The Birth Of The Pill - 962 Words

The arrival of the pill in the spring of 1960 represented both an important step towards bodily autonomy for women, and a ‘new era in the long history of birth control’. For the very first time, there would exist a method of contraception that separated brith control from the act of sexual intercourse, and allowed women total control over their fertility. This caused many commentators to fear that the pill would ‘wreck moral havoc’ on the sexual behaviour of the nation, with some even going as far as to claim that it would lead to adultery and the destruction of the ‘nuclear family’. It was, after all, overwhelmingly mothers who rushed to fill their prescriptions when the pill hit the market at the peak of the baby boom. However, other parties claimed that the pill would cure the ‘social, sexual and political ills of the day†¦ The pill was, bearing in mind the military metaphors that permeated the Cold War, the ‘magic bulletâ₠¬â„¢ that would avert the explosion of the ‘population bomb’.’ By reducing the population, they argued, the pill would alleviate the conditions of poverty that so often seemed to lead to an embrace of communism among ‘third world’ nations. The pill would also booster the nuclear family with the promise of marital bliss, and would foster happy families along the way. ‘As one euphoric husband gushed; ‘with my wife on the pill, any moment is the right moment for love!’. In the eyes of its champions, the pill would be a powerful asset in the fight to maintainShow MoreRelatedBirth Control Of The Pill900 Words   |  4 Pagescommon used birth control by women is the oral pill. This birth control pill is a medication that women take daily to prevent pregnancy. Birth control pills undoubtedly arise confusion as to how they work. Even with all the birth control confusion, the pills are the safest birth control compared to the Depo-Provera shot, IUD, and birth control implant. Birth control pills â€Å"were developed in the 1950s, and were first approved by the FDA in 1960† (â€Å"Birth Control†). The birth control pills are made ofRead MoreThe Birth Control And Contraceptive Pills1173 Words   |  5 PagesBirth control up to this global has been a topic of contention. Abortion is still illegal in many countries, and the issue is still up for debate. Birth control and contraceptive pills, however, are common aspects of family planning. These have been helpful for not only families but also national governments in their bid to control population growth. To achieve this, however, down history, there have been numerous efforts by quite remarkable individuals who dedicated their lives to fight for womenRead MoreThe First Birth Control Pill1141 Words   |  5 Pagesthe help of Planned Parenthood, the first birth control pill is developed by Gregory Pincus, John Rock, and M.C. Chang. However, in 1956 the pill underwent the first human trial. The side effects were less than satisfactory, leading to the development of the first FDA approved oral contraceptive in 1960. By 1965, through the approval for married couples, by the U.S. Supreme Court, to use birth control, one in four women under the age of 45 had used the pill. In 1967 New York State legalized abortionRead MoreThe Counter Birth Control Pills Essay1849 Words   |  8 PagesOver the counter birth control pills have been a topic of discussion for many women. Some might say it would pose many risks such as not receiving medical checkups and not knowing the side effects of birth control pills. Others may see it as a helpful to women because of the convenience of accessing the pills and not having to take time to schedule appointments. Additionally, due to health care and insurance policies some women might not have an easy access to birth control pills but the cost shouldRead MoreThe Birth Control Pill And The Sexual Revolution884 Words   |  4 Pagesopportunities du e to the birth control pill and the Sexual Revolution. It was a great shift in the society because it opened doors for minorities and created an equal treatment men and women. The birth control pill and the subsequent Sexual Revolution made an impact on American’s behaviors and views about sexuality by giving women more power over their bodies and allowing everyone to express their sexuality differently. The birth control pill was the first woman-controlled birth control method to beRead MoreThe Medical Uses Of Birth Control Pills1955 Words   |  8 PagesThe Medical Uses of Birth Control Pills Over twenty eight percent or ten million six hundred women of reproductive age are currently are using birth control pills for various medical reasons. Birth control pills are a synthetic form of the hormones progesterone (a steroid released by the corpus luteum that stimulates the uterus to prepare for pregnancy) and estrogen or oestrogen ( the primary female sex hormone which is responsible for development and regulation of the female reproductive system)Read MoreEssay about Should Public School Students be Given Birth Control Pills?695 Words   |  3 PagesThe question regarding whether or not public schools must offer birth control methods to teenagers remains controversial. There are those who are for birth control being provided in public school and those who are against it. This paper will describe two issues that prove that contraception should indeed be provided within public schools. The first reason is that most Americans support the idea that public schools must provide birth control methods to students. This is according to results obtainedRead MoreBirth Control Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesBirth control pills should be available without a prescription. Oral contraceptive has been a controversial topic for years. Oral contraceptives are a common form of birth control. Birth control is used to prevent pregnancy by blocking a male’s sperm from fertilizing a female’s egg. Women take birth control to prevent pregnancy. Also, teen women can prevent unwanted pregnancies by having access to over the counter birth control pills. Birth control pills should be available without a prescriptionRead MoreBirth Control Drugs1119 Words   |  5 PagesMany would argue that birth control pills should not be sold without having insurance, however they should be. Statistics show that 80% of women use birth control for more than just having protected sex. Birth control pills are mostly viewed as just for sex, but there are many other uses for birth control. Birth control pills can be used for hormone control, to help acne, and they also help maintain a normal and regulated period. Birth control pills should be sold to not only teenage girls, butRead MoreBirth Control Is The Practice Of Preventing Unwanted Pregnancies1177 Words   |  5 Pagesthis process to obtain birth control pills. According to merriam-webster.com, birth control is the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies; it used all around the world. There are many different contraceptive types that people use to prevent unwanted pregnancies, including, but not limited to, condoms, vaginal rings, sponges, implants, shots, abstinence, and birth control pills. Practicing safe sex should be ready option for all people. Men wear condoms while women take birth control; it is as simple

Social Work Essay - 1632 Words

This essay will discuss social divisions; social exclusion and social inclusion, of which there are many definitions and interpretations. Social divisions and Social exclusion has been around for many years. Social exclusion was first noticed in France in 1970s in relation to people who fell outside the range of the social insurance system, such as disabled people, lone parents and the young unemployed (Townsend and Kennedy, 2004). Before 1997 Social exclusion was referred to as ‘poverty’, which means where people lack many of the opportunities that are available to the average person (Palmer; 2010). However for the purpose of this assignment, it will focus on homelessness as a social division, the relationship between exclusion and†¦show more content†¦One interpretation of social exclusion comes from the European Commission’s recent Joint Report ,which states ‘social exclusion is a process where individuals are made to feel pushed out and prevented from participating in society, due to poverty or lack of education. This may result in discrimination, resulting in exclusion from jobs, an income, limited education, lack of social and community opportunities and possibly feeling powerless’ (Europa, 2003). A structural view from Field (1989) and Dahrendorf (1987) who believe it is the structures in society that exclude people. Another, interpretation from the Social Exclusion Unit London (SEU) states social exclusion is a shorthand label for what can happen when individuals or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown (SEU 1997). Pierson (2010) suggests that poverty, low income, lack of access to the job market, low or non existent social support, the effect of the area and the exclusion from services are all ways to socially exclude people from society. Thompson (2010) believes that social location affects people’s life chances, due to where people are born and where they live, arguing that people have no choice/control over what position they are within society and depending on their location within the structureShow MoreRelatedSocial Work As A So cial Worker1414 Words   |  6 Pagesreasoning. What makes social work idiosyncratic unlike the rest is the willingness and passion to promote human well-being. I yearn and hunger to see growth of what is already innate. That is the reason psychology became my undeclared major. My ignorance of the social work role did create misconceptions and fears. I knew I had to be in some helping profession. I was not sure if I would do so through occupational therapy, psychology, teaching, or social work. I wanted to be a social worker, but I wasRead MoreSocial Workers And Social Work950 Words   |  4 Pages The social work profession is a profession that is created with educated professionals, social workers, which make important contributions to society by helping society’s most vulnerable individuals, families, and groups. Social workers assist vulnerable populations with enhancing their social functioning, meeting their needs, and solving problems. Social policies are a key component in the success of the social workers ability to help the vulnerable. â€Å"Social policies are the laws, rules, and regulationsRead MoreSocial Workers And Social Work1652 Words   |  7 Pageslarge component of the social work profession is cultural competency. According to the National Association of Social Workers, in order to be culturally competent, social workers should understand culture and its’ role in society (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2008). Social workers should be able to recognize the strength of each culture, have knowledge of their clients’’ cultures, and provide culturally sensitive services to each individual with whom they work with (NASW, 2008). IsRead MoreSocial Work Management and Its Relevance to the Social Work Profession8635 Words   |  35 PagesSOCIAL WORK MANAGEMENT AND ITS RELEVANCE TO THE SOCIAL WORK PROFFESSION LAUREN DA SILVA Introduction. ...........................................................................................................4 The social work profession ........................................................................................5 {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Definition of management.......................Read MoreWhat Is Social Work?853 Words   |  4 PagesWHAT IS SOCIAL WORK? As a little kid when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I honestly didn’t know but somehow the words â€Å"doctor† or â€Å"lawyer† would come out of my mouth. I knew early on that I wanted to help people and when we would have the career fair at school, the doctors or the lawyers were the ones who said they helped other individuals. In those early years of life I wasn’t exposed to many things but I was always eager to learn. As time passed and people asked me whatRead MoreSocial Work Is The Profession735 Words   |  3 PagesI. Social Work is the profession by which to help others in need A. Social Workers Assess and Advocate for others in need B. They work as an intermediary to connect people with helpful services II. Older population A. Any individual over the age of 65 is apart of the older population B. The Older population is growing and there for more services will need to be utilized because people are living longer C. With more services being utilized more cost will incur D. 40% of people need assistance andRead MoreSocial Work As A Profession1309 Words   |  6 PagesSocial work as a profession is a universal and opportunistic field. The field itself ranges from placements in mental health to even education. One of the most prominent and growing areas in the field is medical social work. According to the NASW, social workers in hospitals and medical centers provide frontline services to patients with conditions spanning the entire healthcare continuum. Medical social work includes settings such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, etcRead MoreThe Levels Of Social Work1314 Words   |  6 PagesMicro-level social work involves working with individuals, whereas, macro-level social work involves improving conditions on a larger scale, for groups of people such as a community. The levels of social work practice are not only related, but they influence each other and often display characteristics of a cause and effect relations hip. This essay will explain how the levels of social work practice influence each other, followed by examples of this influence, particularly focusing on attachmentRead MoreEssay On Social Work1512 Words   |  7 PagesThe key life experiences that have led me to choose social work as my major was because I enjoy making a difference in the lives of others. I had many years of experience working in Behavioral Health and had the privilege working with children, adolescents, as well as adults with physical and mental disabilities. I believe I have sharp knowledge of behavioral and development issues. I am a mental health specialist and would like to be a social worker. I also want to be more involved with patientRead MoreThe Qualities Of Social Work889 Words   |  4 PagesSocial work is considered a helping profession and a profession for people. If you aren’t a people person with a compassionate heart this profession maybe difficult for you. Possessing a genuine personality, empathy, displaying compassion, and being transparent are all healthy characteristics to have as a social worker. These qualities make social work practice with individuals, families, and treatment groups easier and more enjoyable. From experience the more genuine you are to a client the more

Walgreens Analysis Free Essays

Walgreens Strategy Analysis Retailing: MKTG 3740 B April 7, 2013 I. History and Mission Statement Walgreens has grown from a small, neighborhood-oriented drug store to a trusted, national pharmacy. Founded in 1901 by Charles R. We will write a custom essay sample on Walgreens Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Walgreen, the company bloomed from a commitment made to perseverance. Walgreen came from Dixon, Illinois at the age of sixteen, working an unpleasant job at a drug store after he lost a portion of a finger that left him incapable of continuing a career in athletics. He left with an ambition of entrepreneurship as the flourishing city of Chicago welcomed him with the booming pharmacy business. Devoted to his goal, Walgreen worked his way through gaining experience and financial stability within the growing industry. His work experience through jobs with different pharmacies allowed Walgreen to analyze the strengths and weaknesses in their business operations. Focusing on the gaps in service and the needs by customers that were not being met, Walgreen had an opportunity to capitalize on the industry’s shortcomings by opening his own pharmacy. After earning enough money to put a down payment on a loan for the store that he was working in at the time from Isaac Blood, Walgreen finally owned a store in a great location just south side of Chicago in a prosperous area. He renovated the space, employed a colleague, broadened the selection of products offered, and priced at a fair rate to improve efficiency. One of the differentiating strategies that Walgreen implemented was through utilizing his development of the â€Å"two-minute† drill. This service allowed a local customer to call Walgreen’s store, request an item, and have it delivered by one of Walgreen’s handymen within two minutes of the customer calling. The good reputation of his service spread quickly among the community. The next chapter in Walgreens store innovation and competitive edge was his idea to sell hot food items during the winter, cooked by his wife, Myrtle Walgreen. The trend of that time for many businesses was to have a soda fountain that served cold drinks and milkshakes, which Walgreen also served during the hot summer months. His approach to customer service carried through to winter months with the hot food serving, while his competitors failed to keep up with what would eventually become an essential part of drug store business. Walgreen’s store was growing at a strong pace. By 1929, he had 525 operating stores, 633 in 1975, and hit one thousand open stores in 1984. Today, Walgreens opens around 425 new stores, on average, each year. Through the company’s mission statement, Walgreens strives to be the most trusted and innovative pharmacy with health and wellness solutions and serve consumers across the U. S. Walgreen set out to help people get well and stay well. With constant innovations in technology and customer satisfaction, the company is expected to continue to soar. II. Key events that shaped the company Over the past century, there have been economic conditions, changes in demographics, technological advancements, and competitive pressures that Walgreens has had to face and overcome. The first major event that shaped the company was the featuring of the soda fountain in the store in 1909, which lead to the introduction of the malted milkshake that became an American icon. Although a minor triumph at the time, the milkshake attributed to the growth of the company overall. The next event to affect the company hit hard. The Great Depression was a difficult time for most businesses and many were dying out and closing. Walgreens, though vulnerable itself, was able to push through this time by implementing the value of marketing. Through smart advertising and innovations in customer service, Walgreens not only survived the depression but also was able to help by employing workers and added to its testament of always being able to adapt to the changing times. After the death of Charles Walgreen in 1939, his son took over the president position in the company. Fast-forwarding to the next significant even in 1950, when Walgreens opened its first small, self-service store. This event is representative of the innovation and move toward the future that Walgreens will continue to see. A jump to 1975 is a marker of importance as the company reached $1 billion in net sales. In 1999, Walgreens. com opened, offering a convenient shopping experience for its customers online. Today, them most influential growth strategy Walgreens has implemented is the partnership with Alliance Boots to form the world’s first pharmacy-led enterprise. The two brands coming together will position Walgreens for growth in the long-term by transforming Walgreens drug stores into a community, daily living destination while expanding across new avenues of markets and reinventing cost structures. III. Key Financial Data The financial highlights from the income statement of Walgreens Co. n 2012 include a net sales figure of $71,633 million; a decrease of 0. 8% from the previous year. Net sales combined with a cost of sales of $51,291 million lead to a gross profit of $20,342 million; again, down from the previous year by 0. 7%. A net earnings comparison shows a 21. 6 % decrease from $2,714 million in 2011 to $2,127 in 2012. Some in-store sales figures help explain some declines with a prescription sales decrease of 3. 1% and front-end sales increase of 3. 6%. These key financial figures represent a trend in diminishing profits for Walgreens in prescription drugs for the past fiscal year, but a growth in front-end sales, which is an indicator of pharmacy-related issues. IV. The drug store industry analysis As an industry that has been around since the late 19th century, the drug store is comprised of staples and pharmaceuticals retailing. History of the industry recalls the first drug store being opened in 1823 and strictly worked with pharmaceuticals under the first registered pharmacist. As the tores became more popular and customers’ needs grew for different products, the industry transitioned into including staple items. Today, the average retail products include (but not limited to): prescriptions, food, cosmetics, toiletries, and tobacco products, but dominate in the pharmaceutical department that holds the highest profit. Chain drug stores currently possess the greatest market share in the industry when compared to independen t stores and the majority are incorporated at 76% of all drug store firms. Among the top three company chains are CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. This segment within the industry is highly competitive with demand growing. V. The future of drug stores With demographics changing, especially within the U. S. , the future of drug stores is expected to transform their product offerings. A shift to concentration on prescription drugs sales, as the general public grows older, will be responsible for a decline in products that are no longer demanded as staple items (ex. beauty aids and fragrances). A growing trend seen in the current market is self-diagnosis and self-treatment along with the addition of generic drug sales. Customers are being offered a generic drug alternative for a lower price and are becoming more inclined to self-treating without the help of a pharmacist. Another movement towards the future includes implementing advancements in technology. Many stores currently use self-serve checkouts and photo printing booths. Advancements in electronic prescription filling and ordering refills online are playing a big role in development. Therefore, a broader depth of target market research and differentiation in product offering based on research results may be beneficial to the survival and growth of the drug store industry. VI. SWOT analysis of Walgreens Strengths and weaknesses Walgreens, as mentioned before, is one of the leading examples of success within the drug store industry. A continuous need for improvement and adaptation to the changing market keeps Walgreens alert and attentive, in step with customer wants, which serves as one of its major strengths. The past 3 decades for Walgreens have been those of growth and exceeding competitive sales. The use of technology incorporated in Walgreens store operations allows the company to receive and analyze real-time sales data and customer interaction. Systems such as the POS (Point of Sale) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) generate up-to-date information on impact of certain store displays on sales and record marketing data needed to maximize profits. In order to serve customers more effectively, Walgreens offers convenient services online, such as photo printing and prescription call-ins. The implementation of technology as a tool for tracking data and servicing is another strength of the company. Walgreens offers a loyalty program to its customers to further improve on customer satisfaction. The reward program, called Balance Rewards, is a point-based system that gives discounts and coupons to customers whenever they use the loyalty card and earn points. Many ways to earn points include filling prescriptions, purchasing certain items in-store and online, using the mobile app to purchase items, and a Steps with Balance Rewards that tracks when the customer is living a healthy lifestyle. The customer can redeem his or her rewards for more coupons and discounts on future purchases. While the success of Walgreens is prevalent, weaknesses within the company prevent Walgreens from reaching perfection. A major weakness and concern for the company is opening too many stores. This may seem strange, considering the growth in demand for more stores is perceived as a positive characteristic, but cannibalizing their own market at the growing pace could lead to a mass reduction in sales and revenue by stealing customers from their current top selling stores. As Walgreens is always adapting to its market and looking for new opportunities, an important factor to look into would be limiting how many new stores they are opening and evaluating their product portfolio. Threats and opportunities Threats are inherent in any business. Competition would not be possible without external threats. The biggest threat to Walgreens is the rise in grocery store and supermarket discounters. Before, drug stores competed against other drug stores and pharmacies in a highly competitive market. Now, stores like Target and Kroger are offering prescription drug services and are able to do so at a discounted rate. Since these stores carry a much larger assortment of products and more SKUs than a typical drug store, they operate at lower costs and charge a cheaper price. The current economic state poses a threat to businesses everywhere. Within the drug industry, the cut from Medicaid in 2007, by $3. 6 billion, impacted many pharmacies and affected the sales of generic drugs in the U. S. Today, uncertainty around the long-term viability of the Affordable Care Act is threatening the insurance industry, or at least the affordability of coverage. Currently, about half of the states in the U. S. are refusing to participate in the new insurance exchange program, which is driving insurance rates up drastically. Moving away from the challenges of business, opportunities also present themselves within the industry. One opportunity that Walgreens may be looking into is how to market more towards the generation it has been growing with: the baby boomers. This market is the general population that is now getting older and has the most experience with Walgreens. As this generation ages, their needs change and require different products. More prescriptions for aging health issues need to be filled and less beauty supplies are being purchased, for example. The opportunity to transition and focus on this particular market could benefit Walgreens’s sales. Further prospects for Walgreens includes going global. International business opportunities offer drug stores an entire new market, which if executed correctly, can be a major growth possibility. It’s easy to oversaturate a market when operated domestically, as is the case is for Walgreens in the U. S. , so expanding past our borders to different nations may be a prospective move for the company. If there was only one opportunity Walgreens should take on, it would be most important to increase the sales of non-prescription items. Although marketing towards the older generation and profiting from more prescription fills is demanded, incorporating the sales of items that people will buy, as a related product to their main purchases, will boost profit. VII. Competitor’s strengths and weaknesses Walgreens’s biggest competitor is CVS (Convenience, Value, and Service). CVS Caremark is the largest, most profitable drug store/ retailer in the U. S. Strengths CVS Caremark operates under three different retailing segments: the CVS pharmacy, Caremark pharmacy services, and its MinuteClinic. Under these three segments, CVS is able to offer its customers lower prices, loyalty programs, cover over two thousand healthcare plans, and operate a walk-in clinic service. Through their services, CVS is able to hold the strongest market share at almost 20% of the prescription drug market. It also has one of the largest loyalty programs for customers; more than 500 million customers who use the loyalty card through the Extra Care program. CVS has made substantial investments in technology and incorporating it into their programs. The company’s strengths have lead them to push a revenue of over $100 billion and net income of $4 billion. Weaknesses The only complaints to come from a customer’s point of view at CVS is that the store consistency varies occasionally, meaning one CVS store may be too different in product offering than another CVS store, which confuses some customers. The employee turnover rate is also higher than ideal for a large company operating many stores, meaning focus should include keeping employees happy with more benefits. VIII. Key competition comparison Similarities Both Walgreens and CVS have loyalty programs that they use to reward customers and offer valuable customer data. Using a customer rewards program to offer coupons and discounts builds loyalty to that company’s brand and image. This incentive strategy has worked well for both companies. However, they differ in the way each one works. At CVS, when a customer purchases multiple items in one transaction, the reward points/ coupons are split amongst the items within the one transaction. The customer receives more incentive with each purchase whereas at Walgreens, the reward is based on the number of transactions only. A customer can purchase the same number of items in each store, but receive more reward points/ coupons at CVS. Differences When compared to CVS, Walgreens carries more of a â€Å"mom and pop† store reputation, which benefits their image. The company’s stores are all linked, making it easier for customers to get prescriptions filled at any Walgreen store, which is an advantage over CVS. Walgreens also offers prescription labels and in-store advertising in other languages and is open 24 hours in many locations across the U. S. , another incentive that CVS does not offer. These distinctive traits represent Walgreens’s commitment to pleasing its customer and fulfilling needs. CVS is differentiated from Walgreens through store layout and product offering. CVS stores are known to be larger and customer more customer-friendly in space and appearance than Walgreens. CVS has also brought in more net revenue, over $100 billion as compared to Walgreens at $75 billion, leading by about $25 billion. As mentioned earlier, Walgreens has seen a diminishing performance, financially, while CVS is rising. IX. Recommendations The first recommendation for Walgreens to move towards better sales and profits in the future would be to capitalize on the baby boomer generation. As explained before, this would require readjusting the marketing platform to appeal to more prescription sales and aging health products. This strategy has potential for short-term and long-term growth. The second recommendation would be to become aware of cannibalizing its own market. This strategy would lessen the investments in real estate space being made currently. Instead of opening more and more new stores each year, the company should focus on evaluating and expanding the current services in each existing store. Innovations in store layouts and product differentiation in the existing stores may help individual store sales and not oversaturate the market with too much of the same thing. The final recommendation for Walgreens is to enhance its customer service through the convenience factor. Developing more online services will help also help the aging generation as it becomes more difficult for them to get in a car and drive to a brick-and-mortar store. This kind of innovation is what customers like to see in businesses and the company will be benefiting from the multichannel strategy. X. References CVS Caremark |. (n. d. ). CVS Caremark |. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://info. cvscaremark. com/ Page Through Our Past: Page 4 | Our History | Walgreens. (n. d. ). Welcome to Walgreens – Your Home for Prescriptions, Photos and Health Information. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://www. walgreens. com/marketing/about/history/hist4. jsp How to cite Walgreens Analysis, Papers

Walgreens Analysis Free Essays

Walgreens Strategy Analysis Retailing: MKTG 3740 B April 7, 2013 I. History and Mission Statement Walgreens has grown from a small, neighborhood-oriented drug store to a trusted, national pharmacy. Founded in 1901 by Charles R. We will write a custom essay sample on Walgreens Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Walgreen, the company bloomed from a commitment made to perseverance. Walgreen came from Dixon, Illinois at the age of sixteen, working an unpleasant job at a drug store after he lost a portion of a finger that left him incapable of continuing a career in athletics. He left with an ambition of entrepreneurship as the flourishing city of Chicago welcomed him with the booming pharmacy business. Devoted to his goal, Walgreen worked his way through gaining experience and financial stability within the growing industry. His work experience through jobs with different pharmacies allowed Walgreen to analyze the strengths and weaknesses in their business operations. Focusing on the gaps in service and the needs by customers that were not being met, Walgreen had an opportunity to capitalize on the industry’s shortcomings by opening his own pharmacy. After earning enough money to put a down payment on a loan for the store that he was working in at the time from Isaac Blood, Walgreen finally owned a store in a great location just south side of Chicago in a prosperous area. He renovated the space, employed a colleague, broadened the selection of products offered, and priced at a fair rate to improve efficiency. One of the differentiating strategies that Walgreen implemented was through utilizing his development of the â€Å"two-minute† drill. This service allowed a local customer to call Walgreen’s store, request an item, and have it delivered by one of Walgreen’s handymen within two minutes of the customer calling. The good reputation of his service spread quickly among the community. The next chapter in Walgreens store innovation and competitive edge was his idea to sell hot food items during the winter, cooked by his wife, Myrtle Walgreen. The trend of that time for many businesses was to have a soda fountain that served cold drinks and milkshakes, which Walgreen also served during the hot summer months. His approach to customer service carried through to winter months with the hot food serving, while his competitors failed to keep up with what would eventually become an essential part of drug store business. Walgreen’s store was growing at a strong pace. By 1929, he had 525 operating stores, 633 in 1975, and hit one thousand open stores in 1984. Today, Walgreens opens around 425 new stores, on average, each year. Through the company’s mission statement, Walgreens strives to be the most trusted and innovative pharmacy with health and wellness solutions and serve consumers across the U. S. Walgreen set out to help people get well and stay well. With constant innovations in technology and customer satisfaction, the company is expected to continue to soar. II. Key events that shaped the company Over the past century, there have been economic conditions, changes in demographics, technological advancements, and competitive pressures that Walgreens has had to face and overcome. The first major event that shaped the company was the featuring of the soda fountain in the store in 1909, which lead to the introduction of the malted milkshake that became an American icon. Although a minor triumph at the time, the milkshake attributed to the growth of the company overall. The next event to affect the company hit hard. The Great Depression was a difficult time for most businesses and many were dying out and closing. Walgreens, though vulnerable itself, was able to push through this time by implementing the value of marketing. Through smart advertising and innovations in customer service, Walgreens not only survived the depression but also was able to help by employing workers and added to its testament of always being able to adapt to the changing times. After the death of Charles Walgreen in 1939, his son took over the president position in the company. Fast-forwarding to the next significant even in 1950, when Walgreens opened its first small, self-service store. This event is representative of the innovation and move toward the future that Walgreens will continue to see. A jump to 1975 is a marker of importance as the company reached $1 billion in net sales. In 1999, Walgreens. com opened, offering a convenient shopping experience for its customers online. Today, them most influential growth strategy Walgreens has implemented is the partnership with Alliance Boots to form the world’s first pharmacy-led enterprise. The two brands coming together will position Walgreens for growth in the long-term by transforming Walgreens drug stores into a community, daily living destination while expanding across new avenues of markets and reinventing cost structures. III. Key Financial Data The financial highlights from the income statement of Walgreens Co. n 2012 include a net sales figure of $71,633 million; a decrease of 0. 8% from the previous year. Net sales combined with a cost of sales of $51,291 million lead to a gross profit of $20,342 million; again, down from the previous year by 0. 7%. A net earnings comparison shows a 21. 6 % decrease from $2,714 million in 2011 to $2,127 in 2012. Some in-store sales figures help explain some declines with a prescription sales decrease of 3. 1% and front-end sales increase of 3. 6%. These key financial figures represent a trend in diminishing profits for Walgreens in prescription drugs for the past fiscal year, but a growth in front-end sales, which is an indicator of pharmacy-related issues. IV. The drug store industry analysis As an industry that has been around since the late 19th century, the drug store is comprised of staples and pharmaceuticals retailing. History of the industry recalls the first drug store being opened in 1823 and strictly worked with pharmaceuticals under the first registered pharmacist. As the tores became more popular and customers’ needs grew for different products, the industry transitioned into including staple items. Today, the average retail products include (but not limited to): prescriptions, food, cosmetics, toiletries, and tobacco products, but dominate in the pharmaceutical department that holds the highest profit. Chain drug stores currently possess the greatest market share in the industry when compared to independen t stores and the majority are incorporated at 76% of all drug store firms. Among the top three company chains are CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. This segment within the industry is highly competitive with demand growing. V. The future of drug stores With demographics changing, especially within the U. S. , the future of drug stores is expected to transform their product offerings. A shift to concentration on prescription drugs sales, as the general public grows older, will be responsible for a decline in products that are no longer demanded as staple items (ex. beauty aids and fragrances). A growing trend seen in the current market is self-diagnosis and self-treatment along with the addition of generic drug sales. Customers are being offered a generic drug alternative for a lower price and are becoming more inclined to self-treating without the help of a pharmacist. Another movement towards the future includes implementing advancements in technology. Many stores currently use self-serve checkouts and photo printing booths. Advancements in electronic prescription filling and ordering refills online are playing a big role in development. Therefore, a broader depth of target market research and differentiation in product offering based on research results may be beneficial to the survival and growth of the drug store industry. VI. SWOT analysis of Walgreens Strengths and weaknesses Walgreens, as mentioned before, is one of the leading examples of success within the drug store industry. A continuous need for improvement and adaptation to the changing market keeps Walgreens alert and attentive, in step with customer wants, which serves as one of its major strengths. The past 3 decades for Walgreens have been those of growth and exceeding competitive sales. The use of technology incorporated in Walgreens store operations allows the company to receive and analyze real-time sales data and customer interaction. Systems such as the POS (Point of Sale) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) generate up-to-date information on impact of certain store displays on sales and record marketing data needed to maximize profits. In order to serve customers more effectively, Walgreens offers convenient services online, such as photo printing and prescription call-ins. The implementation of technology as a tool for tracking data and servicing is another strength of the company. Walgreens offers a loyalty program to its customers to further improve on customer satisfaction. The reward program, called Balance Rewards, is a point-based system that gives discounts and coupons to customers whenever they use the loyalty card and earn points. Many ways to earn points include filling prescriptions, purchasing certain items in-store and online, using the mobile app to purchase items, and a Steps with Balance Rewards that tracks when the customer is living a healthy lifestyle. The customer can redeem his or her rewards for more coupons and discounts on future purchases. While the success of Walgreens is prevalent, weaknesses within the company prevent Walgreens from reaching perfection. A major weakness and concern for the company is opening too many stores. This may seem strange, considering the growth in demand for more stores is perceived as a positive characteristic, but cannibalizing their own market at the growing pace could lead to a mass reduction in sales and revenue by stealing customers from their current top selling stores. As Walgreens is always adapting to its market and looking for new opportunities, an important factor to look into would be limiting how many new stores they are opening and evaluating their product portfolio. Threats and opportunities Threats are inherent in any business. Competition would not be possible without external threats. The biggest threat to Walgreens is the rise in grocery store and supermarket discounters. Before, drug stores competed against other drug stores and pharmacies in a highly competitive market. Now, stores like Target and Kroger are offering prescription drug services and are able to do so at a discounted rate. Since these stores carry a much larger assortment of products and more SKUs than a typical drug store, they operate at lower costs and charge a cheaper price. The current economic state poses a threat to businesses everywhere. Within the drug industry, the cut from Medicaid in 2007, by $3. 6 billion, impacted many pharmacies and affected the sales of generic drugs in the U. S. Today, uncertainty around the long-term viability of the Affordable Care Act is threatening the insurance industry, or at least the affordability of coverage. Currently, about half of the states in the U. S. are refusing to participate in the new insurance exchange program, which is driving insurance rates up drastically. Moving away from the challenges of business, opportunities also present themselves within the industry. One opportunity that Walgreens may be looking into is how to market more towards the generation it has been growing with: the baby boomers. This market is the general population that is now getting older and has the most experience with Walgreens. As this generation ages, their needs change and require different products. More prescriptions for aging health issues need to be filled and less beauty supplies are being purchased, for example. The opportunity to transition and focus on this particular market could benefit Walgreens’s sales. Further prospects for Walgreens includes going global. International business opportunities offer drug stores an entire new market, which if executed correctly, can be a major growth possibility. It’s easy to oversaturate a market when operated domestically, as is the case is for Walgreens in the U. S. , so expanding past our borders to different nations may be a prospective move for the company. If there was only one opportunity Walgreens should take on, it would be most important to increase the sales of non-prescription items. Although marketing towards the older generation and profiting from more prescription fills is demanded, incorporating the sales of items that people will buy, as a related product to their main purchases, will boost profit. VII. Competitor’s strengths and weaknesses Walgreens’s biggest competitor is CVS (Convenience, Value, and Service). CVS Caremark is the largest, most profitable drug store/ retailer in the U. S. Strengths CVS Caremark operates under three different retailing segments: the CVS pharmacy, Caremark pharmacy services, and its MinuteClinic. Under these three segments, CVS is able to offer its customers lower prices, loyalty programs, cover over two thousand healthcare plans, and operate a walk-in clinic service. Through their services, CVS is able to hold the strongest market share at almost 20% of the prescription drug market. It also has one of the largest loyalty programs for customers; more than 500 million customers who use the loyalty card through the Extra Care program. CVS has made substantial investments in technology and incorporating it into their programs. The company’s strengths have lead them to push a revenue of over $100 billion and net income of $4 billion. Weaknesses The only complaints to come from a customer’s point of view at CVS is that the store consistency varies occasionally, meaning one CVS store may be too different in product offering than another CVS store, which confuses some customers. The employee turnover rate is also higher than ideal for a large company operating many stores, meaning focus should include keeping employees happy with more benefits. VIII. Key competition comparison Similarities Both Walgreens and CVS have loyalty programs that they use to reward customers and offer valuable customer data. Using a customer rewards program to offer coupons and discounts builds loyalty to that company’s brand and image. This incentive strategy has worked well for both companies. However, they differ in the way each one works. At CVS, when a customer purchases multiple items in one transaction, the reward points/ coupons are split amongst the items within the one transaction. The customer receives more incentive with each purchase whereas at Walgreens, the reward is based on the number of transactions only. A customer can purchase the same number of items in each store, but receive more reward points/ coupons at CVS. Differences When compared to CVS, Walgreens carries more of a â€Å"mom and pop† store reputation, which benefits their image. The company’s stores are all linked, making it easier for customers to get prescriptions filled at any Walgreen store, which is an advantage over CVS. Walgreens also offers prescription labels and in-store advertising in other languages and is open 24 hours in many locations across the U. S. , another incentive that CVS does not offer. These distinctive traits represent Walgreens’s commitment to pleasing its customer and fulfilling needs. CVS is differentiated from Walgreens through store layout and product offering. CVS stores are known to be larger and customer more customer-friendly in space and appearance than Walgreens. CVS has also brought in more net revenue, over $100 billion as compared to Walgreens at $75 billion, leading by about $25 billion. As mentioned earlier, Walgreens has seen a diminishing performance, financially, while CVS is rising. IX. Recommendations The first recommendation for Walgreens to move towards better sales and profits in the future would be to capitalize on the baby boomer generation. As explained before, this would require readjusting the marketing platform to appeal to more prescription sales and aging health products. This strategy has potential for short-term and long-term growth. The second recommendation would be to become aware of cannibalizing its own market. This strategy would lessen the investments in real estate space being made currently. Instead of opening more and more new stores each year, the company should focus on evaluating and expanding the current services in each existing store. Innovations in store layouts and product differentiation in the existing stores may help individual store sales and not oversaturate the market with too much of the same thing. The final recommendation for Walgreens is to enhance its customer service through the convenience factor. Developing more online services will help also help the aging generation as it becomes more difficult for them to get in a car and drive to a brick-and-mortar store. This kind of innovation is what customers like to see in businesses and the company will be benefiting from the multichannel strategy. X. References CVS Caremark |. (n. d. ). CVS Caremark |. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://info. cvscaremark. com/ Page Through Our Past: Page 4 | Our History | Walgreens. (n. d. ). Welcome to Walgreens – Your Home for Prescriptions, Photos and Health Information. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://www. walgreens. com/marketing/about/history/hist4. jsp How to cite Walgreens Analysis, Papers

Saving Private Ryan free essay sample

Saving Private Ryan brings back to life the real heroes that fought in the war. The film ‘Saving Private Ryan’ opens with an establishing shot, which includes a close up of a muted American flag. The flag is muted because it is a sign of patriotism and respect. This is accompanied with somber music to make the scene very emotive and serious. This opening shows us that the film is not going to be like the rest, it is unique. Spielburg also said â€Å" the last thing I wanted to do in this picture was use the war simply as a spring board for action adventure. I was looking for realism all the time†. The next shot we see is a panning shot, following an old man. Spielburg uses this shot to make us concentrate on the old man, and to make us form a relationship with him. As the panning shot follows the old man and zooms out, we see he has a family behind him, supporting him. We will write a custom essay sample on Saving Private Ryan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The old man comes to a cemetery. With the camera still following him, he hesitates. We then see a long shot of graves/crosses. The old man then collapes, and we see an extreme close up of his eyes. This is used to show the intensity of the old mans feelings, and pain. The next scene goes back into the past after seeing the old man’s haunted eyes. It opens with an establishing shot telling us that we have gone back to June 6th 1944. This is used to tell us the date and to show us the setting. A handheld camera is used to make us feel like we are one of the soldiers. We close up’s of different men, which shows us different emotions of the soldiers. We are shown that all of them are afraid even the captain. Then we see an extreme close up of the captains shaking hands. The shaking hands inform us that not only were the un-experianced soldiers scared but their captain was terrified too. There is a shot of a soldier with a cross. The soldier prays and kisses the cross. This shows some people are turning to god for help. A man also shouts â€Å"God be with you! †, this shows us God is very important to the men. The boat is full of fear, and chaos, withmen that have never been to war. Some men are even being sick. In the background we can hear gun shots, explosions and very violent waves. The diologe is very quiet. This hsows us that the men on the boat could hardly hear each other, all the could hear was destruction and violence. Next we see a close up of the men opening up the boat, and seeing how they are just shot down like a shooting line up. As the soldiers come off the boat we see a close up of a man struggling to get to the surface. Whilst he is fighting his way to the surface he suffocates. It tells us that not only were people shot but there were other reasons to why they died. Whilst we see the man drowning, we are shown two men making their way to the shore. On their way to the shore they are shot. The sea is a crimson red from the amount of men that have been killed. The film colour is muted apart from the colour of blood and fire. This is to show the audience the intensity of death and destruction. As we get onto the shore, the handheld camera is used , again to put the audience into the shoes of a soldie. It gives us the impression that we are protecting our selves from the natzi’s. Also it gives us a relationship with all of the men on the beach, like they are out team. It makes us feel like we are seeing our team mates, our friends, even our family being killed. During the scene the only thing you can hear is the sound of guns, explosions, death, basicly destruction. Then we see a close up of captain miller. The music and sound stops, and we see all of the men being shot and all we see is death and fear. A man looking for his arm a trying to find someone to put it back on is shown. The captain see’s a boat and several mean on fire, this shows American soldiers seem to be nothing compared to the German’s. German’s control the beach. The captain puts his helmet on, and we see a soldier trying to say something but we cannot hear him. As the sound returns, the soldier asks the captain again, â€Å"what the hell do we do now sir ? † there are men turning to the scared and confused captain miller for help. There is a panning shot which follows the captain as he makes his way further into the beach. Next a long shot is shown whilst the captain is explaining the plan. Then we see a close up of a man with his organs coming out, he is screaming for hi ‘Mumma’. The camera shoots in several different directions to show the conditions of many soldiers. Captain miller is shown, in a long shot, dragginf a body across the ground. As he is walking another explosion goes of and the sound of destruction stops again. When captain miller falls over the sound of gun shots and explosions come back. The hand held camera follows captain miller as all the soldiers