Pepcid AC Case Study free essay sample

Developed and commercialized by Merck, Pepcid is a prescription drug for treatment of heartburn. Different from regular antacids that just neutralize acids in the stomach, Pepcid belongs to a class of drugs known as H2 receptor antagonists, which reduce stomach acid secretion by blocking the histamine H2-receptor on the cells producing gastric acid. Third in the H2’s class to enter the prescription drugs market, Pepcid was never able to reverse course and take market leadership from competing products such as, Zantac from Glaxo and Tagamet from SmithKline. In recent years, the possibility of developing a lower dosage form of Pepcid for the OTC market became an attractive business proposition. Merck was not alone in this venture, all major competitors in the H2 receptor antagonists market entered in a race to get FDA approval for a lower dosage version of its original prescription drugs, including Glaxo and SimthKline. In order to gain regulatory approval, drug makers must prove safety and efficacy of the medication. Furthermore, the willingness of consumers to comply with directions specified on the product label is also an important consideration. Nine of the top-ten OTC brands introduced since 1975 were formerly prescription only drugs. A famous example of successful prescription to OTC switch was the pain killer Advil. Not experienced in bringing prescription drugs into the OTC market, Merck joined forces with Johnson Johnson, which had extensive experience in the consumer products market. The result was the creation of a mutually beneficial alliance known as JJM. Being the first entrant into a new OTC market would present JJM with a unique opportunity to potentially becoming the market leader in the H2 receptor antagonist OTC market. The challenge for JJM, was obtaining FDA approval for Pepcid AC, the OTC version of Pepcid, ahead of its competitors. Tagamet was running head-to-head with Pepcid, trailed by Axid and Zantac, which appeared not to have the same level of conviction to becoming first to market. In preparation for the filing with the FDA, JJM conducted clinical studies to support the claims of prevention and treatment of heartburn. Conversely, SmithKline adopted a different strategy, claiming only treatment efficacy. Shortly after recommending against approval of Tagamet’s OTC drug, the FDA advisory committee also recommended against Pepcid’s approval and stated that JJM, â€Å"failed to show Pepcid, in its low dosage form, either prevented or provided relief from heartburn. † 2- Problem Identification According to data provide by IMS America (Table A), in 1993 Pepcid ranked sixteenth among prescription drugs in the U. S. and third among H2 receptor antagonists. The market leader for prescription H2 receptor antagonists was Zantac, followed by Tagamet at a distant second place. Considering JJM’s relatively low proportion of market share,and the fact that it has never been able to challenge Zantac’s leadership, becoming the first in H2 class to enter the OTC market was critical for JJM’s ambitions of becoming the market leader in the highly lucrative heartburn treatment market. Another variable in this equation was the dual claim indication that JJM is planning to file. Being able to increase Pepcid AC’s customer perceived value by claiming prevention and treatment would allow JJM for product positioning within higher price range. Considering that JJM already has a presence in the antacid OTC market with Mylanta, having Pepcid AC in a higher price range would be a way to clearly distance the 2 drugs from each other and reduce the risk of cannibalization. Additionally, SmithKline’s Tagamet is claiming treatment only, which would represent a competitive point of differentiation for Pepcid AC. Furthermore, a higher price for Pepcid AC would also represent more revenue for JJM. The final factor to be considered in this study, is the FDA’s record against prevention claims for OTC drugs. Traditionally, the FDA prefers education over medication for purposes of prevention. The reason cited is the risk of overmedication that OTC drugs could pose if used for prevention of a disease. Three courses of action are possible for JJM at this point: (a) continue working with the FDA to make the case for the prevention and treatment claim with no delays; (b) drop the prevention claim and go with the treatment only claim, increasing the chances of approval; (c) conduct more clinical trials to support the prevention and treatment claims, but then delay the process and risk falling behind in the race to approval. 3- Situation Analysis Strengths: Weaknesses: Pepcid AC safer than Tagamet (side effects when used with other drugs) Strong brand name. Convenient 1 tablet dosage Last longer than traditional antacids Indicated for both treatment and prevention of heartburning versus treatment only claim of Tagamet. Priced higher than traditional antacids Takes longer than traditional antacids to start acting Higher cost than Tagamet ( due to license fees) Opportunities: Threats: Move from 3rd place in Rx H2-blockers to 1st place in OTC Gain market share from traditional antacids competitors Growing market for H2-blockers. Tagamet, Zantac and Axid are also in the Rx-OTC switch â€Å"race† Harder to reverse position after first year of market entrance Cannibalization of prescription version of Pepcid Cannibalization of JJM’s antacid Mylanta. Considering that Pepcid AC will enter the OTC market to compete against both H2 receptor antagonists and regular antacids the analysis of SWOT template above is broken down in 2 parts: Pepcid AC x Other H2’s: The two main competitors running to enter first in the OTC marketplace are Pepcid and Tagamet. Comparing the Strengths and Weaknesses of both, Pepcid is safer to use with less restrictions when combined with other drugs, and is planning to claim both treatment and prevention of heartburn, versus only the treatment claim of Tagamet. On the other hand, Tagamet has a slightly lower total cost due to fees that JJM pays on Pepcid. Tagamet also has the advantage of having started earlier in the OTC transition process. The greatest opportunity for Pepcid against Tagamet, is the potential for gaining market share in the heartburn treatment market. . Another aspect to be highlighted, is the pricing strategy. If priced too low, Pepcid AC could present a significant cannibalization risk to Pepcid. Pepcid AC x Traditional antacids: Similar to its competitors in the H2 receptor antagonists market, JJM has strong participation in the traditional antacid smarket. JJM’s Mylanta is second only to SmithKline’s Tums . The main strength of Pepcid AC versus Mylanta and other traditional antacids is the indication for both prevention and treatment (depending on the option chosen). Another import POD for Pepcid AC is its convenient one tablet a day dosage. The opportunity for Pepcid AC is gaining market share from the other companies in the regular antacid market. Contrary to the opportunity, the risk is that Pepcid AC may cannibalize JJM’s Mylanta more than the other antacid brands. To avoid such possibility, JJM can develop a coordinated price and marketing strategies for Pepcid AC and Mylanta together. 4- Alternative Courses of Action The FDA advisory committee concluded that JJM’s clinical trials did not show adequate efficacy of Pepcid AC in either preventing or treating heartburn. As a consequence, there is considerable risk of rejection if JJM (a) proceeds with filing for regulatory approval for prevention and treatment claims with only the available clinical data. Although not a necessary rule, the FDA typically follows the advice rendered by their advisory committee. An alternative course of action is (b) to conduct additional clinical trials, in order to conclusively prove efficacy of Pepcid AC, for both treatment and prevention of heartburn. The caveat is that conducting additional trials could take an additional 6-9 months and jeopardize JJM’s goal of being first-to-market with an over-the counter H2 antagonist. In the case of H2 antagonists, being first-to-market is perceived as an important competitive advantage, enabling the first entrant to capture and retain the bulk of market share. Furthermore, being first-to-market could facilitate establishment of long-term customer loyalty relationships.. The aforementioned strategy merits consideration because it increases the likelihood of regulatory approval, while also maintaining the critical prevention claim (along with treatment), which JJM views as the key point of differentiation between Pepcid AC and Smithkiline’s Tagamet. However, this approach could be viewed as overly conservative since JJM has already conducted extensive clinical trials to prove efficacy of Pepcid AC for both treatment and prevention claims. The most significant study was dubbed the â€Å"provocative meal study,† in which participants were given a dose of Pepcid AC or placebo, prior to consumption of meals certain to induce heartburn. JJM strongly believed that these trials already provided sufficient evidence in support of the prevention claim and that additional trials were unnecessary. Therefore, conducting additional trials is a course of action to be pursued only as a contingency plan; that is,iif regulatory approval is not achieved with the currently available clinical data. Alternatively, JJM could move forward with (c) filing for regulatory approval for the treatment claim only. This approach is believed to be the easier path to achieving approval, when compared to pushing for approval of both treatment and prevention claims. Typically, the FDA views education as preferable over medication for prevention. Therefore, the agency may have inherent resistance to approving prevention claims. As such, the potential for regulatory dismissal of prevention claims is a valid concern. Seeking approval for the treatment claim only may appear to be the easier path to regulatory approval, but this is not an option without downside risk. In pursuing this alternative course of action, JJM would be sacrificing their key point of difference and diminishing the value proposition of the product. Furthermore, the lack of the prevention label could result in a significant reduction of market share and loss of revenue. Although results from BASESII market research support that treatment only claim is the most important one for product positioning, concept tests and focus groups support the notion that prevention and treatment together are more important. Additionally, heavy heartburn drug users, which account for the greatest potential usage and customer loyalty of Pepcid AC, strongly favor the treatment and prevention claims. Therefore, pursuing treatment only approval may not necessarily be the best path forwards. 5-Recommendations and Implementations Despite the recommendations of the FDA advisory committee, JJM should still take the case directly to the FDA and request approval of Pepcid AC for both the treatment and prevention claims. JJM has already conducted sufficient clinical studies supporting both indications. The regulatory expertise from the Merck side of the JJM partnership should be able to make a compelling case in the regulatory submission seeking approval for both treatment and prevention. Moreover, if the agency were to reject the filing, JJM could then opt for the contingency plan discussed in the Alternative Courses of Action section (Option (b)). Seeking approval for both treatment and prevention is clearly the best course of action. The prevention claim will surely be an important point of differentiation that will enable JJM to retain leadership in the OTC market once the other H2 brands receive their own FDA approvals. JJM has performed extensive market research and has clearly segmented the market, targeted its customers and positioned their product well. Results from behavioral market research, reveal that most frequent antacid users are over the age of 50. Furthermore, descriptive market research concluded that users of both antacids and prescription H2 receptor antagonists and heavy antacid users comprised 62% of Pepcid AC’s predicted dollar volume. Therefore, a marketing campaign primarily targeting these users is a natural course of action. Furthermore, heavy users are likely to be early adopters of the new offering and tend to be opinion leaders, which will set the tone for the customer perceived value of the product Behavioral market research also revealed that patients that used prescription H2 receptors antagonists learned that with regular use of the medication they could prevent the onset of heartburn. This is a very important point for JJM, because they only have 13% of the prescription market (Table B). Therefore, a marketing campaign emphasizing not only treatment, but also prevention, for a convenient OTC drug, could lure a significant portion of the remaining 87% of the prescription antacid market over to Pepcid AC. Research utilizing focus groups also concluded that prevention and treatment would be the most attractive form of product positioning. Table B Market Share of Prescription Antacids Firm Prescription Antacid 1993 U. S. Sales ($ millions) Market Share (%) Glaxo Zantac 1,694 56 SmithKline Tagamet 528 17 Merk Pepcid 387 13 Lilly Axid 271 9 All Others NA 150 5 Analysis of the traditional antacid market is also critical. In this case, JJM’s Mylanta has 16% market share of a $745 million market. Being first to market, with a superior product effective for a longer period of time than the competition and that also prevents heartburn, could be a significant catalyst for gaining market share from the traditional antacids. Results from BASES II tests established that 30% of prescription H2 receptor antagonists users and 28%-34% of antacid users would switch to Pepcid AC. An aggressive advertising campaign could certainly improve these numbers. In conclusion, considering JJM’s relative small market share in both OTC and prescription markets for heartburn the potential gains with the switch of Pepcid, even after discounting possible cannibalization are significant. For example, 30% of the $3,030 million prescription market equates to $909 million. Subtracting $118 million, for the 13% of the Pepcid market share, yields $791 million of potential revenue from cannibalization of the prescription drug market alone. Of course, the price of Pepcid AC will be significantly lower, but even a 75% price reduction equates to nearly $200 million in revenue. Similarly, assuming only 28% of the $745 million OTC antacid market switches to Pepcid Ac would equate to nearly $209 million in revenue. Subtracting approximately $33 million for Mylanta’s market share and we are left with potential revenues of $176 million. These examples also alleviate any concerns regarding sales cannibalization of prescription Pepcid and OTC Mylanta (Table E). Though cannibalization will certainly occur, it will be tremendously offset by cannibalization of competing brands. To further support the notion that product positioning should be centered on treatment and prevention claims, JJM carefully determined their competitive frame of reference. As such, JJM assumed that Tagamet, the other leading product in the race for OTC H2 receptor antagonists, would position itself primarily based on it’s effectiveness in controlling stomach acid (i. e. treatment only claim) and also leverage it’s heritage as the original H2 receptor antagonist. Treatment, the most important attribute of Tagamet, would therefore be the point of parity in product positioning of Pepcid AC, since both JJM’s Pepcid AC and Tagamet could be considered equivalently effective for the treatment of excess stomach acid. As previously discussed, the other key attribute for JJM’s Pepcid AC positioning is the prevention claim. This would be the critical point of difference to cement Pepcid AC as the superior product, able to garner greater customer perceived value. Prescription heritage of Tagamet is not deemed as important since it scored near the bottom of concept tests. With respect to pricing, the $2. 95 price tag for Pepcid AC would render it competitive with antacids. However, a $3. 29 price would be appropriate due to its improved efficacy and prevention claim. Conjoint analysis evaluating the $2. 95, $3. 29 and $3. 95 pricing should be performed prior to launch. 6- Conclusion In addition to all considerations in the recommendations section of this report, it’s important to emphasize that â€Å"the race† to be first in H2-receptor antagonists market doesn’t end with the FDA approval. The next phase, the product launch, is of equal importance. JJM will need to orchestrate a sequence of activities to make sure they are the first to hit the market with Pepcid AC. Ramping up production and shipments to distribution centers and retailers is a massive effort. In JJM’s factories, all necessary resources and materials will need to be available for the first batches of Pepcid AC to be produced. Logistics will need to be in-line to move the drug from the factories through the supply chain and fill the drugstores shelves ahead of any possible competitor. Additionally, a national advertising campaign will need to be standing by to go on-air immediately after FDA approval. Creating public awareness and having customers actually trying out the new product when it arrives will be key to obtaining leadership in this market. For that, JJM will also need to train and incentivize the pharmacists. Prior to the switch, Pepcid is still a prescription only drug, and as such, education and incentives goes towards doctors’ offices and hospitals. With the switch, pharmacists will be the first line of contact with the new customers; they will need to receive all necessary information to be able to explain to customers the advantages of OTC H2-receptor antagonist compared to traditional antacids on the market. Following the initial campaign, JJM will need to adjust the advertising strategy to focus on adoption and retention. According to the studies conducted by JJM, the fight for market share will be concentrated mainly in the first year after FDA approval. Therefore, marketing campaigns during this period will need to be massive.

Konnichiwa Means Good Afternoon in Japanese

Konnichiwa Means Good Afternoon in Japanese If you want to greet someone in Japanese by saying good afternoon or good day, the word you want to use is Konnichiwa.   Konnichiwa is actually a shortened version of a full greeting. Over time, a more slang version of the term evolved in the Japanese language. â€Å"Konnichiwa was once the beginning of a sentence that went, â€Å"konnichi wa gokiken ikaga desu ka?,†Ã‚  or â€Å"How are you feeling today?† (ä »Å Ã¦â€" ¥Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€Ã¦ ©Å¸Ã¥ «Å'㠁„㠁‹ã Å'㠁 §Ã£ â„¢Ã£ â€¹ Writing Rules for Konnichiwa There is a rule for writing hiragana wa and ha. When wa is used as a particle, it is written in hiragana as ha. Konnichiwa is now a fixed greeting. However, in the old days it was a part of sentence, such as Today is ~ (Konnichi wa ~) and wa functioned as a particle. Thats why it is still written in hiragana as ha. The greeting can be changed to good evening, with, â€Å"Konbanwaâ€Å" where â€Å"this evening† is substituted for the word today. (ä »Å Ã¦â„¢ ©Ã£  ¯Ã£ â€Ã¦ ©Å¸Ã¥ «Å'㠁„㠁‹ã Å'㠁 §Ã£ â„¢Ã£ â€¹) Audio File: Listen to the audio file for Konnichiwa. Japanese Characters for Konnichiwa: 㠁“ん㠁 «Ã£  ¡Ã£  ¯Ã£â‚¬â€š More Japanese Greetings: Previous wordNext wordGreetings ArchiveSimple Japanese Phrases Sources: Rocket News 24, http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/04/08/what-does-konichiwa-really-mean-understanding-japanese-greetings/

Fluorine Facts - Atomic Number 9 or F

Fluorine Facts - Atomic Number 9 or F Fluorine is a halogen that exists under ordinary conditions as a pale yellow diatomic gas. The element is found in fluoridated water, toothpaste, and refrigerants. Here are facts about this interesting element. Fluorine Atomic Data Atomic Number: 9 Symbol: F Atomic Weight: 18.998403 Discovery: Henri Moissan 1886 (France) Electron Configuration: [He]2s22p5 Word Origin:  The name fluorine comes from the Latin and French fluere: flow or flux. Sir Humphry Davy proposed the element name, based on its presence in fluoric acid. The -ine suffix is consistent with the naming of other halogens. However, the element is named fluor in Greek and Russian. In early papers, it is referred to as fluorum. Properties: Fluorine has a melting point of -219.62 °C (1 atm), boiling point of -188.14 °C (1 atm), density of 1.696 g/l (0 °C, 1 atm), specific gravity of liquid of 1.108 at its boiling point, and valence of 1. Fluorine is a corrosive pale yellow gas. It is highly reactive, participating in reactions with virtually all organic and inorganic substances. Fluorine is the most electronegative element. Metals, glass, ceramics, carbon, and water will burn with a bright flame in fluorine. It is possible that fluorine can substitute for hydrogen in organic reactions. Fluorine has been known to form compounds with rare gases, including xenon, radon, and krypton. Free fluorine has a characteristic pungent odor, detectable at concentrations as low as 20 ppb. Toxicity: Both elemental fluorine and the fluoride ion are highly toxic. The recommended maximum allowable concentration for a daily 8-hour time-weighted exposure is 0.1 ppm. Neither fluorine nor its ion, fluoride, are considered trace nutrients for human nutrition. However, fluoride does impact bone strength. Uses: Fluorine and its compounds are used in producing uranium. Fluorine, in the form of fluorite, is added during smelting to help reduce the melting points of metals. Fluorochlorohydrocarbons are used in refrigeration applications. Fluorine is used to produce many chemicals, including several high-temperature plastics. The presence of sodium fluoride in drinking water at the level of 2 ppm may cause mottled enamel in teeth, skeletal fluorosis, and may be associated with cancer and other diseases. However, topically applied fluoride (toothpaste, dental rinses) may help reduce the incidence of dental caries. Sources: Fluorine occurs in fluorspar (CaF) and cryolite (Na2AF6) and is widely distributed in other minerals. It is obtained by electrolyzing a solution of potassium hydrogen fluoride in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in container of transparent fluorspar or metal. Element Classification: Halogen Isotopes: Fluorine has 17 known isotopes ranging from F-15 to F-31. F-19 is the only stable and most common isotope of fluorine.Density (g/cc): 1.108 ( -189 °C) Appearance:  At room temperature and pressure, pure fluorine is a very pale, greenish-yellow, pungent, corrosive gas. Liquid fluorine, like chlorine, is bright yellow. Solid fluorine is found in alpha and beta allotropes. The alpha form is opaque, while the beta form is transparent. Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 17.1 Covalent Radius (pm): 72 Ionic Radius: 133 (-1e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.824 (F-F) Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 0.51 (F-F) Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 6.54 (F-F) Pauling Negativity Number: 3.98 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1680.0 Oxidation States: -1 Lattice Structure: Monoclinic CAS Registry Number: 7782-41-4 Fluorine Trivia Fluorine in the form of the mineral fluorite was used in the 1500s to aid in ore smelting.Fluorine was suspected to be an element as early as 1810 but wasnt successfully isolated until 1886. Many chemists trying to isolate the element would be blinded or even killed by the violent reactions that generally accompany fluorine gas.Henri Moissan earned the 1906 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for being the chemist who finally successfully isolated fluorine (and also invented the electric arc furnace).Fluorine is the 13th most common element in the Earths crust.Fluorine is the 24th most abundant in the universe. Fluorine Fast Facts Element Name: FluorineElement Symbol: FAtomic Number: 9Appearance: Pale yellow gas.Group: Group 17 (Halogen)Period: Period 2Discovery: Henri Moissan (June 26, 1886) Sources Emsley, John (2011). Natures Building Blocks: An A–Z Guide to the Elements (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-960563-7.Greenwood, N. N.; Earnshaw, A. (1998). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.Moissan, Henri (1886). Action dun courant à ©lectrique sur lacide fluorhydrique anhydre. Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des sà ©ances de lAcadà ©mie des sciences (in French). 102: 1543–1544.Nielsen, Forrest H. (2009). Micronutrients in Parenteral Nutrition: Boron, Silicon, and Fluoride. Gastroenterology. 137 (5): S55–60. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2009.07.072Patnaik, Pradyot (2007). A Comprehensive Guide to the Hazardous Properties of Chemical Substances (3rd ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-71458-3.

Coke and Pepsi War Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Coke and Pepsi War - Article Example The analysis of the case study brings to light the problems both the companies have had with their concentrate producers, bottlers, and retailers while also highlighting the throat cut competition between Coke and Pepsi. The strategies deployed by the companies are the same: cost leadership and differentiation strategies. The strategic management model also reveals that the problems with the company were related to the supply chain and the diversification strategies into other non-cola drinks. The solution to the problems later discussed in detail is about stabilizing the growth and sales while at the same time re-branding its products to better appeal to the consumers. Coke and Pepsi are the two main competitors in the beverage industry globally. Both the companies have been at war since their inception. The situation is such that both companies, Coke and Pepsi, are at each other’s throats in order to gain most market share in the world especially the United States. Coke and Pepsi, each are trying to come up with innovative products and ideas in pursuit to increase the market share. The effectiveness and creativity of Pepsi and Coke’s strategic advantage will determine the ultimate winner with respect to sales, profits, market share and customer loyalty. The case study ‘Cola Wars Continue Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century’ present the scenario of both the companies internal and external strategies that have caused each company to battle on for such a long period. Over the years since the inception of both the companies, Pepsi and Coke have faced many issues and challenges that have led them to change their strategies. The main strategic issue for both the company has always lied in their quest for achieving the greater market share. Due to this point, the firms have constantly modified their bottling, pricing and branding strategies as new competition increased and gaining more market share became a life source for the Pepsi and Coke (Yoffie, 2004).

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 58

Assignment Example Give your answer to the nearest hundredth and remember the unit (use the abbreviation). 13.56m 6-Four ropes, all at right angles to each other, pull on a ring. The forces are A = 40 N, E; B = 80 N, N; C = 70 N, W; and D = 20 N, S. Find the resultant direction of force on the ring. Give your answer in degrees. 64.03N 6-Velocity has a magnitude and a direction that can be represented by a vector. Consider a boat moving initially with a velocity of 30 m/s directly west. At some later instant the boat is found to have a velocity of 12 m/s at 30 °Ã‚  S of W. What is the change in velocity? Give the direction as measured from the east direction. Give your answer in degrees. 10.392 degrees 15-A horizontal force of 40 N will just start an empty 600-N sled moving across packed snow. After motion is begun, only 10 N is needed to keep motion at constant speed.   Find the coefficient of kinetic friction. 22-A cable is stretched horizontally across the top of two vertical poles 20 m apart. A 250-N sign suspended from the midpoint causes the rope to sag a vertical distance of 1.2 m. What is the tension in each cable segment?.

Impact of tourism in Greece

Impact of tourism in Greece Tourism Impact Greece Corfu The Economic Impact In Greece, in 2006, Travel Tourism is expected to post à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬37.2 billions of economic activity (Total Demand), growing to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬70.3 billion by 2016. Greeces Travel Tourism Industry is expected to contribute 7.3% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2006 rising in nominal terms to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬26.3 billion by 2016. The Travel Tourism Economy contribution (per cent of total) should rise from 16.4% to 17.2% in this same period. In the European Union, Travel Tourism is expected to post average annualized gains of 3.5% between 2007 and 2016. For Greece, Travel Tourism activity is expected to grow by 4% per annum in real terms between 2007 and 2016. Greeces Travel Tourism Economy employment is estimated at 867,000 jobs in 2006, 20% of total employment, or 1 in every 5 jobs. By 2016, this should total 1,216,000 jobs, 20.9% of total employment or 1 in every 4.8 jobs. The 449,000 Travel Tourism Industry jobs account for 10.3% of total employment in 2006 and are forecast to total 601,000 jobs or 10.3% of the total by 2016. Travel Tourism is a major exporter, with inbound visitors injecting foreign exchange directly into the economy. Travel Tourism exports in the European Union are expected to represent 13.0% of total exports in 2006. In Greece, exports make up a very important share of Travel Tourisms contribution to GDP. Of Greeces total exports, Travel Tourism is expected to generate 29.1% or à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬11.8 billions in 2006, increasing to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬23.9 billions or 27.8% of total, in 2016. Travel Tourism is very significant for construction and manufacturing. In 2006, the public and private sectors combined are expected to spend 9.3% of total investment on new Travel Tourism capital investment worldwide rising to 9.6% of the total in 2016. In the European Union, Travel Tourism Capital Investment is expected to be in total the 8.6% of total regional capital investment in 2006. Travel Tourism Capital Investment in Greece is estimated at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6.4 billions or 14.3% of total investment in 2006. By 2016, this should reach à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬12.9 billions or 14.8% of the total. Nowadays bureaucracy in Greece is having a very negative impact on both operations and investment. In that nation, as in other countries, responsibility for policies and services that affect Travel Tourism are spread among many ministries. However, co-operation between these different ministries and government departments appears to be seriously lacking which affects everything within the government and occurs serious issues. The Environmental Impact Travel Tourism has the potential to bring enormous benefits to people and environments, especially in terms of providing an alternative source of income. However, if not developed in a sustainable way, the industry may result in negative impacts such as environmental degradation, alienation of local communities and, ultimately, destruction of the product itself. If Greeces Travel Tourism is to realize its full potential, any threats to its sustainability must be firmly addressed and tackled before it finds itself in the same situation as some well-established resort destinations such as Spain. Its future depends on preserving the combination of natural and cultural assets, as well as engaging the support of the communities that will be the life-blood of the industry. Integrated plans and planning processes should address issues such as airline carrying capacity, tourism supply and demand, resource utilization and economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts. In every community there are those who believe that, if nature is to be preserved, it should be left completely untouched. While this belief is infinitely more worthy than a disregard for the environment in a quest for profits, a balance between the two extremes ensures the long-term economic well-being and preservation of an area. A Greek island located in the Ionian Sea named Corfu has an extremely rich natural, historical and cultural heritage and the goal must clearly be to preserve it all. The key is to ensure that tourism development and environmental management are mutually supportive, and that integrated planning, policies and implementation provide for environmental impact assessments for all tourism projects. In addition, a list of valuable historic, natural, and cultural sites, which can be logically exploited for tourism, should be identified and steps taken to conserve those sites for long-term use. Protection of the environment also means limiting construction (especially in terms of accommodation capacity) and ensuring cleanliness and effective sanitation services. Investment in infrastructure and facilities in Corfu appears to be inadequate. Firm government and strong legislative guidelines to ensure that regional and local authorities are adhering to sound development principles must be enforced. The Socio-Cultural Impact The socio-cultural impact of tourism is developed through an enormous range of aspects from the arts and crafts through to the fundamental behavior of individuals and collective groups. A factor often overlooked by researchers is the socio-cultural impact of tourism on the visitor population. Visitors to Corfu, for example, often find it hard to resist adopting the beach-based lifestyle and the Greek culinary particularity when they return home. Generally there is a variety of ways in which we examine the relationships between tourism development and socio-cultural changes. The socio-cultural impact is based on the host-guest interaction and the behavior of tourists. In Corfu and generally in Greece the development of the elements above, every year is being improved because the whole economy of the country is based on tourism and for this reason another significant element is that tourist crime doesnt exist in Greece and therefore in Corfu. In other countries the tourists are the most common victims of the marginal populations of each place, but in Corfu the tourists are absolutely safe and crime incidents involving tourists are fiddling. Corfu is also a very popular destination because of the local customs during the Easter period and other customs during the year. However, if the tourists are not aware of, or care of, the local customs they may behave in a way that creates several social frictions between tourists and residents. Corfu is quite rich in customs and each custom gives the tourist an opportunity to adapt to the local traditions. References Tourism: Principles and Practice (Cooper, Fletcher, Fyall, Gilbert, Wanhill), Fourth edition. www.msu.edu/course/prr/840/econimpact/pdf/ecimpvol1 www.impact.gr/products/itourism_285.htm www.islandheritage.org/tourism.html www.ecotourism.org/WebModules/WebMember/MemberApplication/ www.dallascityhall.com/convention_center/pdfs/city_tourism_impact www.economicsbulletin.vanderbilt.edu/2008/volume3/EB-07C20155A www.sete.gr/files/Ebook/TourisminGreeceBuhalisinCurrentIssues

Pillars of Democracy in Tanzania

Democracy is a political form of government in which governing power is derived from the people, by consensus (consensus democracy), by direct referendum (direct democracy), or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy). The term comes from the Greek word (demokratia) â€Å"rule of the people†, which was coined from (demos) â€Å"people† and (Kratos) â€Å"power†. There is no universal definition of the term democracy, people like the late USA president ABRAHAM LINCOLN define democracy as â€Å"The government of the people, for the people and by the people† which means : ?Of the people means the government derives all its powers from the people ? For the people means the government is there to serve the interest of the people ? By the people means the people elect those who are to govern on their behalf According to Nnoli(20033) he defined democracy as the system of government usually involving freedom of the individual in various aspects of life, equality among citizens, justice in the relations between the people and the government and the participation of the people in choosing those in government.Democracy is devided into direct democracy where by all adult citizen of a community participate fully in a decision making on matter brought for discussion. Decision are by the popular vote YES or NO. The Anthens are the first people to practices direct democracy. It is mostly conducted in the small populated areas like classrooms in the election of the Class representative.The other type of democracy is indirect democracy where by different groups in community elect reoresentative and give them mandate to make public decision on their behalf. The representative may be one person or small group of people. Indirect democracy originated in Europe during the emergence of capitalism. In this kind of democracy periodic elected leaders are placed into power and are removed from the power through periodic elec tion, it mostly done in highly populated areas.Also these representative is divided into three categories which are parliamentary democracy Which is kind of representative democracy where by the executive is a part of the legislature here king or queen is the head of the state and prime minister is the head of government example Britain,Spain,Holland,Beigium and so on, the other category is Presidential democracy where by the executive and the legislature are independent of each other. The president is the head of both state and government and holds ffice for a fixed period example USA In order for the democracy to stand in any society the following are some of the essential pillars of the architecture of democracy; First, free and fair elections lend legitimacy to democracy by preventing one person or a small group in society from imposing certain vested interests on the general population. No one person or group should exercise a monopoly of power over the election process. In a d emocracy, political parties can be formed and can campaign without intimidation.Some countries require political parties to have a minimum level of popular support before they can participate in elections. All political parties must also have access to a free media and other means to broadcast their election manifestos. The electoral process is supervised, monitored and carried out by a neutral body, often an election commission. In Tanzania free and fair election is conducted though in other hand it is not practiced since some political parties are given more chances to broadcast their election manifestos than others.For example CCM(Chama cha Mapinduzi) is given priority to broadcast its election manifesto than other political parties like TLP(Tanzania labour Party), CHADEMA (Chama cha demokrasia na Maendeleo), CUF(Civic United Front) and others. Also there is no neutral electoral commission as the commissioner of National Electoral Commission (NEC) is appointed by the President an d it works under the President office which might violate its neutrality. The second pillar is political tolerance. Free and fair elections do not give a mandate to oppress or sideline those who have voted against the government.It also does not mean that the majority have the right to rob the minority of its civil liberties, rights, property or life. Tolerance is required for democracy to be sustained. If minority groups do not benefit equitably from the election process, there can be no peace. That absence of peace would make a mockery of efforts to be democratic. In many countries, there are examples of rewards being given only for those voters who supported the ruling party, with neglect or punishment for those who voted for the opposition. The distribution of food, water supplies and development resources has been used as a weapon of control to win elections.In Tanzania to some extents the majority rule is applying while minority rights are respected but the political tolerance is yet to stand as we saw in our last general election where Chama cha demokrasia na Maendeleo(CHADEMA) didn’t accept the win of the President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and in the opening assembly of the second phase of his term their Members of Parliament went out and didn’t recognize his position of President. That was being intolerant. The third pillar is the rule of law. There has been much debate on the meaning of this.What is clear, though, there is close connection between the rule of law and democracy. When the political process is subject to laws and the government officials exercising their power and authority within the constitution and laws of the country, it enables citizens to judge the lawfulness of the government. Democracy becomes dysfunctional when the bureaucracy, the judiciary, the legislature, the private sector, the police and the military all use their power to enrich themselves and advance their own interests at the expense of civil society. Laws n otwithstanding, corruption undermines the rule of law.To ensure the functioning of the rule of law, it is vital that the integrity and independence of the judiciary and the entire justice system are not subject to undue influence and illegal intervention. In Tanzania the practice of rule of law is very minimal the governors undermine its practice where some of the leaders who break the laws are not taken care of as the laws claims, also the problem of corruption in the judiciary branch is persisting never the less the judiciary has done its part in solving elections cases of Igunga, Ubungo, and Arusha constituents as well as private candidacy in general election by standing on the lawsThe fourth pillar is freedom of expression. What people in civil society are allowed to say, print, distribute and discuss is indicative of the democratic nature of a political system. A free press is a measure of the freedom of expression in a society. Few governments have a genuinely easy relationshi p with a free press. Yet, despite all its shortcomings, a free press, supported by open Internet access, is indispensable to keeping the public informed as part of a functioning democracy. Even in an established democracy, government may seek to manipulate a free press into serving its own ends.Governments often conduct spin campaigns, to advance their agenda and dilute the power of independent media. New technology is unleashing powerful new forces through expansion of information dissemination and space for public discourse. These new forces have made it much harder for governments to control the flow of information. The fact remains that even democratically-elected governments will go to great lengths to manipulate public opinion whether on TV, in the print media or the Internet.Taking the case of Tanzania where newspapers like Mwanahalisi was banned by the government just because it provided information that affect the welfare of some of government leaders. Also the Editor of Ta nzania daima newspaper Absalom Kibanda is also facing the court charges for allowing publishing of news that affect the current government interests so the freedom of press is denied and government create fear indirectly for the public opinions to be expressed The fifth pillar is accountability and transparency.This means that institutions of government and individuals in those institutions must be held accountable for their actions. A government must be accountable to the people who elected it. Furthermore, it must be accountable to an independent judiciary or other impartial institutions established to check government action. Decisions must not advance the agendas of vested interest groups over the public interest. As Mmuya and Chaligha(1994: pg 189) claimed â€Å"Democracy become meaningful only when political parties are accountable to the people.Moreover the government has not only to be transparent but also be accountable to the people through their representatives. † Also political parties have to be accountable and perform their duties as they are supposed to be. To some extent the Tanzania government is accountable the public can question the government actions and expenditures, officials who misuse their power are removed from their positions. Example Dr. William Mhando the former managing director of TANESCO together with his subordinates were removed from office due to misuse of public office for their own interest.To some extent the Tanzania government is transparent from time to time it inform the public about its decisions and action example now days all members of parliament and high officials are asked to disclose their wealth before start to work and after fixed period before moves out from their positions. The sixth pillar rests on local political empowerment. The closer the government is to the people governed, the more responsive the government is likely to be. At the same time, for decentralised democracy to work, here must also b e a decentralisation of funding, material and human resources and institutional capability. Decentralisation of the political process is another way to curb the concentration of power and influence exercised by political forces. Citizens become more aware, interested and willing to participate in democracy when they see their officials as neighbours and what is at stake as something close to home. Only the national government can print currency, conduct foreign policy, provide for the nation’s defence.However local matters such as community services are best managed by local or state, regional or country or provincial government. The other pillar of democracy is the Separtion of power. Is the system where by Government powers are separated and divided between the three branches namely Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Each of these branches performs its functions independently without interference from other branches. Executive is the body of government which comprises th e President, the Cabinet and civil servants. Is the rulling body which conduct all administrative works in the government.Legislature is the law enacting body which comprise of the President and national assembly and the Judiciary body comprises of court judges, magistrates and headed by Chief justice and their duty is to enforce laws. In Tanzania these three branches are ideologically there but their practice is not efficient. The President who is the head of executive branch is also part of the parliament or legislature so he might have the influence to members of parliament when they will be required to pass the bills. In that sense the legislature branch is not fully independent from the executive branch.Also the President have the mandate to appoint court judges of high court as well as court of appeal together with the Chief Justice so they will ideologically being separate as judiciary branch but their work might have the influence of the one who apoointed them hence the sepa ration of power is yet not being achieved. The other pillar is human rights which are the needs which all people deserve simply because of their humanity. For example right to live, right to vote and to be voted. Ther are individual rights, moral rights and others.In Tanzania human rights are included in the national constitution and are also maintained, like right to vote, right to have basic needs, right to live though there are actions which deny some of these rights like killing of elders in Shinyanga and the Lake Victoria zone, also albino killing which both deny the right to live. All in all the pillars of democracy outlined above are necessary but insufficient without leaders to build and maintain them. The qualities of leadership for sustainable democracy are to be found in those who act in an honest, transparent and accountable manner.They are consensus builders, open-minded and fair. They are committed to justice and to advancing the public interest. And they are tolerant of opposing positions. In admitting our father’s limitations, let us strive to avoid the mistakes of the past and look forward to a new generation of leaders who can build on the lessons of the struggles of ordinary citizens for democracy. References: ?Mmuya and Chaligha(1994) Political parties and Democracy in Tanzania, Dar-es-salaam University Press Tanzania ? Nnoli(2003) Introduction to politics, Enugu Nigeria ?www. nationmultimedia. com