MRSA infection in neonatal intensive care units

Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains increased in the U.S. from 2.4% in 1975 to 29% in 1991. Once established, MRSA is very difficult to eradicate. One of the biggest challenges is preventing cross-transmission of these organisms. Certain patients are more prone to infection and colonization by MRSA, and neonates in NICUs are a high-risk group (Finkelstein, 1999, 24). Risk factors for acquiring MRSA include prolonged hospitalization; a stay in an ICU or burn unit; previous antimicrobial therapy; surgical site infections; and exposure to colonized or infected patients. The majority of MRSA infections in neonates are primary bacteremias and pneumonias. MRSA infections have also been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and greater hospital costs than those due to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Why are neonates more prone to MRSA infection? With regards to skin infection it has been shown that an infant's gestational age has a great impact on epidermal barrier function as measured by transepidermal water loss. Preterm infants younger than 28 weeks show decreased functioning of the epidermal barrier, placing them at risk for cutaneous bacterial infection (Kalia, 1998, 323). The skin barrier attains full function, similar to adult skin, by 2 to 4 weeks of age but can take as long as 8 weeks in extremely premature infants. Mandel et al. (2004, 161) conducted a retrospective analysis of the role of cutaneous abscess in sepsis. They found that in 22% of the newborn infants with nosocomial sepsis, cutaneous abscess was the underlying cause. Additionally, their immune systems are underdeveloped, with white blood cells-neutrophils in particular-moving more slowly than adults'. It's suspected that neonates become colonized with S. aureus soon after being placed in a nursery, with the umbilical stump as the site of initial colonization. Factors identified with MRSA outbreaks in NICUs include high infant-to-staff ratios and infection transmission through hand carriage by health care workers (AAP, 1997) Spread of MRSA Infection and prevention MRSA is found on the anterior nares, groin, and perineum, S. aureus is a normal part of the body flora. It's also a common pathogen, causing major infections in both compromised and uncompromised patients. The normal immune response of the body can overcome any MRSA attempt to infection, but in the intensive care due to reduced immune response, and bacterial resistance, these organisms van create havoc. In a report from Australia quoted by Park (2007, 26-27), it was shown that from 1992 to 1994, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections caused only 8% of staphylococcal infections but from 1995 to 1998, there was an outbreak of MRSA infection in two Melbourne hospitals. Methods to halt the spread of MRSA outbreaks include reducing overcrowding and improving staffing patterns, treating umbilical cords with triple-dye, and bathing full-term infants with hexachlorophene. But unless strict adherence to infection control is maintained, it is not possible to control this infection. Handwashing is most important. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that neonatal nursery staff perform a three-minute handwash at the start of each shift, cleansing up to the elbows with an antiseptic soap and sponge brush (AAP, 1997). Infected neonates should be placed on contact precautions. Here the infant must be handled with gloves, and if possible, depending on the spacing available and the acute status of the infant, they should be assigned to isolated chambers (Larson, 1995, 259, 262). Hitomi etal (2000, 127), advocate the use of mupirocin as a nasal spray to control nasal carriage of MRSA in the hospital staff, which act as the greatest source of spread of this infection. Effects of Nosocomial MRSA infection According to the NNIS (2002), In 2000, 55.3% of S. aureus isolates causing nosocomial infections among patients hospitalized in intensive care units in hospitals reporting to the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System were resistant to methicillin. Nambiar etal(2003, 224) give an interesting account of the complications MRSA can cause in an intensive care setting. They describe an outbreak of MRSA, in which neonates had meningitis, blood stream infection (with its complications – soft tissue abscess, shock and a right atrial thrombus, suppurative thrombophlebitis, osteoarthritis of the distal femur and knee joint). Masanga (1999, 169) reported colonic stenosis after MRSA enterocolitis. The predisposing factors for neonatal MSSA enterocolitis include breast feeding from a mother with staphylococcal mastitis,an indwelling feeding catheter   and malnutrition. The clinical picture of MSSA enterocolitis in the neonate is characterized by acute onset of diarrhea and ileus. Necrotizing enterocolitis. intensive care including mechanical ventilation, indwelling feeding catheter, the use of antibiotics, the delay of feeding causing the lower acidity of gastric contents, hypoactive peristalsis and the change of bowel flora, conditions similar to those seen in postoperative patients most likely predisposed to abnormal MRSA growth and resultant enterocolitis. toxic shock syndrome (combination of erythema and thrombocytopenia, low-positive C-reactive protein (CRP) value, or fever), (Richtmann etal, 2000, 88-89, Takahashi, 2003, 234-35). Effect on parents The illness in the neonate is a great source of stress to the parents. Not only is the child separated from the mother, which leads to anxiety for the mother, and nursing problems. There occur problems of lactation, with breast engorgement and galactorrhoea. In addition, the mother is at a greater risk of catching infection from a septicemic child with pneumonia and exanthemas. Skin infection can spread via contact. Thus parents are at an increased risk from a child affected with MRSA infection. Treatment Prevention is the best treatment. This infection can be rapidly fatal in the neonates, particularly the preterm infants. Prompt recognition of the symptoms and active measures to prevent spread can reduce the morbidity and mortality. Cultures should be obtained for susceptibility determination in any child with a presumed S. aureus infection that is moderate to severe. The choice of empiric therapy, before susceptibility testing, and the choice of definitive therapy will depend on the local antibiotic resistance patterns, the tissue site and severity of infection, and the toxicity profile of the antibiotic. Vancomycin has been the traditional antibiotic employed for the treatment of MRSA pneumonia. It has been found, however, that problems with lung tissue penetration may limit the effectiveness of vancomycin   Similarly, daptomycin has been shown to have limited activity for pneumonia due to limited lung penetration and inhibition by surfactant. Linezolid has also recently been evaluated as a specific treatment for MRSA pneumonia, and found to have good lung tissue penetration capability (Bradley, 200575-77) Conclusions MRSA infection in the neonatal intensive care setting is associated with exceptional morbidity and mortality. Preventive measures are the key to victory against MRSA. Each unit has to chart out effective protocols of infection control and adhere to it with a strong will. References 1 Finkelstein LE etal(1999MRSA in NeonatesAm J Nurs, Volume 99(1).January.24 2   Kalia YN, Nonato LB, Lund CH, et al(1998) Development of skin barrier function in premature infants. J Invest Dermatol; 111:320-326 3 Mandel D, Littner Y, Mimouni FB, et al.( 2004) Nosocomial cutaneous abscesses in septic infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed; 89:F161-F162 4 American Academy of Pedaitrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (1997)Guidelines for Perinatal care, 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL, The Academy, 5 PARK CH etal(2007). Changing trend of neonatal infection: Experience at a newly established regional medical center in KoreaPediatr Int, Volume 49(1).24–30 6 Larson, E. L(1995). APIC guideline for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am.J. Infect.Control 23:251-269. 7   Hitomi S, Kubota M, Mori N, et al(2005): Control of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit by unselective use of nasal mupirocin ointment. J Hosp Infect; 46: 123–129 8 National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System Report. Data Summary from January 1992 to June 2001. Issued August 2001. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/NNIS/members/members.htm #nnisreports. Accessed Mar 5 2007 9   Nambiar S, Herwaldt LA, Singh N (2003). Outbreak of invasive disease caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in neonates and prevalence in the neonatal intensive care unit. Pediatr Crit Care Med, Volume 4(2).220-226 10 Masanga K etal (1999). Colonic Stenosis After Severe Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Enterocolitis In A Newborn. Pediatr Infect Dis J, Volume 18(2).169-171 11 Richtmann R etal.(2000) Outbreak Of Methicillin-Resistent Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Infection On A Neonate Intensive Care Unit (Nicu): The Key Role Of Infection Control Measures. Am J Infect Control, Volume 28(1).February 88-89. 12 Takahashi N (2003). Neonatal toxic shock syndrome-like exanthematous disease (NTED). Pediatr Int, Volume 45(2).233–237 13 Bradley JS (2005). Newer antistaphylococcal agents Curr Opin Pediatr, Volume 17(1).71-77                           

Harvard business publishing Essay

In mid-September of 2010, Emily Harris, vice president of New Heritage Doll Company’s production division, was weighing project proposals for the company’s upcoming capital budgeting meetings in October. Two proposals stood out based on their potential to strengthen the division’s innovative product lines and drive future growth. However, due to constraints on financial and managerial resources, Harris knew it was possible that the firm’s capital budgeting committee would decline to approve both projects. She also knew that New Heritage’s licensing and retail divisions would promote compelling projects of their own. Consequently, Harris had to be prepared to recommend one of her projects over the other. The Doll Industry Revenues in the U.S. toy and game industry totaled $42 billion in 2008 and were projected to increase by 4.6% per year to $52.5 billion by 2013. The market was divided into two broad segments: video games (48%) and traditional toys and games (52%). The second segment was further divided into infant/preschool toys (14.5%), dolls (14.1%), outdoor & sports toys (12.3%), and other toys & games (59.1%) including arts and crafts, plush toys, action figures, vehicles, and youth electronics. The U.S. market for toys and games was dominated by large global enterprises that enjoyed economies of scale in design, production, and distribution. Revenues were highly seasonal; the largest selling season in the United States coincided with the winter holiday period. Within the toy and game segment, U.S. retail sales of dolls totaled $3.1 billion in 2008 and were projected to grow by 3% per year to $3.6 billion by 2013. The doll category included large, soft, and mini dolls, as well as doll clothing and other accessories. The phenomenon of â€Å"age compression†Ã¢â‚¬â€ the tendency of younger children to acquire dolls that had traditionally been designed for older girls—reduced growth in the â€Å"baby-doll† sub-segment. Competition among doll producers was vigorous, as a small number of large producers targeted similar demographics and marketed their dolls through the same media. Lasting franchise value for a branded line of dolls was rare; the enormous success of Barbie ® dolls was an obvious exception. More recently and on a much smaller ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HBS Professor Timothy Luehrman and HBS MBA Heide Abelli prepared this case solely as a basis for class discussion and not as an endorsement, a source of primary data, or an illustration of effective or ineffective management. Th is case, though based on real events, is fictionalized, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental. There are occasional references to actual companies in the narration. Copyright  © 2010 Harvard Business School Publishing. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business Publishing. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School. Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F211857 New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting 4212 | New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting scale, New Heritage also had created a durable franchise for its line of heirloom dolls. But the popularity of most doll lines waned after a few years. New Heritage Dolls By 2009, New Heritage had grown to 450 employees and generated approximately $245 million of revenue1 and $27 million of operating profit from three divisions: production, retailing, and licensing. The production division, discussed further below, designed and produced dolls and doll accessories. The retailing division offered a unique â€Å"intergenerational experience† for grandmothers, mothers, and daughters, centered upon the character histories and storylines of the company’s dolls and delivered through an online website (42%), a mail-order paper catalog (33%), and a network of retail stores (25%). In fiscal 2009, the retailing division generated roughly $190 million of revenue and $4.8 million of operating profit. The licensing division was started in 1998, and represented the company’s newest and most profitable division. It sought to extend the New Heritage brand and capitalize on high levels of customer loyalty by selectively licensing the company’s doll characters and themes to a variety of media that reached the firm’s target demographic of toddler to pre-teen girls. In fiscal year 2009 the licensing division generated $24.5 million of revenue and $14.5 million in operating profit. New Heritage’s Production Division Production was New Heritage’s largest division as measured by total assets, and easily its most asset-intensive. Approximately 75% of the division’s sales were made to the company’s retailing division, with the remaining 25% comprising private label goods manufactured for other firms. Table 1 summarizes the division’s various sources of revenue and operating income. Table 1 Production Division Data: Revenue ($ millions) Operating Income ($ millions)    New Heritage’s dolls and accessories were offered under distinct brands with different price points, targeting girls between the ages of 3 and 12 years. The company’s baby dolls were generally priced from $15–$30, and were offered to younger girls in earlier stages of development. These dolls typically came with a â€Å"birth certificate† and a short personal history. Dolls in the higher-end of this category incorporated technology that produced a limited amount of speech and motion. For the 1 The division revenue figures include approximately $95 million of internal sales within divisions which are eliminated when considering consolidated revenue for the company. BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F211857 The New Heritage Doll Company was founded in 1985 by Ingrid Beckwith, a retired psychologist specializing in child development and the grandmother of two young girls. Dr. Beckwith believed the dolls produced by the major toy companies did little to develop girls’ imagination or foster a positive self-image, so she created a line of dolls with unique storylines and wholesome themes. Dr. Beckwith’s dolls struck a chord among mothers and grandmothers who also rejected the dated, clichà ©d images portrayed by the popular dolls of the day. New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting | 4212 New Heritage outsourced much of its production to a select number of contract manufacturers in Asia. To ensure product quality and safety, the company maintained a fulltime staff to oversee material sourcing, production, and quality control on site at each of its manufacturing partners. Manufacturing activities that required precise tolerances or proprietary processes, along with all the creative elements (design and product prototyping, for example), were handled in-house at the company’s headquarters facilities in Sacramento, California. Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F211857 Capital Budgeting at New Heritage New Heritage’s capital budgeting process retained some of the informality that characterized the company’s early years as an innovative startup. As the company grew, deliberate steps were taken to decentralize some of the project approval process and increase spending authority at the division level. However, large and/or strategic spending proposals were reviewed at the corporate level by a capital budgeting committee consisting of the CEO, CFO, COO, the controller, and the division presidents. The committee examined projects for consistency with New Heritage’s business strategy and sought to balance the needs and priorities of each division against practical financial and organizational constraints. The committee also sought to understand project interdependencies and the potential for a given investment to strengthen the whole company, not solely the division proposing it. New Heritage’s capital budget was set by the board of directors in consultation with top officers, who in turn sought input from each of the divisions. The capital and operating budgets were linked; historically, the capital budget comprised approximately 15% of the company’s EBITDA. The committee had limited discretion to expand or contract the budget, according to its view of the quality of the investment opportunities, competitive dynamics, and general industry conditions. Before being considered by the committee, projects were described, analyzed, and summarized in self-contained proposal documents prepared by each division. These contained business descriptions, at least five years of operating and cash flow forecasts, spending requirements by asset category, personnel requirements, calculations of standard investment metrics, and identification of key project risks and milestones. Financial Analyses Financial analysis began with operating forecasts developed with oversight from New Heritage operating managers. Revenue projections were derived from forecasts of future prices and volumes. Fixed and variable costs were estimated separately, by expense category. Forecasts of working capital requirements were likewise vetted by line managers, who paid particular attention to a project’s requirements for various types of inventory. Forecasts for fixed assets and related depreciation charges were developed in cooperation with analysts reporting to the controller. HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | BRIEFCASES Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org $75–$150 price range, New Heritage produced a line of heirloom-quality dolls and accessories. These were designed to appeal to older girls and to convey a sense of cultural and family tradition among grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. The heirloom dolls had more elaborate accessories and personal histories. Finally, the company offered a line of high-end dolls based on fictional â€Å"celebrities,† each associated with a charitable cause and embracing more contemporary fashion trends. These dolls targeted girls in the so-called â€Å"tween† age range of 8–12 years, and also were priced from $75–$150. Like the heirloom dolls, celebrity dolls also came with more elaborate stories and accessories. 4212 | New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting New Heritage assigned discount rates to projects according to a subjective assessment of each project’s risk. High-, medium-, and low-risk categories for each division were associated with a corresponding discount rate set by the capital budgeting committee in consultation with the corporate treasurer. Assessments of each project’s risk were made at the division level, but subject to review by the capital committee. Factors considered in the assessment of a project’s risk included, for example, whether it required new consumer acceptance or new technology, high levels of fixed costs and hence high breakeven production volumes, the sensitivity of price or volume to macroeconomic recession, the anticipated degree of price competition, and so forth. In 2010, â€Å"medium†-risk projects in the production division received a discount rate of 8.4%. High- and low-risk projects were assessed at 9.0% and 7.7%, respectively. Projects that created value indefinitely, given continuing investment, were treated as going concerns with a perpetual life. That is, NPV calculations included a terminal value computed as the value of a perpetuity growing at a constant rate. However, to preserve an element of conservatism, the capital committee generally insisted on relatively low perpetual growth rates – lower than New Heritage’s historical growth and lower than near-term growth forecasts for a given division. Investment Opportunities in the Production Division Emily Harris was focused on two of the production division’s most attractive current proposals. The first involved expanding the successful Match My Doll Clothing Line to include matching allseason clothing for tween girls and their favorite dolls. The second involved a new initiative, the Design Your Own Doll line, which employed web-based doll-design software to let users â€Å"customize† a doll’s features to the customer’s specifications. Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion The Match My Doll Clothing line originally consisted of a few sets of matching doll and child clothing and accessories for warm weather. It quickly became successful after the daughters of a few celebrities were spotted and photographed wearing items from the line, and girls’ magazines included some of the line in â€Å"what’s hot to wear† sections. Given recent publicity, Marcy McAdams, the brand manager responsible for the line, believed the timing was perfect to expand. Specifically, McAdams proposed to create an â€Å"All Seasons Collection† of apparel and gear covering all four seasons of the year. She expected the new offerings to be at least as profitable as the existing line, since its current popularity would make it possible to maintain premium prices. She also hoped to take advantage of off-peak discounts offered by some suppliers and contract manufacturers as they tried to smooth their capacity utilization. In the same fashion, McAdams argued the expansion would help reduce, or at least not exacerbate, the seasonality in New Heritage’s sales and earnings. BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F211857 Operating projections for a given project were used to develop cash flow forecasts that would underpin calculations of net present value (NPV), internal rates of return (IRR), payback period, and other investment metrics. Cash flow forecasts were intended to capture the incremental effect of a proposed project on the firm’s cash flow for each year within the forecast period. That is, each project’s cash flow forecasts excluded non-cash items, such as depreciation charges, and nonincremental items such as sunk costs (i.e., costs that would be incurred regardless of whether a given project was undertaken or not). The cash flow forecasts were computed on an after-corporate-tax basis, but excluded all financing charges. Some elements of the cash flow forecasts were prepared with assistance from treasury analysts, but most of the necessary adjustments were well understood by division staff. New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting | 4212 To exploit the current popularity of the original Match My Doll Clothing line, especially given the fickle nature of children’s fashion trends, McAdams believed the opportunity had to be exploited without delay. Her investment proposal contained relatively large outlays for R&D, market research, and marketing to maximize the probability of quick acceptance and longer-term success for the follow-on line. Upfront investment expenditures are summarized in Table 2. Table 2 Match My Doll Clothing Extension Outlays The R&D and marketing expenditures would be deductible for tax purposes at New Heritage’s 40% corporate tax rate. The property, plant and equipment was expected to have a useful life of 10 years; the associated depreciation charges, shown in Exhibit 1, were based on the modified accelerated cost recovery system (â€Å"MACRS†) allowed by the IRS. Working capital requirements, shown in Table 2 for 2010 and in Exhibit 1 for subsequent years were based largely on recent historical experience with the original Match My Doll Clothing line. Finally, given the proven success of Match My Doll Clothing, Harris believed the project entailed moderate risk—that is, about the same degree of risk as the production division’s existing business as a whole. Design Your Own Doll This initiative targeted existing New Heritage customers, many of whom owned several of the company’s heirloom dolls. The company’s research showed that, when asked what features (e.g., appearance, ethnicity, â€Å"life story,† etc.) New Heritage should give to future dolls, loyal customers’ responses had a high correlation with their own personal data. That is, girls wanted dolls like themselves. Further research suggested that many loyal customers would purchase yet another doll if they could customize the doll’s features to create a â€Å"one-of-a-kind† addition to a girl’s or family’s existing collection of dolls. It also promised to increase the girl’s pride in and identification with the doll, both because of their shared features and because of the girl’s participation in creating the doll. This in turn further cemented customer loyalty. The customization process would begin with a new section of New Heritage’s website, where proprietary design software enabled the customer to select physical attributes of the doll such as hair color, hair length & style, skin color, eye shape, eye color, and other facial features. The software could combine selected features and produce a photo-realistic image showing the finished doll with user-selected accessories. The customer could zoom in or out on the image and rotate it to see different aspects. The software made it easy to try out different combinations of features and accessories before making a purchase. Elizabeth Holtz, brand manager for heirloom dolls, was very excited about the project. She observed, â€Å"A girl’s relationship with her favorite doll is often partly mommy and partly big sister. Either way, having your doll look more like you is really powerful. And there’s excitement in the experience: exploring the website, naming the doll-to-be, selecting her first outfit†¦even the anticipation of waiting for the new doll to arrive. I really think this is big.† Holtz also believed that the dolls could command a premium price. â€Å"Customers will naturally expect to pay more [for a HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | BRIEFCASES Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org Initial Expenditures ($ thousands) 4212 | New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting custom doll],† she said. Market research with focus groups revealed significant enthusiasm for the product concept and supported the notion of premium prices. The web-based software tools and order entry system required New Heritage to make significant modifications to its existing technology infrastructure, expand its webhosting capacity, and modify the terms of its third-party service agreements to ensure a higher level of service quality. The majority of the R&D expenditures shown below were related to software development, hardware upgrades, and web design. The development time involved, including product testing, was expected to be approximately 12 months. Initial outlays, some of which occurred in 2010 and some in 2011 As with Match My Doll Clothing, the required R&D and marketing costs would be tax deductible. Manufacturing equipment had to be ordered by the end of 2010 to be ready for production at the beginning of 2012. While New Heritage had the option to pay for custom equipment in quarterly installments, the firm could get a substantial discount by paying for the equipment up front, in 2010. Figures in Table 3 and Exhibit 2 reflect the discounted cost of the equipment. To support the forecasted level of sales, substantial investment in working capital (primarily work in process inventory of partially manufactured dolls) would be required beginning in 2011. And still more equipment would have to be purchased and installed no later than 2014. In years 2015 and following, investments in working capital and equipment would revert to patterns familiar from the production division’s traditional lines of dolls. To complete development work, Holtz planned to use some of the company’s existing IT staff. The majority of the work would take place during calendar 2011. The number of people and their fully loaded costs are shown Table 4. These costs were not included by Holtz in the initial outlays shown in Table 3 or in the forecasts presented in Exhibit 2. The development personnel Holtz needed were considered â€Å"corporate† resources and were almost certainly available to work on the project. Table 4 Design Your Own Doll Development Personnel, ($ 000s) Application Development Personnel Costs: Web Application Developers Database Manager Systems Integration Specialist Total Cost BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING Purchased for use on the MSc Business Valuation, at Imperial College London. Taught by James Sefton, from 21-Aug-2013 to 31-Dec-2013. Order ref F211857. Usage permitted only within these parameters otherwise contact info@thecasecentre.org However, even a limited degree of customization increased manufacturing complexity and expense. Further, because of the low production runs and volume, fixed costs on a per unit basis were expected to be relatively high. Consequently, the breakeven volume for the project was also expected to be high. New Heritage Doll Company: Capital Budgeting | 4212 Finally, Holtz needed to give Harris her assessment of the project’s riskiness. On the one hand, Design Your Own Doll had a relatively long payback period, introduced some untested elements into the manufacturing process, and depended on near-flawless operation of new customer-facing software and user interfaces. If the project stumbled for some reason, New Heritage risked damaging relationships with its best customers. On the other hand, the project had a relatively modest fixed cost ratio, and it played to the company’s key strength—creating a unique experience for its consumers. Educational material supplied by The Case Centre Copyright encoded A76HM-JUJ9K-PJMN9I Order reference F211857 Emily Harris still needed to complete her review and financial analysis of the two proposals. McAdams and Holtz were in frequent touch with Harris and both had offered to respond to any questions she might have about the proposals: the business case, the financial projections, the operating details, or anything else. Harris expected that she would indeed have some follow-up questions as she worked through her financial analyses. She also knew that her final recommendation might disappoint some executives within the division, who would scrutinize it closely. It had to be well-supported.

The Iliad Or The Poem Of Force - 1472 Words

In her essay, The Iliad or The Poem of Force, Simone Weil argues, â€Å"The true hero, the true subject matter, the center of the Iliad, is force,† (152). â€Å"Force† is defined as, â€Å"that x that turns anybody who is subjected to it/ into a thing,† (153). Weil perceives force as an active entity that is capable of profound, negative, influences on the lives it touches (153). For a hero, force replaces his rational sensibilities by an uncontrollable urge to slaughter his opponent in an animalistic fashion, an unavoidable outcome generated by war. Weil defines this uncontrollable type of force as â€Å"the force that kills,† marking the moment when a hero becomes a warrior (155). Simone Weil records The Iliad as a evil and vanity of war, but she fails to do justice to the complexity of Homer s challenging vision. She turns a blind eye to poem s commitment to heroism, a concept she assigns force as the poem s true hero. Weil overlooks the Homeric heroâ⠂¬â„¢s investment in the ethos of glory and the participation in the â€Å"noblest deeds of men,† which is present in The Iliad’s â€Å"true hero,† Hector. In The Iliad, war generates the most meaningful, noble, and glorious actions along with destruction and self-destruction. Homer understands the allure of war as Weil does not, her interpretation is one-sided and fails to recognize the humanity and pathos behind of the slayers. Weil makes this exclusion because, she reads The Iliad as an antiwar poem due to her own experiences in war life. Therefore,Show MoreRelated Iliad Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesThe Iliad and The Odyssey are two epic poems with both similar and different styles to the structure of the poems, as well as each poem having the same gods incorporated into the stories intervening with the day to day lives of the mortals. Greek poetry before Homer was all composed orally; therefore it is assumed that Homer’s works are the first written works of art (Joachim Latacz, page 15). Scholars who have spent extensive time researching the origin of Homer’s work cannot verify a specificRead MoreTheme Of The Iliad1318 Words   |  6 PagesThemes found in the Iliad The Iliad is one of the greatest and earliest works of Greek literature beautifully written by Homer. The poem was set at the last year of the Trojan War prior the fall of Troy, that was indeed ten years long. Moreover, the focus of this poem is a conflict that rose among Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and commander-in-chief of the allied Greeks, and Achilles, the greatest warrior, rather than the events and battles that occurred in the Trojan War between the Greeks and TrojansRead MoreA Comparison of Achilles and Hector881 Words   |  4 PagesHomers Iliad refers to an ancient epic Greek poem. The poem is based on the events of the Trojan War, the siege of the Troy city by a combination of Greek states that took almost ten years. The poem outlines the events and battle that took place between the Greeks and the Trojans. The events captured in the poem cover a few weeks to the end of the war. However, the poem contains deep Greek mythical allusion. It describes the great Greek legends i nvolved in the siege, the events that occurred beforeRead MoreTrojan War and Iliad1134 Words   |  5 Pagesriver which flowed by that city), with his mother the nymph Kretheis. Internal evidence from the poems gives evidence of familiarity with the topography and place-names of this area of  Asia Minor, for example, Homer refers to meadow birds at the mouth of the  Caystros(Iliad  2.459–63), a storm in the  Icarian  sea (Iliad  2.144–6), and mentions that women in  Maeonia  and  Caria  stain ivory with scarlet (Iliad  4.142). Valeree Shayne C. Aranas Read MoreQuestions On Fate And Destiny1630 Words   |  7 Pages Fate and destiny are both shown to be predominant forces in the Iliad, and all mortals are subjugated to them; they are ultimately destined to fulfill a certain fate or prove themselves in some other way. For example, in the Iliad, Odysseus says that â€Å"We Achaeans are the men whom Zeus decrees, from youth to old age† (Iliad 105-107). Fate is revered and obeyed by mortals. However, the gods seem to be almost exempt from this sentence. The Iliad presents the question of who is determinately responsibleRead MoreThe Role Of Women And Their Influence On The War1446 Words   |  6 PagesNevertheless, another vital component in The Iliad is the role of women and their influence on the war and their association with different characters. Scholar Mary R. Lefkowitz, disputes that ladies had some freedom and were under the supervisions of man. The scholar inscribes: In the Homeric epics, women seem to have little independence; they were always under the guardianship of a man, whether a husband, father, or even a son. Wives must live in their husband’s cities; women like Chryseis or BriseisRead MoreCritical Appreciation Of Sappho Poem799 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Poet Sappho, like her poems, pieces of her life have been lost over time. Here is what we know for sure. Sappho lived on the island of Lesbos around the turn on the seventh and six centuries BCE. She composed songs with a lyre accompaniment known as lyric poetry. These poems were collected into nine volumes and what has survived exist in fragments. (cite to come) Fragment 16 is a poem about love. This poem’s desires to answer the question what is beauty? Our Poem begins with the introductionRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad 1352 Words   |  6 Pagessociety. In the Iliad, Homer portrayed the role of women in his time as having a very suppressive role. Women during this period of time and especially in this culture are treated primarily as merely property and were used for producing material within the household. Women were often taken and given as if they were material belongings, due to their lack of choice and their unfortunate circumstances. However, apart from portraying women as pieces of property, Homer depicts in his Iliad that women areRead MoreAt the time of Homer, it was normal for gods to meddle in human affairs, and he shows this in The1300 Words   |  6 Pagesthe time of Homer, it was normal for gods to meddle in human affairs, and he shows this in The Iliad. A vast majority of the Greek gods play some role in how the Trojan wars turns out, which is what the poem is all about. Homer uses the gods to deviate from how normal wars are played out. The head god, Zeus, will be the focus as I go through what he did and how it affected the War as well as The Iliad. Zeus tried to stay out of the Trojan War for egotistic motives and was viewed as a father figureRead MoreComparing The Iliad And The Aeneid1517 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosopher is establishing is that the source of good and evil are the same while being different. Reminiscent of how The Iliad and the Aeneid are both epic poems that share similarities such as the setting, the reoccurring motif of gods, as well as aspects like the two heroes and the goals to be reached by the plot. When comparing the similarities between the two epics, The Iliad and the Aeneid, one of the most obvious is the setting of which they each take place. They are a part of the same era, one

California Dream - 1817 Words

Tyler Sacks Sacks1 Lukomski 2/18/2012 English 110 A Dream or a Nightmare? It seems to be the best place in the world to some people. The drive for success and opportunity to strike it rich seems to be the main reason. In California, if you put your time and one hundred percent effort into what you want to be you could be successful in any field of study. The amount of individuals who have the same dreams and aspirations of wanting to come to California and make the â€Å"California Dream† possible decreases the opportunities available. Everyday individuals in our society strive to become successful and obtain a relaxing, fun life. Living in California and becoming successful could come easily with no hard work. But, the majority†¦show more content†¦Californias laid back reputation, hip surfers, astound weather, and conspicuous movie stars made it the place to be. But in reality my perception of the Sacks3 California dream was to obtain a solid education/degree, a healthy family, financially dependent, and live in a suitable geographical location that bests suits me. No matter where in the world,Californias large scale homes, famous actors/movie stars, and perfect climate will always hold its amazing, respectable reputation. The further youre away from California the more people are amused with the aspects that make it up. With that being said, depending on where you live your aspirations of California are different or not as hyped. I realized this my Junior year in High School when I went to visit my older brother Garrett in Shanghai, China with my family. Going on vacation to China, sure I thought I would be amazed with their culture and lifestyle but what was more interesting and shocking to me was how fortunate and lucky California or the United States in general really is. Diversity in California is what makes it so different from anywhere in the world. When I traveled to China that was the first time I noticed most of the same race in one country. America has a piece of every country in them due to the migration from foreigners in the Gold rush. Society looks at California with such high standards because it has the combination of relaxation and success. When individualsShow MoreRelatedThe California Dream Is Dead1039 Words   |  5 PagesThe California Dream is Dead The California Dream? More like a California Miracle. James Rawls, writer of the article â€Å"California: A Place, A People, A Dream† is an optimist who believes there is still hope for the California Dream (Rawls 14). The article was written 1984. It is not applicable to today’s self-destructive California. With the population of over 38 million people, California is barely holding itself together at this point. Even â€Å"investment† in the young Californians’ educationRead MoreCalifornia University Education: A Fading Dream Essay1290 Words   |  6 Pages Universities in California, especially UC Berkley and University of Southern California are ranked so high in the nation that foreign students yearn to study in California in order to get more chances to work in well-known companies such as Apple and Silicon Valley. The quality of schools and education people can get decides how many chances and how many possibilities to be close to success. According to Jennifer Medina, â€Å"During a 1960s renaissance, California’s public university system came toRead More Chinese and Japanese Immigrants and the California Dream Essay2565 Words   |  11 PagesIn the 1850’s, Chinese immigrants began entering California in search of gold and the California dream. They had heard that California was the new frontier, a frontier that would provide them with the opportunity for economic riches. Young and ambitious, many of these Chinese immigrants quickly married in their homeland and set out for the gold rush, promising to return (with wealth). Likewise, in the 1880s, when the state of California was undergoing rapid economic transformation, Japanese immigrantsRead MoreCalifornia Dream804 Words   |  4 PagesSeptember 26,2012 In the late 19th century, the discovery of gold in California drew thousands of people in from across the United States and all around the world in a feverish rush to strike rich. Many left everything behind to dare venture into the final frontier of the wilderness that was California. Word quickly spread about a land showered by sunshine and ripe with gold ready for the picking. As a result, the California dream developed and quickly romanticized imaginations all across the worldRead MoreCalifornia Dreams768 Words   |  4 Pages a Dream: The Californian Dream Paradoxes The Californian Dream can be regarded as one of the most paradoxical concept in history. The story and paradoxes written by Rawls is strongly supported by the anonymous accounts in many scenarios. Although the anonymous accounts limit itself to only the gold rush era, it still depicts some of the things mentioned in the story written by Rawls. To the weather of California, the reality of the gold rush, and the population growth of California, BothRead MoreCalifornia Dream Act Essay1663 Words   |  7 PagesReyna Macias English 103 7 November 2011 California Dream Act: Rewarding an Illegal Act Born and raised here in the U.S. many students, and parents for that matter, are currently struggling with the bills, loans, and the stress of trying to stabilize a healthy future for themselves by pursuing an education. When a law like the California Dream Act is passed, it makes those who have done nothing but follow the rules of our legal system, feel as if the right as a legal citizen is being pushedRead MoreMy Dream Law Is For The State Of California978 Words   |  4 PagesMy dream law is for the State of california department of corrections and rehabilitation (CDCR) to transition from current prison meal structure to a 2 meal a day vegetarian diet. This law and the implementation would be handled by California Department of Public Health (CDPH). This law would utilize principles of program newstart based out of Victor Valley Medium Community Correctional Facility in Adelanto, California, and the transition of a vegetarian diet for all prisoners in Maricopa CountyRead MoreThe California DREAM Act of 2011 Essay1525 Words   |  7 Pagesprevalent in the state of California, hosting 2.6 million â€Å"alien residents†, it has the largest population of undocumented immigrants (Gonzales, 2006). Immigration policies have been controversial topics in the United States for a long time. Although there is still an ongoing debate about reforming the current immigration laws, there has been progress in making post-secondary education a possibility for undocumented students. This paper will focus on the California DREAM Act of 2011, using a historicalRead MoreThe Right Direction Towards Advancement1292 Words   |  6 Pagesthe uncertainty behind these said dreams to greatly increase. The talk of this fantasy or delusion analysis still will remain controversial centuries from now as it seemed centuries ago, but the research continues to grow and make large steps in the right direction towards advancement. (Jung 87) Although most of the dream world presents its elf as unknown, scientists now approach a breakthrough that seems virtually impossible--video recording the images of dreams that people leave when they bed downRead MoreThe Power and Purpose of Dreams1144 Words   |  5 Pagesand scientists enough information to have a general idea of what is going on in the human brain while in this dream state. It is a way to travel into time or into a place that could never exist. Dreams can be a gateway to see your future, to what lies ahead or a way to look back on memories. But not all dreams are made of absolutely perfect worlds, to where nothing can seem bad. Dreams are not always the best. When they are, they can give people an incredible feeling, but when theyre not, they

Criteria For A Nobel Prize - 996 Words

Criteria for a Nobel Prize in Leadership Alan Weber (2009) wrote an article for the Washington Post, that focused on the criteria that one might use to suggest a nominee. In his article, Weber offered that candidacy for the prize should not be base upon â€Å"achievement broadly defined, or abstract qualities that can be attributed to leaders, but clear and undeniable moral authority† (Weber, 2009, para.1). Cook (2009) added that he would choose a nominee â€Å"who has pretty much transcended his or her own ego, and who sees humanity as interconnected in a vast system to which we all, ultimately, are contributing†(Cook, 2009, para.4). While these points provide a good starting point for selection the development of selection criteria, I have demined that any individual who would be a candidate for a Nobel Prize in Pauline Leadership should be characterized by the following the following: †¢ Demonstrated Christ Centered Core Values †¢ Unwavering Sense of Mission and Purpose †¢ Alignment of Character, Ethics, and Actions (Bradberry Greaves, 2012) †¢ Servant Orientation †¢ Leads by Example †¢ Humility †¢ Self Discipline (Lee, 2003) †¢ Equipping or Developing Others (Lee, 2003) †¢ Lasting Concern for the Broader Community †¢ Influence and Impact Explanation of the First Nobel Laureate As Lutheran Pastor, it should not be a surprise that I have chosen the 16th Century Reformer Martin Luther as the first Nobel Laureate in Pauline Leadership. Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk and priest,Show MoreRelatedEssay about Toni Morrisons Literary Achievements693 Words   |  3 Pages In 1993 Toni Morrison joined the illustrious ranks of the Nobel Prize for Literature laureates as the ninetieth recipient, twentieth English-language author, eighth American, eighth woman, third black, and first African-American 1. Her mid-century predecessor William Faulkner (1897-1962) had just received the award in 1950 when Morrison (b. 1931) began writing her Master of Arts thesis on his work.2 Aside from both being Nobel laureates, this unlikely pair has, at first glance, little in common:Read MoreThe Declaration Of Sentiments, By Elizabeth Cady Stanton1714 Words   |  7 Pagesconclusion with the evidence, he makes the assumption that his audience has the same preferences for movies. Although what Ebert says about Star Wars may be true in some cases, his position fails to take the age range into account. A closer look at his criteria reveals the deep, below-the-surface meaning of Star Wars that children may not be able to grasp. While the position advanced by X may seem reasonable, it assumes children can understand the underlying meaning of the movie. If that were so, thenRead MoreAnalysis Of John Nash s A Beautiful Mind ( Gazer Howard )923 Words   |  4 Pagesorder to accurately represent them on screen. In 2001, film makers attempted to translate to screen the life of John Nash in A Beautiful Mind (Gazer Howard). John Nash, who is a notable figure in the world of academia and mathematics, won the Nobel Prize in economics for his game theory (Nash, 1994). Nash is also widely known for his long-term struggle with mental illness and was diagnosed with schizophrenia during his mid-thirties (Samels MacLowry, 2002). In order to examine the accuracy ofRead More Alfred Nobel: The Man behind the Prize. Essays1911 Words   |  8 Pages Alfred Nobel: The Man behind the Prize. Alfred Nobel is known for starting the Nobel Prize. This prize is given every year to some of the greatest minds in the world who through their work, help to better society. In opposition to the improvement of society, is the fact that Nobel’s other known inventions brought much death and destruction to the world (Frost). This combination of inventions helps to pose the question who was Alfred Nobel, and why did Nobel create this prize to help the world.Read MoreThe European Union ( Eu )1583 Words   |  7 PagesHungary, arguably the most revisionist state in all of Europe given its territorial grievances and loss of Magyar population to neighbouring states, was prepared to align itself with social democracy and most importantly the 1993 Copenhagen criteria. This criteria through which candidate countries may become eligible to join the EU, is designed to integrate economies and polities and effectively democratize candidate states. 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The faculty includes approximately 60 Nobel laureates, 20 Fulbright Scholars, 25 MacArthur Fellows, 250 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 90 members of the National Academy of Engineering and 400 members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences. The University of California has produced some of the most recognized names in the world. This includes many Nobel laureatesRead MorePlank, Einstein and Black Body Radiation1400 Words   |  6 Pagesquantum mechanics because of problems around blackbody radiation; ultraviolet catastrophe; photoelectric effect; radioactive decay; the contradiction in how atoms manage to exist/ maintain structure. Continuing structure::::: Be writing in line with criteria and with relevant references (websites) and definitions open on internet, important in accuracy BBR theory†¦. A blackbody is an object that absorbs and then reemits radiation through holes in the system’s wall. This radiation can be of all frequenciesRead MoreEuropean Union ( Eu )1648 Words   |  7 PagesEU has the biggest economy on the planet, producing a GDP greater than some other financial union or nation. Furthermore, 26 out of 28 EU nations have a high Human Development Index, as indicated by the UNDP. In 2012, the EU was honored the Nobel Peace Prize. History Preliminary After World War II, European assimilation was looked at as an outbreak from the extreme nationalism that had ravaged the entire continent. The 1948 Hague Congress was a crucial crossroad in the European government historyRead MoreAnalysis of Movie a Beautiful Mind Essay1703 Words   |  7 Pagesplayed by Russell Crow. John Nash was a gifted young man from West Virginia that, while studying in Princeton, created his â€Å"game theory† also knows as â€Å"Nash equilibrium†, which was the break through in modern economics, and for which he got the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics later on in his life. Also except his extraordinary mind John Nash had a psychological disorder – Schizophrenia. â€Å"Schizophrenia is a group of disorders characterized by severely impaired cognitive processes, personality disintegration

Computer Science for Information and Communication- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theComputer Science for Information and Communication. Answer: Free software is a software that provides freedom to a user for sharing, modifying the software. As commented by Jovic, Brkic Bogunovic (2014), there is various political and ethical consideration for using free software. The different new software is releasing their free version of the software in the market to understand the feedback of the software from the users. On the other hand, Commons (2015) argued that the use of the free software can cause the threat to the society over the Internet. Many malicious users can use the free version of the software in order to perform malicious activities over the internet. The risk and threats related to the security of the data and information over the internet increases. As suggested by Wiesmann et al., (2015), the use of the free software helps in accessing many facilities provided by different software. The new software release requires free software access that helps in testing the review of the software in the market. The gaps and loop holes in the new software are identified with the help of the free use by the users. As suggested by Kirschner (2016), after the successful implementation of the new software among the users, the company might ask or license and copyright of the new software. This provides total control of the software and user can change and modify the software on their own. The legal procedures are followed by the company of the software. Therefore, the use of the free software is beneficial for the users although it creates threats for the users over the internet. The ethical issues included in this process are the legal to use of the free software and copyright asked by the respective company. The copyright is asked by the company to minimize the illegal use of the free software provided by them. The agreement between the user and the company have to be validated under various terms and conditions. This help in maintaining the legal procedures for the use of the software. A software copyright is an exclusive legal right for controlling and modifying the work of a software. Copyright holders help in copying and modifying the software and provide permission regarding the use of the software by any users. As commented by Jovic, Brkic Bogunovic (2014), General Public License (GPL) is used during licensing of a software. The GPL helps in providing authenticity to the person to use the software of his or her own. The ethical use of the software is depended on the legal procedures provided by the company. References Commons, C. (2015). About the licenses. Jovic, A., Brkic, K., Bogunovic, N. (2014, May). An overview of free software tools for general data mining. InInformation and Communication Technology, Electronics and Microelectronics (MIPRO), 2014 37th International Convention on(pp. 1112-1117). IEEE. Kirschner, M. (2016). Common misunderstandings are about Free Software: How individuals, companies, governmental and non-governmental organizations can make use the full potential of Free Software.10442/15409, 00-39. Wiesmann, V., Franz, D., Held, C., Mnzenmayer, C., Palmisano, R., Wittenberg, T. (2015). Review of free software tools for image analysis of fluorescence cell micrographs.Journal of microscopy,257(1), 39-53.

Why Did Stalin Succeed Lenin and not Trotsky Essay Example

Why Did Stalin Succeed Lenin and not Trotsky Essay After Lenins death Russia looked for a new leader. The two favourites were about to embark on a political campaign; trying to eliminate each other out of the running with their popularity, ideas for the future dedication. Some say however, it was Stalins ability to manipulate the people around him, using them to higher his popularity and to aid his lack of political knowledge. Trotsky had a number of titles and past successes; he was the leader of the red army and played a crucial role in the 1917 revolution. But Stalin was underestimated; he used his position effectively to throw Trotsky out of the party.As a youth Stalin was a troublesome child. Before he was fifteen, he was kicked out of seminary school for committing crimes; he then moved on to a young adulthood of terrorism, and had numerous run-ins with the Tsarist police force along the way. He was exiled to Siberia and was imprisoned for his rebellious behaviour. He already had the making of a great leader; dedicated and brav e. However, he was claimed to be a poor decision maker, lacked the capacity to produce an inspirational speech and his political knowledge was rudimentary to say the least. Walter Laqueur wrote:He certainly did not obtain his leadership on his outstanding moral qualities; on the contrary, there was in him a strong streak of both criminality and madness that became more pronounced with age.He also writes:Stalin was in no way designed to be an idol of the masses: He was neither a demonic, hypnotic figure like Hitler or Mussolini, who could impart emotions to millions, nor a Pied Piper, seductive in leadership. Unlike Lenin, he could not impose his authority naturally on his peers. He was no intellectual; Trotsky, Bukharin, and many others were superior to him in this respect.This basically states that Stalins leadership qualities were not competing with the qualities the other leaders had to offer, in this case, Trotsky.Stalin was far from decisive. He took time and thought his action s through, sometimes he took too long. He seemed incapable of making speedy decisions. He was neither a thinker nor solver, he was unable to come up with new idea or concepts, and pioneer is usually not a word associated with Stalin. Stalin would adopt other peoples idea and put them forward as his own. As a member of Ex.Com, a colleague said Stalin was aa grey blur which flickered obscurely and left no trace, this backs up my statement, saying he was insignificant yet manipulative at the same time.Stalin worked his way up, befriending Lenin during the civil war. Stalin published theses by Lenin, but altered them to make them softer opposed to aggressive, which was more consistent with the party line.After this, Stalin became more involved in the party and he was later appointed to General Secretary of Food Supplies. In this role he did very well, and as time went on his duties became more complex. This was due to him self; he wrote this to Lenin in relation to the White and Cossack advance to Tsaritsyn, somebody (or me) [be given] special authority in military matters to take urgent measures in South Russia before it is too late. His ambition to get to the top is evident in this statement. It shows he was not satisfied with his role at that moment, and urged for more work.Lenin became ill; he suffered a series of strokes which left him almost completely incapacitated as the leader of the Soviet Federation. A number of members took his place, however, Lenin carried on leading the party.Stalin was elected to take care of Lenin, and with Stalins future in Lenins hands, he was going to keep a good eye on him. It seems as though Stalin wanted Lenin out of the party, keep him away from political work as much as possible. One example when Stalin found out Lenin was engaged in political relations, he went in to a fit of rage over the phone to Lenins wife for allowing a letter to be sent to Trotsky. Reportedly he called her such things as a syphilitic whore. It was qu ite evident that Stalin badly wanted to lead Russia, and the pressure of his self-motivation was causing him to lose all control over his actions. Lenin found out; he began to produce speeches and letters in order to crush Stalin politically. However, the very next day Lenin died, leaving the door open to the leader of the party to Stalin and Trotsky.Stalin used his role as the carer of Lenin effectively. He published pictures of him and Lenin smiling, as if to say they were good friends. Some were counterfeit; a happy Lenin would be pasted on to a picture of Stalin. This is the length Stalin would go to in able become leader. This is an example of his manipulative skills; he used Lenin as his advantage.Resultantly to this Stalin became General Secretary of the party. In this role, Stalin basically controlled the appointing of people. There were four real contenders for the leader of the Party. Trotsky seemed to be the favourite, with past successes on his side, he could organize, t alk and lead just as he did when he organized and created the red guards to invade Petrograd in the October revolution and he also lead the Red Army to victory during the civil war in an inspiration battle. On the other hand, he was believed not to be loyal; he joined the Bolsheviks and turned his back on the Mensheviks. He was a military man, and some feared he would become a vicious dictator trying to conquer Europe. The also feared Mother Russia would become neglected under him due to his ambition to spread communism and this was one of his main aims. He never depended on people and found it hard to make friends; therefore he was unpopular amongst the party members.Zinoviev and Kamenev were determined to stop Trotsky becoming leader, they were left-wingers.Stalin appointed people in the party who were loyal to him to senior party positions. This meant Stalins rivals had no support in the party.Stalin needed more than this to make sure he would become leader. He used Zinoviev and Kamenev to attack Trotsky in numbers and so eventually Trotsky was dismissed as Commissar for War. Trotsky had no support at all at this point, and so was voted out by the members loyal to Stalin. His views clashed with the Partys new policy, communism in one country.After that Stalin again appointed people who were loyal to him. Due to this, Zinoviev and Kamenev were dismissed. They believed in fast economic modernisation but the majority of the Politburo believed in the New Economic Policy, a gradual reform of the economy.With the entire contenders kicked out, Stalin was now in complete control and without a single election.Stalins ambition in the end prevailed. He worked his way up, and his positions in the party given to him, he used effectively. Trotsky lacked people support, and came across as an unpopular outcast. Stalin was patient in his actions, when he was General Secretary he simple waited and waited until he had the full support of the party. He was a pure opportunist.T rotsky thought his ideas how to run the country were going to drag him to victory, that wasnt that case, a lot more was required, and Stalin acquired it.