The Use of Violence in Flannery OConnors Stories

The main recurring theme in Flannery O’Connor’s stories is the use of violence towards characters in order to give them an eye-opening moment in which they finally realize their true self in relation to the rest of society and openly accept insight into how they should act or think. This theme of violence can clearly be seen in three works by Flannery O’Connor: A Good Man is Hard to Find, Good Country People, and Everything That Rises Must Converge. In A Good Man is Hard to Find, the grandmother and the Misfit both experience a life-changing event that leads to them having a clear understanding of who they should truly be. After the Misfit kills the rest of the family, the grandmother is left alone with the Misfit in the ditch. Once she†¦show more content†¦She realizes that she is left defenseless and that her philosophy and education can not help her in times of great intense physical struggle and difficulty, such as trying to get back home without her other leg and no glasses in order to see (Whitt 78). In Everything that Rises Must Converge, Julian and his mother experience a moment of clarity in terms of contemplating on their actions and thoughts. Julian has always hated his mother for her traditional southern beliefs and ways. She even goes as far as to wish that she lived back in the past when she was a girl. She embodies the traditional pre-civil rights southerner who believes in being superior to someone else in terms of race, money, or any other factor. When she sees a black woman on the bus wearing the same hat she is wearing, she realizes that someone regarded as inferior by her standards, a black woman, is suddenly equal to her. She shows great discomfort and disapproval of this new ideal. When the black woman and her son are getting off of the bus, she approaches them and gives the child a penny as a sign of humiliation and inferiority. The black woman then hits her which causes her to fall to the ground. Julian’s mother falling to the ground shows a change in actions and thoughts for both her and Julian (Moore). Julian begins to tell her that she got what she deserved for giving her insulting pennies to blackShow MoreRelated Violence Leading To Redemption In Flannery OConnors Literature1482 Words   |  6 PagesViolence Leading to Redemption in Flannery OConnors Literature Flannery OConnor uses many of the same elements in almost all of her short stories. I will analyze her use of violence leading to the main character experiencing moral redemption. The use of redemption comes from the religious background of Flannery OConnor. Violence in her stories is used as a means of revelation to the main characters inner self. The literature of Flannery OConnor appears to be unbelievably harsh and violentRead More Flannery Oconnor1301 Words   |  6 Pagesreflected on how the world was dealing with the changes. Flannery O’Connor, a prominent Catholic writer from the South, was one of the many who examined society and shared their philosophies. O’Connor shocked her twentieth century readers with the haunting style and piercing questions in her short stories and novels, which were centered on a combination of her life experiences, her deep Catholic faith, and the literature of the time. Mary Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1925 intoRead MoreA Good Man Is Hard And Find By Flannery O Connor1190 Words   |  5 PagesIn Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†, O’Connor tells the story mainly on the emphasis of the grandmothers prospective. The grandmother was never named in the short story, only leaving the reader to guess if this story was how O’Connor portrayed a feeling toward society and religion. In order for the reader to understand the point of view of the story, the reader must look at the back ground of the author. Born in Georgia, where the story takes place, O’Connor was raisedRead MoreA Critical Analysis of Revelation by Flannery OConnor1591 Words   |  7 Pages- Well written-Good points A Critical Analysis of Revelation by Flannery OConnor Flannery OConnors background influenced her to write the short story Revelation. One important influence on the story is her Southern upbringing. During her lifetime, Southerners were very prejudiced towards people of other races and lifestyles. They believed that people who were less fortunate were inferior to them; therefore, people were labeled as different things and placed into different social classesRead More â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†: Comparing Flannery O’Connor’s Literary Technique2162 Words   |  9 PagesFind†: Comparing Flannery O’Connor’s Literary Technique to Grotesque Medieval Literature Upon initially reading Flannery O’Connor’s work, one would have no problem recognizing her use of shocking, violent, or despairing themes. It may not be as easy, however, to completely accept or understand her style. According to Patrick Galloway, one must be â€Å"initiated to her trademarks when reading any of her two novels or thirty-two short stories (1).In many of her works, she paradoxically uses styles thatRead MoreFlannery O Connor s A Good Man1493 Words   |  6 PagesFlannery O’Connor’s background had a dramatic impact on her writing. Born in Savannah, Georgia, she utilized her familiarity with the region as a reference to implement a richly descriptive southern setting in her short stories. She was raised by devout Roman Catholics; her faith was deeply intertwined with the overall theme and character development in her writings. O’Connor portrays moments of grace for her main characters at a time of utter shock and devastation. In â₠¬Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find†Read MoreA Good Man By Flannery O Connor1369 Words   |  6 PagesFlannery O’Connor is one of the most controversial and well known modern day Southern Gothic authors in America. When she came into prominence in 1955 with her first collection of short stories titled A Good Man is Hard to Find, it was met with criticism for being overtly violent and grotesque. One reviewer from Time magazine said the short stories were â€Å"witheringly sarcastic† and â€Å"written in a style as balefully direct as a death sentence† (Simpson 44). The reviewer went even further on to callRead MoreA Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor748 Words   |  3 PagesFlannery O’Connor’s Southern Gothic short story, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† is one of sudden violence; although, it begins rather uneventful (Kaplan 1). Bailey, his wife, and their children, John Wesley, June Star, and a baby boy, are all looking forw ard to a trip to Florida. Grandmother, Bailey’s mom, wants to go to east Tennessee to see her relatives, not Florida. She uses an article in the newspaper that tells of an escaped criminal, the Misfit, which is headed to Florida to try to persuadeRead MoreIrony and Foreshadowing in Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find1604 Words   |  7 PagesAs I read Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, I find myself being completely consumed by the rich tale that the author weaves; a tragic and ironic tale that concisely and precisely utilizes irony and foreshadowing with expert skill. As the story progresses, it is readily apparent that the story will end in a tragic and predictable state due to the devices which O’Connor expertly employs and thusly, I find that I cannot stop reading it; the plot grows thicker with everyRead MoreWise Blood, by Flannery OConnor1510 Words   |  7 PagesWise Blood, by Flannery O’ Connor, is an fascinating yet disturbing novel. Wise Blood is a story of Hazel Motes, a twenty-two-year-old soldier who comes home from World War Two and gets trapped in a fight between faith and disbelief. He becomes captivated by a preacher named Asa Hawks and his bastard fifteen-year-old daughter, Lily Sabbath. In a way to prove how much of a pessimist Motes is, he founds The Church of God Without Christ, but is still frustrated that he is unable to lose his faith in

Compare the Evidence of a Nordic Presence in the Americas...

Compare the evidence of a Nordic presence in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus with the evidence of a West African presence during that period. It has been said by historians that the Nordics and the West Africans were in the Americas before Columbus arrived in 1492. Though evidence, such as oral sagas, tracing routes which it was said they took, artifacts, skeletal remains, among others, have been found to prove that they could have been present; there are still debates as to whether or not they actually came to the Americas before Columbus. Some believe that the evidence of the presence of the Nordics is more admissible than that of the West Africans. The Norse (also known as the Vikings) got their name from the language†¦show more content†¦Proof of the Malian expedition can be noted in the names given to places in Haiti as the Malians renamed places after themselves. Examples of such are Mandinga Port, Mandinga Bay and Sierre de Mali. It is said that the Af rican mariners that came to the western hemisphere were looking for trade and knowledge of what lied beyond their coasts. They brought with them flora and fauna, cloth, their scientific knowledge, technology and the arts. Modern experiments have shown that the ancient African boats could have made the journey across the seas to the new world as they were strong enough. Boat builders in Central Africa’s Lake chad made a papyrus craft that was sailed from North Africa to Barbados in eastern Caribbean in 1969, there were similar journeys that showed that even the small boats could with have survived these crossings. Some of the evidence that the West African’s were in fact present in the region before Columbus’ arrival are; the linguistic continuities in the region, an example of this is when it was recorded that the indigenous peoples referred to the Africans as ‘guanine’ which was the first piece of evidence that west Africans were in the region, it, however, was not seen as strong enough by many historians to hold up such a theory. There were no written evidence that they were there, it could be assumed that they could have been lost, or destroyed as it was seen that the Europeans were not always tolerant of these other cultures inShow MoreRelatedMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagessuccesses/Robert F. Hartley. —11th ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-0-470-16981-0 (pbk.) 1. Marketing—United States—Case studies. I. Title. HF5415.1.H37 2009 658.800973—dc22 2008040282 ISBN-13 978-0-470-16981-0 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 PREFACE Welcome to the 30th anniversary of Marketing Mistakes and Successes with this 11th edition. Who would have thought that interest in mistakes would be so enduring? Many of you are past

Abortion in Canada Should Remain Legal Free Essays

â€Å"Abortion is not a crime in Canada but it is an area of the law† (Duhaime, 2010) that isn’t black and white. It has been completely legal since 1988 and our government should keep it that way. For as much as some people are anti-abortion or ‘pro-life’ they need to understand that women have abortions for a variety of reasons one being that an abortion can actually benefit the unborn child. We will write a custom essay sample on Abortion in Canada Should Remain Legal or any similar topic only for you Order Now Those who are anti-choice also claim that abortion is wrong because it violates the rights of the fetus, but what about the rights of the woman? It is a woman’s right to decide what she does with her body and though it is much debated; a fetus by logical argument is not a person and does not hold any rights. Finally, even if abortion was made illegal as it was many decades ago, desperate measure to abort unwanted children would be taken by many expecting women, with dire consequences. It is from these four statements that one can say that abortion should continue to be legal in Canada. â€Å"It is not always in the best interest of the child to be born† (Jacob, 2006). A great example comes from the book Abortion under Attack. It features a story from a girl whose father never wanted her. She â€Å"suffered emotional abuse of hearing on a regular basis that she was unwanted and unwelcomed. † (Jacob, 2006) A lot of children are sadly born into this type of unloving environment when a mother is too poor to afford an abortion and doesn’t have the support to take care of the child or when they are born into a strained relationship. When a child is born to parents who don’t want them, would it not have been in their best interest to have been aborted? Rather than be subject to emotional or physical abuse or loveless lives in group homes, they could have never had to experience any of the pain; they never would have known. The fetus is not a conscious being, so when it is aborted it feels no pain; it is as if it never existed. In other cases, a child who born to a woman who heavily used drugs throughout her pregnancy won’t have a fair chance at life. Why put an infant or child through that type of stress and withdrawal. A potential mother who is a heavy drug user should abort any baby that would have been consummated during the times she was using because that will cause unnecessary harm to the unborn child therefore it is not in the best interest of the child to be born. Another instance would be when a couple wants to have a baby but a healthy relationship isn’t in place. By healthy relationship we’re talking about one that isn’t full of anger and violence. If you bring a child into an unhealthy environment, full of negative energy it has a great impact on their development. An example of how negativity can affect the development process is seen in Dr. Emoto’s book Messages in Water. In his book he does an experimental study of whether negative words like â€Å"you fool† have a different effect on water formations than positive words such as â€Å"love† or â€Å"appreciation† (Emoto, 2008). He found that negative phrases and words create large clusters or will not form clusters, and positive, beautiful words and phrases create small, tight clusters. In basic terms negative words and positive words have different effects on the structure of ones make up. So bringing a child into a negative environment isn’t fair to them in two ways, the first being that they weren’t asked to be brought into the situation and the second being that they are going to be emotionally abused or traumatized from the constant violence. From this one could conclude that it would have been in the child’s best interest if they were never born and brought into the situation. â€Å"Only persons have a right to life, human organisms are not persons before birth therefore human organisms do not have a right to life before birth. (Jagger, 2009) A fetus is completely dependent on a mother to survive, if removed from the womb it would die. A human can independently survive when put on its own. So one can conclude that because a fetus is not viable without being attached to something else, it is human-like but not human; if anything it more closely resembles a parasite clinging to a host for life. At birth the fetus becomes human because it can no w independently breathe, move, eat etc. Now a pro-life believer could now say, ‘Would a person who is living off a kidney dialysis machine, and cannot live independently not be a person’? To answer that is the key to why a fetus is not a person. As soon as one can live independently they can be considered to be a person, if after that they become dependent they still remain persons because they have already functioned independently and crossed the line from human organism to human. Almost all of abortions are done in the first two trimesters of pregnancy, and during this time a fetus is not independently viable. The amount of abortions done in the third trimester, or after â€Å"quickening† is such a low percentage it does not make sense to make a law against it because it is so unheard of. The general understanding with an abortion is that you shouldn’t do it after you’ve felt the baby move, or once it is viable. This is a understanding that lies in the morals of humans, there is no need for a law against it because people will 9 out of 10 times make the morally correct decision. In the odd case where a third trimester abortion does occur, it is only done after evaluating all possible options and weighing all the consequences, we need to keep abortion legal so people can make the choice for themselves. Women have been fighting for their rights for decades, and taking ownership of their bodies was part of that. In 1988 Dr. Henry Montagentaler opened up several illegal (at the time) abortion clinics and challenged section 287 of the criminal code which condemned abortion. The Supreme Court ruled that section 287 offended the charter and was no longer in effect. His fight made abortion legal for all Canadian women. (Arthur, 1999) He gave women a choice, the choice to continue the pregnancy and keep the child, continue the pregnancy and give the child away or legally abort the pregnancy. The court case of Daigle v. Tremblay displays this choice in action. In Quebec 1989 Chantal Daigle became pregnant and wanted to abort the baby as she did not feel ready or capable of being a parent but her boyfriend Mr. Tremblay tried to get a court ordered injunction to prevent her from doing just that. His plea was dismissed in the Supreme Court and it became known to all that the father has no legal rights in a mother’s abortion decision, and a fetus is not a person under Quebec law it holds no rights. From this case we can see that a woman’s rights override the rights of a fetus, if it is considered to have any. Women can’t be condemned for abortion because they aren’t doing anything wrong other than fighting for their rights as they’ve done for so many years. People should â€Å"not judge the choices others make,† (Piehl, 2007) as many â€Å"people say that women who have abortions do so for selfish reasons† (Piehl, 2007) but usually they’re wrong as It’s out of love. Many who â€Å"endure the pain of abortion do so to provide the quality of arenting they want for their children that they already have, to ensure financial security or to complete education. (Piehl, 2007) When viewed from this perspective we can see that when a woman gets an abortion she is doing so because she wants the best for her child. Why bring a child into a world where you cannot properly provide for them? From this we can see why abortion can be a good thing and why it should remain legal. â€Å"Between 1926 and 1947, 4000 to 6000 Canadian women died as a result of bungled illegal abortions. (Arthur, 1999) This was due to the lack of resources used by the people conducting the procedure. This in its self, shows us that women are going to dominate their bodies whether it is legal or not, so the best thing to do would be to keep it legal so a safer and cleaner procedure can be offered. â€Å"Childbirth itself is also unusually painful†¦it is hazardous to women’s health and indeed their lives. † (Tooley, 2009) To make a women go through the exquisite pain of childbirth when she may not be ready to mother a child is quite cruel. There are many different procedures for abortion, but all have to be done with care or the life of the mother is put at risk. We need to keep abortions legal so that doctors can be adequately trained in the different procedures and fewer Canadian women will die as a result. A wise man once said â€Å"The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation† in reference to abortion. (Arthur, 1999) Though abortion was illegal up until quite recently we should keep it that way. To take away someone’s choice about their bodies is an infringement on human rights, and the fetus has no rights as it is not a person. We also have to understand that with such a big issue, even if it was made illegal people would continue to do it, so we may as well have them doing it in a safe manner. Abortion is quite a controversial issue in Canada, and all over the world but it should remain legal in Canada because we all need to have a choice, whether it is believed to be moral or immoral is irrelevant; we, as human beings need to have the option to make a choice and live with the decision. How to cite Abortion in Canada Should Remain Legal, Papers

The Butter Battle Book and the Cold War free essay sample

The Butter Battle Book The Butter Battle Book is a picture book written by Dr. Suess. This book was published in 1984, and it was written as an allegory to the Cold War. It is an anti-war story about the arms race, MAD, and nuclear weapons. This book was written in the Cold War era about the concerns of the time, and how all of life could be destroyed by nuclear war. The Cold War was the time after WWII that involved strong tensions between the Western Bloc and the United States. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union attempted to spread Communism, while the United States policy was to contain this spread (Containment). To increase tensions further, another fear was nuclear war. Countries feared that nuclear war would destroy their countries and possibly even the world. This book is about two different races that live on opposite sides of a brick wall. We will write a custom essay sample on The Butter Battle Book and the Cold War or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Yooks and the Zooks are fighting about what side they eat their bread on. The Yooks ate their bread with the butter side up, and the Zooks ate their bread with the butter side down. But one day a Zook by the name of Van Itch slung his sling shot at a Yooks Snickle-Berry-Switch. So the Yook that was on patrol went back to Cheif Yookeroo to get a improved weapon and a fancier suit to go with it. The next day he went back to the wall and Van Itch was there too. He had a better weapon and a better suit too. So Grandpa Yook went crying back to the Chief and again he got improved. The story keeps going in the same order until they come back to the wall with the same weapons and the same suit on Dr. Seuss incorporated many connections to the Cold War. The first connection was Grandpa and Van Itch. Grandpa is meant to represent the United States. Grandpa is a general, and since its a picture book, he stands in for the army. Grandpas strategy was also to use Containment, like the United States during this time. He never did anything but threaten to use the weapons, he stated: â€Å"In those days, of course, the Wall wasnt so high and I could look any Zook square in the eye. If he dared to come close I could give him a twitch. † Grandpa wasnt willing to go into Zook territory, he just wanted to set up a large base to keep them contained. This policy by Grandpa relates to the policy of the United States because his strategy intended to hold the Soviet Union to a certain geographical location. Van Itch on the other hand, is Grandpas enemy, he represents the Soviet Unions military and command, and he also has a fancy hat. Next there was chief Yookeroo. Yookeroo represents the president of the United States, presidents like Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, but more directly related to Reagan. Chief Yookeroo tended to simply watch the race from afar, what most presidents did. Using Chief Yookeroo, Dr. Seuss points to a particular danger when the leader isnt in the trenches. Chief Yookeroo also tends to benefit from the international tensions and pushes the nation into an opposing relationship. This shows us Seuss opinions, about the president at this time. The presidents it seems continuously create larger and larger weapons to defeat their enemies. Time and time again the Zooks and the Yooks bring weapons to the wall to â€Å"battle† each other, yet they never attack each other. Eventually the Zooks bring larger and better weapons several times in a row, making Grandpa Yook upset and discouraged. It is assumed that the Zooks gained better weapons because of spies, while it is never clear who the spy is, we can infer that there was a spy because on several occasions they show up with the same weapons. Spies were an important part of the Cold War, many people were accused of being spies for their beliefs and many people were supposedly. spies defecting to the Soviet Union, and the United States. The Utterly Sputters weapon, would sprinkle the Zooks as it flew over. It is inferred that Dr. Seuss was referring to the chemical or poison weapons that were created in the Cold War, like Agent Orange, which was used in the Vietnam War. Eventually they both create the Big-Boy Boomeroo. Which was a representation of the nuclear bomb. Both were destructive and both sides threatened to use them without actually doing so. People were also scared and being â€Å"herded† and told to go into bomb shelters. This boomeroo was so dangerous that the Chief holds the bomb with and extendable stick, while the Back Room Boys, the scientists who created it, peer around the door of their room to see it, showing how even they were frightened of it. In the book, there was also a wall that separated the Zooks and the Yooks. The wall starts off being tiny, something that Grandpa Yook can see over. However, by the end of the story, it towers above the young Yook and his grandpa. The wall can be interpreted in several ways. The first way separating the Yooks and the Zooks from a friendly relationship. But its mostly a symbol for the Berlin wall. The wall was built when the East Germans allied with the Soviet Union. The purpose of the wall was to keep out the fascists they believed were still in West Germany. The wall was finally torn down in 1990, marking peace and the end of the Cold War. The wall separated the East and West Germans like it separated the Zooks and the Yooks. Dr. Seuss clearly meant for this book to be an allegory for the Cold War. He managed to place some of his own opinions in this book. He managed to demonstrate the Cold War in simple and relative terms. Through interpretation, we manage to find all the clues Seuss leaves and his many allegories to the Cold War. The Cold War was a tense time filled with almost pointless hate, and needless envy. Seuss does a great job describing the Cold War in simple terms.

A Textual Analysis of Robert Jensens Saying Goodbye to Pat essays

A Textual Analysis of Robert Jensens Saying Goodbye to Pat essays The definition of the word patriotism is one to be questioned, or pondered over. If you ask any random citizen on the street what patriotism means, you will get a variety of answers. Some answers will probably come as a shock to you. Since the September 11th tragedy, the word has been used countless times, and has derived new definition in the eyes of many American people. In the article Saying Goodbye to Patriotism by Robert Jensen, he gives his own two definitions of patriotism, and questions what patriotism means in our modern day society. He writes about how Americans use the word to console deep wounds, and to place the United States of America on a pedestal. In my opinion, Jensens purpose to writing the article is to open the eyes of public and make them rethink, or even re-invent, the word patriotism. This paper is a textual analysis of Jensens Saying Goodbye to Patriotism, and it looks closely for hidden meanings that may not have been picked up by a reader the first time. I am going to argue for my opinion of Jensens purpose, in order to provide a deeper understanding of the article. I will discuss how he uses specific terms, and their different meanings, to undermine the meaning of patriotism. Then, I will establish how Jensen connects to his audience, through his speech, to make them realize that patriotism should be re-thought, or even abolished. The most common word throughout the piece is patriotism, yet I find myself reading multiple definitions. Jensens first definition of patriotism is found early on in the reading; in fact it is the heading of a section. Definition #1: Patriotism as loyalty to the war effort, means that the word is used in order to gain support for military causes. The government and media come together to influence the people, and say that it is the duty of the public to be patriotic. We were attacked. We must defend ourselves....

Ways to Translate When Something Happened in Spanish

Ways to Translate When Something Happened in Spanish The usual way of saying in Spanish that something happened some period of time ago is to use the verb hace, which is  a form of hacer, to make, followed by the period of time. Using Hace to Express Time That Has Passed To express a period of time ago, a phrase using hace can come at the beginning of the sentence or can follow the verb. The main verb of the sentence is most commonly used in the preterite, or the simple past tense, although other tenses are possible. The literal translation of hace  can be understood to mean ago, it has been or it was. Spanish Sentence English Sentence Hace cinco aos nuestra escuela fue acreditada. Five years ago, our school was accredited. Es algo que aprend hace poco tiempo. It is something I learned a short time ago. La historia de la ciudad comenz hace mucho tiempo. The story of the city began a long time ago. Hace tres aos yo estaba preparado para salir de casa. Three years ago, I was prepared to leave home. Hace muchos aos un hombre anciano me dijo una historia que su madre le haba dicho. Many years ago, an old man told me a story that his mother had told him. Es la editora del programa, desde su primera emisin hace cuatro aos. She is the editor of the program, since its first broadcast four years ago. Por qu hace un momento me criticabas? Why were you criticizing me a little while ago? Using Hace  as Part of a Prepositional Phrase Similar to English, an expression of time can be used as part of a prepositional phrase immediately following a preposition. Spanish Sentence English Sentence El dlar cae a niveles de hace cinco aos. The dollar is falling to levels of five years ago. Hasta hace un momento estudiaban. They were studying until a moment ago. Using Hace  to Express the Ongoing Passage of Time If the main verb in a sentence using an hace tiempo phrase is in the present tense, it means that the action began the stated time ago and is continuing. Spanish Sentence English Sentence Hace 20 aos que negociamos con Brasil. We have been trading with Brazil for 20 years. Hace dos aos que tenemos este programa. We have had this program for two years. Hace diez aos que no voy a Guatemala. It has been 10 years since I went to Guatemala. Hacer  and the Interruption of Time Hacer can be used to talk about  actions in the past that were interrupted. These expressions are useful for talking about something that had been going on when something else happened. In this case, use hacà ­a as the verb form of hacer  and use the active verb in the imperfect past tense. Spanish Sentence English Sentence Haca dos semanas que lea el libro cuando lo perd. I had been reading the book for two weeks when I lost it. Haca un ao que estudiaba espaol cuando viaj a Colombia. I had been studying Spanish for one year when I traveled to Colombia. Dorma haca ocho horas cuando son el reloj. I had been sleeping for eight hours when the alarm went off. Jugbamos con el perro desde haca 15 minutos cuando empez a llover. We had been playing with the dog for 15 minutes when it began to rain.

Methodology (part of dissertation) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Methodology (part of dissertation) - Essay Example Positivism paradigms and anti-positivism paradigms are the two main paradigms used for verification of theoretical propositions. For this research study the positivism paradigms has been selected because there is an objective reality in positivist paradigm and this procedure of natural sciences can be integrated into the social sciences. Primary research: Primary research involves the usage of primary data for the collection of data. Primary data are that information that is collected for the first time. The primary data is to be collected by conducting field research that involves face to face interviews, surveys, questionnaires and focused group interviews. The survey for this research is to be conducted among the tourists, visitors and officials related to tourism industry. The data collected from these sources are to be analysed in order to draw necessary conclusion for the objectives of the research. Secondary research: Secondary research is the research that is based on the data that already exist or the data that has already been created by someone. The secondary data to be used for this research is the trend of tourism in India in last 5 to 10 years. This will show the difference in tourism in past and present. Inductive approach has been adopted for this research study in order to understand the reality of study. The research design that is selected for the study is an exploratory research design, in order to understanding the things deeply. As explained by Zechmeister et al., (1997, 19) survey research represents a general approach to be used when the research design is implemented. Survey is the procedure of gathering information from respondents thought to be delegate of several populations using an apparatus collected of close structure or open-ended items. It is one of the main leading types of data collection in the social sciences given that for competent collection of data over broad populations, agreeable to

Cloud Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cloud Computing - Essay Example Tayade (2014) explains that due to the emerging complexity of mobile devices, security trends are becoming more prevalent in various firms. Yang et al. (2011) explains that cloud computing in organizations has been essential in the fact that it assists easier access and processing of information. The cloud computing systems have also assisted in effective storage of sensitive information in order to provide minimum security operations. The organizations have been made possible to use enforceable password to unlock screens and implement automatic lock on the device using cloud computing. Cloud computing systems also result in fixed device encryption, which has been installed to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive data whenever there is any theft or loss of the device. Anti-virus, firewall, or anti-malware software is installed in cloud computing systems (Tayade, 2014). Performing system scans has been beneficial since it assists check for any malicious threats or viruses. Ren et al. (2011) argue that cloud computing users do not install applications directly from the internet without having any assurance that the product to be installed is safe or has no malicious code. As such, restrictions on cloud computing users are advantageous because the operators can download applications from any websites and perform third-party software installation (Tayade, 2014). Cloud computing has become an attractive target for many cybercriminals, and the susceptibility of open source application is well documented. This occurs mainly in organizations that use mobile and cloud computing appliances to download apps without applying security practices like installing antivirus software to their devices (Tayade, 2014). Ren et al. (2011) indicate that when suspicious threat occurs, the organizations can limit and restrict mobile access by customers by applying some hardening steps to mitigate security trends. Various organizations face refined cyber security problems

Clinique Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Clinique - Case Study Example For the recent product, they developed moisturizer cream which not only moisturizes skin, but also brightens and supposedly removes wrinkles for this one product. The Clinique advertisement page is significantly attractive and makes audience's attention at once. Clinique is advertising their product called "Youth Surge SPF 15" which will give user daily moisturizer skin looks younger, longer. The general color of this advertisement is very bright and white background which reminds the audience of pure sensitivity. Because of this color effect, users can imagine themselves using this product and believe that their lines and wrinkles seem to evaporate. This age decelerating moisturizer is also a white cream and makes users to feel like they are really able to slow down visible aging. The relative size of the objects appeared in the advertisement is a bit bigger than the real product. By enlarging the product and the size of the turtle capture's the audience's attention immediately. The turtle image makes audience to think what does the turtle has to do with the moisturizing cream The size of the objects that compose the image in this advertisement plays a big role to give audience a message. The most significant of the layout is little turtle carrying this product on top of its back. The reason why this turtle is appeared in this advertisement is that Clinique wants to emphasize the phrase "unless you're in a hurry to look your age". This phrase implies the inside meaning that unless users do not care about their skin, by using this moisturizer, people will be able to extend their youth skin with visible effects longer. Although most of turtles spend their life on land instead of swimming in the sea, the general image of turtle is slow since they cannot move fast. This image of slow motion without much speed gives an impression to people that they should be hurry to purchase this moisturizing cream especially when they mind about their skin care. Clinique actually takes a lot of inspiration from Maxine, a Slider Turtle born during the Eisenhower years, although the turtle really doesn't look a day over 30. The message of the turtle is that there will come a time when ag e catches up with us, meaning why do we have be so hurry - There's no need to rush the visible aging effect. They are emphasizing the product that it can "reset the clock" and giving skin cells a ling, happy life. More importantly, by situation the main product in the middle of the advertisement, even though the advertisement seems very simple and plain, the effect is great. In addition, the way that Clinique locate the product on top of turtle's back gives us the message as well. The turtle cannot see the product. Placing the turtle under the product gives another important message to the audience. If you act like a turtle as slow and not being sensitive about your skin care, you may lose a time to sustain your youth skin. And as time goes by, if there will come a time when catches up, you can't go back in time. This means that you have to hurry up to purchase this moisturizer immediately. There are myriads of products that offer good skincare products, this is certainly one of a kind and no other product can even come close to this product, it is made from a special formula that enhances the condition of the skin and it

Health Inequalities In Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay

Health Inequalities In Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay In this assignment the author will critically analyse the health inequalities that are evident for people with a diagnosis of a severe mental illness. He will particularly focus on the inequalities that exist in relation to the prevalence, identification and management of the physical health aspects for this set of complex conditions. In the course of the assignment he will critically evaluate these health inequalities from an international, a national United Kingdom and a more local Scottish perspective. In doing so he will critically examine a selection of health promotion approaches which underpin the physical healthcare of people with severe mental illness. He will also systematically evaluate the effectiveness of some of the differing approaches which contribute to the management of these conditions and the enhancement of the health and social wellbeing of mental illness sufferers across the world. Definitions In order to analyse the health inequalities the author will first define some of the key terms that he will refer to throughout the assignment. Health was defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (1948) as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.Though this is a useful and accurate definition, some would consider it idealistic and non-realistic. Using the WHO definition classifies 70-95% of people as unhealthy. However Davis (2009) declared the added importance of the wider definition of health stating There is a biomedical component to health, but it exists in a setting that includes biological, personal, relational, social, and political factors Looking at health in a little more detail the determinants of health are defined by the WHO (2010) as Many factors combine together to affect the health of individuals and communities. Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. To a large extent, factors such as where we live, the state of our environment, genetics, our income and education level, and our relationships with friends and family all have considerable impacts on health, whereas the more commonly considered factors such as access and use of health care services often have less of an impact. The determinants of health include: the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and The persons individual characteristics and behaviours. Alternatively European Union public health information system (2009) define determinants of health as Many, often interacting factors that determine a persons health or disease state. These include Socio-economic factors: education, occupation, employment, poverty and income distribution; Environment: social support, airborne particulate matter and working conditions; Health behaviours: smoking, alcohol use, drug use, food consumption, physical activity and breastfeeding; and Biological and personal factors: overweight and blood pressure. WHO (2010) declared that Health inequalities can be defined as differences in health status or in the distribution of health determinants between different population groups. For example, differences in mobility between elderly people and younger populations or differences in mortality rates between people from different social classes. It is important to distinguish between inequality in health and inequity. Some health inequalities are attributable to biological variations or free choice and others are attributable to the external environment and conditions mainly outside the control of the individuals concerned. Whereas Samuel (2000) describes health inequalities in a more simple fashion as unjust or unfair differences in health determinants or outcomes within or between defined populations. Severe Mental Illness The Rethink operational definition of severe mental illness (2008) is when people: Are diagnosed as suffering primarily from a mental illness, typically schizophrenia or a severe affective (mood) disorder. Suffer substantial disability as a result of their illness, such as inability to care for themselves independently, sustain relationships or work Are currently displaying florid symptoms or are suffering from a chronic enduring condition. Have suffered recurring crises leading to frequent hospital admissions or interventions and/or place a significant burden on their informal carers. Occasion significant risk to their own health or safety or to that of others. The Ottawa charter for health promotion WHO(1986) defines Health promotion as the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health They describe it as not just the responsibility of the health sector and that it goes beyond healthy lifestyles to well being. Health promotion has been defined by the World Health Organizations (2005) Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World as the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) claim that persons with disabilities have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination. States should take all appropriate measures to ensure access to health services with the same range, quality and standard as provided to other persons. A UK based study by the Disability Right Commission (2006) Equal treatment: Closing the gap described an analysis of 8 million health records. It confirmed that people with severe mental illness have rates of cardiovascular and diabetes problems that are 2-3 times more common than would be expected in the general public. Bowel cancer is 90% more common in males with schizophrenia and women are 42% more likely to get breast cancer. The author will now go on to explore the phenomenon where many thousands of people with severe mental illness are at high risk of dying early with physical health problems. He sees this as a significant health inequality across the world and will examine some of the health promotion activities that have been attempted to reduce this inequality. Appendix 1 gives an analysis of the search criteria and the database results that he used in order to critically examine this topic. Evidence of Health Inequalities United States of America Miller et al (2006) in a well conducted and robust clinical study in the USA examined the mortality and medical morbidity of 20,018 patients admitted to psychiatric services with a diagnosis of psychosis in Ohio between 1998 and 2002. It identified that 21 percent of cases died from heart disease and 7 percent from a cancer related disease and 3 percent from diabetes related disorders. They cited the possible causes of these problems as medication induced weight gain, poor personal hygiene, reduced physical activity, and increased prevalence of smoking, increased substance misuse and a reduced social support network. In the study they were also able to report that deaths in this client group were three times higher than expected in the general USA population (with Heart disease being the main cause) and the average age of death at 47.7 years was 32 years younger than the general population figures. They acknowledged in their report the need to better integrate the delivery of both me ntal and physical healthcare by collaborating with all stakeholders to improve the quality of life outcomes for this population. They do not however go on to explain how they would take this agenda forward. Australia These international findings are also supported by statements from the Australian National Mental Health consumer and carer forum (2010) who state that the appalling health and early mortality of people with persistent mental illness is unacceptable. These comments from a national user and carer forum are not defined from one particular study but from a body of research and audit from across Australia focussing on outcomes of a series of studies. The national voice and recommendations from a major player in Australian healthcare with a focus on the needs of the patient rather than services is as significant in the authors eyes as a single robust study. They add that these issues are having a significant impact on the persons wellbeing and is also contributing to their social exclusion. They add to the argument by stating that these causes are iatrogenic (occurring as a result of the disorder or its treatment ) They go on to add the other areas that are common in this group and that can add to the impact being poverty, neglect, discrimination, smoking, substance misuse and poor dietary habits. They add that the screening for these conditions occurs less often in patients with mental illness hence they are less likely to be treated. The Australian report adds that the life expectancy of this client group is 25 years less than the general population. An interesting fact that they add though is that their evidence suggests that the client group do not have higher than average rates of disease like cancer and heart disease but they die from the disease 2 to 3 times more often than the general public. They suggest again like the USA repo rt that this is due to patients not receiving appropriate preventative screening and treatment for these illnesses. They go on to state that psychiatrists, GPs and other prescribers of psychotropic medication have a responsibility to monitor the effects of medication on a persons physical state as well as its impact on their mental wellbeing. They go on to recommend a series of actions for the future which include State and territory governments undertake to educate all stakeholders on Physical Health Impacts of Mental Health Problems and Disorders They enable appropriate screening, assessment and physical health checks for all persons with identified mental illness, including attention to dental health The Australian Government takes leadership on these issues by requiring all identified mental health funding to be accountable for physical health maintenance All mental health programs and policy areas report on physical health screening, assessment and monitoring for all mental health consumers in receipt of services Given the nature of mental illness, service providers need to innovate and respond creatively to address the physical health impacts of mental health disorders and their treatment Doctors take responsibility, when prescribing medications for people with mental health issues, to treat them holistically and monitor their physical health changes and needs. United Kingdom Likewise in the United Kingdom Cormac (2009) in a Royal College of Psychiatrists paper cites several papers which indicate a higher incidence of physical health problems in people with severe mental illness. Phelen et al (2001) stated that people with mental disorder have a higher risk of poor health and premature mortality and a meta-analysis of 27 studies almost 10 years ago by Harris and Barraclough (1998) showed a standardised mortality ratio of at least 1.5 for this group of patients however it varied with the severity and type of disorder. Patients with schizophrenia had increased mortality ratios of almost 3-4 times that of the general public with deaths mainly caused by cardiovascular and endocrine type disorders. These findings were reported by Brown et al (2000), Osby et al (2000 and Enger et al (2004). More recent findings in the UK has been the high escalation of the risk of developing metabolic syndrome for schizophrenics which has been found to be 2-4 times higher than the general public, finding borne out in the study by Saari et al(2005) and Thakore (2005). Joukamaa et al (2006) added some additional evidence to suggest that the risk of sudden death in patients with schizophrenia increases with the addition of each different psychotropic medication that is prescribed. Likewise the Department of Health (2010) in the Our health and Wellbeing report suggest that looking beyond neighborhoods and deprivation, certain groups have poorer health and some are uniquely disadvantaged because of a combination of their circumstances. For example: People with schizophrenia: A total of 0.4% of the population experience psychosis each year. A recent UK study found that, of those living with schizophrenia in the community, men experienced 20.5 years lower life expectancy and women 16.4 years lower life expectancy than the general population. The largest single cause of this inequality is an increased rate of smoking, more than three times that of the general population. Scotland Moreover the NHS in Scotland (2008) in their report Improving the physical health and wellbeing of those experiencing mental illness again cite evidence from studies across the world that the physical health of patients with severe mental illness is compromised. They state that research in Europe and the USA has shown that mortality rates from physical illness for those with mental illness is significantly higher than the general population. Schizophrenia is generally acknowledged as a life shortening illness with sufferers dying on average 10 years earlier than the general population. Two thirds of this excess mortality is due to poor physical health. They also identified that this group are developing these illnesses at a younger age and are dying from them earlier with 5 year survival rates reduced by up to 16%. NHS Scotland (2008) also refers to the aspects of stigma and discrimination. They state that Legislation requires that all Agencies dealing with the public remove discrimination and promote equality, yet a See Me(2006) survey reports that some people with mental health problems still feel stigmatised. The Highland Users Group ( 2008) have found that when it comes to their physical health needs they can be subject to unequal access to services and can feel stigmatised and discriminated against when they try to access general health care services. They feel their physical health concerns are too often put down to their mental health problem, especially if their symptoms are medically unexplained. Frayne et al (2005) suggest that research has confirmed that they do not always receive the same medical treatments as the rest of the public and consequently their health outcomes can be worse. Additionally the Scottish Government (2008) in the equally well report highlights Mental Illness and Mental wellbeing as important factors in the argument. They state that Mental illness and mental wellbeing are specific priorities for the Task Force. People with mental illness are more likely to die earlier from suicide, or illnesses such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and tend to have generally poorer health through conditions such as diabetes. Mental wellbeing is associated with good mental health, but is not necessarily the same as absence of mental illness. Much of the Task Forces work is based on the importance of factors such as resilience, hopefulness and optimism that create mental wellbeing and quality of life. These allow people to deal effectively with lifes problems and normal stresses, to make the most of their abilities and the opportunities available and to play a positive part in their community. People whose wellbeing is good are more likely to look after their own health. However, depression is closely associated with poor physical health, for example increasing significantly the risks of CVD. The author concludes from the overriding evidence across the world that those suffering from a severe mental illness have much poorer physical health which causes them to have a shorter life expectancy. These conditions are identified as mostly cardiovascular and metabolic type problems. There is evidence that this client group has unequal access to health services and feel stigmatised and discriminated against. Health Promotion Models and Interventions Naidoo and Wills (2000) identify 5 approaches to health promotion. Medical or preventative approaches which target the whole population and are aimed at reducing premature deaths and avoidable diseases. Behavioural Change approaches view health as the property of the individual and encourages them to adopt healthy behaviours that are regarded as key to improving health. Educational approaches are strongly linked to heath education and seek to provide knowledge, information and develop skills so that people can make informed choices about their health behaviour. Empowerment approaches are bottom up approaches which encourage communities to identify their needs, develop skills and make appropriate life changes. Social change approaches is a top down approach which targets specific groups and populations and defined by a belief that socio-economic circumstances determine health status in individuals. Its focus is usually at policy or environmental levels. The author will now explore some of the interventions used across the world within the models/approaches above. In the United Kingdom Phelan et al (2004) introduced a physical health check tool to support the monitoring and management of physical health issues with patients with severe mental illness. This would be seen in the above model as a medical or preventative approach which aims to assess need in a target population and then develop an agreed action plan with the patient on how they are going to address the defined health needs. The assessment is completed on a 12 monthly basis and is designed to supplement normal medical care and review. The results showed that 50% of clients had a diagnosed physical illness with 78.3% saying they had one or more physical symptoms. 65% of patients agreed to one or more of the actions available which included getting advice about smoking cessation, diet and starting regular exercise. The outcomes have seen an increase in the quality of the assessment and recording of the physical needs of the patients as well as a huge jump in the activities being care planned within a structured care programme approach care plan. The study compared the group with a neighbouring community mental health team and demonstrated that the use of the structured assessment and care planning tools significantly improved the quality of information recorded. The failings in the report highlight that although the staff were able to assess and plan care there was as yet no evidence that this approach had improved the health outcomes of patients and the life expectancy of them. When we relate this to the models above we identify that the medical and organisational policy approaches are easier to do and measure compared to the change behaviour that is required by the individuals concerned. The author suggests that further longer term studies are required to evaluate the long term health impact of this approach to the organisation of physical healthcare management. Likewise the Department of health (2006) in their commissioning framework document choosing health give examples of case studies which reflect some of the health promotion interventions across the UK. In one study a selection of clients from across a city were involved in a physical health consultation with a senior nurse. This assessment took place in their own home as there had been a previous reluctance to attend clinics for this purpose. Once the health issues were identified in an assessment patients were selected for inclusion in 2 healthy working groups. One focussed on healthy living and was attended by 15 patients whilst the other had a focus on physical activity, was based in the local sports centre and had an attendance rate of about 20 patients per week. A voluntary walking group was also available. There were very positive outcomes from the study which included the following 57% reduction in alcohol consumption Only a 1% DNA rate at activities 32% reduction in smoking 44%weight loss 50% increase in activity levels 95% improvement in patient self esteem Dietary improvements These significant health improvements for patients can only contribute to improving their life expectancy. The author believes that the above interventions fall into a number of the approaches to health promotion identified by Naidoo and Wills (2000) for the following reasons. Medical and preventative- These interventions are targeted at a particular sector of the population in order to prevent the formation of disease in an identified vulnerable group. The initial screening selects those that go forward for health promotion activity. This is a top down expert led approach to target interventions at a vulnerable client group reducing costs in the long term and improving outcomes. Behaviour change- information, support and improvements in access to health, social, lifestyle and sports facilities has encouraged people to make informed choices to adopt more healthy behaviours. The evidence in the outcomes has shown that people have made real improvements in their health by taking responsibility (even though in some cases it was supported initially by staff) and changing their lifestyle significantly. Health education- the specific classes and education provided by staff supported the individuals to make informed choices about their health and the behaviours that they were adopting to support it. Empowerment in this area the nurses were being seen as catalysts of change or facilitators in order to support individuals. The fact that local sports and leisure facilities was involved was evidence of a social inclusion aspect of the service where it was seen to be normal to engage with local facilities and not in specialist hospitals or clinics. Social change approaches- the targeting of this client group in a top down approach by clinicians in many ways is evidence of this approach across the uk. Likewise in the United Kingdom another approach which identifies this social change approach is the mental health component of the general practitioners contract and the quality and outcomes framework that they work to. British Medical Association (2009) states in their advice on interventions to General practitioners that Patients with serious mental health problems are at considerably increased risk of physical ill-health than the general population. It is therefore good practice for a member of the practice team to review each patients physical health on an annual basis. Health promotion and health prevention advice is particularly important for people with serious mental illness however there is good evidence that they are much less likely than other members of the general population to be offered, for example, blood pressure checks and cholesterol checks if they have concurrent coronary heart disease, and cervical screening. They feel the importance of this by identifying a number of targets in mental health two of which relate to physical health and are detailed below. MH 8. The practice can produce a register of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychoses MH 9. The percentage of patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychoses with a review recorded in the preceding 15 months. In the review there should be evidence that the patient has been offered routine health promotion and prevention advice appropriate to their age, gender and health status. They also recommend that a review of physical health will therefore normally include: 1. An enquiry about smoking, alcohol and drug use 2. A blood pressure check 3. A cholesterol check where clinically indicated 4. Measurement of body mass index (BMI) 5. A check for the development of diabetes 6. Cervical screening where appropriate 7. An enquiry about cough, sputum, and wheeze. Reports on the two targets have seen achievements in the high 90% range across the country hence showing evidence of improvement in screening. This approach in primary care is commendable but there are a number of patients who still find it difficult to engage and access services. This client group require additional support to access services and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (2007) felt it was an important enough matter to include it in their Mental Health Integrated Care Pathway standards. The GP targets which only include the offer of health assessment are enhanced further and include a recording of the completion of an assessment and actions relating to the outcome which include health promotion, communication with interested parties and evidence that action has been taken on the findings. The author agrees with NHS QIS that it was necessary to take this top down social change approach in order to bring about change which will enhance the health promotion of this complex client group. Standard 13: A general physical health assessment and management of the findings are recorded. Criteria 13a The care record shows that physical health needs are assessed at least annually using the following features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the completion of a physical health assessment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the provision of health promotion advice, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ service users receiving medication should have side-effects and physical health assessed and managed according to the appropriate algorithm for that medication. 13b The care record shows information on the management of physical health needs, including: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ information on who is responsible for the physical health assessment (primary care or specialist services) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ evidence that results have been shared à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ evidence that results have been acted upon, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ evidence that information and/or advice on promoting a healthy lifestyle has been provided. Marder et al (2004) make a number of recommendations in their paper in the American journal of psychiatry regarding the monitoring and appropriate prescribing of antipsychotic medications. They suggest that the key is to identify the risk factors for each individual patient and tailor the prescribing according to their presentation and the potential adverse side effects of a number of the medications available. They present evidence of side effects of diabetes and cardiovascular issues and suggest that appropriate prescribing will reduce the risks or developing or exacerbating these conditions in patients with schizophrenia. This is borne out also in the NHS QIS (2007) standards above in Scotland where they recommend that service users receiving medication should have side-effects and physical health assessed and managed according to the appropriate algorithm for that medication NHS boards have been asked to develop prescribing algorithms and audit tools that will guide clinicians in assessing the physical health needs and using this information to make informed choices on the best medications for patients which have reduced risks associated with their physical health. These systems are currently under development across Scotland but can in the future only improve the outcomes in the physical health management of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion The author in this assignment has demonstrated some of the health inequalities that are evident for people who suffer from severe mental illness from across the world. Some of the inequalities are a product of the diagnosis itself where patients often have symptoms that cause them to have reduced motivation to help themselves in many situations. Often this patient group also comes with a lower socio economic deprivation with a poor employment and education history which again provides barriers to their self management in respect to their physical health. Recent advances in the treatments available for psychoses which have physical health related side effects and the introduction of the disability human rights legislation which stipulates the requirement of equal access for all has further highlighted some of the health inequalities that exist for this complex patient group. The needs identification and health promotion interventions that the author has looked at separate themselves into key areas. This client group requires support to access to services and all of the interventions identified this need and had both support to access, structured recall systems and the facilitation of services close to patients home as their key themes. Assessment of physical health needs and the prescribing of the most appropriate psychotropic medication for their mental illness requires to be structured and coordinated in an improved fashion. Structured physical health assessments frameworks and prescribing guidelines associated with physical health symptoms appeared to be the best way of coordinating this process for this patient group. A mixture of a social change and educational approach is a model that appears to mix well with the review of mental health nursing in Scotland and across the world with mental health services now promoting a more patient inclusive and community involvement role. This allows nurses in particular to facilitate ownership of these health problems and use their teaching skills to teach patients how to change their lifestyles and effectively manage the physical health difficulties that they have. Nurses will engage with local leisure and sports facilities to make support available in a more normal rather than institutional fashion. Reflection The author in completing this assignment has been able to explore different aspects of this problem that exists in Scotland and compare the Scottish approaches with what is happening in other areas. He has found a very similar pattern of difficulties and also some similar solutions although they seem to be at different levels of implementation. He noticed the American studies focussed a lot on the prescribing issues and getting appropriate prescribing correct. He felt this was probably due to the costs and charging policies associated with the American system and possible litigation if there are side effects of prescribed medications which go on to cause disease where risks are known and identified. He felt this is becoming more apparent in the UK now but the study in America was several years ago. The approaches used were similar but there seemed to be a more coordinated approach to the assessment and monitoring of patients in the UK. The author felt that this was due to the NHS role in the coordination of care across the country where the USA has many different health economies and is focussed on a charging and insurance type policy. Recommendations Mental health nurses should continue work in a patient focussed way encouraging patients to take individual ownership of their needs and promote healthy living. The services in Scotland should coordinate themselves to ensure a physical health check is commissioned; takes place and the appropriate actions are followed through. Patients should be supported to access primary care services to enable this screening to take place. Medication algorithms should be developed and audited to ensure that prescribed medications are appropriate to the health profiles of patients and that medication for psychiatric reasons does no harm in relation to the patients physical health.

The Yellow Wallpaper :: essays research papers

It must be about 3 a.m. I am laid up in this hospital with breast cancer writing about my life. I was married to a doctor, God rests his soul, but men in my days were not fun to be with. I had a depression problem and I believe he was more burdensome than the depression itself. There was a time when I just had a baby, I became very depressed, and my husband said it would do me well to get fresh air. I, the woman of the times, wanted to get better and I trusted my husband, and had no other way. So he took me out in the country, and I mostly stayed in this beautiful house that had become my prison with one room in particular. It was there that I realized nobody was listening to me, I had become everyone's burden, and my own burdens were not to be heard of. After all, how could I possibly have any, I was given daily baths and massages, I was not to look after my baby at all. I was feed breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was told not to write; it was most forbidden of it. They believed writing excited a woman too much; such a thing was not to be heard of. In that 1880's time a woman was to tend to her husband and the house hold. The room that I stayed in had the most absurd wallpaper. It was yellow, and it some areas it was faded or torn. I despised the wallpaper, but my dear husband said, "My love if I fix the wall paper then it will be something else I will have to fix. So this is part of your therapy. You must get used to it." After a while it seemed as if the wallpaper began to reach out at me calling my name. It seemed like a woman was trapped inside the walls. I thought to myself, "I must free her." And night I would wake up, and I would see her watching me. At first I was afraid, but now it seems as if we have become one. I watch her crawling around out in the yard from time to time desperately looking for freedom. I wanted so bad to free her, but how could I. I wanted to ask her, but how? Maybe she doesn't want this freedom I believe she so deserves.

Monsanto SWOT Essay

Company overview Monsanto Company (Monsanto or the company) offers agricultural products to farmers. Its products include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. Monsanto has operations in the US, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. It is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and  employs about 26,100 people, of which more than 5,500 people are temporary employees. The company recorded revenues of $11,822 million during the financial year ended August 2011 (FY2011), an increase of 12.8% over FY2010. The operating profit of the company was $2,502 million in FY2011, an increase of 56.1% over FY2010. The net profit was $1,607 million in FY2011, an increase of 46.6% over FY2010. KEY FACTS Head Office Monsanto Company 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis Missouri 63167 USA Phone 1 314 694 1000 Fax 1 314 694 1057 Web Address http://www.monsanto.com/ Revenue / turnover 11,822.0 (USD Mn) Financial Year End August Employees 26,100 New York Ticker MON Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 3 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS Monsanto offers agricultural products to farmers that include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. The company has a leading market position in various geographies based on product portfolio of well recognized brand names. However, increasing instances of infringement of intellectual property rights can result in the company’s brand dilution and loss of revenue. Strengths Weaknesses Leading market position Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Wide customer base Legal proceedings Opportunities Threats Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Strategic agreements and acquisitions Growing population, especially in Asia Infringement of intellectual property rights Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Strengths Leading market position Monsanto is a leading global provider of agricultural products for farmers. The company’s strong brand portfolio allows it to have a commanding position in various countries. Its most popular brands include Roundup, Dekalb, Asgrow, De Ruiter, Deltapine, and Seminis. Roundup is the company’s flagship brand. It is also one of the most popular herbicides in the world. Asgrow, Deltapine, and Dekalb are genetically altered seeds (cotton, corn, soybean, and canola), which tolerate weeds and resist bugs. Seminis and De Ruiter are strong brands in the vegetable seeds business. Monsanto’s offerings of high yielding variety seeds under well recognized brand names makes it a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Monsanto enjoys easy market penetration in new geographies based on its product portfolio which comprises well recognized brand. The company’s strong brand portfolio enhances its market leadership position. Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 4 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Over the years Monsanto has become a leading supplier to farmers for their agricultural needs because of its ability to deliver innovative products suiting their requirements. The company has developed competencies in applying bioengineering to agriculture. Moreover, Monsanto’s traits technologies enable it to develop herbicides and seeds with superior traits such as weed resistant, drought resistant, and improved yield. The company invests a substantial portion of its revenue towards research and development (R&D) per year. In FY2011, the company’s investment in R&D amounted to $1,386 million, an increase of 15% over FY2010. Monsanto has also entered into a number of strategic collaborations to expand its R&D capabilities further. For instance, in March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy (Sapphire) announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage Sapphire’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. To further boost its R&D capability, the company has established two new R&D centers, one each in China and the US. The research center in China will initially participate in early-stage of bioinformatics and genomics research, and will serve as a base for collaborations with Chinese scientists. The other research center in Texas, the US will focus on cotton research and will act as the central point for the company’s breeding and testing programs in the High Plains region. Monsanto’s focus on applying bioengineering to agriculture not only gives it a competitive edge but also enables it to revitalize its product portfolio. Moreover, its continuous focus on delivering seeds with new and improved traits helps it to cater to changing consumer preferences by offering value driven products to customers. Wide customer base Monsanto’s business operations have been well diversified be it in the terms of products offered or the geographical reach. The products offered by its seeds and genomics and agricultural productivity segments complement each other well and offer a complete solution to farmers and other customers. In FY2011, Monsanto derived 72.6% of its revenues from the seeds and genomics segment, while the agricultural productivity segment accounted for the remaining 27.6% of the total revenue. Geographically, in FY2011, the US, Europe-Africa, and Brazil accounted for 53.9%, 12.8%, and 10.8% of the company’s revenue, respectively. The remaining areas that contributed to the revenues of Monsanto were Asia-Pacific, Argentina, Canada, and Mexico, among others. Diversified operation dilutes the company’s business risk and helps Monsanto to cater to a wider customer base. It further insulates the company from economic fluctuations in any one region and thereby helps it to generate balanced earnings. Weaknesses Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 5 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Legal proceedings Monsanto is involved in various legal proceedings. For instance, in January 2011, the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System filed a complaint alleging that Monsanto violated the federal securities laws by making false and misleading statements between January 7, 2009, and May 27, 2010, regarding its earnings guidance for fiscal 2009 and 2010 as well as the anticipated future performance of its Roundup business and the seeds and genomics business. They also claim that these statements artificially inflated the price of the  stock and that purchasers of the stock during the relevant period were damaged when the stock price later declined. The company has also faced similar lawsuit in 2007. Further, in May 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Violation to the company, alleging violations of federal environmental release reporting requirements at Monsanto’s phosphorous manufacturing plant in Soda Springs, Idaho. The EPA has asserted that the alleged violations may subject the company to civil penalties. Misrepresentation of vital information and lack of precautionary measures results in penalties and disrupt the company’s operations. Moreover, distortion of information adversely affects the shareholders confidence and the profitability and credit rating of the company in the long run. Opportunities Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Due to the increased awareness regarding the health issues caused due to the consumption of trans-fat, people in the US and in many European nations have been opting more healthier options. Increased consumption of trans-fat lowers blood levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and leads to the elevation of LDL (considered the bad cholesterol). This ultimately leads to the hardening of the arteries and different coronary problems. Bowing to public pressure and litigation by various anti-trans-fat organizations, many food companies (Nabisco and Kraft Foods) in the US have taken active steps to remove trans-fat from their offerings. Companies like Taco Bell, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Wendy’s, Arby’s, and McDonalds have also been trying to substitute high trans-fat cooking oils with other healthy alternatives. Keeping this trend in mind, Monsanto has been actively working on the development of seeds that will advance the growth of foods with reduced saturated fat and reduced or no trans-fat. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a response letter to Monsanto’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification. The FDA’s letter supports the use of  oil from Vistive Gold soybeans (seed type manufactured by the company) to have less saturated fat and trans-fat. The new product would help the farmers to benefit from the premium pricing for their harvest once the oil from Vistive Gold soybeans is commercialized. Monsanto has already completed the US regulatory submissions to the US Department of Agriculture and FDA for the sale of Vistive Gold Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 6 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis soybean. It has also made numerous regulatory submissions to the appropriate regulatory agencies around the world for the products commercialization. Once the necessary regulatory process is completed, Monsanto will be able commercialize its product. Through leveraging its expertise in developing seeds with novel traits and wide spread distribution network, Monsanto can become a leading supplier of seeds that produce crops with low saturated fat and trans-fat. It will help the company to expand its revenue base and gain a competitive edge over its peer group. Strategic agreements and acquisitions Monsanto has entered into a number of agreements and acquisitions in order to boost its market share and profitability. For instance, Monsanto acquired Divergence, a privately-held St. Louis-based biotechnology research and development company, in February 2011. In March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage the latter’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to  collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. Further, in June 2011, Monsanto entered into collaboration with Amvac Chemical, a subsidiary of American Vanguard, to broaden its Roundup Ready PLUS weed management platform in the US. In September 2011, Monsanto and GrassRoots Biotechnology agreed to extend their existing three-year research collaboration for an additional two years through January 2014. In November 2011, Monsanto and Evogene announced a one-year extension to their five-year research and development collaboration focused on identifying key plant genes related to yield, environmental stress, and fertilizer utilization in corn, soybean, cotton, and canola. In March 2012, BASF signed a supply agreement with Monsanto for fungicide seed treatments for cotton and soybeans in North America. These strategic agreements and acquisitions will help Monsanto to build a stronger platform for the promotion of its brand image. It will strengthen the company’s market share and boost revenue growth. Strategic collaborations will also enhance Monsanto’s research capabilities and add to its market competitiveness. Growing population, especially in Asia Currently, the world population is more than 7 billion, as of October 2011 and is expected to reach 10.6 billion by 2050. As the population grows the demand for agricultural products is also going to rise. According to MarketLine (a unit of Informa) estimates, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market (the agricultural product market consists of six segments: cereals; fruit, vegetables, roots, and tubers; oil crops and pulses; sugar crops and sweeteners; spices and stimulants; and nuts) grew by 4% in 2010 to reach a value of $915.4 billion. In 2015, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market is Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 7 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis forecast to have a value of $1,228.4 billion, an increase of 34.2% since 2010. The Indian agricultural products market, which accounted for 13.8% of the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market in 2010, grew by 14.8% in 2010 to reach a value of $126 billion. In 2015, the Indian agricultural products market is forecast to have a value of $217.5 billion, an increase of 72.6% since 2010. Monsanto is a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Thus, it can leverage its expertise, distribution network, and product portfolio comprising well known brand names to cater to the growing demand for high yielding variety (HYV) seeds. Monsanto’s revenue and profit margins can tremendously increase as the demand for HYV grows, especially in Asia. Threats Infringement of intellectual property rights Protecting its intellectual property rights is very important for Monsanto’s business, particularly in the seeds and genomics segment. The company obtains and protects its intellectual property rights in jurisdictions in which the products are produced or used and in jurisdictions into which the products are imported. However, even if protection is obtained, competitors, farmers, or others in the chain of commerce may raise legal challenges to its rights or illegally infringe on the company’s rights, including through means that may be difficult to prevent or detect. In addition to this, due to the rapid pace of technological change, and the confidentiality of patent applications in some jurisdictions, competitors may be issued patents from applications that were unknown to the company prior to issuance. These patents could reduce the value of the company’s commercial or pipeline products. Therefore, protecting inventions is critical for Monsanto to meet the growing challenge of infringement of intellectual property rights. A failure to do so could mean substantial loss of revenue and market share, and brand dilution. Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Monsanto’s revenues could be negatively impacted in view of bans imposed on its genetically modified crops. The degree of public acceptance or perceived public acceptance of its biotechnology products can affect its sales and results of operations by affecting planting approvals, regulatory requirements, and customer purchase decisions. Public concern can affect the timing of the government approvals in different countries. Even if the approvals are granted, public concern can lead to increased regulation or litigation against government regulators concerning prior regulatory approvals. Recently, the European Commissioner approved the cultivation of GMO potatoes in Europe, but the decision has come under stiff criticism and protest from various groups working against the GMO crops. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 8 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Similar regulatory controls could affect the company’s market position in various countries. As the regulations around the use of GMO crops intensify, Monsanto would face difficulty in expanding its market and growth of its revenue. Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Monsanto’s business is greatly affected by seasonal changes mainly in the seeds and genomics segment. In FY2011, approximately 72% of the seeds and genomics segment’s sales occurred in the second and third quarters. This  segment’s seasonality is primarily affected by the purchasing and growing patterns in North America. The seeds and genomics segment’s contribution to the overall revenue of the company has been steadily growing in the past few years. In FY2011, the segment accounted for 72.6% of the company’s revenue, up from 56% in FY2009. Hence, seasonal disturbances can adversely impact the overall sales of the company. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 9 Copyright of Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis is the property of Datamonitor Plc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

Monsanto SWOT Essay

Company overview Monsanto Company (Monsanto or the company) offers agricultural products to farmers. Its products include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. Monsanto has operations in the US, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. It is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and  employs about 26,100 people, of which more than 5,500 people are temporary employees. The company recorded revenues of $11,822 million during the financial year ended August 2011 (FY2011), an increase of 12.8% over FY2010. The operating profit of the company was $2,502 million in FY2011, an increase of 56.1% over FY2010. The net profit was $1,607 million in FY2011, an increase of 46.6% over FY2010. KEY FACTS Head Office Monsanto Company 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis Missouri 63167 USA Phone 1 314 694 1000 Fax 1 314 694 1057 Web Address http://www.monsanto.com/ Revenue / turnover 11,822.0 (USD Mn) Financial Year End August Employees 26,100 New York Ticker MON Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 3 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS Monsanto offers agricultural products to farmers that include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. The company has a leading market position in various geographies based on product portfolio of well recognized brand names. However, increasing instances of infringement of intellectual property rights can result in the company’s brand dilution and loss of revenue. Strengths Weaknesses Leading market position Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Wide customer base Legal proceedings Opportunities Threats Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Strategic agreements and acquisitions Growing population, especially in Asia Infringement of intellectual property rights Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Strengths Leading market position Monsanto is a leading global provider of agricultural products for farmers. The company’s strong brand portfolio allows it to have a commanding position in various countries. Its most popular brands include Roundup, Dekalb, Asgrow, De Ruiter, Deltapine, and Seminis. Roundup is the company’s flagship brand. It is also one of the most popular herbicides in the world. Asgrow, Deltapine, and Dekalb are genetically altered seeds (cotton, corn, soybean, and canola), which tolerate weeds and resist bugs. Seminis and De Ruiter are strong brands in the vegetable seeds business. Monsanto’s offerings of high yielding variety seeds under well recognized brand names makes it a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Monsanto enjoys easy market penetration in new geographies based on its product portfolio which comprises well recognized brand. The company’s strong brand portfolio enhances its market leadership position. Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 4 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Over the years Monsanto has become a leading supplier to farmers for their agricultural needs because of its ability to deliver innovative products suiting their requirements. The company has developed competencies in applying bioengineering to agriculture. Moreover, Monsanto’s traits technologies enable it to develop herbicides and seeds with superior traits such as weed resistant, drought resistant, and improved yield. The company invests a substantial portion of its revenue towards research and development (R&D) per year. In FY2011, the company’s investment in R&D amounted to $1,386 million, an increase of 15% over FY2010. Monsanto has also entered into a number of strategic collaborations to expand its R&D capabilities further. For instance, in March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy (Sapphire) announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage Sapphire’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. To further boost its R&D capability, the company has established two new R&D centers, one each in China and the US. The research center in China will initially participate in early-stage of bioinformatics and genomics research, and will serve as a base for collaborations with Chinese scientists. The other research center in Texas, the US will focus on cotton research and will act as the central point for the company’s breeding and testing programs in the High Plains region. Monsanto’s focus on applying bioengineering to agriculture not only gives it a competitive edge but also enables it to revitalize its product portfolio. Moreover, its continuous focus on delivering seeds with new and improved traits helps it to cater to changing consumer preferences by offering value driven products to customers. Wide customer base Monsanto’s business operations have been well diversified be it in the terms of products offered or the geographical reach. The products offered by its seeds and genomics and agricultural productivity segments complement each other well and offer a complete solution to farmers and other customers. In FY2011, Monsanto derived 72.6% of its revenues from the seeds and genomics segment, while the agricultural productivity segment accounted for the remaining 27.6% of the total revenue. Geographically, in FY2011, the US, Europe-Africa, and Brazil accounted for 53.9%, 12.8%, and 10.8% of the company’s revenue, respectively. The remaining areas that contributed to the revenues of Monsanto were Asia-Pacific, Argentina, Canada, and Mexico, among others. Diversified operation dilutes the company’s business risk and helps Monsanto to cater to a wider customer base. It further insulates the company from economic fluctuations in any one region and thereby helps it to generate balanced earnings. Weaknesses Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 5 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Legal proceedings Monsanto is involved in various legal proceedings. For instance, in January 2011, the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System filed a complaint alleging that Monsanto violated the federal securities laws by making false and misleading statements between January 7, 2009, and May 27, 2010, regarding its earnings guidance for fiscal 2009 and 2010 as well as the anticipated future performance of its Roundup business and the seeds and genomics business. They also claim that these statements artificially inflated the price of the  stock and that purchasers of the stock during the relevant period were damaged when the stock price later declined. The company has also faced similar lawsuit in 2007. Further, in May 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Violation to the company, alleging violations of federal environmental release reporting requirements at Monsanto’s phosphorous manufacturing plant in Soda Springs, Idaho. The EPA has asserted that the alleged violations may subject the company to civil penalties. Misrepresentation of vital information and lack of precautionary measures results in penalties and disrupt the company’s operations. Moreover, distortion of information adversely affects the shareholders confidence and the profitability and credit rating of the company in the long run. Opportunities Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Due to the increased awareness regarding the health issues caused due to the consumption of trans-fat, people in the US and in many European nations have been opting more healthier options. Increased consumption of trans-fat lowers blood levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and leads to the elevation of LDL (considered the bad cholesterol). This ultimately leads to the hardening of the arteries and different coronary problems. Bowing to public pressure and litigation by various anti-trans-fat organizations, many food companies (Nabisco and Kraft Foods) in the US have taken active steps to remove trans-fat from their offerings. Companies like Taco Bell, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Wendy’s, Arby’s, and McDonalds have also been trying to substitute high trans-fat cooking oils with other healthy alternatives. Keeping this trend in mind, Monsanto has been actively working on the development of seeds that will advance the growth of foods with reduced saturated fat and reduced or no trans-fat. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a response letter to Monsanto’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification. The FDA’s letter supports the use of  oil from Vistive Gold soybeans (seed type manufactured by the company) to have less saturated fat and trans-fat. The new product would help the farmers to benefit from the premium pricing for their harvest once the oil from Vistive Gold soybeans is commercialized. Monsanto has already completed the US regulatory submissions to the US Department of Agriculture and FDA for the sale of Vistive Gold Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 6 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis soybean. It has also made numerous regulatory submissions to the appropriate regulatory agencies around the world for the products commercialization. Once the necessary regulatory process is completed, Monsanto will be able commercialize its product. Through leveraging its expertise in developing seeds with novel traits and wide spread distribution network, Monsanto can become a leading supplier of seeds that produce crops with low saturated fat and trans-fat. It will help the company to expand its revenue base and gain a competitive edge over its peer group. Strategic agreements and acquisitions Monsanto has entered into a number of agreements and acquisitions in order to boost its market share and profitability. For instance, Monsanto acquired Divergence, a privately-held St. Louis-based biotechnology research and development company, in February 2011. In March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage the latter’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to  collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. Further, in June 2011, Monsanto entered into collaboration with Amvac Chemical, a subsidiary of American Vanguard, to broaden its Roundup Ready PLUS weed management platform in the US. In September 2011, Monsanto and GrassRoots Biotechnology agreed to extend their existing three-year research collaboration for an additional two years through January 2014. In November 2011, Monsanto and Evogene announced a one-year extension to their five-year research and development collaboration focused on identifying key plant genes related to yield, environmental stress, and fertilizer utilization in corn, soybean, cotton, and canola. In March 2012, BASF signed a supply agreement with Monsanto for fungicide seed treatments for cotton and soybeans in North America. These strategic agreements and acquisitions will help Monsanto to build a stronger platform for the promotion of its brand image. It will strengthen the company’s market share and boost revenue growth. Strategic collaborations will also enhance Monsanto’s research capabilities and add to its market competitiveness. Growing population, especially in Asia Currently, the world population is more than 7 billion, as of October 2011 and is expected to reach 10.6 billion by 2050. As the population grows the demand for agricultural products is also going to rise. According to MarketLine (a unit of Informa) estimates, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market (the agricultural product market consists of six segments: cereals; fruit, vegetables, roots, and tubers; oil crops and pulses; sugar crops and sweeteners; spices and stimulants; and nuts) grew by 4% in 2010 to reach a value of $915.4 billion. In 2015, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market is Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 7 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis forecast to have a value of $1,228.4 billion, an increase of 34.2% since 2010. The Indian agricultural products market, which accounted for 13.8% of the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market in 2010, grew by 14.8% in 2010 to reach a value of $126 billion. In 2015, the Indian agricultural products market is forecast to have a value of $217.5 billion, an increase of 72.6% since 2010. Monsanto is a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Thus, it can leverage its expertise, distribution network, and product portfolio comprising well known brand names to cater to the growing demand for high yielding variety (HYV) seeds. Monsanto’s revenue and profit margins can tremendously increase as the demand for HYV grows, especially in Asia. Threats Infringement of intellectual property rights Protecting its intellectual property rights is very important for Monsanto’s business, particularly in the seeds and genomics segment. The company obtains and protects its intellectual property rights in jurisdictions in which the products are produced or used and in jurisdictions into which the products are imported. However, even if protection is obtained, competitors, farmers, or others in the chain of commerce may raise legal challenges to its rights or illegally infringe on the company’s rights, including through means that may be difficult to prevent or detect. In addition to this, due to the rapid pace of technological change, and the confidentiality of patent applications in some jurisdictions, competitors may be issued patents from applications that were unknown to the company prior to issuance. These patents could reduce the value of the company’s commercial or pipeline products. Therefore, protecting inventions is critical for Monsanto to meet the growing challenge of infringement of intellectual property rights. A failure to do so could mean substantial loss of revenue and market share, and brand dilution. Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Monsanto’s revenues could be negatively impacted in view of bans imposed on its genetically modified crops. The degree of public acceptance or perceived public acceptance of its biotechnology products can affect its sales and results of operations by affecting planting approvals, regulatory requirements, and customer purchase decisions. Public concern can affect the timing of the government approvals in different countries. Even if the approvals are granted, public concern can lead to increased regulation or litigation against government regulators concerning prior regulatory approvals. Recently, the European Commissioner approved the cultivation of GMO potatoes in Europe, but the decision has come under stiff criticism and protest from various groups working against the GMO crops. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 8 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Similar regulatory controls could affect the company’s market position in various countries. As the regulations around the use of GMO crops intensify, Monsanto would face difficulty in expanding its market and growth of its revenue. Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Monsanto’s business is greatly affected by seasonal changes mainly in the seeds and genomics segment. In FY2011, approximately 72% of the seeds and genomics segment’s sales occurred in the second and third quarters. This  segment’s seasonality is primarily affected by the purchasing and growing patterns in North America. The seeds and genomics segment’s contribution to the overall revenue of the company has been steadily growing in the past few years. In FY2011, the segment accounted for 72.6% of the company’s revenue, up from 56% in FY2009. Hence, seasonal disturbances can adversely impact the overall sales of the company. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 9 Copyright of Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis is the property of Datamonitor Plc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.