Improving the supply and use of essential drugs in sub-Saharan Africa

Few people in sub - Saharan Africa have access to essential drugs. And where drugs are available, they are inequitably distributed and improperly used. Shortages of drugs in Africa are caused not only by lack of funds, although in many countries this is the major reason. Poor utilization and wastage of drugs in public and private sectors are also responsible and can be improved; and the wastage of available foreign exchange can be reduced. While the private sector has a role to play, it is important to be realistic about its ability to serve the whole population and about the quality of the service it provides. Producing local drugs would need to be evaluated in a realistic manner taking account of individual country circumstances. Specific measures to improve selection, quantification, procurement, storage and distribution, and prescription and use of drugs have been implemented in a number of African countries, resulting in significant improvements in the availability of drugs.Pharmaceuticals&Pharmacoeconomics,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Pharmaceuticals Industry,Adolescent Health,Markets and Market Access

Proposing new variables for the identification of strategic groups in franchising

The identification of strategic groups in the Spanish franchising area is the main aim of this study. The authors have added some new strategic variables (not used before) to the study and have classified franchisors between sectors and distribution strategy. The results reveal the existence of four perfectly differentiated strategic groups (types of franchisors). One of the major implications of this study is that the variables that build a strategic group vary depending on the respective sector the network operates in and its distribution strategy. This fact indicates that including sector and distribution strategy is absolutely necessary to achieve good classifications of franchisor type

Corporate Social Responsibility: an honest duplicity

Business activity - which is dominated by corporations - through the provision of investment, jobs and tax payments, is central to the provision and protection of Human Rights. Simultaneously, there is copious evidence that business activity is a direct source of Human Rights violations and undermines numerous States ability to protect and provide Human Rights. Hence governments face a tension between encouraging investment and asserting authority over business activity to limit corporate excess and ensure business works for rather than against humanity. The challenge in the globalised world is how governments can best assert that authority. This essay will contend that a voluntary approach through Corporate Social Responsibility is currently the dominant approach to limiting corporate excess but will argue this approach is fundamentally flawed and cannot be relied upon to protect and enhance the provision of Human Rights

Business plan for travel with: a started-up company for a tourism social platform

Travel With comes from the need to have a platform that improves the authors trip planning experience. The idea is to smooth the research pase by reducing the time needed, providing a digital space where the customer can see or plan trips with cheaper prices, compare bias feedback and travel tips. By storing all the information in one place, Travel With simplifies planning and travel logistics management, and thus brings a quicker, happier, and rewarding user experience. The purpos of this study is to analyse the ideas feasibility, considering literature review on the market and customer (Millennials), led to the conclusion of which was the best business target and strategy. Customer needs and interests were analysed through quantitative and qualitative research with the goal to find market opportunities. This reasearch allowed an improvement of the original concept, supporting the creationg of aplatform that would satisfy the customers. According to the market analysis and the customer researches, obstacles where identified, and transformed into opportunities through a digital marketing strategy focusing on social networks and the importance of influencers. The results have shown that the idea brings value to the market, but its success highly depends on its strategy, which will ensure the companies survival and success in a completive market.A ideia de negócios surge de uma necessidade do autor em facilitar a sua experiência de planeamento de viagens. De modo a reduzir as horas de pesquisa bem como as várias fontes, surge a ideia de criar uma única plataforma capaz de recolher toda a informação, onde os consumidores poderão não só criar as suas próprias viagens onde a plataforma sugere os serviços com os preços mais baixos versus qualidade, mas também a planos de viagens feitos por outros "users" com dicas e comentários fidedignos. O objetivo deste estudo teve por base a analise da viabilidade da ideia de negócio, através de uma análise de mercado e de consumidores target ("Millennials") com base em artigos e publicações, sendo posteriormente confirmada por métodos de pesquisa quantitativos e qualitativos, dos quais surgiram resultados que tiveram impacto na ideia original, tendo sido necessário realizar alterações de modo a garantir que a mesma satisfazia as necessidades dos cientes tornando-se uma oportunidade de mercado. Após as analises internas e externas foi possível identificar fraquezas que posteriormente foram transformadas em oportunidades através de uma estratégia de marketing digital baseada na experiência de redes socias e o impacto de "Influencers" nos consumidores. O estudo concluí que o mercado atribui valor à ideia, no entanto o sucesso da mesma está diretamente ligado ao sucesso de implementação da estratégia, que ajudará na obtenção de resultados num mercado de elevada competitividade onde a melhoria continua e adaptabilidade são cruciais para o sucesso e sobrevivência da empresa

The Applicability of Competitive Battles in Scenario Planning

Issue of study: Since the World War II scenario planning has existed as a strategic planning tool and during the 1970s Pierre Wack introduced this strategic tool for organisations. Even tough the usage of scenario planning often aims to make better strategic decisions there still does not exist any clear method that is niched towards competition. Therefore a study with the purpose to understand if it is applicable to combine scenario planning together with a theory that regards competition would be interesting to explore. Purpose: Explore the applicability of Christensen et al.’s theory on Competitive Battles in scenario planning. Methodology: A case study has been conducted in collaboration with Tetra Pak®. The case study explores the future within the milk packaging markets in four different geographical locations. A positivistic qualitative approach has been applied within the frame of this thesis and has therefore formed the perspectives of this thesis. The gathered data is mainly based on secondary sources where triangulation has been used in order to secure credible information. Furthermore, the applicability is evaluated based on two fundamentals – the fit between the theories and if a competitive dimension is added. Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that the applicability of the Competitive Battles theory is limited. In order to integrate the two theories, adjustments were needed in order to integrate the two theories or else the integration would have been crammed. Despite the needed adjustments, the integration adds a competitive dimension in means of an better understanding about what actions the studied competitors are the most likely to conduct in a potential future world

Increasing spa attractiveness among men: case of Estonia

http://www.ester.ee/record=b4420055~S1*es

Semper floreat

Title varies: Gamut; Time off: Semper; The press. Numbering system very erratic