The Best Day of their Life - Original Writing :: Papers

The Best Day of their Life - Original Writing The ground was set with fresh frost from the cool night before. Ice covered the once lively pond, with only the lone duck perched on the ice. Icicles hung from the church roof like the cold fingers of the dead, pointing at the floor, and the final destination of all. The headstones of all the patrons of the church lay scattered about the graveyard, all of them in a bad state of disrepair. Some had been vandalised, many had just fallen foul of time. Spray cans lay on the floor in random locations, although many of them were congregated near the crumbling stone walls of the church. The church itself was at least four hundred years old and stood towering above the surrounding houses, like a sleeping giant among the humans. Copper roofing which had long turned green covered the majestic hall of the church, covered in the leftovers of the birds that enjoyed their stay there. A crooked weathervane hung from an old Christmas light, dangling just below the window often church steeple. The steeple had only one room in it which was just below the belfry. One cracked pane of glass allowed light to enter the dusty room, with a small hole in the bottom of the window allowing the gun barrel to poke out, armed with a scope through which a man stared. He had been there watching the churchyard, composing himself since the early morning. The sun had risen from the east and had reached its peak as the man lay in wait. Squirrels had been going about their business all morning, foraging nuts from the surrounding trees and hiding them in the ground. The feeling in his legs had disappeared slowly and now they were completely numb, so he decided to check his escape route one last time, making sure that it was completely clear; nothing must prevent him from a clean break. Pre-job jitters began to kick in; his hand shook as he once again placed it on the handle of

Travelling Troubles

Traveling is widely believed to broaden the mind and enrich the soul. The famous saying â€Å"Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have traveled† indicates that travel can enlarge people’s knowledge efficiently. Many people believe that when you visit other places you experience new things and learn from them. To my mind, it’s impossible to imagine our life without traveling. Getting out of the place where you always live, then going to an unfamiliar place is a kind of unforgettable experience in your life. First of all traveling is visiting interesting places and meeting new people.It is connected with getting to know other cultures and traditions. Secondly, it is usually said that journeys educate, so traveling we can make our knowledge wider. Also we become more experienced and ready to cope with surrounding world if we learn something while being in journey. Furthermore, traveling is a psychological necessity, especially for people who hav e stressful jobs. There are people who do not want to travel for some reasons. Some enjoy the comfort of their homes. Others do not travel for fear of being robbed or losing their belongings.There are people who would rather put their money on material needs. Of course, journeys have some disadvantages, for example 1. high costs of traveling, 2. danger of disease, etc. So all you need to do is to take extra precautions to be sure that you have a safe journey. I am sure that pleasure of traveling and getting new experience is more important. Especially for those who enjoy the comfort of their homes there is one good saying â€Å"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow†. To sum up, 1. traveling is a very good way of spending time. . It can educate, give impressions, nice memories and let make friends. I can advise people to travel as â€Å"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page . † I’m fond of traveling and would travel much if I had a chance ? I think many people have travelled at least once at their life. I live fourteen years only but I have already travelled a lot. I love travelling very much. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages of travelling. 1. On the one hand, it is very interesting to learn more about other countries and about the world in a whole. 2. ou can meet new people and friends. Furthermore, if you travel abroad, you can practice a foreign language, for example, English. On the other hand, there are some drawbacks with travelling. 1. It is not so comfortable to travel to other countries, especially if it is far from your home. You must take a big luggage with you and it is very heavy. 2. Moreover, it is easier to learn interesting facts about exciting places from books and TV programmes and it very convenient in any case, isn’t it? 3. The third fact is that you just cannot leave your home animals without any look and care. here are many ways of spending our time. One of them is travelling. It has its own advantages and disadvantages. 1. First advantage of travelling is visiting interesting places and meeting new people. 2. It is connected with getting to know other cultures and traditions which is surely valuable. If you live in Russia, you can not leave the country, and lodge in its distant area and open for yourself something absolutely new. 3. Secondly, it is usually said that journeys educate, so whilst travelling as well as exploration we can make our knowledge wider. . Also we become more experienced and ready to cope with surrounding world if we learn something while being in journey. 5. The trip to other country is possibility to practise a foreign language, to improve the pronunciation, to learn about dialects. Such experience can help with study and in a crisis situation. Of couse, journeys has some crucial disadvantages. 1. Firstly, costs of travelling are often quiet hi gh for example travelling by plane, so naturally not everyone can afford. Therefore not all is presumed to themselves by trips abroad. . What is more, journeys especially foreign ones expose us to danger of disease or even death. Travelling can lead to fall ill and maybe then to expensive treatment or in case of fatal accident like for instance car and aerial one to death of many people. 3. Now many people refuse trips abroad, being afraid to catch one of flu kinds. A flu chandes every year, but cases of diseases and lethal outcomes recently have become frequent. 4. The next disadvantage is fatigue that occur while travelling.Most journeys last very long and it can make us feel tired. To sum up, travelling is a very good way of spending time. It can educate, give impressions, nice memories and let make friends. However, in my opinion travelling in spite of its whole advantages, it should not be the only way to learn about the world and ourselves. ? 5. Disadvantages: Unfamiliar terri tory may cause discomfort, travel expenses, being away from home/family, not being able to commuinicate well with the natives, getting travel sick and being unable to enjoy the experience.

Essay about Religion in the World - 897 Words

Religion is intertwined with culture, economics, politics, and modern social relationships on every dimension. Whether you attend a cathedral, a synagogue, or a mosque, habitually, intermittently, or abstain entirely, you simply cannot escape religion. Culture and religion share a symbiotic relationship influencing clothes, hair, attitudes, tradition, child rearing, how we pray, when we pray, how often we pray, and what we wear when we pray. In the IslÄ mic faith the custom of a woman covering herself in a hijab, modest clothing which covers the hair, neck and ears, is inexorably entangled with the religion, when in fact, the custom comes from Shari law, and not from the Qur’an. The religious habit worn by many Catholic nuns is also†¦show more content†¦The counseling resources administered by churches and the intervention in the lives of troubled youths bolster the economy in the abatement of vandalism and crime. By mentoring youths to complete their education, and offering tutoring sessions, churches encourage youths to strive for higher education, to realize their potential, and generate increased income.3Through offering after school programs and day care for individuals lacking resources to afford quality childcare, churches promote employment and an enhanced standard of living. In providing community services churches reduce the economic burden on society. Jerry Falwell’s brainchild the Moral Majority juggernauted to the forefront of national politics in the 1980’s, the Moral Majority endorsed Republican candidate Ronald Regan over incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter4. Ironically, President Jimmy Carter was arguably the most moral American President, a President who created the Department of Education, a dedicated Sunday school teacher, and a faithful champion of human rights. Incumbent President Jimmy Carter did not share the same ultra-conservative views as the Religious Right. As a result, Rev. Jerry Falwell and his assemblage of righteous preachers were determined to unseat him. The Moral Majority postulated Democrats were un-patriotic, un-Christian and un-American.5 More recently, in his bid for election, despite being raised in the Christian faith,Show MoreRelatedWorld Religion2226 Words   |  9 PagesReligion is a hard word to define. Some might define religion as believing in a high power, deities, or a single God. Others define it as a belief system that has more to do with culture and traditions being past down from generation to generation than anything. According to Ask.com (n.d.), religion is define as the belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. No one knows what the first religion was or when it was founded, but todayRead MoreWorld Religion1511 Words   |  7 PagesDanielle Walker World Religions Field Trip Paper 4 May 2014 Different People’s Way of Life Many individuals abide or live life along a set of guidelines or follow a certain religion and that conveys their way of life. Religions have many values, beliefs, and aspirations among them. Worldwide many religions are practiced daily although some may be practiced more than others on a daily basis. I have learned about many aspects, values, and what the motive to practicing a certain religion may give toRead MoreWorld Religion5936 Words   |  24 Pages1-Understanding Religion STUDY QUESTIONS (Pages 1-29) Group A 1. What are some of the questions religion seek to answer? List some of the human needs served by religion? 2. Discuss a theory on origins of religion by one of the thinkers in the reading (Tylor, Frazer, Freud, James, Otto or Jung) that makes sense to you at the present time. 3. List and describe the eight elements that are developed in varying degrees in most religions? 4. Define what is meant by sacred in religion and give some examplesRead MoreWorld Religion: Christianity the Most Widespread Religion in The World1473 Words   |  6 PagesAll over the world, there are many people who believe in something or someone of a higher power. There are about five billion people who believe in a higher power (Tiemann 526). There are six world religions that have followers all around the world. The six world religions are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Many of these religions are monotheistic, which is the belief of only one god or one higher power. There are also polytheistic believers, which is the beliefRead MoreReligion Five Major World Religions Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pages Religion 101 Brian R. Newsom REL 101 David Paul December 11, 2016 Religion 101 During these past weeks, I have made an effort to fathom religion as a whole. From end to end reading, study, independent research, viewing related video clips, and discussions with my co-workers, I now have a healthier understanding of the five major world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) and how each came into existence. I am thrilled to share with you some of theRead MoreThe Invention Of World Religions853 Words   |  4 PagesTomoko Masuzawa’s literary work, The Invention of World Religions, provides a meticulous analysis of how the term â€Å"world religions† is categorized and used in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Masuzawa addresses how the categorization of world religions has changed throughout history and how different elements of each religion, such as texts, origin, and ability to expand have shaped the classification of that religion by scholars. By using the works of well-established scholars, she is ableRead Mor eEssay on Religions of the World1608 Words   |  7 PagesThe Religions of the World Religion is big part of human life. Every area of the world has some kind of religion or belief system. Religion is defined as â€Å"a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices† (â€Å"Religion† Def.2). With such a large amount of religions today, religion is widely variegated, usually with divisions in each one. Despite the large amount of religions, I will only be covering only three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Read MoreReligion Of The World Essays1431 Words   |  6 PagesReligion is interwoven with the social, economic, and political life of the people. It is properly one of the areas of interest to a sociologist because of its influence on the individual and its functions in society. Thus, religion unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden-beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a church all those who adhere to them. Important practice of religion is the observanceRead MoreReligion And The Modern World Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesReligions and civilization have always gone hand in hand, forming and evolving as time goes on. With so many various religions represented throughout history and in our diverse cultures, there are various subjects, ideas, and themes depicted and repeated. With so many concepts available to us in so many forms, we are able to easily compare and discuss their presence and how they integrate into concepts of the modern world. Two forms of religion are animism versus anthropocentrism. Animistic religionsRead MoreReligions of the World Essay673 Words   |  3 PagesReligions of the World Since the creation of The Church of Jesus Christ of The Latter-Day Saints, there have been many controversies concerning the similarities and differences between Mormonism and Catholicism, Christianity and Protestantism. Other than the obvious, that Catholicism, Christianity and Protestantism believe that there are no more prophets, and Mormons believe that there are still prophets walking the earth today, differences between the faiths range in

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Shirley Jackson Using Color To Symbolize Cruelty and Evil...

Shirley Jackson What is humanitys true nature? Are people basically good, or basically evil? Over the centuries, many people have tried to find the answer to this question, to no avail. Author Shirley Jackson takes a definite stance on the issue throughout her work, arguing that people are basically evil. Many times, this theme is obviously stated in her stories, but sometimes it is woven in more subtly. In her short stories The Lottery,† Elizabeth, and Flower Garden, Shirley Jackson uses color to symbolize the cruelty and evil common in everyday life. In â€Å"The Lottery,† Jackson tells the story of what appears to be an innocent festival in a small, rural town in the United States. All of the townspeople gather around a black†¦show more content†¦Traditionally, the color black is used to represent death; in the context of a ritual stoning, it represents both death and malice on the part of the townspeople participating in the event. As Cleanth Brooks and Robert Warren say in â€Å"Shirley Jackson: ‘The Lottery’†, much of the story is a commentary on the practice of scapegoating common in old ritual practices and in current ones such as tabloid reporting (224). This is also symbolized with the black box—the townspeople â€Å"[keep] their distance, leaving a space between themselves and the stool† (Jackson â€Å"The Lottery† 292) that the box is kept on when it is brought out, and focusing any visible nerves on the black box and the black mark that means their death. In this way, the color black becomes a physical manifestation of the townspeople’s cruelty, as they have come to fear it rather than the people who may kill them during the ritual. The theme of color used to symbolize cruelty is continued in Jackson’s short story, â€Å"Elizabeth,† although it is more subtle than in some of her other stories. The titular character is a disappointed woman in her thirties, carrying on a loveless relationship with her boss. In general, the theme of hidden evil in everyday life is harder to pick out than in many of Jackson’s other stories—there is no horrifying twist or startling revelation to make the theme more obvious. Cruelty is instead shown in the

Sustainability Reporting Style of Wesfarmers and Woolworths Limited

Question: Discuss about the Sustainability Reporting Style of Wesfarmers Limited and Woolworths Limited. Answer: Introduction In the recent era, massive progress can be seen in the businesses all over the world and the businesses are expanding is a very fast pace. Thus, the companies are able to generate more amounts of revenues and profitability. However, it has been seen that the business activities of these companies have negative effects on the environment, community and the people of community. For this reason, it is the responsibility of the companies to adopt the strategies of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. In this situation, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is considered as a major tool to promote sustainability and corporate social responsibility in the companies. The main aim of this repost is to compare and contrast the sustainability reporting style of two Australian companies that use GRI guidelines for sustainability. For this report, two Australia corporations are selected; they are Wesfarmers Limited and Woolworths Limited. Purpose of Sustainability Report It can be seen that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers use to prepare well-structured sustainability report according to the guidelines of GRI. In case of both the companies, there are some major purpose behind the development of sustainability reports. They are discussed below: Woolworths The major purposes of sustainability reporting in Woolworths are discussed below: People: Creating diversity in the workplace is a major purpose of sustainability reporting in Woolworths. Women should occupy 40 percent of the position of executives and senior managers posts in Woolworths as per the sustainability strategy of the country. In addition, the company has taken major initiatives to reduce the wage gap between men and women. According to the initiative of Federal Governments Employment Parity Initiative, including indigenous people in the workforce is a major purpose of the sustainability reporting of Woolworths (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Planet: Another major sustainability reporting purpose of Woolworths is to make a healthy Australia by reducing environmental pollution. There are two sub purpose sunder this initiative. They are to work towards zero food wastage and to reduce carbon emission below 10% level (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Prosperity: Another major purpose of sustainability of Woolworths is to establish a trusted relation with their stakeholders. In this context, the purpose of Woolworth is to inspire the customers to buy their products in the healthy and sustainable way. With the help of sustainability reporting, Woolworths is determined to get the top quality ranking (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Wesfarmers The sustainability reporting purpose of Woolworths is discussed below: People: Development of people is one prime purpose of sustainability reporting in Wesfarners. It is the sustainability objective of Wesfarmers to provide safe workplace to the employees of their company. The employees of Wesfarmers get better opportunities to enhance their career (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Sourcing: Another major purpose of sustainability reporting in Wesfarmers is to maintain a good relationship with the suppliers of their company. The company is determined to source products in a responsible way without harming the environment. Community: It is the purpose of Wesfarmerss sustainability initiatives to provide their customers with safe products in order to make positive contribution towards the community (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Environment: Another major purpose of sustainability reporting of Wesfarmers is to reduce the amount of carbon emission in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change. In this process, waste reduction is another sustainability purpose of Wesfarners. As a result of this purpose, the company has taken many crucial initiatives to reduce the negative effects of environmental pollution (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Governance: Another major purpose of the sustainability reporting as per GRI in Wesfarners is to maintain robust policies for corporate governance. Stakeholders It needs to be mentioned that every business organization develop the sustainability reports for some of the key stakeholders of their organizations. There is not any exception of this fact in the cases of Woolworths and Westerners. In this context, it needs to be mentioned that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers have the same stakeholders, which are interested in the sustainability reports of these companies. The first stakeholder is the investors. As the people of Australia become more environment and sustainability conscious, they consider the sustainability reports before investing (wesfarmers.com.au 2017). The second stakeholder is the community people. It can be seen that the operational activities of the companies affect the environment and the community people. For this reason, the people of community are interested in the sustainability reports of these companies as the sustainability actions will bring good for them. The next stakeholder is the young Australian that is in need of jobs. It needs to be mentioned that it is one of the major sustainable objectives of both the companies to create jobs in the market. Due to this, the young Australian will be interested in the sustainable reports of these companies (woolworthsgroup.com.au 2017). Thus, these are the major stakeholders of these two companies for sustainability reports. Differences between Sustainability Reports From the above discussion, it can be seen that both Woolworths and Wesfarmers use to publish their sustainability reports on yearly basis. In this context, it is crucial to mention that both the companies use the guidelines of GRI at the time to prepare their sustainability reports. The overall objective of both Woolworths and Wesfarmers is same for sustainability reporting. However, there are some major differences between the sustainability reporting of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The major difference can be seen in the purpose of sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The three major purpose of the preparation of sustainability reports of Woolworths are people, planet and prosperity (wow2016cr.qreports.com.au 2017). Based on these three aspects, Woolworths uses to develop their sustainability reports. As per 2016 sustainability report of Woolworths, different type of description and information is provided in it. However, in case of Wesfarners, it can be seen that the company has different set of purpose of sustainability reports. Apart from the common purposes of sustainability, some additional sustainability purposes can be seen for Wesfarmers; they are sourcing and governance. It needs to be mentioned that the 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarners also includes all the details and information regarding the purpose of sustainability (sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Apart from the purposes, differences can be seen in the structure of the sustainability reports of these two companies. It can be seen that there are four sections in the 2016 sustainability report of Woolworths; they are performance highlight, group review, business review and other information (wow2016cr.qreports.com.au 2017). However, the structure of 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarners is different. There are four major parts in 2016-sustainability report of Wesfarners; they are sustainability at Wesfarners, managing directors welcome, detail about the companys major principles and details about the business of the company. By observing the sustainability repots of both Woolworths and Wesfarmers, it can be seen that the details about GRI reporting have been provided in different formats. In case of Woolworths, all the GRI indexes are provided at the end of the report with the page numbers. However, in case of the 2016 sustainability report of Wesfarmers, the GRI indexes are provided in the form of footnotes in each page (sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au 2017). Thus, as per this discussion, it can be observed that there are some crucial differences between the sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. Importance of Sustainability Reporting It needs to be compulsory for the companies to publish their sustainability reports based on the guidelines of GRI. The major reason is that the there are many benefits for the sustainability report preparation as per the guidelines of GRI. They are discussed below: Building Trust: Sustainability reports help in bringing transparency about non-financial performance of the companies that helps in the reduction of reputation risks of the companies (globalreporting.org 2017). Improved Systems and Processes: With the help of GRI guidelines, business organizations become able to examine the effectiveness of internal management and business decision-making processes of the companies (James 2015). Vision and Strategy: Sustainability reporting helps the companies to properly engage with their stakeholders. This particular process leads to the development of robust visions and strategies for the businesses (Toppinen et al. 2012). Reduction in Compliance Cost: The measurement of sustainability performance helps the companies in complying with the regulatory requirements and this process reduces compliance cost for the companies (Toppinen and Korhonen?Kurki 2013). Competitive Advantage: With the help of sustainability reporting, companies can build goodwill in the market. This process provides them with the necessary competitive advantages (Fernandez-Feijoo, Romero and Ruiz 2014). According to the above discussion, it can be observed that there are many benefits of the adoption of GRI guidelines for the preparation of sustainability reports. For this reason, it is compulsory for the business organizations to prepare sustainability reports based on the principles of GRI. Conclusion The above discussion shows the analysis and evaluation of sustainability reporting of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. The above discussion shows that both the companies have different purpose for the preparation of sustainability reports based on the guiding principles of GRI. The analysis shows that there are some key differences between the sustainability reports of Woolworths and Wesfarmers. They are the structure, content and information in the sustainability reports and others. The study also shows that there are many benefits of developing sustainability reports based on the principles of GRI. Thus, it is compulsory for the companies to adopt it. References Fernandez-Feijoo, B., Romero, S. and Ruiz, S., 2014. Commitment to corporate social responsibility measured through global reporting initiative reporting: Factors affecting the behavior of companies.Journal of Cleaner Production,81, pp.244-254. globalreporting.org. (2017).The benefits of sustainability reporting. [online] Available at: https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/The-benefits-of-sustainability-reporting.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. James, M.L., 2015.The Benefits Of Sustainability And Integrated Reporting: An Investigation Of Accounting Majors'perceptions.Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues,18(1), p.1. sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au. (2017).2016 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT. [online] Available at: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/media/1835/edited-extract-of-wesfarmers-2016-sustainability-report.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Toppinen, A. and Korhonen?Kurki, K., 2013. Global Reporting Initiative and social impact in managing corporate responsibility: a case study of three multinationals in the forest industry.Business ethics: A European review,22(2), pp.202-217. Toppinen, A., Li, N., Tuppura, A. and Xiong, Y., 2012. Corporate Responsibility and Strategic Groups in the Forest?based Industry: Exploratory Analysis based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Framework.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,19(4), pp.191-205. Wesfarmers.com.au. (2017).Our approach to sustainability. [online] Available at: https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/investor-centre/company-performance-news/our-approach-to-sustainability [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Woolworthsgroup.com.au. (2017).Corporate Responsibility - Woolworths Group. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-responsibility/corporate-responsibility [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Woolworthsgroup.com.au. (2017).Environment and sustainability - Woolworths Group. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-responsibility/environment [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. wow2016cr.qreports.com.au. (2017).2016 CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORT. [online] Available at: https://wow2016cr.qreports.com.au/xresources/pdf/wow16cr-full.pdf [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017].

Metabical Positioning and Communications Strategy

Decision Making Process for Metabical Metabical is a prescription drug for controlling weight loss for overweight individuals, and a product of Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP). CSP is a healthcare researcher that focuses on developing, manufacturing, and selling drugs that treat health disorders. Its drugs cure health disorders, which include immune deficiencies, metabolic, acute, and chronic disorders.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Researchers found the drug to be effective for overweight persons bearing body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30. It combined calosera, an appetite supplement compound with meditonan, fat blocking, and calorie absorbing agent. The combination enhanced weight loss for overweight individuals. In addition, the drug had optimal effects when used in low dosages, which have minimal negative effect s on the liver as opposed to other drugs. Additionally, researchers also introduced a different perspective of the drug, which allowed the users to use only a single pill daily. Just like other prescription drugs, metabical has negative side effects that patients felt after the consumption of high-level calories and fats. The drug was clinically tested and the results showed that the drug was effective with majority test participants achieving their goals for weight loss by twelve weeks. Tests revealed that persons with BMI of 25 to 30 lost at least twenty-six pounds after taking Metabical. Metabical was also effective in the modification of behavior and healthy eating habits. Test participants on Metabical dosage had a mean of less than 10 per cent of weight shedding in a period of three years. However, researchers found the drug to be less effective to individuals with BMI of above 30 since they lost low weight, and thus not recommended for that group. After the approval of its us e in over the counter, CSP embarked on pricing models in order to come up with the favorable price for Metabical. However, it estimated to have a retail price of approximately $3 to $5 per pill. In the United States, the majority in the population have overweight problems, which compelled the medical insurance plans not to cover the health rated problems to overweight risks. Hence, patients bought the drugs without the involvement of reimbursements from the medical insurance cover plans.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There were expectations that few prescriptions would cover the cost of Metabical, but Printup thought of launching a campaign to persuade health care insurance plans to include the cost of Metabical in the drug plans from review of the first six months performance of sales. CSP planned to launch Metabical in January 2009 after successive approval by the F ederal Drug Authority (FDA) of the United States. FDA approved Metabical as the first drug for overweight individuals. The researchers gave time for the development of reliable positioning strategy and associated marketing communication plans for the new drug. The overall marketing duties fell on the hands of Barbara Printup, the head of marketing department at CSP. CSP made various decisions on the development of Metabical. CSP also had planned to assist individuals who succeed in achieving the desired weight results to adopt healthy eating habits in order to keep the weight in check. CSP expected to carryout development of support program on which it could spend $200,000. In addition, it expected the cost of producing the program for year 1 to be at least $2 million but the estimated cost of the program was to be lower than 10% of the marketing budget for year 1. The program would include online referencing materials, which included; online weight-control tools, personal support, meal plans, and exercise plans. There was no trial testing for the decision of the support program before its implementation and therefore, studies had not measured its impact for further decision making. However, Printup, senior marketing director at CSP, was optimistic that the program would assist the Metabical users to attain and maintain their goals of weight loss. Yet, there was anxiety on how she was going to highlight the program within communications strategy. Consumer Segmentation By 2000, overweight population formed 34 per cent of the total population in the United States with adults being the most affected, and 4.5 per cent falling into the category of being severely obese. Studies on the vice showed that obesity of adults’ population increased with advancement in age for both men and women.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The studies found highest incidences for each gender disparity to be ages between 65 and 74 for men, and 55 and 64 for women (Dewhirst and Davis 90). Secondly, studies on the vice also found low-level education to be a great factor that facilitates the increase in the cases of obesity. Population of people with less than the high school level education was greatly affected by the cases of obesity, but excess weight affected all demographic segments. However, health service providers were opportunistic about the prospect of Metabical, which could aid overweight individuals to shed off their weight and establish exercise habits and healthier eating habits. In addition, they said that it was a hard task of taking a pill everyday, but the support program was an excellent idea that would complement the idea of achieving obese free population (Weinstein 118). In 2007, Print commissioned a market survey of overweight individuals. Results showed interesting findings from the respondents who were overweight individuals. Nearly, 70 per cent of them indicated that they were not satisfied with their body weights. In addition, 35 per cent of the overweight population indicated that they were actively trying to lose excess body weights. In addition, 15 per cent of individuals in that segment indicated that they were comfortable using drugs for controlling body weights. Lastly, 12 per cent were desperately in need of an appointment with a health service provider for a prescription. Printup had the mandate to carryout market segmentation. In carrying out the market segmentation, she considered various factors, which included population age, level of education in a population, and the size of affected proportion in a population. Beginning with the population age, studies found that the majority of the affected individuals are adults of ages between 55 and 74 for both men and women. Therefore, this insight formed a market segment, which comprises of adults ne ar retirement age and old aged. Secondly, the level of education was a factor that determined the severity of overweight in a population. Hence, it is a crucial factor in the formation of market segment for the Metabical drugs.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The task was to identify the market segments by considering the populations literacy levels. The studies showed that individuals with low-level of education, less than high school education, were the most affected by the severity of overweight cases. Thirdly, clinical tests found Metabical to be most effective for overweight individuals with BMI of between 25 and 30. Therefore, Printup could choose individuals with BMI of between 25 and 30 to be an effective market segment. In addition, this segment formed the only market for the Metabical and thus of crucial importance to CSP. Lastly, market segment can be determined by putting into consideration all the above factors, and their effects on the entire population. Low level of education in a population contributes to overweight due to ignorance on the effects of unhealthy eating habits. In addition, most people are unemployed and stand high chances of spending a lot of time eating due of idleness. Shockingly, unemployed population do es not afford the cost of buying organic foods and thus consume a lot of fast food, which is unhealthy. Position of Metabical in the Market Place Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP) can easily identify the differential advantages of Metabical in the marketplace. It was the first overweight drug that the Federal Drugs Authority of the United States approved for use in the health sector, which was after successful clinical tests in which respondents responded positively by losing their weight. In addition, the majority of people in the entire overweight population were desperately in need of consulting health service providers for prescription. Therefore, metabical stood a high chance of selling well in the market by being a monopoly. In addition, Alli and other preexisting drugs failed to eliminate the overweight problems without harmful effects to patients and as a result, FDA eliminated them from the market (Dewhirst and Davis 90). In addition, Metabical has a chance of gettin g into the health assurance plan due to its effectiveness in reducing the risks of overweight to a victim. Successful incorporation of Metabical into the medical plans would help the researchers to get a large market share for there are no close substitutes in the market. Moreover, medics praised the drug for being a major breakthrough to a health disorder that has affected many people with no cure, which shows that metabical will find its way into health facilities as a recognized prescription unlike its predecessors. Communication Strategies The drug in question required an effective communication that would include every player in his or her making of decisions. The effective plan ought to focus on two parties for the drug, viz. the end of application use, who is the patient and the health care officer offering the prescription. In addition, the health care providers ought to be the one who supplement the metabical prescription with the recommendation of the right support program depending on the nature of the patient’s case (Carlton and Blaise 77). The drug was a major breakthrough for the CSP because it gave an opportunity for researchers to dominate in the overweight drug market. Therefore, the launching budget for the drug ought to be higher than the ones of the previous launches that the researchers have had in the past. However, there was going to be a close relationship between the budget for the Metabical and the most recent launched drug. Hence, the current budget was going to be a fine tune of the previously used budget with the major differences being in the costs of things that have changed due to inflation in the economy (Carlton and Blaise 82). In addition, in the generation of a market timeline, I planned to perform a comprehensive test of advertising and product promotion campaigns in the first year of the drug launch. The test would involve respondents who are conversant with marketing medical drugs for specific market segment. Their feedback would be a great milestone in the making of a comprehensive market budgeting plan for metabical and the support program for patients who are under the medication program. Advertising is the most important marketing strategy for a new product in the business. Medical drugs require a specific advertising strategy depending on the target customers. Metabical targets both the patient and the health care provider and thus direct-customer advertising strategy could be the best method of advertising for it would reach the targeted customers effectively. However, FDA had allowed the drug producers to use media and other channels for advertising drugs and thus television, online, and print media could be the best choice of advertising methods for the case of metabical. Over the first year of launch, the drug needed to have heavy advertising in order to achieve a comprehensive market sensitization within a short time frame. Therefore, I would recommend for the utilization of more th an two-thirds of the first year’s total marketing budget on direct–customer forms of advertising. This assertion holds because the main objective is to create awareness of the existence of metabical in the drug market and more so to the target market segments that CSP had identified earlier before the launching. The most effective form of direct-consumer form of adverting for metabical ought to have three most important initial concepts, which include sensitizing patients that weight loss is tough and thus it cannot be done by oneself. This move could help to win the willingness of patients to purchase the drug as assistance in achieving their weight loss goals (Quelch and Beckham 89). Secondly, the concept of encouraging patients to build desire for building physique that is attractive. This aspect could boost the persuasiveness of advertisements for the desire of many humans is to have attractive physique in their lifetime, and thus many patients would choose to buy the drug with physique attractiveness as their ultimate goal. Lastly is the creation of awareness of the most weight loss that a patient can achieve after taking the drugs. This stage is the most important part of the advertising that tends to create awareness of the targeted patients in the population. The message could read something like those extra twenty pounds could kill you. This statement implies that patients with more than twenty extra pounds depending on their BMIs would eliminate themselves from the market segment (Weinstein 67). In addition, it was crucial for the advertising strategy to target the medics. Therefore, a professional advertising method was necessary in order to reach the medics in health care centers and training institutions. The most effective form of advertising for the above goal was advertising in the academic and professional print media such as in the medical journals and reports. In addition, online advertisements were also crucial and could be ef fective when done on the websites of CSP, hospitals, health institutions of learning, and other health organizations. These forms of advertising could help in effectiveness of the aligned timeframe of advertising. One year is a short period for advertising and creating comprehensive awareness for a new drug in the market. Hence, it is necessary to carry out frequent evaluations of the effectiveness of the advertising strategies that were in use. I would recommend for the adjustments of the advertisement strategy intended for health care providers by touching on three important elements (Quelch and Beckham 89). They include sensitizing the medics, which is done by informing them that Metabical drug is effective and safe weight loss drug for patients, and hence an alternative to the previous prescriptions that were in use. Second, is emphasizing on the harmful effects of obesity and overweight disorders to the patients. The advertisement should touch on the effects such as diabetes, h eart diseases, and others that are fatal for the human life. Thirdly, informing them that the FDA has approved Metabical as the only effective and safe weight-loss-drug in the drug industry of the United States. In addition, it is crucial to inform them of the findings of the clinical tests whereby the drug was found to be most effective for patients with BMI of between 25 and 30. That information is essential for sensitizing them about the right patient for the prescription. The advertisements ought to inform them of the importance of the support program to the victims who were under the medication (Carlton and Blaise 114). Lastly, product promotions are very crucial for the promotions of new market products in the business. Therefore, metabical needed product promotion campaigns in order to boost its sales in the market. Product promotion is more effective than advertisements for the seller gets immediate feedback from the buyers. In addition, the seller is capable of reaching the target customers and directly informs them on crucial information about the product. However, product promotion does not have a wide coverage of the market when compared with other forms of advertisements, but it has more influence in the market than the other forms of marketing. It is also expensive and time consuming though it has significant long-term advantages for the product sales. I would recommend that product promotion and public relations for the metabical follow the launch, as they would help to emphasize information about the drug to the public. Within the first year of launch, the marketing department should keep on evaluating the effectiveness of the marketing strategies that the researchers are using. This move would help to ensure that the cost of marketing strategies does not exceed the estimated marketing budget without significant returns from the market. In addition, evaluation helps in early detection of problems, which otherwise would deter the achievement of the marketing goals and identification of their correction measures before it is too late. Hence, Printup, the researchers marketing director, ought to have a schedule of regular meetings with the executive of CSP within the first one year of the product launch. In those meetings, she would brief the executive about the sales performance with regard to the successively reached market segments, and tell the plans that are already in place for the unreached market segments. In addition, she would also give an assurance of whether the marketing budget will be enough to cater for all costs of her marketing strategy. Lastly, she would assure the executive that the aligned period is enough for the planned marketing strategies. Works Cited Carlton, Maria, and David Blaise. The power of promotional products: how to  motivate prospects, reward performance and create targeted promotions with residual value, New York: Maruki Books, 2007. Print Dewhirst, Timothy, and Brad Davis. â€Å"Brand Strategy and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): A Case Study of Player’s Cigarette Brand Marketing.† Journal of Advertising 34.4 (2005): 81-92. Print Quelch, John, and Heather Beckham. Metabical: positioning and communications  strategy for a new weight loss drug, New York: Harvard Business Publishing, 2009. Print. Weinstein, Art. Handbook of Market Segmentation: Strategic Targeting for Business  and Technology Firms, Washington D.C: Haworth Press, 2004. Print This case study on Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy was written and submitted by user Bright Hen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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