Sonny Terry and His Harmonica Teaching People to Laugh Again

Sonny Terry and His Harmonica Teaching People to Laugh Again People rarely expect this kind of an instrument and this kind of a performer on stage, and the U.S., caught in the grip of the Great Depression, amidst the I and the II World Wars, could hardly believe that a plain Georgian man with a plain harmonica would win over the hearts of his audience in a millisecond.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sonny Terry and His Harmonica: Teaching People to Laugh Again specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sonny Terry, however, did not expect anything, either; he just did what he could do best – he simply told his Southern blues stories to the accompaniment of his harmonica. Surprisingly enough, his songs were exactly what America of the post-WWI depression needed. Although traditional commonplace phrases also occurred in Terry’s songs, most of his repertoire consisted of his observations of the United States at the verge of a major change, which made these songs documentarie s of the U.S. of the 1930ies. I’m a Stranger Here might seem a weird choice for a song that will make the audience feel happier about their lives. Indeed, the song tapped into the pace that was set by Guthrie, Moses Asch, and many other musicians of the decade. However, even with a song title that sounded no merrier than knell, Terry still managed to jazz the tune up a bit by introducing an upbeat rhythm and an optimistic â€Å"Woo-yes!† (Terry and McGhee). More to the point, the song represents the needs and wishes of the people of the epoch, therefore, serving as a documentary of people’s emotions: â€Å"I’m gonna write home to daddy, / send me my railroad fare† (Terry and McGhee). It is truly amazing how both economical (â€Å"railroad fare† (Terry and McGhee) and social (â€Å"write home to daddy† (Terry and McGhee) aspects of a documentary are intertwined in a single line. Despite its title, Mean Ole Frisco does not harp on the e conomical, racial or financial issues of the city, but, in fact, allows seeing the U.S. with the eyes of a person, who used to live in a happier place and, thus, makes one feel the loss of this place all the stronger. Although technically, the song does not render any obvious economical or social issue, when taking a closer look at the lyrics, one will be able to see what lies beneath the surface and read an idiom of men and women losing their homes, hopes and each other as they roam to larger cities in search for a job to earn some pennies into the image of a girl luring the leading character into San Francisco.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the girl in the song appears to be a metaphor, which stands for a more promising fate, which the residents of the U.S. were so mercilessly ripped off. The â€Å"ole dirty† (Terry and McGhee) San Francisco does n ot have much to offer, either, which tells the audience that for most Okies, the search for the â€Å"Promised Land† did not end well. However, Terry still manages to add more vivacity into the gloomy context of a seemingly silly song. One of the songs that Sonny Terry is known best for, Born and Livin’ with the Blues might not sound as happy as one would expect it to, given some of his early and more upbeat performances; however, it still hit the chord with the post-WWI American audience, who wanted to hear about the family values, the strength of a community, faith in God, and the rest of the unshakeable elements of the life that they strived for. On the one hand, the song appeals for the numerous Okies, who abandoned or, more probably, lost their property due to the economical disaster: â€Å"I’d use my guitar for my pillow† (Terry and McGhee). On the other hand, it shows people the glimpse of hope that they wish they could see: â€Å"From my childhoo d, where I am now, / I ain’t gonna worry, I’ll get by somehow† (Terry and McGhee). While seemingly describing his childhood, starting, properly enough, from the time when he was a kid, to the point when he grows up into a disappointed adult: â€Å"Just look at what a hole I’m in† (Terry and McGhee), Sonny obviously refers to the situation that the entire South, predominantly â€Å"Okies,† was trapped in. Classified as a mix of a social documentary and a traditional one, the song provides an account of both the historical events (though in a metaphoric way) and the emotions of the people who suddenly lost everything. With Sonny Terry on stage, the darkest times of the American history did not seem as gloomy as they were. While other musicians of the era explained though their songs that it was all right to cry, Sonny Terry showed that it was fine to laugh – and the audience smiled as soon as the first chords of his songs started ringing .Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sonny Terry and His Harmonica: Teaching People to Laugh Again specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While remaining a striking contrast to what most artists of the epoch preferred to perform on stage, Terry’s songs gave people lust for life, which was truly a breeze of fresh air for the United States of the 30ies, when every single citizen was caught in the Dust Bowl, with no ray of sunshine getting through. Terry, Sonny and Brownie McGhee. â€Å"Born and Livin’ with the Blues.† YouTube. 1 Mar. 2009. Web. Terry, Sonny and Brownie McGhee. â€Å"Mean Ole Frisco.† YouTube. 2 Jun. 2010. Web. Terry, Sonny and Brownie McGhee. â€Å"I’m a Stranger Here.† YouTube. 28 Jun. 2010. Web.

Women of the Eighteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt

Women of the Eighteenth Dynasty in Ancient Egypt Hatshepsut was not the first queen regent in the Eighteenth Dynasty. It is possible that Hatshepsut knew of several reigning Egyptian queens before the Eighteenth Dynasty, but there is no evidence of it. There were some images of Sobeknefru that survived into Hatshepsuts time. But she surely knew of the record of the women of the Eighteenth Dynasty, of which she was a part. Ahhotep The founder of the dynasty, Ahmose I, is credited with re-unifying Egypt after the time of the Hyksos, or foreign, rulers. He recognized publicly his mothers central role in holding power until he could reign. She was Ahhotep, sister and wife of Taa II. Taa II died, probably fighting against the Hyksos. Taa II was succeeded by Kamose, who seems to have been a brother of Taa II, and thus an uncle of Ahmose I and brother of Ahhotep. Ahhoteps coffin names her as Gods Wife the first time this title is known to have been used for the wife of a pharaoh. Ahmes-Nefertiri (Ahmose-Nefertari) Ahmose I married his sister, Ahmes-Nefertiri, as Great Wife, and at least two others of his sisters. Ahmes-Nefertiri was the mother of Ahmose Is heir, Amenhotep I. Ahmes-Nefertiri was given the title Gods Wife, the first time its known that the title was used during a queens lifetime, and implying a major religious role for Ahmes-Nefertiri. Ahmos I died young and his son Amenhotep I was very young. Ahmes-Nefertiri became the de facto ruler of Egypt until her son was old enough to rule. Ahmes (Ahmose) Amenhotep I married two of his sisters, but died without an heir. Thutmose I then became king. Its not known whether Thutmose I had any royal heritage himself. He came to the kingship as an adult, and one of his two known wives, either Mutneferet or Ahmes (Ahmose), could have been sisters of Amenhotep I, but the evidence for either is slim. Ahmes is known to have been his Great Wife, and was the mother of Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut married her half-brother, Thutmose II, whose mother was Mutneferet. After Thutmose Is death, Ahmes is shown with Thutmose II and Hatshepsut, and is believed to have served as regent for her stepson and daughter early in Thutmose IIs short reign. Hatshepsuts Heritage of Woman Power Hatshepsut thus came from several generations of women who ruled until their young sons were old enough to take power. Of the Eighteenth Dynasty Kings through Thutmose III, perhaps only Thutmose I had come to power as an adult. As Ann Macy Roth has written, women effectively ruled Egypt for almost half of the approximately seventy years preceding Hatshepsuts accession. (1) Hatshepsut in assuming the regency was following in a long tradition. Note: (1) Ann Macy Roth. Models of Authority: Hatshepsuts Predecessors in Power. Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh. Catharine H. Roehrig, editor. 2005. Sources consulted include: Aidan Dodson and Dyan Hilton. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. 2004.John Ray. Hatshepsut: the Female Pharaoh. History Today. Volume 44 number 5, May 1994.Gay Robins. Women in Ancient Egypt. 1993.Catharine H. Roehrig, editor. Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh. 2005. Article contributors include Ann Macy Roth, James P. Allen, Peter F. Dorman, Cathleen A. Keller, Catharine H. Roehrig, Dieter Arnold, Dorothea Arnold.Joyce Tyldesley. Chronicle of the Queens of Egypt. 2006.Joyce Tyldesley. Hatchepsut the Female Pharaoh. 1996.

(What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes Research Paper

(What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular, Why is it rising)(Tobacco developing countries)(Electronic Cigarettes phenomenon - servicing a need) - Research Paper Example who have developed new varieties of cigarettes and have captured a huge market share across the globe. But over the last few years the increasing awareness of health care among people and also the governmental policies that are against smoking conventional cigarettes has grown up at a huge rate. This has affected the tobacco companies in a huge way in their sales and also in their financials. Because of this there is a continuous decline in their sales. The companies thus are looking for other options to start for not allowing their business from declining and also for the revamp. Companies like Lorillard and Philip Morris International are; looking to launch the new concept of electronic cigarettes in the market to capture the market share again and to attract more customers. Electronic cigarette is the new product that is been launched in the market for people who are looking to quit smoking but are not able to quit and also taking the health factor of the people in mind. The electronic cigarettes are not filled with tobacco instead they have a liquid containing nicotine which is b een diluted in glycerin or propylene glycol and water. The level of nicotine does vary based on the cartridges and they also have certain flavors added to them. In this research it can be seen how the market for the tobacco companies is going down with the increasing demand of electronic cigarette in the market using secondary research and understanding the impact of electronic cigarette over the tobacco industry in the global market. What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular, why is it rising and affecting in the Tobacco developing countries? What is the phenomenon behind the electronic cigarette and the need for service in this category? This research over the reasons for the decline in the demand for tobacco and also with the

Busniess Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Busniess Environment - Essay Example From the Olympic organizing committee Gurgaon-Based Luca Wines is set to toast the London Olympics. This is a good platform for advertisement of the firm considering their products will be supplied in restaurants and hotels. Besides, a public limited firm that will benefit from the London Olympics is the British Airways, which is the aviation transport industry. Many of the athletes are likely to use the reputable airline’s services to and fro the country. Going by the state of economy and the companies that fall in every category, GlaxoSmithKline plc is one of the firms that are set to be affected directly from the London, 2012 Olympics. The firm falls in the manufacturing sector under the pharmaceutical industry. The company produces a variety of products for common ailments such as virus control, infections, mental health, digestive condition and asthma. Notably, in the primary sector firms in the agricultural and fishing industry sector will have a lot to benefit due to th eir sensitivity in terms of food production and supply. The tertiary sector has various firms that will be affected by the London 2012 Olympics. In fact, the banking and other service sectors such as hotel management and hospitality sector. For example, Barclays bank has a lot to benefit from the London Olympics. ... They also include non-profit organizations, which may use it to offer services to the consumers. The cooperative businesses will be directly affected by the games. For example, the Banna Housing Cooperative is one of business that will be affected by the games during the Olympics. In addition, other cooperatives in the financial sector and housing sector are set to be affected directly or indirectly the games. Other Organizations Furthermore, it can be noted that the Olympics will affect other governmental organization and non-governmental organization either directly or indirectly. For instance, environmental agency that is concerned with protection of the environment will be indirectly affected through their duty to ensure a healthy and fresh environment of the participants. Therefore, there are potentials of possible pollution and the accompanying litigations that might occur consequentially. What’s more, some non-governmental organizations are also set to be affected. For instance, UNICEF, which is a non-governmental organization that cares for the rights of children. Various sponsors in relation to cooperate business firms will be involved in the support of the games. Purposes of organizations From the above discussion, it is clear that organizations such as Banna Housing Cooperative have a mission to grow and expand into a bigger firm based on the high demand for housing. The influx of visitors into the famous city calls for provision of shelter. Therefore, the housing sector has a main goal to provide room for everyone with comfort. In provision of good quality homes Banna Housing has intentions to build its reputation to the highest level to better the lives of members. On the other hand, the banking sector has

Machiavellis Premise Essay Example for Free

Machiavellis Premise Essay 1. Do you agree with Machiavellis premise that if given the choice between the two, the prince is better served by being feared than loved? How does Machiavelli make the case for his position (details, modes)? Are his arguments convincing? If you took the self-analysis on high-Mach or low-Mach, what were the results, and were you surprised by your score? 2. What is the thesis of Neil Postmans forward? Do you agree or disagree with his point of view? Provide support for your position. 1- The prince is better feared than loved, although striking a balance between the two would be best. As Machiavelli stated that the prince should do his utmost to escape hatred and too much fear would create hatred. The prince should try to balance love and fear based on his people and the situation at hand. 2- Both authors have different point of views; Orwell’s view is that we will be deprived of things by externally imposed oppression and by inflicting pain while Huxley’s view is that we will be distracted from our real goals with lust and pleasure. I agree to some extent on both points of views, except for the part that states that what we hate will ruin us. If you hate something that is bad then I don’t see anything wrong with it; I don’t think it can ruin us in any way. On the other hand I agree that lust and desire only lead to greed and other sins which corrupt us. Would time traveling be cool? Time travelling would not be cool. In fact many scientists have done a lot of research on black holes and time warps. Einstein did work on it as well as Stephen Sawking to no avail. Actually Stephen changed his theory on the black holes losing and retaining information twice. If time traveling was possible we would be open to endless opportunities and nothing would be a challenge. Life would be stale without surprises, discoveries and evolution.

Personal Narrative- The Wrong Crowd of Friends :: Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative- The Wrong Crowd of Friends It was a cold October afternoon in 1996, and I raced down the stairs and out the front door, in an attempt to avoid my mother's questions of where I was going, with whom, and when I'd be back. I saw my friend Kolin pull up in his rusted, broken-down gray van, and the side door opened as Mark jumped out and motioned for me to come. I was just about to get in when my mother called from the front doorway. She wanted to talk to me, but I didn't want to talk to her, so I hopped in pretending I hadn't heard her and told Kolin to drive off. When we were out of my neighborhood I asked where we were going and Kolin said we were going to Dre's apartment first; afterwards we would take the Metro down to Northwest because he had to meet up with some people for a drug deal. Mark began to roll a joint and he said, "Look, I scored some KB off this idiot high-school kid who thought it was swag. It's my treat ladies." We rolled up to Dre's apartment, drank a little and hot-boxed the van. As we sat there smoking, Kolin, Mark, and Dre began to talk about the recent events. "That party last Friday was fucking stupid. I can't believe they gave you shit at the door," said Kolin. "Yeah it was almost a messy situation, but they backed off," replied Mark. "Who cares man, I got sixty-five for the stereo in that house. And the way I see it, it was all fair," remarked Dre. At this they all burst out laughing and even I joined in for a chuckle. The "KB" was in effect, and our spirits were raised, not to mention our "senses of humor." I leaned back and sat there smiling as they continued to reminisce about their other excursions. I loved to hear about it all, and it was fun learning about drugs and theft, and other things you could put into practice without "really" hurting anyone. I was unknowingly getting an education in "street smarts," and how to "rip people off." I enjoyed learning about it because it all seemed so fun and easy, and only the benefits, such as money, seemed tangible to me, not the consequences of my actions.

Pharmaceutical Industry and E. Merck Ag

Historical background of the business Today Merck & Co, Inc. is one of the most recognizable companies in the pharmaceutical industry. When asked about Merck, most people think that it is and always has been a US company. However, the company’s history can be traced all the way back to the 1600’s where it was started in Darmstadt, Germany. Friedrich Jacob Merck purchased a local store in 1668 where he prepared and sold medicines. The store was called â€Å"At the sign of the Angels† and would remain in the Merck family for many generations (Merck & co. , 2000). In 1827, Heinrich Emmanuel Merck and renamed E.MERCK AG transformed the store into a drug manufacturer. The pharmacy was so successful that by 1855 E. Merck AG was selling medications worldwide. It was at this time that Merck decided to send a company officer to the United States to set up a sales office. Once in the U. S. in 1899, Heinrich’s grandson George Merck bought one hundred and fifty acres in Rahway, New Jersey. A couple of years later, in 1903, Merck started production in its new U. S. headquarters. By this time Merck was not just producing drugs, it was also starting to produce different types of chemicals and there was also a research lab.When the United States entered World War I in 1917, George Merck, fearing that Germany would win the war and take over his company, sold all of his stock to a US company named Alien Property Custodian (Merck & Co. , 2000). This ended all of Merck’s ties to Germany. After the war, George Merck regained a controlling share of the company in 1919 and from that day forward Merck has always been a publicly owned company. George Merck continued to grow the company until his death in 1926 at which time his son, George W. Merck took over. In 1926, George W.Merck decided to merge the company with Powers-Weightman-Rosengarten, which was a Philadelphia, based pharmaceutical company. In 1927 the company was officially incorporated and renamed Merck & Co. Inc. This merger gave George W. Merck the capital he needed to recruit new chemists and biologists, which lead to the discovery of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 was a huge success, but because the war had been over for several years, new foreign companies were continually underselling Merck. With no new products in sight, George W. Merck decided to merge with a Baltimore company by the name of Sharp & Dohme, Inc.This merger was believed to have saved Merck from going under; it gave Merck new marketing facilities and a new distribution network, which it desperately needed. By the time George W. Merck died in 1957, the company had hit the one hundred million dollar mark. Not only was the dollar mark significant, George’s death marked the last time a Merck family member would ever be in control. From the 60’s on, Merck continued to raise its market share taking advantage of its research and development, which continually produced new and popular drugs every year.Today Merck employs over fifty five thousand people and produces some of the most well known pharmaceutical products on the market. With profits totaling a little fewer than six billion dollars and annual sales of over twelve and half billion dollars, Merck is considered one of the best pharmaceutical companies in the world. Products Throughout the years, Merck has made itself a reputation for developing high quality products that consumers know will work. The drugs are developed to help with all different types of problems.Some medicines are used for every day symptoms like a stuffed up nose and some are used for more serious illnesses like the treatment of HIV. Since Merck & Co. , Inc. was founded; it has always made a point to have an above average research and development program so that it could appeal to a wide variety of consumers no matter what symptoms they were trying to cure. Some of the first products ever distributed by Merck in the 1820’s were morphine, co deine and cocaine. These three products allowed Merck enough revenue to begin research on other types of products.In 1933 Merck scientists discovered vitamin B12 which was, at the time, used as a therapeutic drug. The sales from B12 alone were enough to carry Merck into the next decade. Although Merck scientists discovered cortisone, which is a steroid, and streptomycin, which is used to treat tuberculosis, the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s were fairly slow periods for Merck. Other products such as Aldomet, which is used to treat depression, Indocin and Clinoril which are anti-inflammatory drugs, were developed but none of them had the impact on revenue that Merck was used to.It was not until the mid to late 70’s that Merck came out with some new products that really connected with consumers. It was at this time that Timoptic and Enalapril were invented. Timoptic is a hepatitis vaccine that helps with the treatment of glaucoma and Enalapril is a high blood pressu re medication. Sales from these two drugs were well over a half a billion dollars by the early 1980’s. Things only got better for Merck from the 1980’s through 2000. During this time Merck produced over twenty new drugs.Some of the more popular drugs include Cosopt, used in the treatment of glaucoma, Propecia, which is used to treat hair loss, Maxalt, which is used for migraine headaches, and Singulair, which treats cases of asthma. Although all of these medications worked out very well for Merck’s profit, there were three drugs that stood above the rest. Vasotec was a treatment for congestive heart failure and Merck’s first billion dollar a year drug. That was followed by Vioxx which is a pain medication used to treat arthritis and also a billion dollar a year seller. The most popular drug Merck ever produced was Zocor.Zocor is a cholesterol-fighting drug that was introduced in 1992. Not only was zocor a multi-billion dollar a year drug, it was one of th e most successful selling pharmaceutical drugs ever (Merck & Co. , 2000). Zocor accounted for over four billion dollars in worldwide sales in 2004 alone. With products like these and a continued dedication to research and development, Merck will be a major player in the pharmaceutical industry for many years to come. Company Locations Merck and its subsidiaries have locations all over the world. Their main headquarters is currently located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.Merck takes pride in being a global healthcare leader. According to their website they currently have 83,000 employees worldwide (Merck. com). In 2009, Merck merged with competitor Shering-Plough, which extended Merck’s reach into the global economy. According to Muse (2011), Merck has over 75 locations, â€Å"Drawing from its locations in 77 countries, Merck’s worldwide sales for 2009 were $27. 4 billion (Muse p. 251). † These locations stretch across the continental United States from New Je rsey to San Francisco. The worldwide locations include factories in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan.Merck’s revenues continue to climb with their global growth. The revenues recorded in various regions by Merck in 2012 include, â€Å" |2012 Revenues |United States | |(By Geographic Region) |$20. 4 billion | | | | | |Europe, Middle East and Africa | | |$13. billion | | | | | |Japan | | |$5. 1 billion | | | | | |Other | | |$8. billion (Merck. com). † | | | | Merck is seen as a leader on the stage of global expansion. It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Merck continues to grow and expand its influence in an effort to provide their vaccines and medicines across the globe. Their recent merger will allow them to test markets that they have not had experience in before, and help increase their profits globally.Style of International Business Merck has been on the forefront of International Business and is one of the leaders at adapt ing to new employees in diverse geographic locations. The company has maintained a policy of progressiveness in their workplace. According to Muse (2011) Merck is one of the leaders in this field. They have been ranked among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity and the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List (Muse p. 251). † Merck makes diversity one of their top priorities and it is well documented on their website. They have created a voice for the different diverse peoples within their company.It is a new way to maintain communication with the feelings and thoughts of various groups in different regions throughout the world. Merck calls these Global Constituency Groups. According to their website, â€Å"We've taken an innovative, global approach to our diversity strategy through the creation of Global Constituency Groups. These groups represent the diverse constituencies in our company, our customers and society, in general. The members represent different geographies, cultures and areas of expertise. Together they reflect Merck employees and customers globally†. Merck. com) With this process, Merck is able to keep up with the problems and successes within the different constituencies throughout the company. Merck’s plan to achieve diversity within their company begins from the leadership positions. Filling these positions with people mindful of diversity has allowed the company to continue to keep its place among the most diverse companies in the world. According to Merck, â€Å"Diversity and inclusion are integrated into our leadership model, and are considered an essential leadership skill for all of our employees (Merck. com). Merck preaches this diversity not only to their employees, but their suppliers as well. â€Å"At Merck, we believe that having a diverse supplier base helps us better understand and anticipate the needs of the people we serve (Merck. com). † This creates a positive culture throughout the company of acceptance an d tolerance towards others. It is a progressive policy that allows Merck to continue to flourish and it is a model style of International Business. Strategic Alliances Merck has made many strategic alliances throughout the years to help improve their products or supply them to a wider range of people.In the late 80’s Merck made an alliance with one of the biggest companies in the United States, Johnson & Johnson. According to the International Directory of Company Histories (2000), â€Å"In 1989 Merck joined with Johnson & Johnson in a venture to develop over-the-counter (OTC) versions of Merck’s prescription medications, initially for the U. S. market, later expanded to Europe and Canada (encyclopedia. com)†. This helped Merck products become more easily available to consumers throughout the world. At the time this alliance was hailed as a blockbuster deal that would create growth for both companies.This deal lasted over twenty years and was very profitable for both parties. When Merck sold their stake in the deal in 2011, they received $175 million for it. The largest alliance Merck has made recently is the acquisition, or reverse merger, of their rival Schering-Plough. The $40 billion deal was made in an effort to keep up with other companies in the pharmaceutical market, especially Pfizer. According to Singer (2009), â€Å"The merger would join pharmaceutical companies that had combined sales of $46. 9 billion last year (p. 1). † This alliance expanded Merck globally and allowed it to tap into Schering-Plough’s resources.These resources ranged from new drugs for Merck to market, to a bigger pipeline to promote their own drugs. According to Singer (2009), â€Å"The merger gives it access to successful brand-name Schering products with much longer patents, like the prescription allergy spray Nasonex. And Merck could capitalize on Schering’s investments in promising biotechnology drugs (Singer p. 1 ). † This al liance helped Merck continue to be a formidable competitor in the global pharmaceutical market. With this deal happening only a few short years ago, Merck continues to grow and utilize its new resources in the market today.Exports Merck’s exports consist of various types of pharmaceuticals. Some of their most profitable exports include Singulair, Fosamax, Nasonex, and Vytorin. Singulair is used to treat seasonal allergies like other drugs such as Claritin and Allegra. It can also be used to prevent asthma attacks. It has been very profitable for Merck in the past. Yet, sales began to dramatically fall when media reports about the disturbing side effects of Singulair began to surface. The worst of these side effects included depression and suicidal thoughts.Still, even in spite of Singulair’s profit drop, Merck continues to make large amounts of money off of the export. Nasonex and Vytorin are two products that were a result of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. Naso nex is a nasal spray used to treat seasonal allergies in adults and children. It has proved to be a positive part of the merger, becoming one of Merck’s most profitable products. Vytorin was already part of a joint effort between Merck and Schering-Plough even before the merger. Vytorin is a combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin used to treat cholesterol levels.They created and marketed the product together. After the merger, Merck continued to sell and market Vytorin. Fosamax is another popular export of the Merck Company. It is used to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Fosamax was previously one of Merck’s best selling drugs. Yet, because of patent problems, they have lost large amount of money. According to Singer (2009) â€Å"Merck’s former blockbuster bone drug Fosamax has gone generic, and in a few years the same thing will happen to its best-selling allergy and asthma drug Singulair (pg. 1 ). † These exports have been Merck’s ma in products in the past.In the future, with their recent merger, they should be able to develop new products that can help them rebound from the losses they took from products like Fosamax and Singulair. Transportation In order to effectively and efficiently deliver their products throughout the world, Merck has contracted UPS to deliver them. As of June 2011, the joint venture known as MSD has announced that it would include and take care of Merck’s logistics and distribution around the world, which till now only managed Merck’s distribution, warehousing and transportation in North America (Berman, 2011).According to Willie A. Deese, executive vice president and president, Merck Manufacturing Division,â€Å" This expanded agreement with UPS allows us to focus on our core business as a global healthcare leader that looks for innovative ways to bring our medicines and vaccines to patients in emerging markets and markets around the world† (businesswire, 2011). The collaboration, which began in early 2003 with UPS just taking care of the transportation and delivery of products over time, has extended to North American distribution, warehousing and multi-modal transportation services (businesswire, 2011).Merck now entrusted UPS with taking care of their logistics in countries like China, Brazil as well as Latin America among others. UPS also stated that it would establish proper facilities in order to store goods and vaccines so in order to ensure quicker and efficient delivery system (Berman, 2011). Merck believes that this extended partnership with UPS would result in being cost effective in the long run. Although Merck does rely on other logistic companies as well, but they rely more heavily on UPS and this current agreement will only further increase the company’s trust in the logistics firm (businesswire, 2011).Ethical Standards The code of ethics from Merck’s website (2013) states: Being a good corporate citizen means that we comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Also, we serve our society, from the local communities in which we operate to the national and international levels, by supporting a number of programs, including those that improve health and promote environmental sustainability. All of our activities are guided by our corporate responsibility principle of â€Å"Helping the World Be Well†. (p. 1) Ethical Violations Merck & Co. ave developed some great products that have helped many people. They have even done some amazing humanitarian work that follows their mission of their code of ethics, which is to help the people of this world be as healthy as they can. For example, After World War II, many people who were living in Japan could not afford the Merck developed drug streptomycin (Miller & Goldman, 2003). Streptomycin was the first drug to fight tuberculosis. Merck decided to sell streptomycin at a much lower cost in Japan so it could be distributed to those who nee ded it and could not afford it at market value.Merck is also one of the nation’s largest donors to UNICEF. One of the ways that Merck has partnered with UNICEF is by donating a drug called Mectizan. Mectizan is a drug that Merck has developed to fight river blindness, and Merck has teamed up with UNICEF in order to distribute Mectizan to anyone who needs it (Unicef, 2013). But the business strategies for Merck have not always been as ethically sound as it may appear. On September 30th 2004 the drug that Merck had created to treat arthritis and severe pain, Vioxx, was pulled off the shelves for good.The reason behind shutting down this drug was that it was found to have caused serious illnesses after long term use, including heart attacks and strokes (Kay, 2004). Vioxx was withdrawn only five years after being introduced, but in that short time had effected many, in those five years there had been over eighty million prescriptions for Vioxx (Kay, 2004). Dr David Graham, the as sociate director for science and medicine at the Office of Drug Safety, estimates that Vioxx caused between 88,000 and 139,000 heart attacks, of which thirty to forty percent have most likely died (Kay, 2004).But did Merck know of this threat before they started to market the drug? Before Merck released Vioxx in 1999 their own scientist conducted tests on Vioxx while developing it. In 1997 these scientist did a study and found that patients who were being tested on were six times more likely to have heart complications when using Vioxx compared to other arthritis drugs. But this study was never released and the data was never sent to the FDA (Culp & Isobel, 2007).Scientist also completed a VIGOR (Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research) test on the drug and found evidence that people who take Vioxx had a five times higher chance of having a heart attack (Cahana & Mauron, 2006). In 2001 Merck scientist had another test called â€Å"meta-analysis†. The meta-analysis tested 20, 000 patients, and again showed that these patients were twice as likely to have a heart attack while taking Vioxx compared to other drugs (Culp & Isobel, 2007). Not only did Merck know about these risks and kept the results to themselves, they also trained their sales people on how to dodge the subject.In order to train the sales force who were going to be selling Vioxx to doctors, Merck developed a card game called dodgeball. The purpose of this game was to teach the sales force different ways to dodge questions asked by doctors about the effects Vioxx has on the heart (Daily, 2005). This again proves that Merck knew of these risks caused by taking Vioxx, but was trying to make sure that information was kept in house. Another instance where Merck lacked good ethical decision making is when they decided to pay Elsevier to publish a magazine for them. Elsevier is a publishing company that focuses mainly on medical and scientific literature.Merck’s marketing team decided to pay Elsevier to publish a journal called The Australiasian Journal of Bone & Joint Medicine. This journal was made to look like any other peer-reviewed medical journal but it was far from it. Merck’s marketing department handpicked the articles that they wanted to put in this journal, with the purpose of trying to control what articles were chosen to be in the journal. They took advantage of this situation by picking articles that favored Merck products and disguising this marketing scheme as a peer review journal (Grant, 2009).For instance in the second issue twenty one of the twenty nine articles spoke about Merck’s products in a favorable way, nine of them positively talking about Vioxx (Grant, 2009). Merck also had an ethical downfall when management decided to change the prices of their product. Not only was Merck paying doctors to prescribe Merck medicine when patients were in the hospital, Merck also started to give hospitals a ninety two percent discount on their medicine; with the idea that after the patient was discharged they would want to stay on the same medicine (Merck to pay whistleblower, 2008).The insurance company would pay full price for the drugs after the patient was discharged and that is where Merck would bring in their profit. An employee within Merck saw what was going on and didn’t approve. A lawsuit quickly followed and Merck ended up paying $671 million, including sixty eight million dollars to the whistleblower (Merck to pay whistleblower, 2008). Even after settling Merck did not think they were in the wrong with this pricing, as Merck to pay whistleblower (2008) reported Merck making a statement saying they â€Å"stands by its pricing strategies but is keen to resolve the dispute† (p. 2). Unfortunately for Merck, Vioxx isn’t the only drug that has caused people to question Merck’s ethical decision making when it comes to their customers. As noted above, Merck released a drug called Propecia t o the public that helped men with baldness. The problem with Propecia is that men are starting to see a great increase in sexual problems. Merck says that only one out of fifty men will see significant sexual side effects, and those side effects will disappear after you stop taking Propecia (Thornton, 2011). But that doesn’t seem to be the case.A recent study by Micheal Irving showed that ninety percent of his test patients still showed signs of sexual problems forty months after being off of Propecia (Thornton, 2011). This is where ethics will hurt Merck the most. Not only have there been hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and settlements that will be paid out, but if Merck continues to keep making unethical managerial decisions, Merck will lose the trust of their customers. Even though there is no evidence yet that Merck knew that Propecia would harm people after they stopped taking the drug, it’s hard not to think of how the Merck management decided to handle Vioxx.The financial hit is a big blow that will slow present and future projects, but money is a lot easier to gain back than trust. References Berman, J. (2011, June). UPS and Merck extend relationship with a global supply chain focus. Retrieved February 2013, from http://www. logisticsmgmt. com/article/ups_and_merck_extend_relationship_witha_ global_supply_chain_focus/ businesswire. (2011, June). UPS and Merck Expand Their Distribution and Logistics Agreement. Retrieved February 2013, from businesswire. com: http://www. businesswire. com/news/home/20110628005271/en/UPS-Merck-Expand-Distribution-Logistics-AgreementCahana, A. , & Mauron, A. (2006). The story of Vioxx—no pain and a lot of gain: ethical concerns regarding conduct of the pharmaceutical industry. Journal of anesthesia,  20(4), 348-351. doi:10. 1007/s00540-006-0432-7 Culp, D. R. , & Isobel, B. (2007, August 6). Merck and the Vioxx       debacle. Retrieved February 13, 2013 from St. Johns University,       Web site: http://www. stjohns. edu/media/3/2c0778b7593f4a178b60354abc80bad8. pdf Grant, B. (2009, April 30). Merck published fake journal. Retrieved Febuary 12, 2013 from, Web site: http://www. the-scientist. om/? articles. view/articleNo/27376/title/Merck- published-fake- journal/ Daily, M. (2005, July 18). Merck used ‘dodge ball’ on Vioxx       questions-lawyer. Retrieved February 12, 2013 from, Web site:       http://www. redorbit. com/news/general/178738/ Kay, J. ( 2004, November 22). The Vioxx scandal: Damning senate       testimony reveals drug company, government complicity. Retrieved 2013, February 9 from , Web site: http://www. wsws. org/en/articles/2004/11/viox-n22. html Merck & Co. , Inc. International Directory of Company Histories. 2000.Retrieved February 19, 2013 from Encyclopedia. com:  http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1G2-2843800076. html Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. , a subsidiary of  Merck & Co. , Inc. (2009-2013). Retrieved February 18 , 2013, from http://www. merck. com/index. html Merck to pay whistleblower. (2008). TCE: The Chemical Engineer, (801), 12. Miller, C. , & Goldman, K. (2003, October, 23). Merck, aids, and       Africa. Retrieved February 2, 2013 from New York University,       Leonard N. Stern School of Business Web site: http://pages. stern. nyu. edu/~lcabral/teaching/aids. pdf Muse, L.A. (2011). Flexibility implementation to a global workforce: a case study of Merck and Company, Inc. Community, Work & Family,  14(2), 249-256. Singer, N. (March 9, 2009). Merck to Buy Schering-Plough for $41. 1 Billion. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/03/10/business/10drug. html? _r=0 February 19, 2013. Thornton, J. (2011). A Hair-Raising Side Effect. Men's Health (10544836), 26(10), 102-105. Unicef (2013). Merck & co. , inc. Retrieved January 12, 2013 from, Partners Web site       http://www. unicefusa. org/partners/corporate/merck. html Pharmaceutical Industry and E. Merck Ag Historical background of the business Today Merck & Co, Inc. is one of the most recognizable companies in the pharmaceutical industry. When asked about Merck, most people think that it is and always has been a US company. However, the company’s history can be traced all the way back to the 1600’s where it was started in Darmstadt, Germany. Friedrich Jacob Merck purchased a local store in 1668 where he prepared and sold medicines. The store was called â€Å"At the sign of the Angels† and would remain in the Merck family for many generations (Merck & co. , 2000). In 1827, Heinrich Emmanuel Merck and renamed E.MERCK AG transformed the store into a drug manufacturer. The pharmacy was so successful that by 1855 E. Merck AG was selling medications worldwide. It was at this time that Merck decided to send a company officer to the United States to set up a sales office. Once in the U. S. in 1899, Heinrich’s grandson George Merck bought one hundred and fifty acres in Rahway, New Jersey. A couple of years later, in 1903, Merck started production in its new U. S. headquarters. By this time Merck was not just producing drugs, it was also starting to produce different types of chemicals and there was also a research lab.When the United States entered World War I in 1917, George Merck, fearing that Germany would win the war and take over his company, sold all of his stock to a US company named Alien Property Custodian (Merck & Co. , 2000). This ended all of Merck’s ties to Germany. After the war, George Merck regained a controlling share of the company in 1919 and from that day forward Merck has always been a publicly owned company. George Merck continued to grow the company until his death in 1926 at which time his son, George W. Merck took over. In 1926, George W.Merck decided to merge the company with Powers-Weightman-Rosengarten, which was a Philadelphia, based pharmaceutical company. In 1927 the company was officially incorporated and renamed Merck & Co. Inc. This merger gave George W. Merck the capital he needed to recruit new chemists and biologists, which lead to the discovery of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 was a huge success, but because the war had been over for several years, new foreign companies were continually underselling Merck. With no new products in sight, George W. Merck decided to merge with a Baltimore company by the name of Sharp & Dohme, Inc.This merger was believed to have saved Merck from going under; it gave Merck new marketing facilities and a new distribution network, which it desperately needed. By the time George W. Merck died in 1957, the company had hit the one hundred million dollar mark. Not only was the dollar mark significant, George’s death marked the last time a Merck family member would ever be in control. From the 60’s on, Merck continued to raise its market share taking advantage of its research and development, which continually produced new and popular drugs every year.Today Merck employs over fifty five thousand people and produces some of the most well known pharmaceutical products on the market. With profits totaling a little fewer than six billion dollars and annual sales of over twelve and half billion dollars, Merck is considered one of the best pharmaceutical companies in the world. Products Throughout the years, Merck has made itself a reputation for developing high quality products that consumers know will work. The drugs are developed to help with all different types of problems.Some medicines are used for every day symptoms like a stuffed up nose and some are used for more serious illnesses like the treatment of HIV. Since Merck & Co. , Inc. was founded; it has always made a point to have an above average research and development program so that it could appeal to a wide variety of consumers no matter what symptoms they were trying to cure. Some of the first products ever distributed by Merck in the 1820’s were morphine, co deine and cocaine. These three products allowed Merck enough revenue to begin research on other types of products.In 1933 Merck scientists discovered vitamin B12 which was, at the time, used as a therapeutic drug. The sales from B12 alone were enough to carry Merck into the next decade. Although Merck scientists discovered cortisone, which is a steroid, and streptomycin, which is used to treat tuberculosis, the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s were fairly slow periods for Merck. Other products such as Aldomet, which is used to treat depression, Indocin and Clinoril which are anti-inflammatory drugs, were developed but none of them had the impact on revenue that Merck was used to.It was not until the mid to late 70’s that Merck came out with some new products that really connected with consumers. It was at this time that Timoptic and Enalapril were invented. Timoptic is a hepatitis vaccine that helps with the treatment of glaucoma and Enalapril is a high blood pressu re medication. Sales from these two drugs were well over a half a billion dollars by the early 1980’s. Things only got better for Merck from the 1980’s through 2000. During this time Merck produced over twenty new drugs.Some of the more popular drugs include Cosopt, used in the treatment of glaucoma, Propecia, which is used to treat hair loss, Maxalt, which is used for migraine headaches, and Singulair, which treats cases of asthma. Although all of these medications worked out very well for Merck’s profit, there were three drugs that stood above the rest. Vasotec was a treatment for congestive heart failure and Merck’s first billion dollar a year drug. That was followed by Vioxx which is a pain medication used to treat arthritis and also a billion dollar a year seller. The most popular drug Merck ever produced was Zocor.Zocor is a cholesterol-fighting drug that was introduced in 1992. Not only was zocor a multi-billion dollar a year drug, it was one of th e most successful selling pharmaceutical drugs ever (Merck & Co. , 2000). Zocor accounted for over four billion dollars in worldwide sales in 2004 alone. With products like these and a continued dedication to research and development, Merck will be a major player in the pharmaceutical industry for many years to come. Company Locations Merck and its subsidiaries have locations all over the world. Their main headquarters is currently located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.Merck takes pride in being a global healthcare leader. According to their website they currently have 83,000 employees worldwide (Merck. com). In 2009, Merck merged with competitor Shering-Plough, which extended Merck’s reach into the global economy. According to Muse (2011), Merck has over 75 locations, â€Å"Drawing from its locations in 77 countries, Merck’s worldwide sales for 2009 were $27. 4 billion (Muse p. 251). † These locations stretch across the continental United States from New Je rsey to San Francisco. The worldwide locations include factories in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan.Merck’s revenues continue to climb with their global growth. The revenues recorded in various regions by Merck in 2012 include, â€Å" |2012 Revenues |United States | |(By Geographic Region) |$20. 4 billion | | | | | |Europe, Middle East and Africa | | |$13. billion | | | | | |Japan | | |$5. 1 billion | | | | | |Other | | |$8. billion (Merck. com). † | | | | Merck is seen as a leader on the stage of global expansion. It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Merck continues to grow and expand its influence in an effort to provide their vaccines and medicines across the globe. Their recent merger will allow them to test markets that they have not had experience in before, and help increase their profits globally.Style of International Business Merck has been on the forefront of International Business and is one of the leaders at adapt ing to new employees in diverse geographic locations. The company has maintained a policy of progressiveness in their workplace. According to Muse (2011) Merck is one of the leaders in this field. They have been ranked among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity and the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List (Muse p. 251). † Merck makes diversity one of their top priorities and it is well documented on their website. They have created a voice for the different diverse peoples within their company.It is a new way to maintain communication with the feelings and thoughts of various groups in different regions throughout the world. Merck calls these Global Constituency Groups. According to their website, â€Å"We've taken an innovative, global approach to our diversity strategy through the creation of Global Constituency Groups. These groups represent the diverse constituencies in our company, our customers and society, in general. The members represent different geographies, cultures and areas of expertise. Together they reflect Merck employees and customers globally†. Merck. com) With this process, Merck is able to keep up with the problems and successes within the different constituencies throughout the company. Merck’s plan to achieve diversity within their company begins from the leadership positions. Filling these positions with people mindful of diversity has allowed the company to continue to keep its place among the most diverse companies in the world. According to Merck, â€Å"Diversity and inclusion are integrated into our leadership model, and are considered an essential leadership skill for all of our employees (Merck. com). Merck preaches this diversity not only to their employees, but their suppliers as well. â€Å"At Merck, we believe that having a diverse supplier base helps us better understand and anticipate the needs of the people we serve (Merck. com). † This creates a positive culture throughout the company of acceptance an d tolerance towards others. It is a progressive policy that allows Merck to continue to flourish and it is a model style of International Business. Strategic Alliances Merck has made many strategic alliances throughout the years to help improve their products or supply them to a wider range of people.In the late 80’s Merck made an alliance with one of the biggest companies in the United States, Johnson & Johnson. According to the International Directory of Company Histories (2000), â€Å"In 1989 Merck joined with Johnson & Johnson in a venture to develop over-the-counter (OTC) versions of Merck’s prescription medications, initially for the U. S. market, later expanded to Europe and Canada (encyclopedia. com)†. This helped Merck products become more easily available to consumers throughout the world. At the time this alliance was hailed as a blockbuster deal that would create growth for both companies.This deal lasted over twenty years and was very profitable for both parties. When Merck sold their stake in the deal in 2011, they received $175 million for it. The largest alliance Merck has made recently is the acquisition, or reverse merger, of their rival Schering-Plough. The $40 billion deal was made in an effort to keep up with other companies in the pharmaceutical market, especially Pfizer. According to Singer (2009), â€Å"The merger would join pharmaceutical companies that had combined sales of $46. 9 billion last year (p. 1). † This alliance expanded Merck globally and allowed it to tap into Schering-Plough’s resources.These resources ranged from new drugs for Merck to market, to a bigger pipeline to promote their own drugs. According to Singer (2009), â€Å"The merger gives it access to successful brand-name Schering products with much longer patents, like the prescription allergy spray Nasonex. And Merck could capitalize on Schering’s investments in promising biotechnology drugs (Singer p. 1 ). † This al liance helped Merck continue to be a formidable competitor in the global pharmaceutical market. With this deal happening only a few short years ago, Merck continues to grow and utilize its new resources in the market today.Exports Merck’s exports consist of various types of pharmaceuticals. Some of their most profitable exports include Singulair, Fosamax, Nasonex, and Vytorin. Singulair is used to treat seasonal allergies like other drugs such as Claritin and Allegra. It can also be used to prevent asthma attacks. It has been very profitable for Merck in the past. Yet, sales began to dramatically fall when media reports about the disturbing side effects of Singulair began to surface. The worst of these side effects included depression and suicidal thoughts.Still, even in spite of Singulair’s profit drop, Merck continues to make large amounts of money off of the export. Nasonex and Vytorin are two products that were a result of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. Naso nex is a nasal spray used to treat seasonal allergies in adults and children. It has proved to be a positive part of the merger, becoming one of Merck’s most profitable products. Vytorin was already part of a joint effort between Merck and Schering-Plough even before the merger. Vytorin is a combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin used to treat cholesterol levels.They created and marketed the product together. After the merger, Merck continued to sell and market Vytorin. Fosamax is another popular export of the Merck Company. It is used to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Fosamax was previously one of Merck’s best selling drugs. Yet, because of patent problems, they have lost large amount of money. According to Singer (2009) â€Å"Merck’s former blockbuster bone drug Fosamax has gone generic, and in a few years the same thing will happen to its best-selling allergy and asthma drug Singulair (pg. 1 ). † These exports have been Merck’s ma in products in the past.In the future, with their recent merger, they should be able to develop new products that can help them rebound from the losses they took from products like Fosamax and Singulair. Transportation In order to effectively and efficiently deliver their products throughout the world, Merck has contracted UPS to deliver them. As of June 2011, the joint venture known as MSD has announced that it would include and take care of Merck’s logistics and distribution around the world, which till now only managed Merck’s distribution, warehousing and transportation in North America (Berman, 2011).According to Willie A. Deese, executive vice president and president, Merck Manufacturing Division,â€Å" This expanded agreement with UPS allows us to focus on our core business as a global healthcare leader that looks for innovative ways to bring our medicines and vaccines to patients in emerging markets and markets around the world† (businesswire, 2011). The collaboration, which began in early 2003 with UPS just taking care of the transportation and delivery of products over time, has extended to North American distribution, warehousing and multi-modal transportation services (businesswire, 2011).Merck now entrusted UPS with taking care of their logistics in countries like China, Brazil as well as Latin America among others. UPS also stated that it would establish proper facilities in order to store goods and vaccines so in order to ensure quicker and efficient delivery system (Berman, 2011). Merck believes that this extended partnership with UPS would result in being cost effective in the long run. Although Merck does rely on other logistic companies as well, but they rely more heavily on UPS and this current agreement will only further increase the company’s trust in the logistics firm (businesswire, 2011).Ethical Standards The code of ethics from Merck’s website (2013) states: Being a good corporate citizen means that we comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Also, we serve our society, from the local communities in which we operate to the national and international levels, by supporting a number of programs, including those that improve health and promote environmental sustainability. All of our activities are guided by our corporate responsibility principle of â€Å"Helping the World Be Well†. (p. 1) Ethical Violations Merck & Co. ave developed some great products that have helped many people. They have even done some amazing humanitarian work that follows their mission of their code of ethics, which is to help the people of this world be as healthy as they can. For example, After World War II, many people who were living in Japan could not afford the Merck developed drug streptomycin (Miller & Goldman, 2003). Streptomycin was the first drug to fight tuberculosis. Merck decided to sell streptomycin at a much lower cost in Japan so it could be distributed to those who nee ded it and could not afford it at market value.Merck is also one of the nation’s largest donors to UNICEF. One of the ways that Merck has partnered with UNICEF is by donating a drug called Mectizan. Mectizan is a drug that Merck has developed to fight river blindness, and Merck has teamed up with UNICEF in order to distribute Mectizan to anyone who needs it (Unicef, 2013). But the business strategies for Merck have not always been as ethically sound as it may appear. On September 30th 2004 the drug that Merck had created to treat arthritis and severe pain, Vioxx, was pulled off the shelves for good.The reason behind shutting down this drug was that it was found to have caused serious illnesses after long term use, including heart attacks and strokes (Kay, 2004). Vioxx was withdrawn only five years after being introduced, but in that short time had effected many, in those five years there had been over eighty million prescriptions for Vioxx (Kay, 2004). Dr David Graham, the as sociate director for science and medicine at the Office of Drug Safety, estimates that Vioxx caused between 88,000 and 139,000 heart attacks, of which thirty to forty percent have most likely died (Kay, 2004).But did Merck know of this threat before they started to market the drug? Before Merck released Vioxx in 1999 their own scientist conducted tests on Vioxx while developing it. In 1997 these scientist did a study and found that patients who were being tested on were six times more likely to have heart complications when using Vioxx compared to other arthritis drugs. But this study was never released and the data was never sent to the FDA (Culp & Isobel, 2007).Scientist also completed a VIGOR (Vioxx Gastrointestinal Outcomes Research) test on the drug and found evidence that people who take Vioxx had a five times higher chance of having a heart attack (Cahana & Mauron, 2006). In 2001 Merck scientist had another test called â€Å"meta-analysis†. The meta-analysis tested 20, 000 patients, and again showed that these patients were twice as likely to have a heart attack while taking Vioxx compared to other drugs (Culp & Isobel, 2007). Not only did Merck know about these risks and kept the results to themselves, they also trained their sales people on how to dodge the subject.In order to train the sales force who were going to be selling Vioxx to doctors, Merck developed a card game called dodgeball. The purpose of this game was to teach the sales force different ways to dodge questions asked by doctors about the effects Vioxx has on the heart (Daily, 2005). This again proves that Merck knew of these risks caused by taking Vioxx, but was trying to make sure that information was kept in house. Another instance where Merck lacked good ethical decision making is when they decided to pay Elsevier to publish a magazine for them. Elsevier is a publishing company that focuses mainly on medical and scientific literature.Merck’s marketing team decided to pay Elsevier to publish a journal called The Australiasian Journal of Bone & Joint Medicine. This journal was made to look like any other peer-reviewed medical journal but it was far from it. Merck’s marketing department handpicked the articles that they wanted to put in this journal, with the purpose of trying to control what articles were chosen to be in the journal. They took advantage of this situation by picking articles that favored Merck products and disguising this marketing scheme as a peer review journal (Grant, 2009).For instance in the second issue twenty one of the twenty nine articles spoke about Merck’s products in a favorable way, nine of them positively talking about Vioxx (Grant, 2009). Merck also had an ethical downfall when management decided to change the prices of their product. Not only was Merck paying doctors to prescribe Merck medicine when patients were in the hospital, Merck also started to give hospitals a ninety two percent discount on their medicine; with the idea that after the patient was discharged they would want to stay on the same medicine (Merck to pay whistleblower, 2008).The insurance company would pay full price for the drugs after the patient was discharged and that is where Merck would bring in their profit. An employee within Merck saw what was going on and didn’t approve. A lawsuit quickly followed and Merck ended up paying $671 million, including sixty eight million dollars to the whistleblower (Merck to pay whistleblower, 2008). Even after settling Merck did not think they were in the wrong with this pricing, as Merck to pay whistleblower (2008) reported Merck making a statement saying they â€Å"stands by its pricing strategies but is keen to resolve the dispute† (p. 2). Unfortunately for Merck, Vioxx isn’t the only drug that has caused people to question Merck’s ethical decision making when it comes to their customers. As noted above, Merck released a drug called Propecia t o the public that helped men with baldness. The problem with Propecia is that men are starting to see a great increase in sexual problems. Merck says that only one out of fifty men will see significant sexual side effects, and those side effects will disappear after you stop taking Propecia (Thornton, 2011). But that doesn’t seem to be the case.A recent study by Micheal Irving showed that ninety percent of his test patients still showed signs of sexual problems forty months after being off of Propecia (Thornton, 2011). This is where ethics will hurt Merck the most. Not only have there been hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and settlements that will be paid out, but if Merck continues to keep making unethical managerial decisions, Merck will lose the trust of their customers. Even though there is no evidence yet that Merck knew that Propecia would harm people after they stopped taking the drug, it’s hard not to think of how the Merck management decided to handle Vioxx.The financial hit is a big blow that will slow present and future projects, but money is a lot easier to gain back than trust. References Berman, J. (2011, June). UPS and Merck extend relationship with a global supply chain focus. Retrieved February 2013, from http://www. logisticsmgmt. com/article/ups_and_merck_extend_relationship_witha_ global_supply_chain_focus/ businesswire. (2011, June). UPS and Merck Expand Their Distribution and Logistics Agreement. Retrieved February 2013, from businesswire. com: http://www. businesswire. com/news/home/20110628005271/en/UPS-Merck-Expand-Distribution-Logistics-AgreementCahana, A. , & Mauron, A. (2006). The story of Vioxx—no pain and a lot of gain: ethical concerns regarding conduct of the pharmaceutical industry. Journal of anesthesia,  20(4), 348-351. doi:10. 1007/s00540-006-0432-7 Culp, D. R. , & Isobel, B. (2007, August 6). Merck and the Vioxx       debacle. Retrieved February 13, 2013 from St. Johns University,       Web site: http://www. stjohns. edu/media/3/2c0778b7593f4a178b60354abc80bad8. pdf Grant, B. (2009, April 30). Merck published fake journal. Retrieved Febuary 12, 2013 from, Web site: http://www. the-scientist. om/? articles. view/articleNo/27376/title/Merck- published-fake- journal/ Daily, M. (2005, July 18). Merck used ‘dodge ball’ on Vioxx       questions-lawyer. Retrieved February 12, 2013 from, Web site:       http://www. redorbit. com/news/general/178738/ Kay, J. ( 2004, November 22). The Vioxx scandal: Damning senate       testimony reveals drug company, government complicity. Retrieved 2013, February 9 from , Web site: http://www. wsws. org/en/articles/2004/11/viox-n22. html Merck & Co. , Inc. International Directory of Company Histories. 2000.Retrieved February 19, 2013 from Encyclopedia. com:  http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1G2-2843800076. html Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. , a subsidiary of  Merck & Co. , Inc. (2009-2013). Retrieved February 18 , 2013, from http://www. merck. com/index. html Merck to pay whistleblower. (2008). TCE: The Chemical Engineer, (801), 12. Miller, C. , & Goldman, K. (2003, October, 23). Merck, aids, and       Africa. Retrieved February 2, 2013 from New York University,       Leonard N. Stern School of Business Web site: http://pages. stern. nyu. edu/~lcabral/teaching/aids. pdf Muse, L.A. (2011). Flexibility implementation to a global workforce: a case study of Merck and Company, Inc. Community, Work & Family,  14(2), 249-256. Singer, N. (March 9, 2009). Merck to Buy Schering-Plough for $41. 1 Billion. The New York Times, Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/03/10/business/10drug. html? _r=0 February 19, 2013. Thornton, J. (2011). A Hair-Raising Side Effect. Men's Health (10544836), 26(10), 102-105. Unicef (2013). Merck & co. , inc. Retrieved January 12, 2013 from, Partners Web site       http://www. unicefusa. org/partners/corporate/merck. html

Сase of Microsoft

External factors are considered to be extrinsic to an organization, those over which it has limited or no control. These affect the industry in which the organization is operating. Such as the technological environment in the case of Microsoft which would affect the entire information technology sector. At the same time very powerful and leveraged players in a sector such as Microsoft would be able to shape the external environment to a certain degree by exercising leverages of control such as monopoly over software codes. Despite this it is not possible for companies to affect other major external factors such as the social and political environment. An increasingly important external factor emerging today is environmental protection including laws, policies and stipulations which have to meet international standards. Frequently the most significant external factor is competition. In the embryonic stage of growth of an industry, a company may not encounter competition and would not feel the impact of the same. However an industry which is reaching maturity will be posed greater threat from competition and this factor would have to be considered by the management as it would impinge on growth or even survival. Toyota Motor Co is a salient example wherein its entry into the American as well as the global market has become a major external consideration for all automobile manufacturers in the World, particularly legacy brands as General Motors and Ford in the United States. The political environment of a country also has a major role to play in the growth of any industry. China is the most prominent example of the same. Opening of the Chinese markets to external players has been one of the greatest factors which have contributed to Chinese growth in the past two decades. Internal factors on the other hand can be shaped by the management by providing it positive or negative inputs. These factors could include diverse issues ranging from human resources, branding, financial resources, product development, research, information technology and labor relations. There is a frequent conflict between the inter se priorities of the internal factors. Human resources assume a significant factorial value in many companies today and when linked with research and development will determine on how the company operates in a knowledge economy. IBM thus focuses its attention on a strong human resource base which can contribute to normal operations as well as research and development. Management of financial resources is an important facet which has to be considered deliberately by any company. This will determine a company’s financial viability at a given time. Mismanagement can ruin a company as indicated by the example of Enron which had to go into liquidity due to unethical financial practices of its management. Traditionally it is felt that the management has an overriding control over the internal factors as opposed to external factors, though at times there is a powerful influence of issues such as the social environment on say branding. Many multi nationals find this quite difficult to absorb and even retail giants as Wal-Mart had to adapt their brand to conditions obtained in an external market as France before they could develop their chain in Europe. Information technology absorption has become a powerful internal factor which is affecting expansion of many companies. With development of concepts such as e commerce or e business and enterprise resource planning, it has become increasingly important for an organization to place all its operations on line. While this is clearly an internal factor, its external linkage cannot be ignored. The primary difference as would be seen from the examples above is the degree of control that a management has on factors affecting business. Where the controlling factors are located externally, these are considered as external factors and need to be evaluated accordingly. However where based internally these will be considered within the ambit of internal factors. b. Discuss an example where an organization might be able to increase its control/influence over an external factor. To increase its control over an external factor, management would have to take into consideration a number of factors including at times reviewing the core product profile of the company without sacrificing its overall brand image. Companies as Coca Cola and Pepsi have through their deep penetration in developing countries created conditions where they are able to control the entire soft drinks market in many locations in South and South East Asia altering social preferences and tastes of people. McDonald has been the most leveraged player in altering food and social habits which are external factors in developing countries. It has achieved this by a judicious mix of local products even introducing vegetarian burgers in India along with its traditional Burgers. Having changed its product profile, the company has been able to penetrate many traditionally hostile markets to American food industry. c. Since external factors can impact the profitability of an organization, why do we have financial performance as an internal factor? In determining whether a factor is to be considered as an internal or an external one, the key attribute to be considered is the ability of an organization to develop strategies and responses for growth and the control it has over the same. Applying this parameter would indicate that financial performance is an internal factor. Profitability is just one aspect of financial performance of a company. Profitability not only depends on the external environment including competition, economic factors, money markets and currencies but has greater linkage with internal factors such as liquidity, activity and growth of capital. Profitability of a company is determined by gross and net profit margins, returns on assets and equity which are all considered as a part of internal factors. The structuring of the company finances to include debt and equity ratio which is a purely internal function also has an important role to play in profitability thereby leading to its consideration as an internal factor. d. How does misclassifying an internal factor as an external factor in the EFE impact the analysis? The EFE is a comparative analysis of various factors which affect the external environment of an organization. The evaluation is based on weight age given to each factor based on relative importance. Generally 10 opportunities or threats are considered in an EFE Matrix with each provided a weight age between 0 and 1 out of a sum total of 1 based on impact on profitability. Â  There after ratings are also provided to each factor based on a scale of 1 to 4 with 4 being the best. The weight distribution will be balanced between threats and opportunities and will finally represent the strengths and opportunities in an organization. By including an internal factor the entire evaluation matrix is likely to be skewed by a minimum of 5 to 10 % which would emerge as a major flaw in the EFE, thereby resulting in neglect of other more important external factors. Based on the EFE the management will determine that the internal factor placed in EFE matrix can be controlled only in a limited way through internal inputs, thereby neglecting it to a large extent, resulting in a drop in performance in the particular field. Thus if labor relations has been placed wrongly in the EFE, the management will only consider external inputs that are likely to affect it such as legal statutes and central memorandums and neglect internal management possibly resulting in poor labor relations in the company. References David, Fred R. (1999) STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT. Electronically reproduced

Early 20th Century US Immigration The New American essays

Early 20th Century US Immigration The New American essays For many, immigration to the United States during the late 19th to early 20th century would be a new beginning to a prosperous life. However there were many acts and laws past to limit the influx of immigrants, do to prejudice, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act. Later on into the 20th century there would be laws repealing the older immigration laws and acts making it possible for many more foreigners to immigrate to the United States. Even with the new acts and laws that banned the older ones, no one can just walk right in and become a citizen. One must go through several examinations and tests before he or she can earn their citizenship. The Immigration Act of March 3, 1891 was the first comprehensive law for national control of immigration. It established the Bureau of Immigration under the Treasury Department to administer all immigration laws (except the Chinese Exclusion Act). This Immigration Act also added to the inadmissible classes. The people in these classes were ina dmissible to enter into the United States. The people in these classes were, those suffering from a contagious disease, and persons convicted of certain crimes. The Immigration Act of March 3, 1903 and The Immigration Act of February 20, 1907 added further categories to the inadmissible list. Immigrants were screened for their political beliefs. Immigrants who were believed to be anarchists or those who advocated the overthrow of government by force or the assassination of a public officer were deported. This act was made mainly do to the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. On February 5, 1917 another immigration act was made. This Act codified all previous exclusion provisions and added the exclusion of illiterate aliens form entering into the United States. It also created a barred zone(Asia-Pacific triangle), whose natives were also inadmissible. This Act made Mexicans inadmissible. It insisted that all...

The Pied in The Pied Piper

The Pied in The Pied Piper The Pied in The Pied Piper The Pied in The Pied Piper By Maeve Maddox The Pied Piper is a character in a German folk tale popularized in English by Robert Browning in his poem â€Å"The Pied Piper of Hamelin.† In Browning’s version, a town corporation hires the Piper to rid their town of a plague of rats. They agree to pay what the Piper asks. When the rats are dead, however, the town leaders renege on the contract because the rats cannot be brought back. In retaliation, the Piper lures away their children, never to be seen again. The moral of the tale is that cheating people can have unexpected and dreadful consequences. The term â€Å"pied piper† has entered the language in the sense of someone who, by means of personal charm, entices people to follow him or her, usually to disappointment or misfortune. Browning’s Piper wears a long coat â€Å"from heel to head† which is â€Å"half of yellow and half of red.† The coat is what gives him his name. The adjective pied means â€Å"of two colors.† Originally, the two colors were black and white, the colors of a magpie. Magpie is where the â€Å"pie† comes from. The word usually refers to an animal with markings of two colors, especially a bird: pied kingfisher, pied flycatcher, pied finch, etc. In the Middle Ages, the Carmelites were called â€Å"pied friars† because their religious habit consisted of a brown tunic and a white cloak. The Benedictines and Cistercian monks were called â€Å"pied monks† because they wore a white tunic and a short black cloak. A pied horsepiebald has black and white patches, although some speakers use the word pied or piebald to describe patches of any differing colors. Another type of pied horse is called a skewbald: When the white is mixed with black it is called pie-bald, with bay the name of skew-bald is given to it. –Youatts The Horse, 1866. The term pied piper is popular with writers on the Web, although what they mean by it is often difficult to discern: Rufus Harley: the Pied Piper of jazz Todd is the Pied Piper of cool Steve Gryb: the Pied Piper of Percussion Mohamed El Baradei: Globalist Pied Piper of the Egyptian Revolt Seligman: the Pied Piper of positive psychology Ryan McGinley, the Pied Piper of the Downtown Art World Jerry Kapstein: the Pied Piper of Free Agents Headlines are innately ambiguous, but here’s a reference that definitely departs from the traditional meaning of pied piper as â€Å"someone charming who leads his followers to misfortune†: Hes a team guy and just beloved by people that know him. Hes very pleasant to be around. Hes like the Pied Piper, Lamb said. Perhaps a revival of Browning’s poem is in order. In our age of skullduggery, the topic remains timely. Besides, it’s fun to read aloud. Here are a few lines to get you started: Rats!   They fought the dogs and killed the cats,   And bit the babies in the cradles,   And ate the cheeses out of the vats,   And licked the soup from the cooks own ladles,   Split open the kegs of salted sprats,   Made nests inside mens Sunday hats,   And even spoiled the womens chats,   By drowning their speaking   With shrieking and squeaking   In fifty different sharps and flats. You can read it all here: †The Pied Piper of Hamelin† by Robert Browning. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?41 Words That Are Better Than GoodKn- Words in English

Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan - Essay Example To emphasis this recovery plans need to be tested on a regular basis with the risk analysis workshops. The answer to this question depends on different variables like the regulatory requirements, possibility of natural disasters, insurance premiums and above all the cost of the whole process. The distance of the intended business continuity site is to be determined and setup taking into consideration the time factor and how soon you would need it operational. The requirements subject to distance and data currency, integrity of data and the affordable loss needs to be closely looked into. Replicating data at a distance is essential for effectiveness wherein synchronous replication could be used for short distances and asynchronous techniques are required for longer distances which would guarantee data integrity. The fact that increased dependency on information technology based on information processing is to be categorized and identified based on the critical nature of the process. The business continuity management team which is the backbone of the plan coordinates between the various processes to move into action the continuity plan in case of any disaster. It is essential to ensure that the plan is constantly updated with the ongoing changes to the resources along with the management team which is responsible for this task. Every quarterly the Business Continuity Management Team has to make sure that the plan is reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure effectiveness and productivity. Annually the plan is overhauled and revised if necessary and the changes are reported to the respective coordinators and authorized personnel. Testing of the complete plan on regular basis is essential for it to be effective at any given point of time. Secondary tests can be carried out on individual processes while

Organizational behavior paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational behavior paper - Essay Example People often work because they have to and for money. To be a better manager, it is significant to understand what motivates employees to maximize output. Douglas Mc Gregor uses Theory X and Y to explain the human behavior in the workplace (The Wall Street Journal editors, 2015). In Theory X assumptions, human being has an inherent dislike for work and will evade if he can. Because of work dislike, most people must be coerced, directed, controlled and threatened to ensure they achieve organizational objectives. Besides, employees prefer to be directed, wish to avoid responsibility, have little ambition, and want security. However, in Theory Y assumptions, the expenses of mental and physical effort in work is as natural as rest and play. External influence or threat of punishment is not the only way of achieving effort toward organizational objectives. People have self-control and direction in meeting the objectives. Employees seek and accept responsibilities. Therefore, the aim of management should not be to direct and control employees seeking to shun work, but instead make conditions that enable people want to offer maximum effort. Rewarding employees for an achievement is an effective way to reinforce and share commitment rather than punishing them for failure. Giving responsibility enables employees to rise to challenge hence employee motivation influences organizational behavior thus