened before the 1974 Turkish attack like the 1964 and the 1967 ones, the government of Greece gave in to diplomatic intervention and resolutions. These diplomatic settlements were as a result of threats of using military for inte rvention posed by the Turkish government. Indeed, the 1974 confrontation did not see Greece use any military confrontation to contest against the Turkish invasion and domination upon Cyprus Island. There was a great challenge to international democratic peace in 1974when Turkey and Greece had the conflict over Cyprus Island, as Diez (169) has realized. It is important to note that, before this confrontation, Greece

Media Portrayal of Women in Sports Essay Example for Free

Media Portrayal of Women in Sports Essay The mass media and all its components have always played an essential role in shaping the way society views and thinks about certain issues and events. The type influence, which television shows, radio shows and other mediums of mass media have on their audiences, go widely unchecked by the professionals involved in that field and by society in general. The effects could be damaging and entirely maladaptive and yet only a few organizations and individuals take on the role of serving as the counterchecking department of the products of this industry. One of the many fields into which mass media have dipped their fingers into is the field of sports. What little attention is given to the effects of mass media on society is focused on children’s shows, violence-related topics and religion-based issues. The field of sports has been relatively untouched by those who monitor the mass media. The public has mainly stood by and accepted the information and manner of presentation that mass media has taken with regards to sports. This type of attitude has proven to be increasingly damaging to women in particular. Sports has become a highly gender-based field. Despite efforts to assimilate women into the various games and competitions, it has become increasingly evident, despite the lack of monitoring organizations, that mass media has not gone beyond the days of bias towards women in sports. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in terms of how television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and other such media have come to portray women professionals in the field of sports. How does mass media affect the way their audiences perceive women athletes and other female sports professionals? What steps can be taken to correct wrong practices in this field? This paper aims to answer these questions as well as to specifically understand the way mass media has shown females involved in various sports activities and whether there truly is reason for these women to be concerned. Television Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of all the instruments of mass media available today, the television set is perhaps the most successful and most popular. It has invaded the living spaces of almost all homes worldwide and is able to communicate to its audience in much more modalities than that offered by other instruments of mass media. It also allows for coverage of events at the exact moment the said event occurs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research regarding how women have been portrayed through the medium of television has been much more numerous as opposed to research on portrayal via other mediums. The literature regarding this research has shown that women in sports have been greatly marginalized and stereotyped. The following section will delve deeper into this aspect of mass media coverage in sports.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most encompassing research done on television coverage of women in sports may be that of Higgs Weiller (1994). They conducted a research to assess gender bias in the television coverage of the 1992 Olympic games. The two researchers found much to disappoint the many women athletes involved in the said games as well as all other women who were just as concerned about women’s rights, equality of the sexes, and politically correct representation of males and females in different fields.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Commentators of the different events in the Olympic games were noted to most commonly use terms such as â€Å"girl† â€Å"babe† and â€Å"sweetheart† to refer to the women competitors whereas none of the male competitors were referred to as â€Å"boy† even when the contestant was obviously of a very young age. Also, strength and weakness descriptions and allusions were clearly gender-biased. Men in swimming were lauded for their strokes whereas female swimmers would receive comments such as â€Å"a powerhouse of a stroke from a 16-year old girl†. There were clearly ways by which the commentators were able to inject their own prejudiced views of the genders of the competitors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were also findings pointing to the fact that events wherein males competed were aired for longer times than those where females competed. Time differentials were noted for each event and there was a noted significant difference for each. This was applicable for such sports as basketball, volleyball, and the likes. Although individual events such as gymnastics were prone to have more airtime dedicated to women athletes, these were highly edited and sometimes even spliced together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each broadcast was also done with use of narratives. This was to draw the audience deeper into the mood of the game. However, researchers found that games with men contestants were broadcast with narratives of competition and strength. Women contestants, on the other hand, were often accompanied by emotional narratives pertaining to the athletes aspirations and the achievement of these with their success in the particular event they were entered in. If emotional narratives were not used by the television broadcasters, none at all were provided. It was either emotional or not at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is therefore, a well-known fact that ambivalence in reporting of women’s sports on television exists. There is   a denial of power for women in this particular type of mass media. Although women athletes are equally as capable and equally as competent as their male counterparts, this is not credited by professionals reporting their games. Where women have been noted for their involvement in sports, negative allegations and prejudiced reporting have served to undermine the efforts of these athletes. Radio Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Radio coverage of women in sports has also been one of the more devastating instruments of undermining women’s efforts and women participation in various sports activities. The radio set, however, is less of a weapon of the mass media at present than the television set. The radio set does not cater to the visual modality of its audiences and as such may prove less of a weapon. However, it is also advantageous because reporting of the sporting event can occur at the same time that the actual event occurs. This means that up-to-the-minute, live coverage is possible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, airing time on the radio set is significantly less for sports events than that on television sets. The large percentage of non-recognition that goes on in television broadcasting of women participation in sports is thus multiplied by great factors on the radio set. Only limited numbers of sports are chosen to be reported and reviewed over the radio and most, if not all, of these are male-dominated sports. Sporting events that are not action-packed, that do not provide the reporter with a message full of strength, adrenaline, and passion are not marketable on the radio waves. And because of the trend and well-established fad of reporting male events and male athletes with narratives involving competition, strength, and passion, these are the events that radio broadcasters and radio networks focus on. Women-dominated sports and women athletes prove to be less of a popular choice of broadcasting for professionals in the radio industry as these gives them, to their perception, with a softer story that is not full of the characteristics they look for in reportable stories and which audiences will not much favor or listen to. Thus the perception that male athletes and male-dominated sporting events will have more popularity than their counterparts. Publication Coverage of Women in Sports   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another instrument used in mass media are magazines and other similar published sources. These cater only to the audiences visual modalities and are not able to give audio feedback. Also, publications such as newspapers and magazines are only able to give a reporting of the event after a period of time has elapsed. It cannot be given during the time the actual event occurs. A processing time for writers, photographers, layout artists, editors, publishers and other personnel involved in the production process is required. Thus newspapers come one day after the events have occurred and magazines are released at particular time intervals within the year – monthly, quarterly, annually, and the like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A study by Hardin et al (2005) showed that women were often portrayed as sexually different even in sports magazines. Sexually different in sports can mean the portrayal of women as dissimilar. This can be shown through the presentation of sport type in the said magazine or given publication. This could be shown in a manner such that women, who participate in sporting events wherein women are not usually included as competitors, are either excluded or represented as masculine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, it has been seen that certain sporting magazines have been very generous to the female component of sporting activities. However, this balance is only present in magazines that have been produce through the efforts of staff that were consciously aware of the disparity in gender reporting of sports events. These magazines are, more commonly, actively fighting for women’s equality in this field. As such, they are few and not representative in the publishing industry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It should be acknowledged, however, that such magazines were launched and that these were successful in their goals. Perhaps this will provide the much needed gender-equality into the field of sports and mass media. Although these types of magazines form the minority in published mass media, they offer hope and raise out a cry of challenge to their colleagues, a cry for gender-equality and female liberation from the marginalization and disempowerment occurring in their field. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The large discrepancies in sports portrayals of women athletes has been seen to be significant in all mediums of mass media specifically that of the television set, the radio set, and published sources. Women have been marginalized, stereotyped, and stripped of power through the way these mass media instruments have been used to represent their participation in sports activities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, no matter how anyone looks at it, this type of portrayal is unwarranted and unnecessary. Women have just as much talent, skill and capability as their male counterparts. The efforts they exert in order to actively and competently engage in their given sporting event is equally similar to that which males exert. The strain and stress they undergo during training and during the actual competition are just as nerve-wracking and exhausting as that which male athletes experience. In all respects, female athletes should be considered and hailed as equal to male athletes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, this has not been the case. Mass media, whether through television, radio, or magazines, has proven to be unforgiving and thoughtless in bringing justice to the efforts of women athletes. There is a great need for change and renewal in the way mass media portrays females.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the best first steps towards a better and more fair portrayal of women in sports is by actively disseminating information about the marginalization and disempowerment that is occurring. Most audiences and most reporters are perhaps so tied down to the hegemony of sports and mass media that they are no longer aware when stereotypical remarks are made on air. Knowledge of the fact that sports is for both females and males and that both sexes are equally capable of succeeding in this field must be spread. Without awareness, there is no chance for gender issues to be resolved in this field.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It would, perhaps, also be constructive for organizations and bodies to be set up that would monitor the violations to women’s rights that occur during broadcasting of sporting events. This would help to check the prejudiced actions and comments of those involved in the mass media industry. This would also make other individuals aware that what is currently going on is not acceptable and that there is a growing need for better treatment and appreciation of women athletes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is still much improvement that can be done to the way mass media portray women. Mass media has come to influence the way society thinks in that women themselves have congregated around socially acceptable sports. Only the few who are not afraid of being dubbed masculine are able to compete in the sports where the male sex has dominated. There should be adequate measures taken to ensure that future biased and stereotyped thoughts will no longer exist. Women portrayal in sports still has hope to become much more fair and with this hope comes the assurance thaw women participation in sports will also become less prejudiced and stereotyped. Reference Higgs, C., Weiller, K. (1994). Gender bias and the 1992 summer Olympic games: an analysis of television coverage. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 18,   234-246 Hardin, M., Lynn, S., Walsdorf, K. (2005). Challenge and conformity on â€Å"contested terrain†: images of women in four women’s sport/fitness magazines. Sex Roles, 53(1), 105-117

Cali Cartel vs. Tijuana Cartel Essays -- essays research papers

The drug trade is a very large and complex system. There are many different organizations involved at different levels. There are groups that operate only in growing and selling the product, and only groups that buy and distribute the drugs. In this essay I will discuss the similarities and differences of two of the largest growers and sellers in the drug trade: The Cali Cartel of Columbia and the Tijuana Cartel of Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Cali Cartel is the largest, richest, and most complex producers and distributors of cocaine. The cartel concentrates almost entirely in cocaine. Over time they have developed an extremely large and sophisticated distribution system and have generated an extraordinary amount of wealth. Because of their financial stability, they are able to buy planes, ships and warehouses as well as bribe government officials and pay the top lawyers and strongest mercenary groups for protection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Tijuana Cartel, also known as the AFO, or Arellano-Felix Organization, runs out of Mexico and is known as one of the most violent drug organizations in the world. The group is headed by Benjamin Arellano-Felix and his brothers Ramon, Eduardo and Javier. Ramon Arellano-Felix is a frequent member of the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List. He is known as the most violent brother and is in charge of the group’s security. This group’s competitive edge is not in their distribution system or exorbitant riches but in their ruthless tactics. Because the group is conveniently located near the 2,000 mile border between the US and Mexico, they do not have to spend as much money or have as sophisticated distribution systems as The Cali Cartel does. This border consists largely of rugged terrain that is difficult to patrol. Mexican traffickers have mastered transportation methods over this border.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What the Cali Cartel lacks in location for transportation, they make up in location for raw materials. The Cali Cartel gets the cocoa leaves they need to make cocaine for extremely cheap and then sell it exponentially higher prices. At this rate, they are able to afford expensive transportation methods. The AFO makes up for this in diversity of product.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the Cali Cartel operates exclusively in cocaine, the AFO distributes heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine... ...ce in Columbia and the two groups agree to a ceasefire, the growers would then be vulnerable to government intervention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Mexico, the AFO thrives on the large number of corrupt Mexican officials. The cartel makes it a very smart choice for a government official or law enforcer to help them. Not only are they bribed, but they are also threatened with violence. Everyone in Mexico knows from the history of this group that they mean business and any threat is very legitimate. Because of the large amount of corruption in the Mexican government, the Tijuana cartel flourishes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both of these cartels are custom made for the area they are located in. If the systems were to switch geographic locations, they would not be nearly as successful. Over the years, the groups have molded to form the perfect fit for a drug cartel to operate in their specific area. As things change, the group changes, it is because of their flexible nature that they have lasted so long. Because of all of these factors, the war on drugs has proven to be an extremely difficult one to win. Information gathered from the DEA website at http://www.usdoj.gov/dea

Ford Motor Company Case Study Essay

Question 1. During the year 2006, Ford Motor Company suffered its biggest operating loss to date at the cost of $12.6 billion. A year later in 2007, things didn’t improve much as Ford posted a $2.7 billion loss. This corresponded with increasing deterioration in market share, with the majority of these losses being captured by other competitors. Ford had seemingly fallen down a slippery slope, and found itself in a hole it was struggling to surface from. This was all gearing up to the three-year recession that hit the U.S. and Global economies extremely hard. Ford’s competitors, General Motors and Chrysler, found themselves also struggling to get a foothold suffering such losses that both companies had to ask the government for massive bailouts while also filing for bankruptcy. Ford was apparently heading for the same disastrous bailout, but then Alan Mullaly stepped in as the new CEO and implemented a series of crucial strategic maneuvers. These strategic maneuvers that he coined as â€Å"One Ford,† aided them in getting a foothold out of the hole in which they dug for themselves by losses in market share. One such important strategic maneuver utilized by Ford was the reorganizing of its product line. It did so by standardizing components and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Some benefits Ford has achieved through reorganizing its product line come from standardizing components globally and making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (Senna, 2013). Before the change in demand, vehicles in Europe verses the U.S. were made with different components which built variations for their respected continents. These different unique components complicate production and with that complication came more cost. Ford then, under Mullaly’s direction, began to address this problem by building different models with the same or similar high quality components over the globe (Zboch, 2009). They use common parts to streamline the production line and reducing the number of unique vehicle parts. By standardizing components and reducing the number of different  platforms it offers, Ford is able to achieve better economies of scale and flexibility, which contributes to lower production cost for each new product (allowing them to prod uce hybrid and electric models more affordably for consumers) and also shift production to address changes in customer demand quickly (Ky, 2012). The Focus and Fiesta lines now use a single platform for each international market. Ford has also started making a stable of products that is more clearly defined for each market segment (small, medium, and large cars, utilities, and trucks), which also comes with benefits for the organization. Ford reduced its nameplates portfolio from 97 to between 25-30 and also brought over the Fiesta from Europe to the United States. The reduction allowed them to focus on global customer demand more intimately, by adapting the vehicle platforms to meet specific regional needs and produce vehicles that customers really want. This change still offers customers a large range of options despite the reduction in Ford’s nameplates (Zboch, 2009). Question 2.Ford has made various product modifications to the Ford Explorer with emphasis on safety and improving the customer experience to increase customer loyalty. They are consistently thinking of new design modification and exploring new opportuni ties with regards to new technology. They are using these new technologies to create new solutions for recurring safety problems. One such new technology is the curve control technology which works by measuring how quickly the vehicle is going and comparing that with how quickly the diver is trying to turn. When the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering it activates and applies the precise amount of breaking required on each wheel to enhance the traditional stability control system. Ford also introduced the radar-enabled adaptive collision warning system to the Explorer, which helps drivers avoid potentially dangerous crashes by using radar to detect the position of other vehicles and warn the driver of these vehicles. Ford also instituted the first rollover-activated side curtain airbags (called Safety Canopy) and the first inflatable rear seatbelts into their Explorer (Ford, 2013). Ford also puts emphasis on going green, as the engine of the Explorer can have an EcoBoost which gives the engine high horsepower without losing fuel economy (Ford, 2012). Question 3.The new products coming out from Ford have recently put more attention on greater fuel efficiency as they have become a leader in fuel economy. Before the recession, Ford and most of its  competitors focused more on manufacturing vehicles with high fuel consumption and largely overlooked the increasing market for small cars. The oil shock of 2008 hit it resulted in rising fuel costs and brought about a change in consumer demand as a trend developed for â€Å"green† fuel efficient small cars (Zboch, 2009). Ford then changed its focus to a science-based strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also increase fuel efficiency of their vehicles. With this strategy they developed an assortment of hybrid vehicles, which can qualify owners for a tax deduction and lower gas prices throughout the year. Ford has moreover enhanced its product line to be more â€Å"green† with the EcoBoost engine that has improved fuel-economy producing responsible resource saving results. Ford is also exploring and investing in alternative fuel opportunities in order to stay on the cutting edge of innovative new alternative fuel technologies like fuel cells, hydrogen power, and ethanol fueled engines. All these fuel saving innovations and opportunities will help increase its market share, while also giving them a competitive advantage (Ford, 2012). Ford has moreover made enhancements to safety technologies like side curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts, and driver assist technologies like the Curve control and radar-based collision warning systems. Ford has become known as global leaders in vehicle safety by offering these innovative new enhancements ( Ford, 2013) . Question 4.Mullaly made a strategic rationalization when he reversed the discontinuation of the flagship brand line of Taurus. Taurus was once one of the most successful Ford’s cars and he was astonished that Ford had initially planned to discontinue this powerful name (Dolan, 2009). It costs many billions of dollars to build the brand loyalty that the Taurus name invokes and for Ford to throw this significant name recognition away seems to be a waste of a huge asset and a major oversight of the corporation. Mullaly made this fact aware and then strived to recharge the brand in order to bring it back to its former glory. The revamped Taurus is sleeker with a more muscular design and offers a range of technological options, from safety features to the voice-activated entertainment system (Dolan, 2009). Furthermore Mullaly made a strategic contraction by divest ing Ford’s noncore brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, and Mercury. This dissociating allowed them to give the necessary focus they need to revitalize the central Ford brand. Also they  are able to contribute extra attention to revamping their core-platforms by concentrating on accessible market opportunities in order to increase market share, not just here in the U.S but on a global scale (Zboch, 2009). Although this divesting could be considered a form of strategic inconsistency, because these names have brand loyalty and name recognition in and of itself. By selling these brands off, Ford is losing the valuable brand equity that leaves with them, but Mullaly wanted to reinstate the Taurus for its brand equity and not lose the loyalty around that brand. Although it Taurus was once a core-platforms, it still shows somewhat of a strategic inconsistency. Question 5. In the past five years Ford has made changes to their product lines that follow their four pillars. These pillars are quality, green, safe, and smart. In the quality section they have made changes by buying the best quality parts possible and standardize the components that are used in many d ifferent platforms to get the best quality at the lowest cost possible (Ford, 2012). They are in addition working to design and improve engineering characteristics in line with the customer’s wants and needs for their vehicles. An example would be the hands-free Sync entertainment system. In the green pillar, Ford has been developing new ways to produce more fuel efficient vehicles. They have made great leaps in changing to a more eco-friendly manufactures that continue to improve their products fuel-economy (Zboch, 2009). In this example they have started to produce hybrid vehicles and an EcoBoost engine which they are very excited about. For Safety category, Ford is continuing to develop the best quality safety technologies for their vehicles, with the thought of greater protection and avoidance measures on their mind. They are the first to offer systems like side-curtain airbags and inflatable seatbelts in a large variety of platforms and in addition have created new technologies like the curve control and radar-based collision warning system (Ford, 2013). The changed in the smart pillar, Ford has made strides to deliver technologies that not only make the customers riding experience more entertaining, but also make the gives the vehicle added safety. An example of this is the Sync system which works through voice commands and in addition the newly improved safety technologies. Ford has been using these pillars and will continue use them into the future, as guild-lines to be followed as they make changes to their product lines (Zboch, 2009). They believe that with this strategy they  will be able to stay innovative in order to create a competitive advantage that will lead to an increase in global market share. Citations Dolan, M. (2009, Jun 23). Ford’s Mulally sees a Taurus in his future -CEO hopes to revive sedan that once was best-seller; high price, large size are obstacles. Wall Street Journal Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.gvsu.edu/docview/399050980?accountid=39473 Ford. † Ford introduces new curve control technology to help protect against crashes on curves.†Http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-introduces-new-curve-control-32869?cmp=ford_rss_tags%7CTechnology. 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. Ky, Samantha. â€Å"Chapter 10 Product Items.† Prezi.com, 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 03 Oct. 2014. . Senna, Alvin. â€Å"COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FORD MOTOR COMPANY.† NEWS WEEKLYLOGISTIC. 2013. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. . Ford. â€Å"Year in Review.† – Sustainability 2011/12. Ford Motor Company, 2011. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. Zboch, Heather. â€Å"Innovation and Its Importance at Ford Motor Company.†HubPages. Phoenix Business, 28 O ct. 2009. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. .