A Study On Amazon | Essay

A Study On Amazon | Essay E-commerce business Amazon.com is widely praised for having pioneered web-based customer relations, setting an industry benchmark in market-leading technological infrastructure. Kotler et al (2008) recognise that ‘the technology boom has created exciting new ways to create products and services tailored to individual customer needs (p.33). Amazon.com first entered the US e-commerce trading arena in 1995 under the ownership of Jeff Bezos, operating, as many do, from the comfort of home. As part of an emergent growth strategy, within ten years Amazon expanded at an alarming rate and penetrated the markets of several countries, basing fulfilment centres in the US, Europe and Asia with the aim of managing the product distribution process from supplier to consumer. Quarterly sales revenue has consistently grown year on year, to a current $5.45 billion in the third quarter ended September 2009 of this year a growth of 28% over the same period in 2008 according to Amazons investor press release (phx.corporate-ir.net). Further financial reporting presented in the press release shows Amazons US market exceeds total international income. The $5.45 billion consists of $2.84 billion in North America, and $2.61 billion from the UK, German, Japanese, French and Chinese sites. It has remained unscathed by the recent global economic downturn; quite the contrary, Amazon has capitalised on the reduced disposable income of consumers. ‘The research area is potentially fruitful since, even in recession, e-shopping volumes in the UK, for example, are continuing with double-digit growth, whereas traditional shopping is languishing in zero growth or less (Dennis et al, 2009: p.1122). Since commencing operations those years ago selling second-hand books in small volume, Amazon has vastly diversified its product portfolio. ‘You can find beauty supplies, clothing, jewellery, gourmet food, sporting goods, pet supplies, books, CDs, DVDs, computers, furniture, toys, garden supplies, bedding and almost anything else you might want to buy (money.howstuffworks.com). There are a number of ways in which the site operates. It stocks and sells its own products from reputable branded suppliers in fulfilment centres; allows stores to use Amazon as their portal for marketing both new and used goods; invites the public to join and sell their items in online auctions. However the true beauty of Amazons internet service lies within a highly innovative, targeted and versatile customer interface. The Oracle Corporation (an agent of the database design and implementation) has constructed a diagram of the database system as shown in Appendix 1. This study aims to demonstrate the concept of customer orientation as part of a marketing strategy and its effectiveness as a constituent of the holistic practices of Amazon. One may think, at first glance, that the concept of customer orientation seems obvious. Its basic definition confirms this, affirmed by Kotler et al (2008) as ‘a company that focuses on customer developments in designing its marketing strategies and on delivering superior value to its target customers (p.372). However, the extent to which a business devotes resources to the customer is often difficult (but not impossible) to distinguish at a contextual level. Marketing forms the foundation of our very livelihoods. Blink and its there right in front of you. Post-modern society dictates that organisations no longer navigate consumer trends merely by the commodities that they make competitive business has evolved in the realisation that ‘nowadays, ever more emphasis is placed on the importance and nature of the relationships that an organization has with its customers (Jones et al, 2007: p.106). The fruits of economic growth have no doubt spurred the strengthening of (both consumer and business) purchasing power and with it, variety-seeking opportunity. The opportunity presented by marketing (or rather customer) orientation opens up the potential to extrapolate future demand before the consumer even demands it. Here it is about identifying gaps in the norm, and, driven by innovation, manifesting those undiscovered wants into tangible demand. The marketing sphere has become highly complex, giving rise to certain implications. How does a marketer adequately identify profitable market dynamics in this day and age? Is it even possible to satisfy the needs of every targeted consumer? Amazons marketing strategy will be discussed in relation to its handling of customer needs, or rather, how the company perceives its customers needs are best served through the online innovator. Donaldson and OToole (2002) identify four marketing strategies; Amazons being the â€Å"high-tech, high-touch quadrant†. Porters (1996) â€Å"Five Forces Analysis† model can influence the 7 Ps of the â€Å"Marketing Mix† and the value a company can create for the consumer. It is a useful model for presenting the intensity of external market pressures from different angles. See Appendix 2. ‘If management wants to change how the firm connects with its customers, it has to change the organisation (Molineux, 2002: p.109). The culture behind Amazon since emerging online in 1995 as a simple bookstore has taken rapid progression in-line with its marketing strategy. The company has evolved through its heedfulness of the rising effectiveness of relationship marketing electronically around the end of the 1990s, so that ‘the dominant approach to IT and relationship research is being replaced by a relationship strategy rather than a transaction strategy position, focussing on information as opposed to technical (Donaldson and OToole, 2002: p.181). Dibb (1998) states ‘increasing evidence suggests that businesses have problems operationalising segmentation (p.394). Harvesting different segments with universally positive outcomes is often troublesome for organisations. ‘For most businesses it is simply unrealistic to satisfy the entire diverse customer needs in the marketplace (Dibb, 1998: p.394). Amazon is one of the few that can, or at least makes great attempts to. Many other online companies have only recently followed suit. Amazons system breaks the contemporary rules of market segmentation. Each customer is his or her very own segment, targeted by one versatile, adaptive system able to meet their personal characteristics by recommending a set of products at a variety of prices from low, second hand to brand new. The system epitomises customer relations management, catering for any socio-economic status, music taste, literature-lover, and so on. Amazon is a target marketer, for marketers. ‘Each customer is assigned a unique number Companies have databases for sales, marketing, service, inventory, payments, and so on (Buttle, 2009: p.103). Amazon utilises a complex, controversially patented Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) which the site draws from to personalise its content toward the customer and supplements functions such as the â€Å"one-click†. Contrary to the norm of a consumer initiating a purchasing process, Amazon acts as the initiator with its variety-fulfilling interface, performing a dual-class role as the â€Å"middle man† between the business and consumer market. Kotler et al express how Amazon leverages the benefits of electronic B2B relationships through ‘E-procurement [which] gives buyers access to new suppliers, lower purchasing costs and hastens order processing and delivery. In turn, business marketers can connect with customers online to share marketing information, sell products and services, provide customer support services and maintain ongoing customer relationships (p.307). McBurnie and Clutterbuck (1988) justifiably assert ‘until competitors copy or segment your segmentation, you have a competitive edge, even if you serve the segment with a standard product or service. If the product or service is specific to the segment then your competitive advantage is multiplied (p.23). Such is t he unique selling point of Amazons personalised service. Consumer behaviour is encapsulated within a set of layers that range from the collective culture right down to pinpoint developments in individual characteristics. Although identified separately, each layer bears a holistic influence on the outcome of one another. For example, a consumer might be into the skating subculture, meaning they believe DC shoes are the best buy in the market. However, as they grow older, they may grow out of skating and take interest in a different culture, likely to make a new trend of purchases. A consumers culture is therefore not set in stone, and as the learning process of life progresses, so too may the views and values of the individual. Career progression is equally important since it determines the level of disposable income. ‘There is evidence for the importance of social interaction and recreational motives, as demonstrated by virtual ethnography (webnography) of â€Å"Web 2.0† blogs, social networking sites and e-word of mouth (Dennis et al, 2009: p.1121-22). Amazon allows end users to share reviews and ratings of products so that future potential buyers are able to make a more influenced, informed choice. However everyone is unique and therefore what may appeal to one customer may be disliked by another. This is therefore contingent upon the orientation of the particular traits of a customer, which dictates the degree to which a person evaluates and therefore heeds the information he/she comes across. ‘Intention to shop with a particular e-retailer will be positively influenced by past experience (p.1124). Amazon does exactly that. It harnesses the past purchases of the customer and extrapolates correlations in the form of recommendations based on what the system recognises as the buyers personal characteristics and therefore purchasing influences from within. The system aims to successfully delineate a person and even interacts like a person itself, acting in a rather paternalistic manner, knowing what is best for the consumer. In a retail store staff are not likely to draw upon past purchasing trends for a particular customer and therefore cannot offer the sort of tailored service that Amazon.com does. Amazon offers a variety of convenient functions, not least the â€Å"Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering† option at the checkout. Dennis et al couple with this the notion of â€Å"web atmospherics† ‘Graphics, visuals, audio, colour, product presentation at different levels of resolution, video and 3D displays are among the most common stimuli (p. 1128). Visit the Amazon website and you will see that administrators have decided to implement a festive header, the promotion of gift e-vouchers customers can send to family via the internet, wish lists based on categories of relationship (for example husband, granddaughter, and so on) to name but a few of the sites seasonal customisations. ‘Customers have shown they dont want to be hunted like prey. They dont want to be managed; they just want companies to make their lives easier and less stressful (Newell, 2003: p.7). One of the implications for Amazon is, as shown by internet banks, that ‘online banks are finding that they also need an on-ground presence if they want to compete successfully (Zinkhan, 2002: p.414). Many businesses find equilibrium in their marketing strategy through the balance of both tangible and web-based enhancement of the Marketing Mix. Does Amazon seem challenged by the lack of localised Amazon service outlets? Its financial performance figures suggest not. The company strives on passing on the overhead saving to the consumer. As the SWOT analysis in Appendix 3 displays, outlets are nonetheless an opportunity for Amazon to grow, particularly where the consumer prefers to make a tangible purchasing decision in items such as clothing. ‘It is about creating an experience, personalizing the interaction with individual customers in ways directed by the customer, and thereby developing relationships (Newell, 2003: p.7). There is a fine line between assisting the customer through recommendations and effectively spamming them with products they might not like. Newell states that Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is inferior to a new strategy of Customer Management of Relationships (CMR). Looking closely at the ways of Amazon, it is possible to identify mixtures between the two, and therefore in the eyes of Newell, a conflicting and inefficient combination. On the one hand, there Amazon treats customers as individuals and understands their unique needs as part of the CMR mechanism. On the other hand, Amazon seems to know too much for its own good, since it is merely a computer system making the decisions. As Newell distinguishes under CRM, customers are likely to feel â€Å"stalked† and in some ways may feel forced into making a purchase. Against the positive, praising grain of this study thus far it is possible to suggest Amazons system contradicts the very foundation of ‘good marketing practice that is, to make people buy things they do not actually need and therefore want. Amazon makes them believe they want the product. Herein lies a fundamental implication Does the Amazon system really get to grips with an individual? Is it at all likely that a person can feel cared for by a computer? Donaldson and OToole (2002) affirm ‘the debate continues on whether e-relationships will reduce the inter-personal/social bonds prevalent in relationships (p.177). Keller (2003) in his study on Strategic Brand Management suggests ‘service firms should allocate fewer resources to traditional quality programs, productivity programs, and efficiency programs and allocate more resources to service-orientated revenue initiatives such as customer satisfaction programs, customer retention and loyalty, CRM and customer equity programs (p.245). Effectively he asserts a need for heavy weighting towards customer orientation, however the degree to which capital should be leveraged in favour of the customer and away from vital operational functions of the organisation is unclear and potentially adverse if perceived as unbalanced as it sounds. A company may well listen to the needs of the consumer wholeheartedly, but if process efficiency and output quality are neglected, the company will not succeed. In the case of Amazon, it remains a predominantly service-orientated company, combining the strong brand images and separate marketing strategies of the c ompanies it markets for, with its own e-market leading online interface aimed at maintaining high levels of brand equity. Amazon is not known exclusively for the products it markets, but the way it markets them. Any good book store will stock a copy of the latest J.K. Rowling fiction. The importance is this ‘Because of associations to product assortment, pricing, and credit policy, quality of service, and so on, retailers have their own brand images in consumers minds. Retailers create these associations through the products and brands they stock, the means by which they sell them, and so forth (p. 358). Although separate resource-consuming entities, the perceived quality of the Amazon service indirectly reinforces the marketing efforts of the brands and the products that it stocks and sells from its fulfilment centres. This is not to say, however, that efficiency is not of upmost importance. A fast, responsive inventory database is in action with the aim of delivering (for f ree!) to customers and managing stock replenishment with minimal downtime particularly important for seasonal demand such as Christmastime. Amazons pricing strategy is to minimise the cost to the consumer, through simple but nonetheless effective marketing communication. Customers incentive for their word-of-mouth marketing efforts is a manifested in highly competitive, low pricing since the profitable costing and mark-up of products does not need to earn a return on advertising investment. Remaining a sole e-tailer negates the need for a skimming strategy on the part of Amazon. The aim is simple minimal overheads and marketing expenditure, attractively low pricing, profitable mark-ups. Amazon has done remarkably well where other companies often underrate the power of the consumer as a communications tool. Dorward (1987) cites Doyle (1968) who ‘claimed that persuasive advertising will be more effective either when products are relatively cheap, as consumers will not expect to gain much financially from an extensive market search or when it would be difficult for consumers to evaluate the product prior to purchase (p.155). In the case of Amazon such factors are satisfied by the sharing of previous purchasers as influencers of the decision process, whereby it is much easier to read reviews than to, for example, visit different book or music stores to evaluate the product effectively. The relatively low cost product types that Amazon e-tails enforces the idea that person to person advertising is sufficient and that customers are more likely to take notice of the recommendations Amazon offers. In an interview with Jeff Bezos, wired.com (2005) uncovered why Amazon.com does not utilise media such as television as a form of marketing communication. ‘More and more money will go into making a great customer experience, and less will go into shouting about the service. Word of mouth is becoming more powerful. If you offer a great service, people find out (wired.com). Therefore to communicate its service the company simply relies on the conveyance of its high brand equity through personal communication channels, which Kotler et al recognise as ‘a major reason for Amazons success in growing sales per customer. You have probably made an Amazon purchase based on another customers review or the â€Å"Customers who bought this also bought† secton (p.708). ‘In most cases, it turns out that the most workable solution is often a hybrid, integrating the new e-tail channel with the traditional ones, so customers can purchase items through either e-tail channel or retail channel (Yao and Liu, 2005: p. 236). It is much more difficult to ensure performance gaps between expect and actual quality of service are minimised when dealing with tangible assets such as a group of employees. It is simply not as easy as a programming code alteration in the database system or interface design. Contemporary management practices would inevitably need to be implemented, and since the very heart of Amazon is based online, does it have the competency and experience to manage the working capital utilised for tangible outlets? Although fulfilling the human-human personal interaction function that online service lacks, there is the implication for Amazon as a brand to meet Kellers brand extension disadvantages. A store will most likely be unable to accommo date for the vast array of products that Amazon can deal with so efficiently online. If customer service does not live up to the tailored specification of the renowned e-system, there could be detrimental effects to Amazons customer-centric image. In-store service may override the comparatively low-overhead, low-pricing online service, drawing attention away from Amazon.com and therefore reducing sales. Perceived highly customer-focused service image could be tarnished with a more general retailer image, removing a key selling point for Amazon. ‘In 1988, building on their early research, PZB [Parasuraman, Zeithamal and Berry] published a multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality, named SERVQUAL (Baron and Harris, 2003: p.23). There is a distinct lack of implementation in the Amazon system for a customer-to-management feedback approach. The â€Å"vibe† of the site emits an overly paternalistic, Amazon-knows-best interface without much functionality devoted to Total Quality Management-style input from the customer. Perhaps Jeff Bezos takes the view that the sharing of customer reviews between one another effectively deems the site a self-maintaining organisation one could perhaps interestingly compare Amazons values to the general outlook of the Conservative government in the 1980s in its approach of free market enterprise, de/self-regulation and cost-cutting efficiency with the ultimate aim of maximising value for society. Effectively Amazon supports what could be coined C2C Mark eting, a phenomenon hardly touched by academics in its own right. So where does the future lie for Amazon? Well it does not take long upon scanning the internet to find companies cottoning onto the customer-orientated ways which Amazon mastered a decade ago. Its year-on-year financial success displays itself how the companys brand equity is firmly embedded in the consumer market. ‘Amazon Services is building complete e-commerce solutions for companies that are potential Amazon competitors, leaving open the possibility that Amazon will ultimately head in the direction of technology service over retail sales (money.howstuffworks.com). This provides the opportunity to effectively control its competitors by leveraging its famous CRM patents and driving forward an Amazon-era of e-commerce which has proven so successful. The concept of customer orientation is prevalent in the case of Amazon.com. Right from the very outset the company sought to delineate the customer as an individual, and not merely a group with similar needs a segmentation strategy so many companies use and even then, some fail. This is not to say, however, that Amazon neglects other concepts in its mission to maximise brand equity. The other key aspect relevant to the context of the company, bearing in mind that the self-selling characteristic of Amazons customer orientation has already been mentioned (effectively deeming the conventionally separate selling concept unusually intertwined within it), is the production concept, controlled by an efficient RDBMS and strong B2B relations with its suppliers. Referencing: http://amazon.co.uk/About-Amazon/b?ie=UTF8node=203038011 http://money.howstuffworks.com/amazon.htm http://money.howstuffworks.com/amazon1.htm http://money.howstuffworks.com/amazon3.htm http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664p=irolnewsArticleID=1345412highlight= http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.01/bezos.html Jones, D., Bichard, M., Thompson, D., Green, A., Bilmoria, K., Peppitt, E., and Tusa, J., 2007. Six of the Best: Lessons in Life and Leadership. Hodder Arnold Publishers Ltd. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong, V., and Saunders, J., 2008. Principles of Marketing. 5th European Edition. Pearson Education Ltd. McBurnie, T., and Clutterbuck, D., 1988. Give Your Company the Marketing Edge. Penguin Books. Dibb, S., 1998. Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence and Planning. Vol. 16, pp.394-406. Dennis, C., Merrilees, B., Jayawardhena, C., and Wright, L.T., 2009. E-consumer Behaviour. European Journal of Marketing. Vol. 43, pp.1121-22. Zinkhan, G.M., 2002. Promoting services via the Internet: new opportunities and challenges. Journal of Services Marketing. Vol. 16, pp.412-423. Newell, F., 2003. Why CRM Doesnt Work: how to win by letting customers manage the relationship. Kogan Page. Donaldson, B., and OToole, T., 2002. Strategic Market Relationships: from Strategy to Implementation. John Wiley Sons Ltd. Molineux, P., 2002. Exploiting CRM: Connecting with Customers. Hodder Stoughton. Buttle, F., 2009. Customer Relationship Management: Concepts and Technologies. 2nd edition. Elsevier Ltd. Keller, K.L., 2003. Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. 2nd Edition. Pearson Education Ltd. Doyle, P., 1968. Advertising expenditure and consumer demand. Oxford Economic Papers. Vol. 20, pp. 395-417. Dorward, N., 1987. The Pricing Decision: Economic Theory and Business Practice. Harper Row Ltd. Porter, M.E., 1996. What Is Strategy? Harvard Business Review. pp.61-78 Yao, D.Q., and Liu, J.J.. 2005. Competitive pricing of mixed retail and e-tail distribution channels. The International Journal of Management Science. Vol. 33, pp.235-247. Baron, S., and Harris, K., 2003. Services Marketing: Texts and Cases. 2nd Edition. Macmillan Press Ltd.

Animal Testing Essay -- essays research papers

Biology and Behavior Animal testing is not a problem in today’s society because it is beneficial to humans. It seems unethical to put animals through such pain and torture, but if we stopped it completely there would be a large amount of human lives lost. How could this be? The further advancements in medical and technological science is inevitable. Therefore, if the testing must be done to learn more about the brain and body, which species (animals or man) seems expendable for such testing. The real question is which species is more ethical to test on. For example, a rat is given an injection with a drug and watched regularly for the period of a month. At the end of the month the rat is injected with a lethal toxin and dissected for scientific reasons. The purpose of the experiment is to determine whether or not the regular use of the drug would have any type of an effect on the brain of the rat. In contrast there is a man age 23 that has consented to be used for the same experiment. It not only would be unethical but against the law to try an experiment of this nature on a man. The end result would be the death of a perfectly healthy human. Which circumstance now seems unethical? One could also take in to consideration that the human’s death could have an impact on his family as well as the people that knew him. Above all the question of whether or not animal testing is ethical or not, really boils down to the purpose of the testing and whether or not it is a legitimate cause. Every man and woman has benefited from animal testing in one form or another. Most of what we know about the brain and body is a direct result of animal testing. Only in recent history have there been advancements in technology in both the fields of medicine, and science that have made it possible to see in side the human body. Unfortunately this still is not enough. The testing must be done on a living organism. Depending on the type and purpose of the test, the organism (man or animal) must be observed carefully and monitored for changes in behavior, health, and in some cases life or death. There are unpredictable reactions that occur in the body of living organisms when an alienable substance enters the blood stream. That is why animal testing is necessary. For instance, a computer can not determine whether or not a certain prototype vaccine will have a beneficial or cata... ...ake and convulse on the floor, the last thing left to do is throw his body in a burning fire, and go pick the next runner up for the experiment. Obviously, no matter how this is viewed it is murder. Even though animal testing is said to be beneficial to humans, many times the animals are used for other purposes. According to an online article posted by a company known as the Nature of Wellness, "Horrifying chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, possessed by an ever-increasing number of countries are tested on animals the same way a drug, detergent, or toothpaste is tested on animals. Conventional weapons of all sorts are also tested in vivisectionist laboratories, where animals are routinely used as surrogates for man in warlike situations" ("Animal Experimentation: No Lie Can Live Forever." 1996). With such a misuse of the terrible act of animal testing, just goes to show that something must be done. There is no way to guarantee the safety and proper test ing of the animals in a way that only is beneficial to mankind. There will always be someone out there trying to scheme up a crazy invention or harmful agent, and the only thing that suffers is the animals

Moving the NHS from public sector to private sector Essay

The National Health Service (NHS) is a state run entity set up by the Labour government after 1948 as part of the welfare state. It was originally run by local authorities with funding from public money allocated by central government. Though in recent years this money has been moving to the private sector and many have speculated that this is privatisation by stealth. In this essay I will attempt to understand this process by giving some historical context to the events of the last few decades while pointing out some of the advantages and disadvantages, and the forms it could take, of privatisation. In conclusion I hope to point to a future where the NHS can exist with public money and private management. †It came out of a working class movement. The ‘powers that be’ introduced various health and welfare reforms after the Second World War in response to working class agitation and mobilisationæ ¢  health system seemed a better option than a Russian revolution†1 This is a institution that does not fit easily into the world of market liberalisation and globalisation, but it is a right many people feel should be free and is even recognised by the U.N. as a fundamental human right. Selling off the NHS, as previous Tory governments have done to other parts of the U.K.s infrastructure †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦would be politically unacceptable especially given the general popularity of the NHS and its entrenched public nature.†2But reform and change have accrued. The first change, by the Tories in 1983, was in the way funding was allocated. †For example, budgets where previously allocated on the basis of geographical areas’ needs†¦Now funding is alloca ted as payment per patient†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 3 This change allowed for the transfer of money from the public to the private sector. This can be seen in the provision of private long term care †which grew from 175,000 places in 1985 to 650,000 in 1998. This growth was funded almost entirely out of the public purse†4 This has led to a system where money is now thrown at the private sector through arrangements such as Independent treatment centres (ISTCs) and the private finance initiative (PFI). One such arrangement †Ravenscourt Park cost   to set up and closed with a deficit of. These are figures that have to be borne by the NHS†5Clearly the NHS is now a half-way house between the public and private sectors. While the present Labour government seems set on pushing ahead with more ways of privatisation. John Carvel noted that  Ã¢â‚¬ Health secretary Patricia Hewitt is preparing to transfer NHS hospitals buildings into the private sector as part of a bn scheme to promote competition in the health service†¦companies bidding for contracts†¦will be allowed to take over NHS premises, doctors and nurses.†6The implementation of this document are already in motion. Recently DHL gained a contract worth 6bn to provide non pharmaceutical supplies for ten years. Payment will be made †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦according to the savings it can make, which the government estimates at some n.†7So while this may seem like a good idea †Effective implementation of grand investment projects†¦is hardly the governments strong point.†8 So to make this work DHL would have to be finely regulated. Given enough freedom so that they can destroy cosy past relationships, but not be allowed to bully suppliers and lower standards due to a need to please shareholders and make profit. To see what problems a health service run for profit creates we only have to look at the USA and its private health system. The system of HMOs was set up in the 1970s by the Nixon administration. We can see from these comments recorded on the Nixon White House tapes, (Nixon quotes), that this system was created not to look after patients but to make profit. While the US may have the most advanced health care system available, if a customer does not have enough money or adequate insurance their options are limited. These problems where highlighted in Michael Moores’ documentary Sicko, which compared the US system to that of Cuba, Canada and the UK. It could be said that the narrator was unabashed in his bias against the HMOs, but the case shown, that healthcare will become unaffordable for average people, may arise here if privatisation becomes widespread. At the same time though because of the lack of reinvestment in the NHSs’ infrastructure and Gordon Browns’ adherence to EU spending targets, alternative funding methods must be found. A recent study by the European Health Consumer Index (EHCI) showed the UK at 17th place behind Ireland, Czech Republic and Estonia in provision of healthcare. Three countries a long way behind the economic development of the UK. In fact while per capita spending placed the UK in 12th place, the Czech Republic placed 21st showing  that efficiency targets are possible if money is spent wisely.9This of course is the main argument for the involvement of the private sector in the provision of health care. That they will cut bureaucracy, while subjecting spending plans to stringent management oversight and thus provide better services for cheaper. Unfortunately the †reduction in public provision of long term care, NHS dentistry, optical services and elective surgery shows the trajectory for the NHS under the PFI.†10 We only have to look to Austria to find a publicly funded health system that allows patients who †..regardless of salary, are entitled to use the services of the health system for free although they do pay higher income tax†.11 While looking at the EHCI tables we see Austria ranks in first place but only spends (figure here) more than the UK per capita. This suggests that the UK could indeed improve services without the need of the private sector but this would involve raising taxes, a strategy both political parties seem wary of due to potential lose of electoral support. One new potential direction for the health service could be the internet. The main advantage of the internet is the access to knowledge that it can provide the customer while providing savings within the administration of the NHS. Unfortunately there is one problem that would need to be overcome, computer illiteracy. In most cases those with health problems will be the older members of society, those who are the least computer literate. This suggests to me that while saving could be made, they would not be worthwhile while we have a generation of customers who do not feel comfortable with computers or the the internet. In the long term there is potential, but unfortunately it does not provide any solutions in the short. In does seem that the disadvantages of privatisation on its present course do seem to outweigh the advantages. The present government though has already started down a path that appears to be irreversible. While many within the service would agree that reform is necessary the problem is that healthcare is seen as a fundamental right provided by the NHS, a endowment to the citizens of the UK after the trauma of World War 2 and the sacrifices they had endured. The UK government has also shown on many occasions that it cannot regulate private companies, that are funded through public funds, to  put the general public before profit. Looking at past privatisations of industries we can see, even in the case of the most successful, telecommunications, that this sector lags behind other European countries such as France where for example broadband infrastructure is far ahead of that provided in the UK. Thus in conclusion the only solution that I can see is a single payer system with strong enough legislation that creates †European wide regulation in the shape of pharmaceutical price controls and levies on research and education†12 In effect creating a new framework that allows the private sector to provide to provide healthcare. This way the tax payer can benefit from the private sectors skill in delivering increased productivity and value for money, while protecting against its’ overwhelming desire for profit. 1http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/gatsprivatiationhealth.htm2ibid3http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/issue 41 p12-134ibid5http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1931236,00.html6http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,1575243,00.html7http://store.eiu.com/product/1860000186-sample.html8 ibid9EHCI 2007 study10Bmj.com 1/4/9911Irish Independent, 6/9/07 The Austrian health service is the best in Europe†¦, Gemma O’ Doherty12http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/issue 48 summer 2001 p 11

Essay on Mass Media Development and Lieracy Assignment...

Mass Media: Development and Literacy Assignment Options Brittnee Green University Of Phoenix HUM/186 Mass Media: Development and Literacy Assignment Options In today’s society mass media has such an influence whether it is positive or negative. It plays an important role in our everyday lives. Mass media affects everyone in the world. The purpose of mass media is everything tied into the advancement of technology and most often education, news, internet, television, magazines, and so much more. â€Å"Culture is made up of both the products that a society fashions and, perhaps more important, the processes that forge those products and reflect a culture’s diverse values.† (Campbell, R., Martin, C., amp; Fabos, B.) (pg. 6). In this†¦show more content†¦Magazines and newspapers was a way for an individual or individuals too read about what was going on in their town, state, or country, and this allowed information to be given to help people become aware of what was happening. Now, let us take a look at television and radio of the last century it has really evolved and brought different changes. Television gave a viewer the visual aspect of what was going on in the world first hand. People were then able to sit down where ever they were and see every aspect of what was lying ahead. Radioâ€℠¢s was a big asset also because during the time when communication was growing you were able to listen to the words that was being expressed and delivered. Having all of these developments come together has influenced the American cultures to where everything has evolved. During the 20th century before everything else became popular it was normal for people to receive their news or via newspaper that would give the people information that was needed along with television and radio. Now in the today’s world people are given so many options to the media to get information. We have the options of internet, social media, and television. Individuals have become more independent to make their own decision on how they see things whether it’s true or false. American culture has changed traumatically and just does not affect one thing, but the entire world. You are able to