John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism Essay Abstract The paper presents the life of John Stuart Mill through his biography. A glimpse on his exceptional life as a child was also included in his biography. Likewise, his major contributions as a philosopher and economist were also discussed. Since John Stuart Mill was a proponent of utilitarianism, the paper focuses its discussion on Mill and utilitarianism. The views of John Stuart Mill on utilitarianism and how it differs from Bentham’s views were given much attention in the paper. The history of utilitarianism was also presented to show how utilitarianism evolved. The confusions of many people, regarding who the real founder of utilitarianism, was clarified through the history of utilitarianism. Introduction John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), is a British philosopher-economist, who is the son of James Mill. He is one of the best 19th century thinkers. In economics, he was influenced by the theories of Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Robert Malthus, and his Principles of Political Economy is a little more than a restatement of their ideas. He had a great impact on 19th century British thought, not only in philosophy and economics but also in the areas of political science, logic, and ethics. He was a proponent of utilitarianism. He systematized the utilitarian doctrines of his father and Jeremy Bentham in such works as Utilitarianism (1863), basing knowledge upon human experience and emphasizing human reason. In political economy, Mill advocated those policies that he believed most consistent with individual liberty, and he emphasized that liberty could be threatened as much by social as by political tyranny. He is probably most famous for his essay â€Å"On Liberty† (1859). He studied pre-Marxian socialist doctrine, and, although he did not become a socialist, he worked actively for improvement of the conditions of the working people. Utilitarianism is a philosophy which has been around for centuries, and is still active and popular in the modern world. It is important not only in philosophy itself, but in disciplines such as economics, political science, and decision theory. To some people, Utilitarianism seems to be the only ethical philosophy which is obviously correct. To others, it seems to be quite misconceived, even reprehensible. Biography of John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a British philosopher, economist, moral and political theorist, and administrator. He was the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century. His views are of continuing significance, and are generally recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806 in Pentonville, London. He was the eldest son of James Mill, a Scottish philosopher and historian who had come to London and become a leading figure in the group of philosophical radicals which aimed to further the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham. His mother was Harriet Barrow, who seems to have had very little influence upon him. Mill was educated by his father, with the advice and assistance of Jeremy Bentham and Francis Place. He was given an extremely rigorous upbringing, and was deliberately shielded from association with children of his own age other than his siblings. His father, a follower of Bentham and an adherent of associationism, had as his explicit aim to create a genius intellect that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after he and Bentham were dead. John Stuart Mill as a child was exceptional. At the age of three he was taught the Greek alphabet and long lists of Greek words with their English equivalents. By the age of eight he had read Aesop’s Fables, Xenophon’s Anabasis, and the whole of Herodotus, and was acquainted with Lucian, Diogenes Laertius, Isocrates and six dialogues of Plato. He had also read a great deal of history in English and had been taught arithmetic. At fifteen, John Stuart Mill undertook the study of Benthams various fragments on the theory of legal evidence. These had an inspiring influence on him, fixing in him his life-long goal of reforming the world in the interest of human well-being. At the age of seventeen, he had completed advanced and thorough courses of study in Greek literature and philosophy, chemistry, botany, psychology, and law. In 1822 Mill began to work as a clerk for his father in the examiners office of the India House. In 1823, he co-founded the Westminster Review with Jeremy Bentham as a journal for philosophical radicals. This intensive study however had injurious effects on Mills mental health, and state of mind. At the age of twenty-one, he suffered a nervous breakdown. This was caused by the great physical and mental arduousness of his studies which had suppressed any feelings or spirituality he might have developed normally in childhood. Nevertheless, this depression eventually began to dissipate, as he began to find solace in the poetry of William Wordsworth. His capacity for emotion resurfaced, Mill remarking that the â€Å"cloud gradually drew off†. In 1851, Mill married Harriet Taylor after 21 years of an at times intense friendship and love affair. Taylor was a significant influence on Mills work and ideas during both friendship and marriage. His relationship with Harriet Taylor reinforced Mills advocacy of womens rights. He died in Avignon, France in 1873, and is buried alongside his wife. John Stuart Mill and the Classical School of Thought Classical economics starts with Adam Smith, as a coherent economic theory, continues with the British economists Thomas Robert Malthus and David Ricardo, and culminates in the synthesis of John Stuart Mill, who as a young man was a follower of David Ricardo. Among the classical economists in the three-quarters of a century, although they have differences of opinion between Smiths Wealth of Nations and Mills Principles of Political Economy (1848), the members of the group still agreed on major principles. All believed in private property, free markets, and, in Mills words, that â€Å"only through the principle of competition has political economy any pretension to the character of a science. † They shared Smiths strong suspicion of government and his ardent confidence in the power of self-interest represented by his famous â€Å"invisible hand,† which reconciled public benefit with individual pursuit of private gain. From Ricardo, classicists derived the notion of diminishing returns, which held that as more labor and capital were applied to land, yields after â€Å"a certain and not very advanced stage in the progress of agriculture steadily diminished. † Through Smiths emphasis on consumption, rather than on production, the scope of economics was considerably broadened. Smith was optimistic about the chances of improving general standards of life. He called attention to the importance of permitting individuals to follow their self-interest as a means of promoting national prosperity. History of Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a fairly old philosophy, and major elements of it are even older. The best known, and most prolific, utilitarian philosophers were Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). In their time, utilitarianism was a significant philosophical movement in Britain, and the utilitarians were some of the leading social reformers of the time. John Stuart Mill, especially, is quite well known today. Many people seem to think, unfortunately, that utilitarianism began with Bentham and ended with Mill. This is quite wrong in two ways. First, Bentham was not the first utilitarian, although he did coin the word utilitarianism. Various pre-Benthamite philosophers were advocating utilitarian positions several decades before Bentham was born. Also, utilitarianism has a lot in common with ancient non-utilitarian philosophers, such as Mo Tzu and Jesus. Both of these people advocated a doctrine of universal love. These doctrines were not precisely stated enough to compare directly with utilitarianism, but they were definitely universalist and egalitarian, and had strong currents of consequentialism, welfarism, and (at least in the case of Mo Tzu) maximization. The second problem with the popular misconception is that there has been a great deal of development in utilitarianism since Mill. Some people are aware, for example, of the later developments of Preference Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism. Mill is still usually regarded as the main resource on Utilitarianism, though. Part of the problem is that he wrote about it comprehensively, and there have been few good comprehensive books about utilitarianism since then. Modern utilitarianism is in many ways far more sophisticated than that of Mill. Most importantly, it has become connected with many developments in areas such as economics, political science, and decision theory. Utilitarianism has always enjoyed an essentially unique position as the only philosophy which applied to all areas of human endeavor in a reasonably straightforward endeavor, and committed to specific positions on how conflict between various interests should be resolved. In Mills time, utilitarianism was strongly linked to economics, although the two disciplines subsequently diverged. Today, Preference Utilitarianism as a theory underlies many ideas in the sciences, and has been formalized to a degree that Mill never dreamed of. The idea of utility maximization even has applications entirely outside of philosophy, such as its use in artificial intelligence to represent how a computer could make trade-offs between different goals. Utilitarianism today exists both as a powerful kind of formal reasoning, and as the philosophy which says that such reasoning should define the moral ideal in human affairs. Utilitarianism can even be formally derived from a set of four reasonable seeming axioms, something that no other major philosophy can claim. The modern state of utilitarianism in relation to other philosophies is actually quite unusual. Most philosophies exist in theoretical isolation, based on ideas which have little in common with ideas in other disciplines. Other disciplines, in turn, dont have much formal contact with them. Most major philosophies have a significant presence in politics and social issues, with people explicitly referring to issues such as rights and equality when debating how society should be organized. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, exists mostly in the background of popular discourse. People who claim to follow other philosophies often make utilitarian arguments when it suits them, and utilitarian arguments are often used by people who wouldnt claim to follow any specific philosophy at all. Many philosophers make sure to explicitly place their ideas in opposition to utilitarianism, as if it were always lurking in the background ready to pounce on the unsuspecting theory. In part, this may be because utilitarianism is a sort of philosophical hydra, growing a new position for each one that is dismissed. While specific utilitarian ideas are vulnerable to attack, the underlying sentiments have proven amazingly resilient and have evolved to remain entirely current. Throughout the twentieth century, many philosophers confidently predicted that utilitarianism had been devastated, and would soon fall out of favor only to be disproved when it remained as popular as ever. Utilitarian perspectives have also been quietly adopted in domains ranging from economics, political science, and decision theory to cognitive science and artificial intelligence. This has given modern utilitarianism a powerful formulation like no other, and a strong applied tradition. The old questions of how to measure utility, and how to maximize it most effectively in practice, have been extensively researched outside of philosophy. The result of this is that while other philosophies often talk in general terms of how they should be applied, and have problems in resolving conflicts between various principles, utilitarianism is at the cutting edge of rigorously applicable principles. Which is still, it should be mentioned, far from perfect. John Stuart Mill on Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the most influential moral philosophy in the last two centuries. Jeremy Bentham is the acknowledged founder of utilitarianism. He admitted however that he took over the principle of utility from David Hume. By stating categorically that there is an ultimate good – a summum bonum, John Stuart Mill, the most famous utilitarian, laid the foundation of his moral philosophy. According to Mill, all moral actions should be aimed at attaining this good. Mill insists that this good is happiness. According to the Greatest Happiness Principle, †¦ the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable – whether we are considering our own good or that of other people – is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible in enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality†¦ ( Boyce, p. 36) Mill states his teological position by insisting that the rightness of an action is determined by the actual consequences. It cannot be done by simply examining the nature of the act alone. The real value of our actions depends on whether it promotes the good or not. The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals Utility or Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness. Wrong, as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain, by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure. (Boyce, p. 36) Mill differs radically from Bentham on two important points. He is vehemently against the purely quantitative treatment of the principle of utility. According to Mill, we have to admit that some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. He disdainfully said: It is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides. (Solomon, p. 310 ) To confirm his point, Mill cites Epicurus (341-270 B. C. ) who also espoused the view that while the good life is the life of pleasure, he does not mean only bodily and sensual pleasure alone. These are higher forms like intellectual and spiritual pleasure. According to both philosophers some pleasures are intrinsically superior to others. When there are some issues that arise about the criterion for judging the quality of pleasure. Mill argues that: If I am asked what I mean by difference of quality of pleasures, or what makes one pleasure more valuable than another, merely as a pleasure, except its being greater in amount, there is but one possible answer. Of two pleasures if there is be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of a feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure. If one of the two is, by those who are competently acquainted with both, placed so far above the other that they prefer it, even though knowing it to be attended with a greater amount of discontent, and would not resign it for any quantity of the other pleasure which their name is capable of, we are justified in ascribing to the preferred enjoyment a superiority in quality so far outweighing quantity as to render it, in comparison of small account. (Solomon, pp. 297-298). The example given by Mill is Socrates who is acquainted with both bodily pleasure and intellectual pleasure. If you ask which pleasure is more desirable, obviously, according to Mill, Socrates will choose intellectual pleasure. So the criterion for judging which pleasure is better than another must be made by a judge who has experienced both kinds of pleasures. Indeed, Mill is calling for an inter-subjective consensus of people who experienced both types of pleasure. The introduction of quality of pleasure added undue complication to Bentham’s quantitative calculus. The higher pleasure consists of the more intellectual, artistic and even spiritual, like reading poetry, speculating about the nature or the cosmos, enjoying of music and the visual arts etc. as opposed to the more sensual and physical, like eating good food, indulging in sex and other physical stimulation. It must be mentioned though, that Mill is not excluding the lower pleasure from consideration. But obviously, he personally prefers the higher pleasures. Remember that it is the pig that provides the model for lower pleasure; in contrast, it is Socrates who exemplifies the quest for higher pleasures. Mill’s proof on the soundness of the principle of utility: The only proof capable of being given that an object is visible is that people actually see it. The only proof that a sound is audible is that people actually hear it; and so the other sources of our experience. In like manner, I apprehend, the sole evidence is it possible to produce that anything is desirable that people do actually desire it†¦ no reason can be given why the general happiness is desirable, except that each person, so far as he believes it to be attainable, desire his own happiness. (Solomon, p. 319 ). This proof has been the subject of debate among utlilitarian scholars. According to Solomon, the most generous interpretation of Mill’s proof are the following: one’s own happiness or pleasure is the only thing desired by each person; the general happiness or the happiness of all is the only thing desired for itself by all; the only test of something being desirable is its being desired; the general happiness is the only thing desired in itself; and lastly, the only test of the rightness or wrongness of actions is their tendency to promote the general happiness (the greatest happiness for the greatest number). Summary and Conclusion John Stuart Mill, being a philosopher and an economist had a great impact in the 19th century british thought not only in the field of philosophy and economics but also in other areas of political science, logic, and ethics. His exceptional childhood because of his father’s rigorous training had injurious effects on his mental health, and state of mind. Nevertheless, his father was able to create a genius in him that would carry on the cause of utilitarianism and its implementation after the death of his father and Bentham. One of the important works of John Stuart Mill was Utilitarianism, which argues for the philosophy of Utilitarianism. This philosophy was primarily formed by Jeremy Bentham, but Mills father James Mill was also a proponent. Utilitarianism holds that actions are good in proportion to the amount of happiness produced and number of people happiness is produced in. Mills main innovation to Utilitarianism is the idea of a hierarchy of pleasures. Bentham had treated all forms of happiness as equal, whereas Mill argued that intellectual and moral pleasures and developments were superior to more physical forms of pleasure. His views are of continuing significance, and are recognized to be among the deepest and certainly the most effective defenses of empiricism and of a liberal political view of society and culture. The overall aim of his philosophy is to develop a positive view of the universe and the place of humans in it, one which contributes to the progress of human knowledge, individual freedom and human well-being. His views are not entirely original, having their roots in the British empiricism of John Locke, George Berkeley and David Hume, and in the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham. But he gave them a new depth, and his formulations were sufficiently articulate to gain for them a continuing influence among a broad public. References: ACUNA, A. E. 2001. Philosophical Analysis. 5th Edition. U. P. Department of Philosophy. Diliman, Quezon City. Autobiography by John Stuart Mill. http://www. utilitarianism. com/jsmill. htm. BOYCE, W. D. 1978. Moral Reasoning. University of Nebraska Press. London. MONTGOMERIE, I. 2000. A Utilitarian FAQ. http://www. ianmontgomerie. com /manifesto/utilitarian. SOLOMON, R. C. Morality and the Good Life. 1984. McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York. Webster’s Family Encyclopedia. 1999. Vol. 6. Archer Worldwide Inc. Great Neck, New York, U. S. A.

Misuse Of Opiates Health And Social Care Essay

Misuse Of Opiates Health And Social Care Essay The misuse and abuse of illicit and prescription opiates is a growing problem in the United States. Even though Americans make up less than 5 percent of the worlds population, we consume close to 100% of the worlds supply of hydrocodone and nearly 80% of the worlds supply of legal and illegal opiates . Because of the vast availability of drugs and its impact on many facets of healthcare and the economy, it is imperative that health care providers and policy makers understand what drugs are being abused, who uses these drugs, where the drugs come from, and the health and economic burden on the United States. It is becoming exceedingly important for those directly involved with substance abusers to understand the physiological consequences, psychosocial consequences and withdrawal consequences of drugs. Opiates and opiate derivatives in particular, whether illicit (such as heroin) or prescription (such as Oxycontin) are being heavily abused across the country. These drugs can have serious health implications during use and during abrupt cessation (detoxification or withdrawal). This paper will present a review of the literature on the epidemic of heroin and prescription opiate abuse. Through a critical review, concepts such as the prevalence of the problem, the physiologic consequences of abuse, the current trends in management of the problem and implications for nursing and healthcare will be explored. Background Before proceeding, it is important to briefly discuss the basic pharmacology of opiate drugs. Opiates, otherwise known as narcotics, include the drugs heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycontin, hydrocodone, methadone and other chemically-related derivatives. All opiates are considered dispensable only by prescription in the United States with the exception of heroin, which is illegal in all circumstances. Opiates wield their effects by activating pleasure centers in the brain. The neurobiochemical model of addiction suggests that over time, the brains chemistry changes so that it yearns for the substance when it is not there and can produce physiologic effects of withdrawal when stopped. Heroin for example, which is chemically-related to morphine (the chemical name for heroin is diamorphine) readily crosses the blood-brain barrier to cause a rapid spilling of dopamine into the dopaminergic receptors of the brains neurons. For this reason, the drug is easily addictive and absence of the dr ug causes a sensation of craving and can cause feelings of illness, such as nausea and diarrhea, when stopped abruptly. . Prevalence of the Problem Several researchers in the nursing, allied health and economics disciplines have explored and discussed the prevalence of prescription opiate abuse and hypotheses of the origin of the problem. However, there is a large gap in the literature related to the prevalence of illicit drug abuse (heroin) among different populations. The prevalence data for heroin abuse in the US is largely reported by national survey trends, such as the National Institute of Drug Abuse (part of the National Institutes of Health) Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Even so, the massive survey document pays little attention to the problem of heroin abuse and reports only two percent of the 67,500 survey respondents using heroin in the month preceding the survey (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009). The etiology of prescription drug misuse and abuse is discussed more heavily in the literature than is heroin abuse. According to the NSDUH, in 2009 4.8% of the survey respondents aged 12 and older reported using prescription opiates for non-medical reasons. Of those, over 55% reported obtaining the drug for free from a friend or relative, and 4.8% reported purchasing the drug from a dealer on the streets (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009). Researchers at Columbia University surveyed adolescents aged 12 to 17 in 2005 and found that 9.3% reported the misuse of prescription opiates over the past month. In exploring the adolescents motives for abuse, the researchers found that the most commonly reported motives were ease of attainment and affordability . Among young adult college students, prevalence of non-medical prescription opiate abuse has been reported between seven and nine percent in the past month to twelve to fourteen percent lifetime prevalence . One of the most at-risk groups for misuse of and addiction to prescription opiates is the chronic pain population. When used appropriately, opiate pain medications are a gold standard of care for serious pain-related conditions (such as post-operative pain, neuropathic pain and so on). In an effort to better manage pain, the number of prescriptions for opiate medications increased 154% in the ten-year period from 1992 to 2002, even though the population of the United States increased by only 13% . Although prescription opiates have been used to treat pain and improve the quality of life among acute and chronic pain patients, the advent of the drugs misuse has led to a wide body of literature on prescriptive practices and monitoring of opiate drugs. There delicate balance between managing pain adequately and the risk for misuse, addiction and diversion has been discussed in the literature recently, largely among the adolescent/young adult and chronic pain populations. Although there is a general lack in the literature of the number of people prescribed opiates for chronic pain . There is a large body of literature which suggests that the increased number of prescription opiates for chronic pain patients has contributed significantly to the drug abuse problem. In studies to investigate the use of prescription opiates for chronic pain, it has been found that pain treatment plans are sparse, good documentation on the patients health history and history of substance abuse is rare, and opiates are sometimes improperly utilized or not indicated at all . Health Consequences of Opiate Abuse Both prescription and illicit opiates have the potential to exert a myriad of acute and chronic negative health effects for the user. Neurological decline, vision changes, cardiac abnormalities, vascular complications, pulmonary disorders and mortality have been studied and reported. In a study of over 500 opiate addicts, electrocardiographic changes were documented in 61% of the sample. These ECG changes included ST-segment elevation, which may indicate ischemic heart damage (or lack of oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium) and QTc prolongation (seen mostly with methadone addicts). Prolonged QTc intervals may lead to inappropriate triggering of the ventricles and may lead to potentially lethal ventricular tachycardia . The use of heroin and other drugs by injection with non-sterile or reused needles may produce powerful toxins in the bloodstream leading to endocarditis, left ventricular hemorrhage and death. Researchers in Ireland reviewed the autopsy findings from eight cases of heroin users and found rapid fatal illness caused by the endotoxin Clostridium novyi which caused fatal subendocardial hemorrhage, spleen enlargement and pulmonary edema in all of the subjects studied . Heroin can cause significant acute peripheral and central nervous system complications such as neuropathy and hearing loss. In a study six of intravenous and intranasal heroin users admitted to the hospital for acute illness, five had documented rhabdomyolysis between three and 36 hours after administration of the drug. In each of the five cases, there was no documented trauma. Typically rhabdomyolysis occurs after a traumatic, compression-type injury where enzymes spill into the musculature and cause rapid neurological decline, loss of muscle tone and coma. In each of the subjects studied, no trauma or compression injury occurred . In a group of patients with a reported history of speedballing (or mixing heroin and cocaine), 2 of the 16 studied experienced sudden, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss four hours after speedballing which resolved within three days. One additional participant experienced sudden hearing loss after speedballing but unilaterally. The mechanism by which th e hearing loss occurred was described as a possible cochlear toxicity or autoimmune reaction related directly to the drugs . Injection of drugs of any type can cause vascular complications, skin and soft tissue infections and infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV . In the most severe cases, opiate abuse may lead to death, generally from overdose. Heroin has been related to 1.65 deaths per 100,000 people in the Florida population alone over the last decade and in Alabama between 1986 and 2003, a review of medical examiners reports revealed those whos cause of sudden death was undermined were 5.3 times more likely to have a history of drug abuse . Researchers in the United Kingdom have further investigated heroin deaths and concluded that overdose related to heroin rarely occurs after the use of heroin alone- in 50% of the cases they reviewed, alcohol was also involved . Although studies have been published on the health effects of abuse itself, a review of nursing, medical and allied health literature shows a significant lack of studies on the health consequences of withdrawal (abrupt cessation) of opiate drugs. Several studies have been found relating to the use of pharmacotherapy to treat opiate addiction (such as methadone and similar programs) but no studies have explored the physiologic effects of withdrawal without medication assistance. Searching online databases for relevant articles on opiate withdrawal does not yield any studies other than those using medication-assisted withdrawal therapies (such as methadone and buprenorphine). This is important to populations such as inmates in a correctional facility where pharmacotherapy is not generally used during detoxification and requires further attention . In sum, the potential health-related consequences of opiate abuse can negatively affect a myriad of body systems. The risk of potentially fatal infectious disease, neurological and cardiovascular complications and death by overdose creates a public health problem that demands attention. Health care providers in all arenas must be able to rapidly and appropriately identify those at risk. Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice Nurse practitioners are allowed prescriptive authority in almost any state across the country. Depending on the practice setting, they may prescribe opiates to treat pain. Opiates are the gold standard for treating moderate to severe pain in both acute and chronic pain syndromes . There has been some discourse in the literature on the dilemma to treat or not to treat pain with opiates. On the one hand, effective pain management is not only ethical but also opiates are effective for many patients for pain management and on the other hand there is a fear of misuse, dependence and addiction issues . The ability for advanced practice nurses to identify drug-seeking behavior, issues with addiction and possible diversion of opiates is crucial to the problem of opiate abuse. As it has been documented in the literature, diversion of prescription opiates generally occurs with the patient selling, trading or giving away the medication to another. According to Annie Gerhardt, emergency room nu rse practitioner, drug seekers become victims of their own disease, becoming involved in a tangled web of addiction, drug-seeking, drug diversion and criminal behavior that escalates over time with increased drug use . Gerhardt (2004) suggests monitoring patients treated with opiates for refilling meds before their follow up appointments, patient reports of losing medications, attempting to see different providers for pain medications (which can usually be identified by pharmacies), and scamming providers for more medications by complimenting the provider or the office staff or displaying increased levels of pain in order to procure more medication. When prescribing opiates to treat pain in patients already known to have addiction issues, using sustained-released formulations may reduce dependency while adequately treating pain. Sustained-release formulations usually have a reduced street value and are less likely to be sold and diverted, and the withdrawal from sustained-release op iates is typically not as severe . In terms of advanced practice nursing, prescribers have the unique ability to screen for potential addiction issues, monitor those who are prescribed addictive medications and potentially control diversion of those medications to others for whom they are not prescribed. Ultimately, the knowledge of drugs of abuse and health-related consequences is important for nurses at all levels to possess. Implications for Research To further add to the body of literature on the subject of opiate drug abuse, addiction and withdrawal, several areas still need to be explored. First, patterns of drug use in individual populations and communities should be investigated. The types of drugs most commonly used, the routes of administration of these drugs and their negative health-related consequences should be studied in a variety of communities, both urban and rural, to gain a better understanding of the patterns of use across the country. More research is needed beyond simple prevalence studies on the number of people who use to expand on the actual patterns of abuse. Similarly, the psychosocial consequence of drug use across different populations needs further investigation in order to articulate the negative impact on individuals and communities. Because the abrupt cessation of opiate drugs without medication assistance occurs frequently in specific settings, more research needs to be done on the physiological effects of non-assisted detoxification. The patterns of symptoms of withdrawal and negative health effects among populations such as the incarcerated and the hospitalized need to be explored. The potential for the development of evidence-based protocols for the management of abuse and withdrawal in these settings can occur once the patterns of symptoms and health consequences are documented. Conclusion In sum, the problem of drug abuse (which extends far beyond even opiate drugs) has been reported in multiple sources, and prevalence studies seem rampant in the literature. However, much more work needs to be done on the consequences of drug abuse from a healthcare perspective across a variety of populations in different settings to begin to understand the impact of drugs on communities.

The Importance Of Project Management Construction Essay

The Importance Of Project Management Construction Essay The purpose of this report is to demonstrate the importance of project management and the attributes the client should seek when selecting a project manager. By defining measureable objectives, project managers offer strategical qualities and direction to the desired milestones as well as to the completion of the entire project. The employment of their services allows for the organizing of information and activities including future risk assessment that leads to a quality product within the time and budget restraints. In addition to the purpose of a project manager, there are certain background attributes that would contribute to the success of a project such as managerial skill and technical expertise that are relevant to the clients goals. Introduction According to the Association for Project Management (APM), project management is identified as the process by which projects are defined, planned, monitored, controlled and delivered such that the agreed benefits are realised. A project manager is appointed by the client and serves as their representative throughout the entire progression period of the project, if permitted by the contractual agreement. It is the project managers responsibility to predict as many possible dangers and problems in time to plan, organize and control activities so that the project remains on schedule (Lock, 2007). Various risks can be avoided by planning strategically including defining measurable objectives at the start of the project so that those issues can be accounted for before reaching the construction phase. It is essential to incorporate a project manager because they are able to coordinate and organize information or activities, increase product quality, reduce risks, manage budgets, as well as complete the project under strenuous time restraints. In order for a project manager to bring these successful traits to a project they must possess an array of managerial and technical skills. This report will closely evaluate how defining measurable objectives, organisation, product quality, and budget management will improve the overall construction process as well as evaluating various attributes that project manager should have to effectively deliver a quality product. 1.0 Why hire a Project Manager? 1.1 Define Objectives Defining measureable objectives-the scope of the project-at the start of the project is crucial to any successful project. Scope Creep is one of the most common reasons why projects are unsuccessful whether it is due to schedule delays or drastic unexpected increases in budgets. For example, Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia had major increases in the original budget. The Federation Square opened in October 2002 with an original estimated budget at $100million but, due to poorly defined objectives, the budget has increased drastically to approximately $460million over the last 7 years. (VAGO, 2003) Scope creep, refers to tasks that are added to the initial reasons or scope of the project, which can occur both after the project as well as during the process. During the planning period, the engineer is not always certain of what the problems are before the construction phase. This is mostly due to the lack of research. If the construction phase commences as planned and there ar e utility lines unaccounted for, this would introduce complexity to the project as well as alter the original objectives. The lack of definition could throw the entire project off course from the original purpose of construction. The project manager hired will be able to take the necessary actions to combat these issues with the client. 1.2 Organise Information and Activities Construction projects are unique in the aspect that each project presents its own complexities. With any complex system, it is a requirement that information and activities be well organised which is one of the many reasons for commissioning a project manager. There are a variety of programs that aid the project manager in this area including Microsoft Office Project. Organization allows for optimal communication between the project manager and the key players that could take the form of graphs, charts, etc. This information keeps the involved parties aware of their preparation time before their services are needed. If a problem occurs, organization also allows the project manager to make quality decisions based upon the progression of the project in relation to the next milestone or deadline. In addition to organizing activities, labelling the distribution of funding is equally important. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) classifies these in the form of Work Breakdown Structure, or WBS, which is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables (PMBOK, 2004). In regards to the budget, a WBS allows money to be distributed based upon its original intentions in a way that keeps the project manager up-to-date with the remaining funding. WBS is just another way to keep complex projects simple and easy to manage as well as keeping the client in the know. 1.3 Increase Product Quality Due to the economic crisis, many clients desire a high quality product associated with little cost. During the planning process, the project manager has the opportunity to research the services and products necessary to complete the project with the clients best interest in mind. Generally, most project errors occur during the construction process possibly due to unforeseen circumstances, field issues, and the work ethics of the contractors involved. Particularly in the US, based on a study done in 2006-2008 on the most common reasons why contractors fail in which performance and management issues were ranked in the top 5. Performance issues accounted for 36% of failures and management issues accounted for 29%. To assist in eliminating these problems, it is the responsibility of the project manager in conjunction with the construction manager to ensure that the structure is built with minimal errors and safety hazards. Through this checks and balance system, field issues can be succe ssfully managed with little to no effect on the schedule or future structural performance. 1.4 Manage Budget The budget is the primary skeletal system to a successful project. In any project, whether in the public or private sector, financial funding is essential. Without it, delays in financial support progress are inevitable. During the planning process, the project manager uses the WBS to assist in organizing and managing the funds as well as ensuring that there are funds allocated to future risks also known as the contingency. In a recent survey conducted by the National Audit Office (NAO), approximately 24% of delays in schedules were due to the incurred additional costs. This information conveys that the given budget was not managed properly or there were too many unforeseen risks involved. With the assistance of a project manager, such risks can be accounted for during the planning period to avoid schedule delays. 2.0 What attributes should be considered when hiring a Project Manger? 2.1 Managerial Skills When selecting a project manager, the client should not only be aware of how a project manager can enhance the overall performance of a project but also what skills to look for when employing their services. In order to produce a successful project the client should hire a project manager based on their leadership skills. Leadership skills consist of team building, problem solving, and communication skills, just to name a few. Project managers are faced with difficult situations throughout the course of the project which cannot be solved by themselves. The project manager must depend equally on all of the key players by building an effective and efficient team that may or may not be temporary and motivate them to the clients desired vision. With those difficult situations, quick and quality problem solving techniques are equally critical to the completion of the project. For instance, if there is an unpredicted pipe underneath the work site and there is change in the initial scope, t he project manager must be able to make a quality decision based upon the time and budget restraints. This issue can also be affected by the communication links between the key players. As stated earlier in this report, communication can be conveyed through organisation, charts, graphs, and schedules to keep the involved parties informed, especially the client(s). Leadership is just one attribute that covers an array of sub-skills that a project manager should possess to help determine the success of a project. 2.2 Technical Expertise In addition to the managerial attributes, technical expertise is also important to have when working with a clients vision. Technical expertise may include scope, cost, risk, contract, and construction management and helps to aid the clients knowledge beyond the initial concept of the structure. When managing the scope, the project manager must keep the primary vision in mind so that cost, contracts, and the construction process of even the most complex project remain simple. The project manager is able to make the client aware of the different risks that they might encounter before the project progresses past the conceptual phase as well as offer advice throughout the construction process. Again, these attributes are just a few that a project manager can contribute to a successful project and should be considered during the selection process. 3.0 Conclusion 3.1 Overall Conclusion In conclusion, defining measurable objectives, organisation of information and activities, increased product quality, budget management, and managerial and technical skills are all very important to a project that is classified a success by the client and the parties involved. The client should be increasingly mindful when employing the services of a project manager that, A leader is only as good as his followers. Without the stable foundation of any team or project, the product is bound to fail but if they are somehow incorporated from beginning to end, the temporary and longevity use of the product is sure to be met.

Buck versus Bell Essay example -- Supreme Court Sterilization Essays

Buck versus Bell During the early twentieth century, the United States was enduring significant social and economic changes due to its transformation into a commercial and industrial world power. As the need for labor escalated within many urban areas, millions of Europeans emigrated from Southern and Eastern Europe with the hopes of capitalizing upon these employment opportunities and attaining a better life. Simultaneously, many African-Americans migrated from the rural South into major cities, bearing the same intentions as those of the European immigrants. The presence of these minority groups generated both racial and class fears within white middle and upper class Americans. The fervent ethnocentrism resulting from these fears, coupled with the Social Darwinist concepts of Herbert Spencer, would ultimately spur the American eugenics movement. Originating from the theories of Sir Francis Galton, the cousin of Charles Darwin, eugenics is the study of human heredity and genetic principles for the purposes of improving the human race by limiting the proliferation of defective gene pools. Charles Davenport, the founding father of the American eugenics movement, was one of many elite Americans advocating for the incorporation of the ideals of this new "science" into society. The work of Davenport, which became known as eugenic principles, would not only have an impact on public education, but a legal impact as well. By 1931, thirty state legislatures had passed involuntary sterilization laws that targeted "defective strains" within the general population, such as the blind, the deaf, the poor, and the feebleminded. Virginia, one of these states, held the position that involuntary sterilization would not only benefit the overal... ... People With Mental Disabilities: Issues, Perspectives, and Cases (Westport CT: Auburn House, 1995) 22. Works Cited Buck v. Bell. 274 U.S. 200, 205. No. 292 US Supreme Ct. 1927. Brantlinger, Ellen. Sterilization of People With Mental Disabilities: Issues, Perspectives, and Cases. Westport CT: Auburn House, 1995. Larson, Edward. Sex, Race, and Science: Eugenics in the Deep South. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995. Macklin, Ruth. Mental Retardation and Sterilization: A Problem of Competency and Paternalism. New York: Plenum Press, 1981. Reilly, Phillip. The Surgical Solution: A History of Involuntary Sterilization in the United States. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991. Shapiro, Thomas. Population Control Politics: Women, Sterilization, and Reproductive Choice. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1985.

The End Of The World :: essays research papers

The End of the World Have you ever wondered when the world is going to come to a stop?. Have you ever stopped to think about all of those physic predictions that so many have made? I hope to provide an insight to the world of Armageddon. It is almost inevitable that the world and the human race end someday, but just how soon? Millennialists, people who believe that the world is going to end on a set date saying that the date will be May 5, 2000. If their calculations are right, then we only have 6 years to live. "Millennialisim has been present in just about every generation since the birth of Christ--and just about every crop of millennialists has been disappointed" 300 years ago, Nostradamas predicted all of the popes, correctly up until the year 2000. According to Nostradamas we only have 4 popes left until "A horrible fiery death to all humankind"Â © Further more he predicted the southern California' 92 earthquake, 300 years ago!!. Many people believe that the world will end in the form of world war III. Imagine if another Hitler came along, with the weapons that he could get a hold of biological, nuclear and chemical warfare, think how devastating it would be if that happened. People like Hitler are called anti-Christ. Nostradamas also predicted that the third anti-Christ (there have already been 2)would be born in 1970, his name unreleased to the public. Supposedly he will start world war III in Asia some where. "Millinnialism sells, and that's an indisputable fact. There's money in Armageddon" Deep in the heart of Arizona there are about 300 people who think that they will be prepared for Armageddon. The quaint town of misty falls has been preparing for Armageddon for 10 years now. They have build in total 40,000 sq. of underground bunkers lined with lead, some of them family size, some of them big enough to hold 75 people comfortably. The bunkers are stocked with enough food and other essentials to last for seven years. These troopers did not only pack food, they have educational computers, lots of condoms (What else do ya do?) "when doomsday doesn't come the millennialilst response is that the calculations need re-tuning and doomsday is still imminent"Ä Others who have had visions have seen great natural disasters, one man saw in a vision that he saw a map of the united states with half of it

Communication Studies Introduction

Introduction Theme: The Generation Gap Research Question: How has the generation gap affected the current generation and caused a negative change in society’s values? According to http://www. investopedia. com, the generation gap refers to the differences found between members of different generations. More specifically, it is used to describe the differences in actions, beliefs and tastes between the younger generations in comparison to the older generations. Within Trinidad and Tobago, factors of the generation gap are quite evident in society.Several norms, mores and values established by the previous generations have been undermined and obviated by the current generation, the generation gap is also prevalent in today’s music, fashion and the way we speak. As such, it has been observed that the delicate structure and order of society which has enforced proper ethics and morals amongst its citizens has begun to deteriorate, given way to a more chaotic and immoral gene ration. It is a fact of life that the generation gap â€Å"is something that has existed and will continue to exist as long as man resides on this earth.It is not restricted to certain parts of the world, to certain times of human history or to certain cultures. That is why this â€Å"clash† is a fact of a life accepted by all generations, all over the world and through all time. This topic will help me investigate the reasons why the differences of generation gap have widened greatly in the 20th and 21st centuries and how it has contributed to the negative change in society. I am going to use an argumentative essay in my reflective piece as I think it best suits the theme of my project.In the essay, I’ll look at the points which support my topic while still touching on the benefits of the generation gap. These points will then be explained in greater detail in my oral exposition so that persons would have a better understanding of the chosen topic. The theme synchron izes with my interests in pursuing my sociological career path and information acquired from this project would also help with improving my student- teacher relationship and my relationship with my parents and come to better compromises as I will now better understand the older generation’s differences and point of views on current trends.

New Product Launch

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH: UB GROUP – SOFT DRINK â€Å"MIST† COMPANY OVERVIEW United Breweries Limited (UBL) – has assumed undisputed market leadership with a national market share in excess of 50%. Through a process of aggressive acquisition and market penetration, The UB Group today controls 60% of the total manufacturing capacity for Beer in India. The flagship brand, Kingfisher is now sold in over 52 countries worldwide having received many accolades for its quality. MACRO-ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Political Factors The political forces affect the beer industry to a large extent. The rates of the beer in various parts of the country are affected by the taxes and duties applied by the Govt. The political forces also affect the pricing of the beer by lowering the duties or deregulating the distribution channel. This leads to lower margins for the distribution channel partners. But, as 75% of the Indian market is covered by two players, there hasn’t been a reduction in the margins of the manufacturers. The taxation policies also affect the consumption patterns. Economic Factors India is home to nearly one-sixth of the global population and is one of the most attractive consumer markets in the world today. The total worth of Indian Beer Market is Rs 750 crore. This market is expected to expand by 39% by 2010. The beer consumption has been growing at a CAGR of 7% over last nine years. India provides attractive profit margins due to the consolidated nature of the industry. Various research studies have shown that a rise in the income levels has a direct positive effect on beer consumption. The National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) projects India's ‘very rich', ‘consuming' and ‘climbers' classes to grow at a CAGR of 15 per cent, 10 per cent and 2 per cent respectively. Thus, India gives ample opportunities for the UB Group to grow. Social Factors A deep-seated traditional social aversion to alcohol consumption has been a traditional feature of the Indian society. However, as urban consumers become more exposed to western lifestyles, through overseas travel and the media, their attitude towards alcohol is relaxing. Social habits are undergoing a transformation as mixed drinks are becoming more popular. The greatest evidence of this trend is the increase in beer consumption among women. More and more women are consuming beer – the penetration in metropolitan areas is almost twice as high as the penetration in other large cities – implying that the greater tolerance towards alcohol consumption in metropolitan areas facilitates the consumption of beer. With increasing urbanisation, this acceptance is only going to rise. As a consequence of the high birth rates prevalent until the 1990s, a large proportion of the Indian population is in the age group of 20-34 years. This age group is the most appropriate target for beer marketers. This population trend will give a further boost to the growth of beer consumption in India. Technological Beer industry is not technology specific. As the UB group is one of the oldest players in the market, they have achieved economies of scale. Thus, technological factor is not of great importance for the beer market. SWOT ANALYSIS PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL Threat of new Entrants – Low In India, beer industry is growing with 11% CAGR making it attractive for new players. Strong brands like Kingfisher and Hayward’s which are already established and have strong brand recall will make it tough for new entrants and they are expected to struggle to expand their consumer base as they try to penetrate the beer market in India. Foreign brewers have been eyeing the Indian market for some years now since India is widely acknowledged to be the last untapped big growth market. Several international brewers have built brand associations and are marketing their brands aggressively through various point-of- sale promotions throughout their distribution networks. But with strong players in the market any new entrant will face problems of: a) Economies of scale – For example benefit associated with bulk purchases and sales – create high barriers to the national and global markets ) Cost of entry – For example investment in technology, costs associated with sales c) Distribution channel For example ease of access for competitors d) Government Legislations -Introduction of new laws might weaken have adverse effects e) Differentiation – For example certain brands that cannot be copied f) Supplier power – Possibility of forward integration by supplier Bargaining power of suppliers â₠¬â€œ Low Due to increasing costs of raw material and decreasing cost of barley suppliers, bargaining power of suppliers was high but by doing backward integration, done by acquiring Maltex Malsters Ltd. and shifting their production of beer on malt the company has achieved a hold on its raw material and considerably reduced supplier strength and dependency. Company has also entered into collaboration with Government of Punjab and Haryana for supply of its raw material. Bargaining power of buyers – Moderate This factor measures the extent to which customers are successful in forcing prices down, or securing high quality or more service at the same price. Customers tend to be powerful when the quantities they purchase form a large portion of the seller's total sales. Buyers do have a very clear understanding about the quality and as there are very few players in the market the customer cannot influence the price in any significant way. But while this is true a decline in consumable income shifts consumer preferences away from premium brands to lower-priced brands since the switching costs is low. Due to this the bargaining power of buyer tends to increase. Threat of substitutes – Moderate India is predominantly a spirits market and beer has traditionally been a minority preference for those who consume beverage alcohol. Therefore substitutes are the biggest threat as preference for beer among alcohol beverage drinkers is less but also the low penetration in beer consumption in comparison to international levels offers the potential for substantial and sustainable growth in demand for beer in India for years to come. Rivalry amongst Competitors – Low to Moderate Rivalry is the means through which competitors fight for position by using tactics such as price, competition, advertisement battles, and new product introduction, to lower the profits of competitors in the industry. As stated above CAGR of 11% is expected for beer in the next 5 years due to which many MNCs are eyeing the Indian market. Currently the major rivals for Kingfisher Premium are Budweiser, Carlsberg, Foster and Tiger and for Kingfisher Strong it’s Hayward 2000, Hayward 5000, Palone. SABMiller who came to India by acquiring small breweries and has made its hold as best-selling strong beer brand but still Kingfisher has managed to remain the largest-selling strong beer brand with 29% market share. There are also some small local players hat are in the market but are not much of a threat to Kingfisher. STRATEGIC FIT OF MIST WITH UNITED BREWERIES GROUP The UB Group (United Breweries Group) is a multi-faceted conglomerate with business interests in Beverage Alcohol, Pharmaceuticals, Media, International Trading, Aviation, Fertilizer, Research & Development, and Infrastructure Development with a major focus on the brewery (beer) and alcoholic beverages industry most of which is market ed under the Kingfisher brand. UB Group is already planning to venture into the mineral water segment via the Kingfisher Himalayan Water Brand. Thus strategically thinking Mist will be a perfect fit in the UB Group’s expansion plans. In fact introduction of a soft drink will make UB Group present in all versions of drinks and will be a wonderful way to reach out to customers who admire the Kingfisher brand but do not consume alcoholic beverages. Launching Mist will be a form of line extension and will help it respond to customer’s needs favorably. If we see the attributes of Mist, i. e. adventure, energy, fun and the â€Å"Hat Ke† attitude; it is very much in sync with the existing brand image of UB Group. Mist being a soft drink, it is very necessary to ensure proper distribution of the product. This is where UB Group can use its core competency of having a strong distribution network and bank upon its reputation regarding the stringent quality control measures it follows. Also if we look at the soft drink market, the only direct competitor of Mist is Mountain Dew and the market for soft drinks providing the set of benefits as Mist is in a growth stage. That makes it a perfect moment to introduce a drink like Mist under the Kingfisher brand name. Considering the sync between Mist attributes and Kingfisher’s brand image, we can also use the events held by the UB Group like the Derby, Kingfisher Calendar, IPL matches , functions like the Incredible India Party held last year at Cannes and the TV channel NDTV Good Times to increase awareness about Mist. It can make use of the cricket and Bollywood stars already associated with Kingfisher brand to endorse the product and help build a strong connect with its loyal customers. Added to that serving Mist in the Kingfisher Airlines will be a reat way of making future customers try out the drink. PRODUCT INTRODUCTION Mist is a soft drink that is being launched by UB group under Kingfisher brand. It is a citrus flavoured drink and unlike other soft drinks, it is more carbonated and has high levels of caffeine. MARKETING STRATEGY SEGMENTATION Demographic Segmentation 1. AgeA consumer needs and wants change with age. Hence this segmentation is important for this product. On the bas is of age, we can divide the population into the following categories a. 6-25 years b. Teenagers c. 25 years and above 2. Gender This is an important segmentation since both genders behave and respond differently to same situations. Geographic Segmentation This segment primarily refers to the location of the segments. For our product there will be three segments. a. Urban b. Semi-Urban c. Rural PsychographicSegmentation Here different groups are identified on the basis of personality traits, lifestyle or values. The following segments can be formed: a. Excitement, Adventure seeking, Risk lovers b. Health Conscious . Rebellious d. Fashsionable and stylish For our product, we can begin with demographic segmentation. These segments would be further divided using psychographic segmentation. The product is soft drink, but we will not go in for mass marketing and rather target based on psychographic segmentation. The target would also be different from those of already existing soft drink s. TARGETING Evaluating the above segments on the parameters like Measurable, Substantial, Accessible, Differentiable and Actionable, the target segment for MIST would be: Individuals (both genders) in age range 15-29 in urban areas (this is because the promotional activities would be focused on urban areas only). †¢ Based on market research data, we decided to target people who embrace excitement, adventure and fun. Reasons for choosing this target segment are: †¢ Our market research showed us that there were primarily five different target groups in the market. There was considerable presence of other soft drinks in the other target groups. †¢ Also in urban areas there are very few individuals in the age group 15-29 years who have not heard of Kingfisher; hence this would be our target age group. This segment in India is substantial and would be profitable. †¢ Kingfisher already has large distribution networks for selling its other products in urban areas. Hence there would be little cost of adding distribution channels. †¢ It is also easier to involve people from the aforementioned age group in various promotional activities and also they are easily accessible through internet. So it would be easier reaching across to them. POSITIONING Salient Attributes  · Offer from the Kingfisher brand Higher price for perception of premium quality and difference  · Available only in stylised cans  · Invigorating effect due to higher caffeine  · Tingling taste and flavor  · Selective availability in retail outlets, pubs, clubs, discos and other socializing places Values  · Adventure Seeking  · Thrill  · Different from competition  · Aspiration for youngsters to be associated with Kingfisher brand. Competition Mountain Dew As compared to Mountain Dew, we will po sition MIST as an exclusive brand and it will only be available through selective outlets. We are going for value-based offering that is premium in nature due to higher quality and reflects the values of aspiration for Kingfisher. Coke and Pepsi Both Coke and Pepsi are brands that differentiate themselves on the basis on the endorsements eg. Pepsi targets the youth market through endorsements from young celebrities. Price is not a discriminating factor between these two. We shall charge a higher price as compared to Coke and Pepsi and put forth quality as a prime concern while manufacturing MIST. This should help us differentiating from Coke and Pepsi since they have had troubles in the past regarding their quality. Media Influence  · Extensive promotion schemes across different media (using teasers, events and web portals)  · Advertisement frequency  · Brand endorsement Based on the above factors, our positioning of Mist vis-a-vis its main competitor (Mountain Dew) and other similar lime and lemon flavoured drinks (Coca cola was also included as a reference) has been quantitatively depicted in the cobweb diagram below. Some of the attributes are – 1. Ingredients – Mist is an augmented product over other citrus flavoured drinks, being packed with higher carbonation and caffeine. So, we rated this attribute above the other drinks. 2. Awareness – As Mist is a new product to be launched, we cannot gauge its awareness. However, we intend to bring it to the desired level based on our extensive promotional campaign which will be explained in the Marketing Mix. As of now, awareness is being measured based on the current awareness level for Kingfisher. 3. Availability – Unlike the extensive mass distribution and availability of the other drinks, we intend to have a selective distribution for Mist. 4. Refrigeration – This is based on the amount of refrigeration required and the level of service given by the companies by providing refrigerators. As Mist is selectively available, we intend to provide refrigeration facilities at all points of sale. This refrigerators will be small and exclusively for Mist. It will have eye-popping displays labelled with the title Mist and will be painted in its colours. MARKETING MIX | | |PRODUCT | | | | | | | |Functional |Great taste | | | | | | |Ity |Quench Thirst | | | | | | | | | | |Features |†¢ Invigorating effect due to higher caffeine | | | | | | | |†¢ Tingling taste and flavor | | | | | | |Appearanc |Available in Stylised cans | | | | | | |E | | | | | | | PRICING Competitor based pricing The price of a can of Mountain Dew and other soft drinks is Rs. 20. We may c hoose to price it higher than this since we are not going in for mass marketing but rather selecting a specific target segment. Cost Based pricing Cost Based pricing is integral to establish the lowest point of a new product's price range. By accurately analyzing cost per unit and taking into account a margin that corresponds to the lowest satisfactory return on investment, companies can define a new product's floor price. If the market cannot support this price, then the company must reconsider if the product is feasible. If we take the major cost components as manufacturing, advertising and distribution we can come to a rough estimate of the variable cost of Mist. This will not include the costs associated with machinery installation, R & D of the product and other associated capital expenses. This shall be collected through contribution per can. Using estimates for the major variable cost components we take: i. Advertising Cost per can – Rs. 8 – 10 ii. Manufacturing Cost per can – Rs. 4-5 iii. Administrative Costs and other overheads per can – Rs. 2-3 iv. Distribution Costs – estimated to be Rs. 1 per level Therefore the total cost of producing one can comes out approximately to be Rs. 17-19. Value Based Pricing While some benefits have values that can be readily quantified, others such as brand reputation and premium are more difficult to measure and must be probed using market research. Since we are positioning Mist as a premium brand it should be priced higher than its direct competitor (in this case Mountain Dew) in order for the target group to it as a premium brand. Since a can of a cola costs Rs. 0 then we will price it at Rs. 24 (we are trying simultaneously to take advantage of bundles of five pricing and have the customers perceive it as a premium brand). As shown by the market research, customers are willing to pay more for a product like Mist. Moreover, considering the aspiration value of the produc t and the parent company, we have decided to follow value based pricing. PROMOTION According to the positioning of the Mist, a promotional campaign will be designed to create awareness and pull in the market. AIDA model will be followed for the promotional campaign. The steps taken in each stage will make consumers to â€Å"Think, feel and do†.