Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Integrating health care systems Essay Example for Free

Integrating health care systems Essay Integrating health care systems Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Integrated health systems deem to be component of the resolution to the general glitch of sustaining global healthcare structure. Various methodical literature reviews have been developed to funnel decision-makers and other stakeholders to strategize and execute integrated health schemes. The inefficiencies and inequality in health systems have persisted for long due to economic breakdown. The rationale of advancement of health systems is to improve efficiency and equity in health care provision (Boslaugh, 2013). The rationale of this paper is to compare, contrast and describe two articles related to integration of healthcare systems. â€Å"Integrated health care networks in Latin America: toward a conceptual a framework for analysis† is an article by ML Và ¡zquez, and â€Å"Ten key principles for successful health systems integration† by E Suter (Retrived from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004930/).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Integrated health systems are considered as right step towards the challenge of sustainability (Lorenzi, 2005). The efforts to ensure that the state of health care system across countries include introduction of health care networks. This system is also known as integrated health care delivery system. Other efforts include guiding health professionals and other related stakeholders to strategize and execute integrated health care configuration (Kronenfeld, 2004). Integrated health care systems are generally believed to offer greater performance in terms of safety, quality as a result of standardized protocols and effective communication. However, these results have not been fully realized (Joumard , 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two articles were published in 2009. There is need to integrate health care systems since they are characterized by overrated expenses, sluggish public disbursement on health as part of gross domestic product, as well as gross inequalities (Mesa-Lago, 2007). In both articles the health care systems are integrated to meet patient needs, to ensure comprehensive services across the health care scheme, consistent care delivery between professional groups, information coordination, performance management, physician integration, organization leadership and culture, financial management, and governance construction (Retrieved from http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892009001000012script=sci_arttext).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suter descried the condition of health systems in Canada while Và ¡zquez elaborate about the state of health care condition in Latin America (Geyndt, 2001). Health care system in Latin America has been jeopardized by economic breakdown, gross inequalities, and overrated expenditure. On contrary, health care is greatly affected by service demand, gradual cost inflation, as well as staff shortages. In both articles endeavors to integrate health care structure face hindrances. In Canada, efforts for integration are affected by inadequate information related to executing and integration-linked initiatives (Rathwell, 1994). That is the information is isolated and not easily accessed. On the other hand, despite integration in health structure in health systems, the issues of inequalities still prevail in health services. Recent study reveals that health care integration in Canada is not sustainable in the modern form (Morrison, 2013).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, calls for superior integration of health care service delivery, as an approach to attend to equity of efficiency and access, have been demonstrated in health reforms by multilateral institutions and national governments across the world. These efforts include proper planning to help the health care professionals to make superior decisions as well as the introduction of integrated health care networks. These efforts will strengthen the capacity of health care systems. The objective of these reforms is to improve overcoming inequalities as well as improving efficiency. The only remaining part is to ensure there are appropriate strategies to analyze the capability of the alterations being put into place to deliver integration plans. References Boslaugh, S. (2013). Health care systems around the world: a comparative guide. New York, NY: SAGE publishers. Geyndt, W. D. (2001). Improving the quality of health care in Latin America. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 13(2), 85-87. Health care comes home the human factors. (2011). Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Integrating mental health into primary care: a global perspective.. (2008). Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization ;. Joumard, I., AndreÃÅ' , C., Nicq, C. (2010). Health Care Systems. Paris: OECD. Kronenfeld, J. J. (2004). Chronic care, health care systems, and services integration. Amsterdam: Elsevier JAI. Lorenzi, N. M. (2005). Transforming health care through information (2nd ed.). New York: Springer. Mesa-Lago, C. (2007). Social Security In Latin America: Pension And Health Care Reforms In The Last Quarter Century. Latin American Research Review, 42(2), 181-201. Morrison, J. (2013). CPhA and other health care professions: Working for a better health care system. Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada, 146(3), 171-172. Rathwell, T. (1994). Health Care In Canada: A System In Turmoil. Health Policy, 27(1), 5-17. SciELO Salud Publica. (n.d.). SciELO Salud Publica. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S1020-49892009001000012script=sci_arttext Suter, E., Oelke, N., Adair, C., Armitage, G. (1930, March 6). Abstract. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved August 25, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004930/ Source document

Monday, January 20, 2020

Investigation Of Reproduction And Development In Animals :: essays research papers fc

Investigation of Reproduction and Development in Animals Cycles, Conception and Contraception Fertility is the condition of being fertile. The aim of contraception is to inhibit fertility in individuals, hence, slowing population growth. The system by which all female contraception must operate: the menstrual cycle. What is the menstrual cycle? and what hormones are involved in controlling it? After puberty, the female produces an egg each month. Other changes take place on a cyclic basis including the uterus lining and hormone levels. These changes are called the menstrual cycle. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland stimulates the growth of follicles in the ovary. Follicles produce oestrogen that stimulates the pituitary to produce leutinising hormone (LH). As LH increases the size of the follicle increases until an egg is released. The corpus luteum formed in the follicle secretes progesterone that prepares the lining of the uterus for pregnancy. If fertilisation does not occur the lining of the uterus is discharged from the body in the process called menstruation. What is the birth control pill? The combined oral contraceptive pill (the pill) is a reversable, hormonal method of birth control. The pill consists of a mixture of two synthetic hormones similar to oestrogen and progesterone, the woman’s natural hormones which regulate the menstrual cycle. The pill is on of the most popular methods of birth control. How does it work? The pill basically prevents ovulation, therefore, the ovaries can’t release a mature egg. Without an egg for the sperm to fertilize , a woman cannot get pregnant . The hormones also increase cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to pass into the uterus. How effective is the pill? If used correctly, the pill is highly effective. It has a less than one percent failure rate. However, because many people misuse it, the actual failure rate is more like three percent. The pill does not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases. How are pills used? One pill must be swallowed at the same time every day. It is not any single pill, but the day-to-day process of taking the pill which provides protection against pregnancy. What is infertility? Infertility in humans and other species(animals) is the inability to concieve or carry a pregnancy to a live birth. The causes of infertility can be identified in some cases. The majority of cases relate to female factors (50%), 40% relate to male factors and 10% aree unknown. Infertility sometimes may serve as a combination of both male and female factors. If the cause of infertility is known, treatment of some kind may be available. In other cases a problem may disappear on its own and fertility is restored.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Candy empathy task Essay

Well, here I am again on the same old ranch full of the same old ranch workers. It wasn’t going to be like this. I nearly got away from it all. Ya see, in all them other I had a dream. Made me feel kinda special, I s’pose, because there ain’t too many guys who hang on to a vision these days. Anyhow, Lennie’s gone now. I gotta say even if he was a crazy bastard that shattered my dream, he was someone to talk to, in fact; he was the one that told me about the dream in the first place. I will miss that crazy bastard. Ways are back to what they were before George and Lennie turned up. The same old people as before. Curley is still as cocky as before except he has a screwed up hand. I heard Curley say to Carlson that if he comes across another girl that he likes his hand is going into that glove again. And the other difference is that my companion is not here. I remember how he used to follow me everywhere even if he was getting a bit old and did not look very attractive like he used to; but that was hardly his fault. Still if it had to be done I would have preferred to do it myself. He was my dog, my companion, my friend. I don’t know how I am going to get through the last few years of my life without him. I shoulda done it myself. They woulda let me leave this ranch but where would I go. I can’t go to the farm on my own can I. The thought of leaving my dog behind, is just too powerful so I’ve decided I’m not going anywhere. My dog jus goes round and round in my head. I mean, Carlson is a fine bloke ‘n’ all but I still regret it. I bet it was that Curley that told him to do it. Bloody ‘hand fulla Vaseline’ guy. From the moment Lennie and Curley met everyone was expecting trouble. I mean, that was all we talked bout at dinner. Those two are a right pair. I mean, a crazy bastard and a golden gloves champion. Yet, it looked like the crazy bastard lost in the end. After all that he did; I mean, crushing Curley’s hand and breaking his wife’s neck. He went and lost the fight. There ain’t nobody that I know of, and if there was I would know, that has done that much damage to Curley. So off he went to find Lennie and put an end to it. Then all I remember was that Carlson’s gun was missing. Rumour has it that George hadda overpower Lennie to get the gun. Then Lennie got shot in a struggle but I gotta feeling that, by the way Slim was quiet, that something is not right. Everyone’s moving on now. George has left. Lennie is dead. Curley’s wife is dead. Curley’s gotta new girlfriend. I nearly hadda new pup from Lulu, Slim’s dog, but jus as I was pickin’ it it made me feel bad inside; made me feel even worse bout my old companion.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

S Candide Of The Enlightenment Era And Tennysons Ulysses...

The two works of literature, I will be connecting will be Voltaire’s Candide of the Enlightenment Era and Tennyson’s â€Å"Ulysses† of the Romantic Era. The connection I will convey will be the theme of mortality. In both works, we will see this theme being intertwined within the main idea. I will connect these two works of literature by; identifying mortality in both works of literature, using direct quotes, and giving a literary insight on how Voltaire and Tennyson used mortality to give a deeper meaning to the central idea of the work. Voltaire’s Candide is the story of the character of Candide who knows nothing other the castle he lives in. In the story, Candide leaves his castle and travels to Eldorado. Eldorado is a paradise; here†¦show more content†¦We see this when he says, â€Å"How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!† (Tennyson,644). In this line alone, we see the theme of mortality being conveyed. This line is saying how boring it is to sit still and rust and not be of any use. Ulysses is feeling the hurt of coming home and not being able to be on the seas. Ulysses understands that he doesn’t have much time left, and he’s not going to sit around to just die and rust away. Instead, he decides that he is going to leave and enjoy the rest of his life. Mortality comes up again when he is talking about traveling with the men back on the seas. Ulysses says, â€Å"It may be that the gulfs will wash us down. It maybe we shall touch th e Happy Isles†¦Though much is taken, much abides;† (Tennyson,645). Ulysses isn’t afraid of death here; he wants to be back on the seas. He realizes that even though he is older in age and might die if he goes back out, it’ll all be worth it. In Voltaire’s Candide mortality was conveyed in many parts of the story. In the story of Candide, death is a recurring theme. Mortality appears in the story of Candide when the writer writes, â€Å"he had to choose; by virtue of the divine gift called â€Å"liberty† he decided to run the gauntlet thirty-six times, and actually endured two floggings†¦ Candide, who could endure no more, begged as a special favor that they would have the goodness to smash his head† (Voltaire,103). In this line we see Candide

Thursday, December 26, 2019

How I Started Community College - 2035 Words

That is how adults handle interactions, and to react defensively, I feel, is mostly a reaction based in fear. Give an example of a time when you made a commitment to something and saw it through from beginning to end. I know in everyday life that there are countless examples of commitments that you have to see through to the end. To me the most meaningful example in my life would have to be college. I started community college feeling so behind, as a 24 year old with only a G.E.D., I knew that when I started I needed to go through with it. I thought that if I let myself mess this up I’d never have the courage to begin again. Once I was in school I never stopped, I attended summer courses and completed 10 terms straight before I earned my A.A.O.T. I can’t say that I feel anywhere near the end of my educational journey, and I hope I never do, but I did see community college through to the end. 6. What is your personal experience with birth? My personal experience, I have never been to a birth. I have read, watched, and discussed birth, birth culture, and traditions for 10 years now, but I have yet to have an opportunity to attend a birth in person. In my family none of my generation has had children yet, and before this last 9 months or so, none of my friends had been pregnant. I had planned on having children young and started to educate myself on the subject when I was about 17. I started as I am sure many women do with â€Å"What to Expect When You reShow MoreRelatedThe Mission Of Community Colleges1130 Words   |  5 Pagesaltered missions of community colleges and related impacts on the historical mission of community colleges. The mission of community colleges were intended to serve all individuals with an equal opportunity for higher education access. In this research paper, there will be four guided questions: 1. What was the original mission of community colleges? 2. How has the community colleges mission changed over time? 3. How did the organizational culture impact the community colleges? 4. What are societalRead MoreGraduation Speech : High School1445 Words   |  6 Pages In most jobs, when you apply there are requirements that you need to be able to be even considered a good candidate for the job and be hired. Did you graduate high school? Do you have a college degree? A 3.00 GPA or above? Previous experience for at least two years? Most guardians tell you to work hard in school to have a bright future. If you want to find a good job they suggest you to look what are the requirements to be able to even be consider. When you start high school in some schools theyRead MoreStudying Psychology At River Parish Community College938 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor Kleinpeter. Since the doors opened 17 years ago, Kleinpeter has taught Psychology at River Parish Community College. Before River Parish Community College, she taught at the University of New Orleans. Then, in the beginning of her career she taught Special Education for 15 years. It is obvious that Kleinpeter has plenty of experience under her belt, but all of these successes started with a choice . The future that children often dream for themselves is not the reality they live out laterRead MoreAcademic Success At Maple Woods Because It Develops Productivity, And Their Peers1309 Words   |  6 PagesWhen it comes to school, academic success is vitale to learning and being successful in college. How students are involved during college effect’s their success in school greatly. The more a student is involved, the more invested and interested they will be. Therefore I think that the school should encourage engagement with activities, and their peers. I believe that campus involvement would improve student success here at Maple Woods because it develops productivity, and general interest and prideRead MoreImplementing Learning Communities At The Community College Level1431 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Many students start college and end up either dropping out or taking an exuberant amount of time to complete. This is especially true for the community colleges, where the majority of the students are commuters, a large portion work and some have family obligations. Many institutions have started addressing these circumstances by creating learning communities. The idea of implementing learning communities at the community college level can be the change that is needed for the successRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse On The Community844 Words   |  4 PagesMost college students have the freedom to do whatever they would like, with little parental supervision. This often leads a student to their downfall. Students are often found turning to drugs and alcohol to help relieve themselves from the pressure of school. Students and even some adults tend to try and find a short term fix to a long term problem. leading many students to substance use. Many of them use drugs and alco hol to help distance themselves from the stress they are faced with. A communityRead MoreMy Target Accomplishment At The Gray Zones Of Transitioning Can Challenge1353 Words   |  6 Pagesby the adoption of negative habits and routine in which we become comfortable in and often differ your mind from your ultimate goal. Just as you need to acknowledge a loss you must not become consumed within the failure aspect instead deliberate on how is it that you can do to better and prosper pass this situation. The process of transitioning is more of a mental challenge than physical it pushes you beyond what you expect of yourself. My target accomplishment was to obtain my bachelor s degreeRead MoreI Am A Transfer Student At California State University911 Words   |  4 Pages I am a transfer student at California State University, Long Beach and my major is Human Development with a concentration in social and personality development. I enjoy volunteering to work with isolated senior citizens and at the Orange County Food Bank in Garden Grove. Giving back to my community and being successful in school goes hand in hand for me. With all my heart, I believe that a higher education will allow me to reach out and do more for the individuals in my community and to mold meRead MoreSummary And Response Of Community College947 Words   |  4 Pagesschool, students have the tendency to think that community college is something that is bad. In â€Å"Confessions Of A Girl Who Was ‘Too Smart For Community College’,† Chelsea Fagan talks about how in school, she had a hard time in school with her grade s and how her school showed off kids that went to college on a bulletin board. She tried everything to avoid going to a community college. Only for the reason that there was a â€Å"stigma† on how community colleges are mostly frowned upon or even laughed at (Fagan)Read MoreI Am Pursuing Bsn From Empire State College994 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstand what courses I need to take and what to expect each semester while I am pursuing BSN from Empire State College so that I can prepare myself and my family ahead. This will help me refocus my reasons of why I am returning to school and what I will be studying Goals in Pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing I have an Associate Degree in nursing from Queensborough Community College. I had a Bachelor in Environmental Engineering already and I was looking for the fastest

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Review of Forrest Gump Movie - 883 Words

Forrest Gump, directed by Robert Zemeckis is a six Academy Awards winner (1995) love-or-hate story of a journey through life of a simple man. Gump (Tom Hanks), continually finds himself in the middle of important events from the late 50s through the 70s including a meeting with Elvis Presley, JFK and Richard Nixon. Without effort of his own he is a witness of almost all major historical moments in the United Stated, however he takes part in them without understanding what he does and sees. It is worth noticing that Gump is not an ordinary character. He is a young Alabaman of slight intelligence who lives by the rules that was drilled into him by his mama (Sally Field). Even though Forrest has an IQ of only 75 and his early life was†¦show more content†¦Of course, its still there, but its easier to laugh on mamas quotes, then actually understand them. For sure, Forrest Gump is an important movie. Its one of the early movies to showcase the possibilities of CGI (computer-generating images), demonstrating that it isnt just science-fiction films that benefit from advanced computer technology. From the feather that floats down from the sky to settle at Forrests feet to the news footage of Forrest with presidents and other historical persons, Forrest Gump shows that a whole new kind of story can now be told - and instead of looking into the future, as many films using CGI do, Forrest Gump looks into the past. But what kind of past ? Many critics lift up voices that American history was shown in an alternative way, that the postwar period was presented without proper amount of respect and Cold War aspects were neglected. Forrest Gump was bushed up for being too conservative and whats maybe even more provocative, thats this movie divides American society to those who follow governments policy and those who try to oppose it. Describing di rectors view on past, its worth mentioning, that this movie is also a history of USA shown through the music. Zemeckis selected interesting set of songs to show each decade with different musical background and maybe this is the only directors historical overview that is close to the truth. Since the movie premiere,Show MoreRelatedForrest Gump Movie Review Essay1243 Words   |  5 Pages Forrest Gump Movie Review Essay Often, hardships such as war, separation from the ones you love, terrorism, and bullying can bring your self esteem, motivation, and even personality down to a lower level. It can be difficult to stay strong and keep progressing with the many misfortunes that can occur. Likewise, Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump shows how the protagonist, Forrest Gump, deals with and reacts to all the adversity that happens in the society and in his family and friends as well. ForrestRead MoreMovie Review : Forrest Gump1876 Words   |  8 PagesJosh Kaplan 11SEP 2015 SPCH125 Movie Assignment The movie I selected for this assignment is Forrest Gump, mostly because it is one of the most widely known movies of all time. Instantly quotable and memorizable, and one I have watched a million times over in every way possible. Forrest Gump, of Greenbow, AL, has one of the most historically and culturally significant lives possible, from playing football for the University of Alabama, to serving as an Infantry Sergeant in the Vietnam War. HeRead MoreMovie Analysis : Movie Review : Forrest Gump788 Words   |  4 PagesSunesara Professor Massie English 1301 October 12, 2017 Forrest Gump â€Å"Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what youre gonna get. However, when the viewers watch Forrest there is a lot of laughter and tears shed. Forrest Gump, the main character, is a simple, slow-witted man with a low IQ, but Forrest has good intentions. The movie which is also named Forrest Gump concentrates on Forrest through thirty years of misery, placing Forrest within historical events of history and in pursuit ofRead MoreI Love the Movie, Forrest Gump Essay572 Words   |  3 Pages Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies. I have seen hundreds of movies, all of which seemed alike and predictable. The writer of Forrest Gump did an awesome job creating a completely unique main character and plot. There are so many things that make this movie as great as it. First, viewers are captivated by the childhood relationship of the two main characters. Forrest continuously pines over Jenny as the movie takes us on a journey through historical events. The classic nature of the moralRead MoreForrest Gump1063 Words   |  5 Pagesfilm, Forrest Gump. The scene was titled, â€Å"Run, Forrest, Run!† and the famous quote, â€Å"Run, Forrest, Run!† also came from this scene. The plot of the scene is that Forrest Jenny just met and were quickly became friends. Around this time, Forrest had just begun schooling and he has a pair of corrective braces on his legs. Toward the end of the scene, he and Jenny were getting chased by some of their peers. It was at this point when Jenny said the famous words, â€Å"Run, Forrest, Run!† Forrest startedRead MoreThe True Forrest Gump: The Book vs. the Movie Essay1415 Words   |  6 Pagesdone incorrectly. Forrest Gump is one of these examples. Forrest Gump, the novel, was written in 1986 by the author Winston Groom. The movie Forrest Gump was created by Paramount Pictures in 1994. Tom Hanks stars as the main character Forrest Gump. The movie portrayed Forrest Gump in a different way and as somet imes more innocent than his character in the book. This is shown in three different ways: Jenny and Forrest’s relationship, Characters’ drug use, and in the book Forrest is involved in moreRead MoreMovie Analysis : Forrest Gump1604 Words   |  7 Pagesstated by Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks). Forrest Gump makes a big emphasis on how life is erratic and no one knows what lies ahead. Forrest was the main character of the movie, telling his life journey at a bus stop. A story of a man who was born with below average intelligence and still managed to accomplish many milestones in his life, all while creating relationships with people. This 1994 American drama film depicted defining events of the late 20th century in the United States. Forrest Gump has manyRead MoreMovie Analysis : Forrest Gump993 Words   |  4 PagesReviewing Forrest Gump movie is interesting due to special, unique character about a special individual with the different affect him going through extensively w ith his life. This movie portrayed a character with a sense of humor and dedication to his country and used his strength and his thought to help another. Forrest Gump has become some national icon in the movie portray him a special unique talent. The movie start with Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump talking to someone about his personal love storyRead MoreThe Social Imagination of Forrest Gump1653 Words   |  7 PagesThe Sociological Imagination of Forrest Gump OR The Sociological Imagination Concept As Illustrated by the Movie, Forrest Gump What is sociological imagination? Our textbook describes sociological imagination as the ability to see our private experiences, personal difficulties, and achievements as, in part, a reflection of the structural arrangements of society and the times in which we live. The movie entitled Forrest Gump is a great example of sociological imagination. In this paper, I willRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Movie : Forrest Gump1257 Words   |  6 Pagesbest example is Forrest Gumps mother. Indeed, she lives alone with him without his father, so she takes care of him as a father and mother which is difficult. In addition, she challenges everybody that Forrest Gump can be the best even if his IQ is low because she believes on him. However, the film has several strong criteria, including the character development, the messages and themes, the dialogue, and the soundtrack which make it popular and one of the best movies. Forrest Gump is a film about

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Competitive Advantages of Fmcg Companies free essay sample

Discuss if these competitive advantages are sustainable and suggest how these companies should further develop their competitive advantages in future. The case study talks about how fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) achieve competitive advantages in marketing. A company is said to have a competitive advantage if the company has greater profitability comparing to the average profitability of his rivals and have better profit growth than other companies in the same industry (Smallbusiness , 2013). Competitive advantage is gained by having the strengths and competencies which are hard to catch up by other companies. Through these strengths and competencies, the business is able to differentiate its products and services, or significantly reduce its costs, or in other ways to stand out among its rivals. The case study mentioned three competitive advantages, namely cost advantage, differentiation advantage and brand recognition advantage. To explain these competitive advantages, first we need to understand the FMCG, which is contrast to the durable goods. FMCG Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) is also called Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). FMCG have the feature of quick turnover and comparatively low cost. FMCG including so many products you can find some in super markets such as shampoos, soaps, soft drink, snacks etc. It also includes those non-durables like bulbs, plastic goods, batteries and so on. FMCG have very short usage life, mostly within one year, and a lot of some are disposable. As the single price of a FMCG is low, therefore the profit per item is also low. But the total profit of a FMCG company can be very large because the items are sold in large quantity. There are a lot of well know FMCG brands such as Nestle, Unilever, Procter Gamble, Coca-Cola, Wrigley etc. Competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage As the competition in the business world become more and more fierce everyday. While a company may be a market leader today, the status might be changed overnight. Having competitive advantage alone is not sufficient. The key factor for long-standing growth is sustainability, which means the ability to maintain a competitive advantage. Cost advantage Low price is not a sustainable competitive advantage because prices can change almost instantly. FMCG industry is highly competitive. Competitors can also change prices at any time, which means, competitors can immediately copy any price strategy that attract customers. This attracting price buyers’ strategy is not sustainable because price buyers are not loyal, they are looking for the lowest price. Once your competitor figures out how to sell a similar product for less, you will be in trouble. In order to be sustainable, companies need to keep cost low which can be done through operational efficiency. Wal-Mart is an example of cost leadership which is very successful. It is continually focused on efficient performance. Efficiency is the comparison between inputs and outputs. Inputs can be raw materials, labor cost, management cost that is spent on products or services. The outputs are products produced or services performed. Company which are able to achieve high efficiency for the same service or product can have bigger profit margin by widening the gap between product cost and its selling prices. Companies can enhance its efficiency either by reduce inputs or increase output or the two work together. There are many ways to reduce inputs. The first one can be looking for cheaper raw material suppliers. The second is to reduce labor cost by training employees as the time spent on each individual output is decreased. The third is to reduce waste. Reducing waste would increase efficiency. For example, for a bottling manufacturer, during the bottling process, 10 gallons of liquid are spilled every day. If the amount of wasted liquid can be reduced, efficiency will increase. Increasing output can be done by reducing the downtime. For instance, a machine break down is a waste of resources. If the company can find a way to eliminate this downtime, the number of outputs will be increased. Differentiation advanatage In the FMCG industry, one effective way to make a company stand out from so many competitors is differentiation. Differentiation means making the business or brand out by offering unique features, benefits or services. It helps to create a perception of receiving something of greater value than it offered to customers. Nowadays, companies are always trying to distinguish its offering from others. In FMCG industry, RD departments in every company are looking for achieving a competitive differentiation in product features. They can design different product packaging, make a special formula of ingredients for a product, or create a particular brand name or slogan that makes the customers to have the perception that the product has something special etc (Levitt, 1979). In instance, L? Oreal which is an international cosmetics company, has the creative slogan â€Å"Because you are worth it†. It successfully attracted customers, especially women. Believed in the slogan, they have the sense of superiority when purchasing the products. According to Dr. Andrea Grimm, Dr. Astin Malschinger (2010), (Grimm, 2010), there are seven differentiation strategies. The first strategy is product differentiation, which means the product can offer something different than the other product in the same category. Dr. Pepper is other example of product differentiation. It creates a differentiation by a special formula: a different taste. Second strategy is unique characteristics. It is also called extra-large strategy. The goal is to persuade customer that they are able to get something special that other product cannot give them by buying this particular product. That is to say, the product has a unique functionality. This functionality can offer something that other products cannot offer. An example is the Muscle Milk. It consists not only of milk but also added omega oils, Vitamin C which makes it have special functionality. The third strategy is price differentiation. For example, the trend of saving money has led in some countries to the practice of selling sterilized milk at a lower price than that of refrigerated fresh milk. The forth strategy is Niche-offers. It means finding a special niche in the market that is very different form the best-known mass-market products. For example, milk producers in Canada position long-life milk as an attractive product for use in holiday homes and camping sites. The fifth strategy is differentiation through services. The product is still the same, but additional services will be offered. The additional services motivate customers to purchase the product. An example for this is the home-delivery of milk. The sixth strategy is product differentiation through direct communication. If the product has no distinctive qualities, a direct communication with customers can compensate. Communication can be focused on all the different everyday uses of the product as well as the value for money it offers. For example, Fair-trade milk, based on the concept of Fair Trade, milk can be sold for an extra 5% or 10% for the local farmer who produces it. This can be done either through special packing or simply by a sticker on the original product. The seventh strategy is making the difference purely through the packing. When the difference between products in the same category is not much, then packing serves as an important function. It becomes essential that the consumer immediately judges the product by the information on the packaging and the general impression that packaging makes upon the consumer. All the essentials of the packaging, colour, print, form, etc. combine to communicate importance differences in the perception of the consumer. For example, the Australia brand Moove Milk which is a special milk-drink targeted to young consumers. The interesting logo of horns is very appealing to youngsters and caters for their taste. They use vivid colours to represent the different flavours of the product. Brand Recognition FMCG companies can achieve sustainable competitive advantage through brand recognition. Branding plays a very important role in FMCG industry because there are too many products in the market. It plays the role as a powerful tool to create differentiation and higher store presence. It is essential for companies to have their bands identified from others because the highly competition in FMCG industry. A brand operating in FMCG industry is very necessary and has high return though it cost a lot to establish the production of FMCG brand as the mass production total cost is very high. But companies can enjoy the benefits of economies of scale. As internationalization develops, brands can be built worldwide. Companies have to take the global implications of marketing into consideration. Gaining a brand leadership in the global market is crucial for a company to be successful. In the FMCG industry, the brand loyalty is very low because many brands offer similar product quality. The best way to communicate with its targeted customer is advertising. Successful brand advertising can build the connection with customers. A successful brand can create a strong, positive and lasting impression to customers. As a FMCG company, creating a trust towards its brand in minds of consumers is essential. This trust is established by offering better product quality and customer satisfaction. When the trust is built, it can result in customer re-purchasing. The brand trust can reduce consumers’ time for making decision. Consumers do not have to go through the time consuming process in consideration, because the brand name tells them the information about the quality, price, and features of the product. Advertisements can help build brand recognition in customers. A successful FMCG company can use their band recognition as leverage to enter into a new market. For example, MacDonalds and Coca Cola use their brand names can easily establish themselves in foreign markets.