How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Physics

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Physics Im going to be honest The first five academic weeks here were not a pleasant experience. You all smile about this whole firehose analogy, thinking that it sounds fantastic and youd love it and you cant wait to try it. But actually, the transition can be pretty painful. Im here to tell you it doesnt have to be. Thats right. You dont have to be an academic masochist. Wait, whats that? You like doing all that work for classes youll never need and dont even like instead of spending your time doing things you love? No you dont. Admission officers and bloggers have spent a lot of time and effort preaching to you about your high school activities and life: Spend your time with things youre passionate about. Dont join twenty extra-curriculars because you think you have to in order to have a chance a college. In the end, its what you did for the love of the game thatll shine through anyway. Were not kidding. I got pretty good at this in high school (doing what I love, not working for The Man), and this mentality is what landed me in Taiwan instead of MIT three months after I graduated. So when that fateful time came to register for classes, I tried really hard to keep this in mind. But the pressure to take those pesky I mean really fun GIRs your freshman year is pretty strong, and ultimately, I broke a little. I ended up with two classes I wanted and two GIRs. Most people do not call this breaking. This is because most people are taking pretty much all GIRs and one HASS-D/CW class they may or may not convince themselves they like. With that, Id like to devote an entire entry to a class Im not even in anymore: Physics. [Insert collective gasp from the audience here] Thats right. I dropped physics. If youre wondering why I would do such a thing, and youre expecting a really interesting answer like an elephant eating my homework, youre going to be dissapointed. Because the reason I dropped physics is I didnt like the class. A little about Introductory Physics, henceforth called 8.01, at MIT: 8.01 is your standard introductory physics class taught with your non-standard teaching style: TEAL. (Have you noticed that people here seem to have an overwhelming desire to give everything an acronym?) TEAL, in its extended form, is Technology-Enabled Active Learning, and in its true form probably resembles Satan, or whatever evil being it is you believe in (and if you dont believe in one, you will soon). Wait, did I just say that? Pretend I didnt. Let me be a bit more politically correct. Completely unofficial studies (read: asking Everyone I Know) have resulted in a heavily-supported hypothesis that No One Likes Teal. In true MIT fashion, we will call this theory NOOLT. I strongly suspect the NOOLT phenomenon occured because TEAL, as I overheard someone whose name I cant remember say, is the perfect example of when too much technology can be a bad thing. We sit in tables of nine in groups of three. Each group has a computer to enable the learning process. Most of the time, though, its used to watch the power point thats already projected in four (or more) different places around the room. (Sometimes these computers are used for Facebook. Were going to ignore that data.) In the beginning of the year, we took a diagnostic test and we were assigned to tables in a fashion that would keep an even distribution of physics background at the tables (meaning that all the people who took AP Physics in high school wouldnt sit in the same place). This is all geared towards collaborative learning, which is nice in theory, but what happened in my experience is that the people at the table who knew what theyre doing would work through the problem, and I would be left in the dark in terms of where this equation came from and what that one means. The idea was to learn from eachother, except that I feel that we do plenty of this while working on p-sets. Personally, Id like classtime to be geared more towards learning from the teacher. The point is, even though its supposedly part of the freshman experience, (I dont like that phrase, but thats another entry for another day) to be in the same sinking boat and eventually coming out on top by figuring out how to, I dont know, fix the boat, Im not entirely convinced that itd be smooth sailing from then on. What I mean by that perfectly awful metaphor is that Im not that great at classical mechanics, and even if I somehow figured out how to get around my feelings towards TEAL, Id still struggle a lot in the class. I wasnt looking forward to letting physics continue to feed on my soul for the entire year it was really cutting into my other classes and my happiness. Luckily, there are answers for people in this situation! MIT very rarely leaves you with no choice. Many NOOLT-sympathizers have switched from 8.01 to 8.01L, which is another introductory physics class. Its geared towards people with little-to-no physics or calculus background and Ive heard great things about it. For example, theres a lot more support available for it. They have lecture and recitation. In recitation they can ask their TAs questions and even though the class runs an extra month (through IAP), they can take the time to actually learn and understand the material. I didnt switch into 8.01L for several reasons. The main one was that there was a scheduling conflict with my Favorite Class (ooh, a mystery). But looking back, Im glad that scheduling conflict was there. Now Im taking three classes I like and one GIR, and Im perfectly happy. Now, Before bringing this insanely long entry to a close, Id like to note a few things. The first is that even though I have yet to meet anyone that likes TEAL, that doesnt mean that everyone hates it. First of all, I havent met Everyone. And even if someone doesnt like TEAL, it doesnt mean that they dislike it as much as I do. They may not care either way. It works for some people (I dont know who, but Im trying to be optomistic); it didnt work for me. This is in no way trying to convince you that TEAL is bad you may have no problem I wrote about it mostly to show you all that if something is making you terribly unhappy, there are very often ways to change that. The second thing is that I spent a lot of time complaining that I hated physics my first month here. But after listening to a lot of peoples points of view, Ive decided that I do not, in fact, hate physics. I mean, there are hundreds of people here that love physics. There must be something good about it. And I hope that one day, when I finally take a class thats not 8.01 TEAL, Ill appreciate the subject matter more. The point is, if you ever find yourself in a class you hate, consider the fact that it may be the environment and not the subject matter that you are discontent with. Your life will be significantly happier if you give everything a second thought and chance instead of dwelling on how much you hate or cant do something. The THIRD (and last, I promise) thing is that even though I plan on spreading my GIRs out instead of taking them all at once, there are a couple arguments that go the other way. First of all, your first semester is Pass/No Record, so its nice to be able to take classes you may not particularly enjoy with that safety net. Also, I know a few people who are taking as many GIRs as possible their freshman year so they can focus more on what they enjoy in the coming years. Finally, you have to remember that I am fairly certain about what I want to do with my life. Many people do not know what theyre interested in, and thats okay, and in this case, the GIRs can be a nice way to explore subjects before committing to a major your sophomore year. In conclusion, be rational and do whats best for you. I hope those of you working through your senior year can keep this and your own happiness in mind.

I Am A Strange Loop, By Douglas R. Hofstadter Essay

The question of the self is one that appears throughout history and has been debated in myriad ways. Many people assert their claim as the correct one, though some are content to contemplate the self for the rest of their lives rather than remain at one conclusion. Humans are their own enigma, unable to understand the complexity of themselves. It is important to have some theory of consciousness in order to understand the actions of ourselves and others, therefore it is irresponsible to consider the matter a moot point. After consideration of works describing the physical processes of the brain, it seems that there is nothing more simple or wonderful than consciousness existing within the physical brain. Moreover, the concept of self is a construct of the mind rather than something that truly exists. In Douglas R. Hofstadter’s book, I Am a Strange Loop, the idea of the self as phenomena arising from the physically existing brain is explored. As Hofstadter describes the self, â€Å"†¦for each of us, the strange loop of our unique ‘I’-ness resides inside our own brain. There is one such loop lurking inside the cranium of each normal human being.† (180) Throughout the book, Hofstadter explains that the elusiveness of the self lies in the way people conceptualize abstract ideas and how humans characterize themselves. Essentially, despite much discussion about the general ideas about the self, the truth is that the self is best described by neural functions and mathematical

Tragedy and Comedy Essay - 1248 Words

Theater is a natural outlet for our desire to hear and tell stories, and in some ways it is even more primal and powerful than the written word. At its worst, theater will merely bore; while at its best it will not only entertain but move and shape its audience. Two such genres of theater, or drama, have consistently achieved this effect. Tragedy, represented by the weeping actors’ mask, usually features the title character’s fall from greatness to ruin, guided by the gods or fate. Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, is the epitome of classic Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle (96-101). Here, Oedipus falls from kingship to blindness and exile. Drama’s other great genre, Comedy, is represented by the laughing actors’ mask. In Comedy the†¦show more content†¦At their core, Comedy and Tragedy are two sides of the same coin. Without characters, there would not be a story. Whether that character is a human being or an idea, we need something or someone th at can be the reflection of something real onstage. In Oedipus Rex the main character is a young king. On the surface, one might not relate to a rich, powerful king destined to ruin by mythical gods. The Greeks, however, believed that â€Å"tragedy could only befall the great.† (Jacobus 34) Oedipus’ character resonated because he was above them. If it were a plebeian who killed his father and married his mother, it would be our equivalent of an inbred trailer-park tabloid story. His nobility is what keeps the dramatic from becoming the melodramatic. So for the Greeks, Oedipus’ story became a classic because he achieved that perfect balance of nobility and relatability. They experienced fear when Oedipus, a man in a position just under the gods, fell and failed. But both modern man and the ancient Greek can experience pity because we can see part of ourselves in Oedipus. When Oedipus is helpless to escape his fate, part of us shares his frustration. His humanity is timeless. While a Comedy’s main character does not require us to feel pity or fear, we still must relate, albeit in different ways. In Lysistrata, the main character is a confident and quick-witted and although she is subject to sexistShow MoreRelatedDifferences Between a Tragedy and Comedy672 Words   |  3 Pagesthe differences of tragedy and comedy From what I can tell the difference between a good comedy and a good tragedy are the effects of the audiences intended to see or read. There are a few key differences that change them from one genre to the next and these differences really only rely on the hero to separate them from â€Å"comedy† to â€Å"tragedy†. 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However, there are many different perspectives on whether The Merchant of Venice is a comedy or a tragedy depending onRead MoreThe Comedic Tragedy Of A Tragic Comedy1590 Words   |  7 PagesThe Comedic Tragedy of a Tragic Comedy William Shakespeare was always known for the vast range of narrative skills that his writing exemplified. When one thinks of his plays a plethora of different genres come to mind. Shakespeare had a knack for writing plays that could be classified by genres on each end of the spectrum and in between as well. His repertoire includes heartfelt comedies, all the way to the other extreme, which are drama-filled tragedies. Each genre brings about a necessity forRead MoreComedy and Tragedy According to Aristotle1912 Words   |  8 PagesComedy and Tragedy | |      Ã‚  Ã‚   Comedy   Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Aristotle (who speculates on the matter in his Poetics), ancient comedy originated with the komos, a curious and improbable spectacle in which a company of festive males apparently sang, danced, and cavorted rollickingly around the image of a large phallus.   (If this theory is true, by the way, it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase stand-up routine.)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Accurate or not, the linking of the origins of comedy to some sort of phallicRead MoreShakespearean Comedy Vs. Tragedy1777 Words   |  8 PagesShakespearean Comedy vs. Tragedy Some people tend to think that William Shakespeare was some famous writer that was only capable of spitting out sad love stories. This is widely disproved through the reading of multiple Shakespearean works. 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The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry Free Essays

string(103) " for rural geographies and models, it was observed that nearly 80% responded has worked well for them\." The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry By AmArdeep Udeshi, engAgement mAnAger, ims ConsUlting groUp And mohit BAhri, ConsUltAnt, ims ConsUlting groUp Dear colleagues, We are proud to present to you the outcome of a unique initiative jointly undertaken by OPPI and IMS Consulting Group (IMSCG). As part of the OPPI Committee on Sales Force Excellence (SFE), a decision was taken last year to understand the prevailing practices and emerging trends with respect to Sale Forces, aimed at driving SFE across the Indian Pharma industry. As part of this study, OPPI and IMS Health undertook a survey amongst key senior management personnel, wherein information was captured related to sales force structures, the principle behind their set ups and the challenges faced therein. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fourteen companies responded to this survey. What is presented here is a brief glimpse of the findings of this survey, within the context of changing sales models in the Indian pharma industry. Supporting this data are insights provided by IMS Consulting Group based on their expertise and knowledge of the industry and its changing dynamics along with inputs from other industry experts associated with OPPI. What this paper attempts to do is to showcase how sales models are being, and will continue to be, reinvented and redesigned across the Indian pharma market landscape in the years to come. We do hope you find this article and the subject as interesting as we found it to be while bringing this paper to you. Thank you, Tapan Ray Director General OPPI Ram Kalyana Country Principal, India IMS Consulting Group 2 the only ConstAnt is ChAnge itself The ever changing face of the Indian pharma industry and its ability to adapt innovatively has reinforced the fact that adaptation is the only way to survive. With every passing decade, a new commercial challenge has emerged; which in-turn has provided the industry with an opportunity to ride the waves to reach newer heights. An annual turnover of Rs 600 Bn with a CAGR in excess of 15% is a testimony to the fact that key players have emerged, winning over time. With time, newer and innovative commercial approaches have been adopted and implemented, thus demonstrating that the companies have adapted themselves to the fluidic nature of the Indian pharma market. As Fig. below indicates, following the announcement of a formal patent structure in 1995, Indian players started gearing up for the product patent regime. During this time, a transition from conservative sales models to ag- gressive and innovative sales models was observed. Companies geared up their RD efforts to meet the product patent criteria, and undertook an aggressive expansion in early 2000s from a gradual ramp up of portfolio and sales force in late 90s. So aggressive was the portfolio expansion, that the average number of new brands launch increased from nearly 700/year in the late 1990s to 2,500/year between 2000 and 2005. At the same time, companies expanded their sales forces aggressively in attempts to reach out to the geographical corners of the country, including rural markets in the late 2000s. In a bid to increase revenue further, innovators engaged in co-promotion of their patented products and out-licensing. At the same time, with limited options to expand portfolio and near saturation in the top cities in India, companies started adopting newer commercial models and sales force structures (like task forces, therapy experts, Key Account Manager structure, Contracted Sales Operations, etc. to more efficiently target the market. Figure 1: Changing Sales Dynamics in the Indian Pharma Industry Announcement of patent regime massive restructuring and scale up product patent implemented shrinking pipeline and rise of pharmerging markets †¢ Companies start gearing up for expansion †¢ sf and portfolio ramp up †¢ Avg new products launched/yr 650-700 †¢ started investments in rd †¢ rapid adoption of business unit structure †¢ expansion to extra-urban geographies †¢ emergence of newer sales model like taskforce, therapy experts †¢ Co-promotion/licensing agreements kicked in †¢ rise of organized retail vents likely to impact future sales models †¢health insurance †¢govt. adopting health security measures for certain sections of society †¢ gst regime †¢ Aggresive portfolio sales force expansion, 2,500 new products launched/yr †¢ gradual adoption of business unit structure †¢ mnCs entering india and also launching global portfolio 1995-2000 Source: IMS intelligence 2000-2005 2005-2010 †¢ emergence of new stakeholders, sales channels †¢ likely adoption of newer sales model like channel management, KAm, Cso, etc 2010 and beyond Future 3 Companies who aggressively ramped-up were able to (See Fig. below) shows that these initiatives have maintain their bottom line, thus indicating that these proved to be fruitful and provided healthy bottom strategies paid off. A Top-level financial assessment lines. Figure 2: Profitability trends – Key companies MNCs 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 40% 35% 30% Indian Companies operating profit % 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% -5% -10% 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 novartis Astra merck Abbott pfizer Aventis ranbaxy glenmark drl sun pharma CiplA % operating profit = operating profit/ operating income source: www. money. rediff. com However, in an ever changing market environment, the drive up efficiencies, be it through streamlining operasustainability of these models in terms of profitability tions, adapting their sales model to market realties, or needs to be carefully considered. Hence, it’s imperative enhancing efficacy of initiatives. for the industry to look within for the opportunities to As an industry executive says, â€Å"We moved from a Sales and Marketing structure to a Business Unit structure to bring more accountability, manage evolving business needs and use equity of organization for reaching to the middle of the accessible pyramid. We have also created a horizontal strategic excellence team across these BUs for process evaluation. † Another industry executive mentioned that adopting specialized field forces to promote super-specialty products, using a traditional field In a survey jointly undertaken by IMSCG and OPPI force to promote other less specialized products, and a CSO amongst leading companies related to sales practices (Contracted Sales Operations) model for rural geographies and models, it was observed that nearly 80% responded has worked well for them. You read "The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry" in category "Essay examples" Thus, the industry has seen an to having changed their sales model at least once in the adoption of multiple kinds of sales forces – an improvelast 5 years. Nearly 80% of the companies contacted ment over having a ‘traditional sales force only’ model. by IMS have already adopted multiple business unit models, with or without additional specific task forces; While most of the companies have adopted this Business with the number of business units ranging from 2 to Unit structure, a few pushed further ahead by adopting newer innovative promotional models like patient activa10, depending on portfolio width. ion teams, therapy specialists, or creating patient awareness through mass media. CUrrent sAles models The sales force continues to be the biggest promotional investment for pharma players. Industry has evolved around making most use of this resource and has adopted innovative commercial models, from sales and marketing structure to business unit structure to speci alized task forces, as per their needs – often proactively adapting existing sales models to market realities 4 As seen in Fig. below, while key determinants of the and target doctor specialty, a few companies have also sales force structure are therapy focus, portfolio width, aligned their models around geographies and profitability. Figure 3: therapy focus portfolio (number of brands) specialty focus nature of product (otC/hospital based) geography focus stage in lifecycle of the portfolio mix of different profibility brands realignment of brands due to merger/acquisition 0 2 4 5. 5 6 8 7. 2 6. 9 6. 9 6. 7 9. 2 8. 9 8. 7 10 A few of the models seen in the pharma industry (see Fig. 4 below) are: †¢ therApy foCUs promotion: Generally seen where a portfolio is specialized, therapy focused, and scripts are driven through chosen few doctors; generally in chronic segment. †¢ ChAnnel mAnAgement: Mostly in OTC /OTX business; mature products with wider portfolio width. †¢ hospitAl tAsKforCe: Exclusively to manage hospital business. †¢ speCiAlty driven sAles model: Applicable in scenarios where portfolio is built around 2 or 3 specialties. tAsK forCe: Generally adopted for niche products in urban areas, such as fertility clinics or for new launches where the focus is on select top rung physicians only. †¢ oUt-soUrCed sAles forCe: Generally used for expansion in extra-urban geographies or with companies for whom medico-marketing is secondary (such as OTC or Consumer Healthcare companies). Figure 4: Newer Sales Force Models adopted task-force institutional sales force Channel sales multiple BU sales force therapy focus specialty focus Acute vs chronic focus geography focus others Urban Geography Urban + lower town classes therapy experts rural superspecialty focus/ niche hospital focus distributor sales force otC rural sales force (owned / outsourced) multispecialty broad portfolio Portfolio non-exhaustive indicative overview of indian pharma sales models 5 Different companies have adopted different strategies, but the key reason cited for adapting these changes remains the same: to provide better customer focus and targeting, enhance efficiencies, facilitate expansion to newer business areas (both therapies and geographies), and increase accountability of the resources. One of the executives surveyed said, â€Å"We created multiple structures to expand coverage to new markets and therapy areas in line with growth expectation, support new launches, and strengthen key markets institutional sales. † For specialty products driven companies, task forces account for nearly 15% of the total sales force. Key determinants of adapting these models are therapy focus, width of product portfolio and target doctor specialties. Interestingly, responses of those companies having mature products tending to an OTX profile suggest that channel management has already made inroads into pharma sales, accounting for nearly 20% of sales forces, second only to traditional sales force. Geography also emerges as one of the key determinants of sales model adoption, which shows that companies are also looking at realigning their sales model around the varied need of various geographies. An industry executive contacted by OPPI-IMS said â€Å"A new BU was created in our company to tap the opportunity in the lower town classes. The BU contribution to the overall business is close to 20%. † Another executive said, â€Å"Emerging and untapped business in the Class 3 or 4 towns and rural sector will impact the future selling model,† thus Figure 5: Key benefits and challenges with various sales structures acknowledging the seriousness around rural consumers. MNCs like Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer are actively expanding to Tier IV cities and below, creating profitable business models around rural geographies. Extra-urban geographies require different sales models in addition to a different strategy in terms of portfolio, distribution, pricing and promotion. It has also been observed that many companies have adopted a multi-pronged commercial model to target specific needs of the various customer sets. One of the industry executives said, â€Å"We adopted multiple strategies, like divisionalization in different therapy segment to bring better focus on field implementation, creation of channel management to manage late life cycle brands, launch of an extra urban division to increase reach, and launch of super specialty division like Derma Cardio. Previous studies from IMSCG suggest that this is not an isolated case, but is now a common practice followed by both Indian and MNC players. No one model fits all. As seen in Fig. 5 below, different models have their share of benefits and challenges; innovative sales structures increase customer focus, but with additional investment. Hence, one needs to study financial feasibility of a adopting a new commercial model. While a few companies have started to reassess their selling model, many play ers still rely on traditional promotional channels, where doctor coverage, call frequency, and working ays still define the KPIs for the sales force. Benefits Account management Channel management hospital management task force structure Cso †¢ high Customer focus †¢ Customer management †¢ Wider reach and frecuency †¢ helpful in managing large portfolio †¢ high focus on potential hospitals †¢ high productivity for speciality business †¢ high impact and productivity †¢ service to focus customers †¢ geographically better reach †¢ flexibility in operation reduces managerial cost Challenges high investment †¢ delay in payments †¢ lower margins †¢ resource constraint for the wider reach †¢ price war †¢ formulary listing for new products †¢ scattered geography †¢ Cost of operation †¢ Compliance and quality of operations †¢ tough to coordinate and align Cso to parent company 6 A closer look at c urrent models show that these models, though they would have provided an edge to the players, have largely focused around single stakeholder, primarily doctors. A study by IMSCG shows that decision making power of other stakeholders, including patients, hospitals, payers, and insurance companies, has Figure 6: een on a steady rise in recent years. Rising influence of new stakeholders in deciding treatment pathway will force the market players to look at newer touch points with new stakeholders and hence the promotional channels. KPIs for the sales team need to evolve to include these new key stakeholders. International Scenario Media Promotion Influential Influential Indian Scenario Doctors Media Promotion Doctors Patient Groups Payors Consumers Distribution channels Distribution channels Existing Consumers Insurance Patient Groups New Weak Existing New Moreover, there are fundamental differences in stakeholder evolution between Western and Indian markets, which to an extent explains the difference between commercial models in the West and in India. While doctors are still the center of healthcare in India, the West has seen an emergence of consumers, payers, private insurance and patient groups as strong stakeholders in healthcare management. With Westernization of the Indian healthcare market, newer stakeholders are likely to gain more importance, and thus will be the need for newer ways and means of targeting them. Leading MNCs like Sanofi-Aventis, Roche, Lilly, MSD, and GSK have already started engaging newer stakeholders (patients) to maintain their leadership in the market. Awareness campaigns, as adopted by MSD for Gardasil or by GSK for its vaccine portfolio or by Sanofi-Aventis for its top end brands have helped route the patients to their products. Weak 7 emerging trends in the heAlthCAre system OPPI-IMSCG has identified six key trends in healthcare which are likely to influence the way pharma companies adopt their sales models in the next decade. These trends will see emergence of new stakeholders and promotional channels, that no company may afford to ignore, impacting future commercial models. These key trends are: 1. pAtients inCreAsingly BeComing strong stAKeholders: Increasing education, awareness, and income have prompted patients to actively seek a healthy life-style. Patients have emerged as stronger stakeholders in the overall treatment chain, commanding what they want, at the price they want, where they want and by whom. Demand for preventive treatment, rather than curative, is increasingly becoming prominent amongst patients. Vaccination is a case in study, where companies like GSK and MSD have targeted primarily the end-user to ramp up patient acquisition. Increasing use of health check-up packages, awareness creation through media promotion, and government initiatives in rural healthcare will only lead to further strengthening of patients as key stakeholders in the healthcare system. †¢ Engages patients by providing services at their home for products like Arava and Actonel †¢ engages patients by providing services †¢ Program is called as SPARSH Typical is called as spArsh †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢program services include †¢ Counseling †¢ Diagnostic tests t their home for products like Arava †¢ Typical services include and Actonel †¢ Counseling †¢ Delivery of starter kits †¢typical Insurance †¢ Medicalservices include †¢ Exercising equipments †¢ Counseling †¢ Physiotherapy sessions †¢ delivery starter kits †¢ Diagnostic Tests †¢ medica l insurance †¢ Personalized visit †¢ exercising equipments †¢ Emergency help †¢typical services include call center †¢ Query handling via †¢ Counseling †¢ diagnostic tests †¢ Patient doesn’t has to pay anything †¢ Query handling via call center extra †¢ patient doesn’t has to pay anything extra Doctors are reported about the status of the †¢ diagnostic tests patients †¢ personalized visit †¢ physiotherapy sessions †¢ doesn’t has to †¢ Patient emergency help pay anything extra †¢ doctors are reported about the status of the patients †¢ patient doesn’t has to pay anything extra MNCs have been actively engaging customers by providing disease management services to retail patients taking their products. Counseling, physiotherapy sessions, and diagnostic tests are all services being provided to patients. Patient reach programs will require different set ups and servicing teams with specific skill sets. A leading MNC vaccine player reaches out to their patients through an SMS reminder service. An industry executive mentioned use of call centers for chronic disease management as a possibility. Thus, implementation of patient engagement programs will require adoption of different sales and service models, and hence newer capabilities by market players 2. emergenCe of neW heAlthCAre delivery ChAnnels The hospital segment is strongly emerging in the Indian healthcare sector. Private and corporate hospitals have grown at a 15-20% on YOY basis, and the trend is expected to continue for the next 5 years as well. Penetration in Tier II cities and medical tourism will further boost growth of corporate hospitals. The upcoming increase in number of corporate hospitals will result in a structure where players will not only require a hospital sales force, but also the key account managers to handle relationships with wider set of stakeholders like purchase managers, administrative staff, and nursing staff. Most of the companies surveyed by IMS either already have a hospital division, or are planning to have one in next 2-3 years. 8 3. UptAKe of generiCs By government hospitAl seCtor Mandated prescribing of generics by government hospitals is expected to strongly impact the sales of branded drugs in the long run. Mandated generics prescription in the West has already led to emergence of new sales model aimed at generics promotion. Though IMSCG does not see this trend impacting India much in next 5 years, over next decade or so it will be interesting to see what new commercial models pharma players adopt. Pharma companies may also need to engage aggressively with government bodies like pricing authorities, or approval committees. . groWing otC seCtor Use of media in driving brand promotion and reaching out to masses has opened up a new avenue for Pharma players to grow beyond traditional channels. Revital, Gelusil, Liv 52, Volini, No Marks, Crocin are the classic case studies, where pharma players expanded their reach through newer promotional channels like media promotion or in-store branding. Because OTC implies r eaching out to patients and consumers without doctor intervention, it necessitates focusing attention on pharmacies directly, developing new distribution models, pricing and consumer targeting. Healthcare FMCG companies like GSKCH, Nestle and Britannia have a dedicated medical detailing field force meeting doctors and nutritionists to promote their brand too. Emergence of OTC is further expected to catch-up in next 5-10 years, with many more companies eyeing to acquire a broader patient base through multi-channel marketing. Hence, pharmacos need to adopt a different model for targeting customers 5. orgAnized retAil phArmACy ChAins Increasing spread of organized pharmacy chains like Apollo, Guardian and 98. 4, will make pharma players think about managing the growing power of newer distribution channels. According to industry estimates, organized retail pharmacy chains already account for nearly 5% of pharma sales in India, and their share is increasing year on year. These chains cannot be ignored any longer. Over a period of time, the role of organized players may evolve from mere distribution of drugs to managing patients’ health. Pharma companies may need to think about how to engage with these chains to deliver more and more services to their patients. With increasing share of sales, the demand for further discounting by these chains is not far away. Not only will these pharmacies demand price discounting, they will impact the way the supply chain is currently structured. With media promotion driving the customer pull, merchandising will take a bigger role in overall sales promotion at these pharmacies. Thus, the association between pharmacos and these chains needs to grow in a manner that both parties benefit from the inter-play. 6. rise of heAlth insUrAnCe Increasing penetration of health insurance will increase power of insurance companies to decide inclusion or exclusion of drugs in re-imbursement list. It is expected that the total population covered under health insurance will increase from 2. 3% in 2007 to 20% by 2015. The possibile emergence of a drug re-imbursement list by Indian insurance companies cannot be ruled out, which may eventually lead to dictating the business terms by insurance companies to pharma players. †¢Companies like ICICI Lombard are now eyeing to launch disease specific insurance covering cost of medications as well. One such policy, called Diabetes Care, is already in the market. 9 Including insurance companies as a key stakeholder in ers,† while another mentioned â€Å"Sales force will have to Pharma commercial model products will increasingly manage end customer connect besides marketing brands become crucial. to doctors†. Another executive feels patients will gain more importance in future, saying, â€Å"Most companies will Each of the above trends will impact the pharma sales have focused approach and work towards better customer model in their own way, paving the way for new com- service leading to patient benefit. OPPI-IMSCG feels mercial models in the pharmaceutical industry. Industry that as the momentum of evolution of these trends gather also seems to acknowledge these trends as one industry pace, so will the evolution of pharma commercial models executive stated, â€Å"Sales structures will evolve to manage in the next decade. With these changes, the industry has new channels like corporate hospitals or modern format witnessed an emerg ence of the concept of SFE – Sales retail. Government policies, payers and healthcare pro- Force Excellence. iders will influence the sales models of pharma play- are seriously looking to have a dedicated team for rural markets. Each of these models clearly points towards targeted approach to new stakeholders, though it’s too early to predict the nuances of each of the models. The role of existing resources will also evolve from †¢Ismycurrentsalesmodelsustainableinthefuture? mere touch points with customers to engaging final †¢Ismycurrentsalesmodeloptimalforfuturemarket consumers and managing the health of the patients. cenario? One industry executive points out, â€Å"Pharma sales †¢HowshouldIevolveandadapttothesechanges? structure will slowly move towards a more scientific dialogue between the sales force and the doctor. This Answers are not easy to come by, but a few compa- would require highly trained MRs with good ability nies will lead the way. Ac cording to the OPPI-IMSCG to engage doctors more effectively. † study, key players in the industry believe that adaptation of current sales model will be a must for survival. This question will be even more pertinent going forWith the emergence of innovative sales models like ward; especially keeping in mind how difficult it is getkey account management, hospital task force, channel ting to find good talent in the market and how to make management, therapy specialist, and media promotion, existing talent more effective and productive through it is clear where sales models are heading. Companies skill-set enhancement. AdApting neW CommerCiAl models Emerging trends in healthcare delivery will force the pharma players to re-think about their go-to-market strategy. Some key questions to ask are: Figure 7: yesterday sales representative roles fairly standardized reach and frequency paradigm share of voice sf main promotional channel molecular targeting individual incentives technology used by innovators sfe function infrequent empirical decision making today/tomorrow different roles: (KAm, relationships rep, sample dropper and power rep) relationship paradigm share of relationship mC2 = multi-client/multi-channel Atomistic targeting team incentives effective use of technology sfe function contributing to roi evidence-based decision making 0 The OPPI-IMSCG study predicts the gradual shift of the traditional approach of meeting the customer, to future approach of relationship building and engaging with customers. Much will change. â€Å"Managing the patients together† is perceived to be the key to success. Delinking the role of sales force from stockist management will help sales teams to focus exclusively on customers. Engaging multiple st akeholders through multi-channel promotion and touch-points will be the crucial. Segmenting the customers, from current Potential-Support Model to more evolved models like Behavioral Segmentation will provide the cutting edge to the players. e-detailing, e-seminars, e-doctor meetings, and online awareness campaigns will drive the patient flow to the healthcare system. Thus, KPIs for the sales forces may evolve as well. ing in-depth analytics so as to lead to scientific decision making; from coordinating sales force activities to managing ROI through informed decision making with an end objective of improving efficiencies of existing systems. As one executive said, â€Å"There will be a concerted focus on SFE. Analytics will take over an important role in deciding sales force size and predicting sales forecast. † Measures of success will shift from PRPM model to carry-over models, thus, each incremental sales rep being added to sales force will have its own justification. With eroding product differentiation the sales and marketing capabilities will be the key differentiator. The Indian pharma industry will need to develop sales force competency and elements of SFE will take the driving seat. The reward systems will incorporate balance of sales achievement Industry experts also predict that evolving and harvesting with equal emphasis in effort parameters. newer touch points with patients will be a key to success. Study of patient flows in healthcare is likely to gain Considering that the largest resource allocation in comimportance. Not only will patient flow study impact the panies takes place on sales teams, it becomes important sales model, it will also impact the portfolio choice for the that SFE as a function be evaluated ore seriously. In players. An industry executive pointed out,â€Å"Key Account order to institutionalize the discipline of SFE, companies Management will have increasing importance for MNCs will need to build capabilities for an enterprise-wide SFE with pipeline of patented products and strategic partner- setup which will be actively engaged in enabling investing initiative will also impact sales models. † ments into innovative and hybrid sal es models or demand generation models. To do this successfully and build a Within the last 5 to 6 years, companies have also created better business case for the same, companies will need a dedicated SFE function, with the purpose of improv- to closely examine how investments are channelized into ing the productivity of the sales forces. The role of SFE is each of the various initiatives – balancing financial rigour expected to evolve strongly over the next 5 years, involv- with overall implementability. Figure 8: Smaller field forces: removal of mirrored field forces Right sizing: each rep seeing 30-40 doctors more often Account based selling: managing groups of prescribers based on % effort and not reach frequency Key Account Mgt: relationship rep can call in specialized personnel as needed Prescriber Knowledge opportunity – Accessibility – responsiveness the sales model of Today Organizational Models therapy focused – team based – outsourcing specialist – Key Account mgt. new bonus and compensation models patient flow – local guidelines/Bodies influence to diagnose prescribe the sales model of The Future Portfolio Treatment Pathways Influence MNCs are expected to lead the change and that trend of micro-targeting has already begun. Companies like MSD, Sanofi-Aventis, and Roche have shown that value, and not cost, drives the healthcare choice. Januvia, (though much lesser than international price) is priced much higher and entered recently in the market, has already clocked sales of Rs 100 crs. Thus, its well said by a pharma executive: â€Å"The way of marketing differentiated products, depending on their life cycle stage, will be of utmost importance. Newer ways of promotion too will have to be considered. † 11 Conclusion Declining effectiveness of current sales models will only lead to emergence of newer approaches in pharma selling. Though the approaches will vary vastly from company to company, the trend has already started. Pharmaceutical players should seriously start evaluating their options and envisage how their sales models should evolve in the next 10 years to maintain their competitive edge. Where doesthefuturelie? IsKAMthesolution,orisittheCSO that will emerge? Willchannelmanagementgainmost importance? Towhatextentshouldmarketcoveragebe increased? How would one need to balance this with costeffectiveness? Theanswerswillemergeonlywiththe time, but with market maturing, patients actively seeking healthcare, and newer stakeholders emerging, another round of adaptation in pharma sales model is inevitable. No single business model may suffice in future. The future will belong to hybrid business models, with different structures co-existing together. We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following OPPI – SFE Committee Members : Mr. Rajan Tejuja, Chairman, OPPI SFE Committee and President Executive Director, Johnson Johnson Ltd. Mr. Vinay Gokhale,Vice Chairman, OPPI SFE Committee and Sales Training Development Manager, Abbott India Ltd. Mr. Sekar Sabapathy, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Senior Director – Cardiology Hospital BU, Aventis Pharma Ltd. (Group Sanofi Aventis). Mr. Biplab Chatterjee, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Vice President – Sales, Solvay Pharma India Ltd. Mr. Partha Ghosh, Member, OPPI SFE Committee and Director, Commercial, Pfizer Ltd. Mr. Vivek Padgaonkar, Director, OPPI. ABoUt ims ConsUlting groUp: inflUenCing the fUtUre of gloBAl heAlth IMS Consulting Group (IMSCG) is the pre-eminent global life sciences consultancy. Distinguished by our sector and client focus, international reach, world-class methodologies and unrivaled talent, we provide clients with Powerful Insights that inform Smarter Decisions. Within IMSCG, we have a bold vision – To Influence the Future of Global Health! Who We Are: †¢500+specialistbest-in-classconsultants †¢AdvisingLifeScienceleadersoncriticalbusinessissueswithsingularfocus †¢Cadreofhealth/pharma-relatedbackgroundsandadvanceddegrees Where We Are: †¢Combiningglobalreachwithlocalmarketstrength †¢KeyhubsinLondon,NewYork,ShanghaiandTokyo †¢Localexpertsonthegroundinpharmergingmarkets-China,Brazil, India, Russia, Turkey, and more hoW We mAKe the differenCe: †¢Maximizingproductportfoliovalueineveryphaseofthe pharma lifecycle †¢Deeptherapy-areaandindustryexpertise †¢Passionforlifesciencesandcommitmenttoclients ms ConsUlting groUp IMS HEALTH INFORMATION CONSULTING SERVICES INDIA PVT. LTD. ICC Chambers, 4th Floor, Saki-Vihar Road, Powai, Mumbai – 400 072 India www. imsconsultinggroup. com 12 How to cite The Evolution of Sales Models in the Indian Pharma Industry, Essay examples

Sociology and Language free essay sample

The crux of sociolinguistics is society +language=sociolinguistics. Sociolinguistics and linguistics There are many sociolinguistics who would also call themselves linguists. ?The question of who is socialist and who is not neither interesting nor important. ?Linguistics differs from sociolinguistics in taking account only the structure of language to the exclusion of the social context in which it is learned and use. ?The task of the linguistics is to work out the rules of language, after that sociolinguistics study any points at which these rules make context with society. ?Different alternative way of expressing the same thing , taken/chosen by different social group. (quality of sociolinguistics) ? Different societies use languages which show their behavior. ?In the current modern society, socio is discipline which is based on theological and empirical. ?In sociolinguistics language theory and language behaviorism are discussed: Example Language theory: ?Pashto uttered ? aggressive ? French language ? politeness This is theory but when we go to prove it become practical. We will write a custom essay sample on Sociology and Language or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ?Theory + practical = thesis (sociolinguistics) ?There is a two way relation between language and society: 1. On the base of language we infer culture. 2. On the base of culture we infer language. Relationship between sociology and linguistics Sociology: It is a study of society (behaviorism, attitude, social norm, living style, ruling and relations etc). Linguistics: The set pattern of language which includes syntax, semantics etc †¦ ?Linguistics talk about grammar (noun, pronoun,†¦) but sociolinguistics talk about the social use of these words. Example: If a Urdu linguist teach Urdu to any foreigner ( , , ). These are the thing which linguist tell him. But sociolinguistics will tell him how to use it in society. ?To some extent sociology and linguistics so side by side. A teacher should not only know the grammar but also to use it in different context. Usage and Use Usage: Talking about the prescribe rule of the language. This will be of major use for linguist. Use: Practical or actual application of prescribe use, this will be of major use of sociolinguist. ?The use of language refers to the society which comes under society. ?If we talk about the use of language, it basically social use so we link up this social use with the sociology. ?When we talk about sociology we define one society to another. Stratification of Pakistani society: A. Landlords B. Bureaucrats C. Businessmen D. Politicians E. Professional people F. Peasants/ farmer G. Beggars ?All of these groups have different languages. Everyone has his own language according to the level. ?Sociolinguistics study the use of language in different context of society. 1. 2 Sociolinguistic phenomena An imaginary world Pakistani society compare with such a society which actually do not exist. By comparing we come to know the relation of language with particular society. Every society has natural bound aries. These boundaries mean that no other people can come and join. Society and culture is affected by language when we used different language together (English+ Hindi ruin pet lang) Example: (may nay ik picture banaye hay) Linguist cannot judge from which society it belongs.

Faulkner Barn Burning free essay sample

In the story, â€Å"Barn Burning,† Faulkner explores southern social themes, what happens when individuals lose their connection to this society and its values, and the significance of the â€Å"barn burning† phenomena, and how psychologically stimulating it is to Abner, and how this affects his son Sarty. â€Å"Barn Burning was written in the early1930s this was a decade of the Great Depression and social and economic turmoil. This story offers readers insight into the years of the early South. In these readings, society is blamed for Abner’s s barn burning, rebellious personality (Loges). He is struggling against the oppressive economic restraints placed on him, and at the same time represents the new face of the South, rising against the old aristocratic order (Loges). The second courtroom scene in which de Spain exacts a payment of twenty bushels of corn against your crop for the ruined rug can be discussed in the context of de Spains use of the words contract and commissary. We will write a custom essay sample on Faulkner Barn Burning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The economic and legal authority exerted by the owner in this system of repressive, old-fashioned privilege which creates the near impossibility of the tenants ever getting out from under will then become more understandable for readers to grasp the context and comprehend what was going on in the 1930s. This illustrates the oppressive factor going on with Sarty and Mr. Snopes as well as many other poverty-stricken individuals during that time. The contrast between the de Spain mansion and the Snopes tenant farmer shack highlights the terrible divide between owner and tenant in the 30s. Here in Barn Burning the small, impoverished and illiterate ten-year-old boy, ill-nourished on cold food and dressed in clean but faded, patched jeans, has experienced home as a succession of identical unpainted two room houses, tenant farmer hovels, for the Snopeses have moved a dozen times through poor country. What was more evident to me of the social divide, was very prominent in the 1930s was the class distinction. Especially in the encounter at the white aristocrats mansion, which draws attention to the superior status of the black house servant over the poor white tenant farmer. Here the finer quality of the blacks attire, his position within the house, and his power to deny the white entrance heighten the racial tensions. Poor white sweat may mix with nigger sweat. The quality of life of the poor whites and that of the blacks are too similar: whites may now claim a racial superiority but not class superiority. Poor whites, too, can be owned as blacks were. The racial element in the doorway encounter only fuels the fathers rage all the more. The black servant who obviously holds a superior position in the doorway challenges his supposed supremacy as a white man. The blacks appearance and his authoritarian position over Snopes within the confines of the house mock the Synopses claims to racial superiority. Mississippis was one of the poorest states in the 1930s, a state with an unmatched record of racial atrocities, a state where poor whites and blacks scraped at the bottom of the economic barrel, and where the racial tensions exploded in rage and violence. These historic facts can lead to a clearer understanding of why Abner Snopes acts as he does here. Yet equally the cluster of words like ruthless, bloodless, stiff, cut from tin, and iron like surrounding Abner Snopes suggests the metallic, inhuman, mechanical identity Faulkner also recognizes in Snopes. Any love, pity, and compassion are now gone from the father; only the frozen ferocity and the cold, dead voice remain. In Abner Snopes Faulkner captures the toll to the human spirit that the oppression, deprivation, and injustice of the Great Depression exacted. Furthermore, the relentless defiance by the underclass extracts an even greater human cost. The situation and system dehumanize the individual in ways that Abner Snopes graphically exemplifies. Abner  Snopes, a rebellious sharecropper with a â€Å"barn burning† past, is the main character who acts as antagonist in the story while being a victim in his mind. Abner  Snopes, who was a thief and coward even before the end of the Civil War,  is  now isolated from his previous pride, identity, and sense of self by the new equality and values that invade his world. As a result,  Snopes  feels free to completely blame the world for his actions, and violates moral rules without regret in the society he no longer accepts. Abner is a violent and primitive force of destruction. When interacting with his family he is emotionless and stiff. Snopes’ physical presence fully reflects the inner corruption and love of revenge that he embodies. His leg, shot in the war when he was stealing confederate horses for personal profit, drags lamely behind him, an external indicator of his warped inner life. Because Snopes is solely unable to express himself articulately or intelligently, his sole remedies for self-expression are violence and cruelty. These tactics have overtaken his worldview so completely that they have infused his sense of who he is. He compensates for these shortcomings by being a silent tyrant, ruling his family with threats and the promise of violence, as well as by destroying the livelihood of those individuals he believes have insulted him by way of fire. From the beginning of the story Abner rejects society’s values. During the Civil War, he doesn’t not fight alongside the Confederate Army; instead (never admits to) but shows his selfishness of stealing from both sides for his own gain. When he tries to escape on a stolen horse a policeman shoots him in the heel, the policeman representing â€Å"society. He does not like upward mobility of â€Å"rich† society it is evident in the passage â€Å"Pretty and white, aint it? †¦ Thats sweat. Nigger sweat. Maybe it aint white enough to suit him yet. He wants to mix some white sweat with it. (969) By tracking poop on the de Spain rug Abner is sending a powerful message to de Spain. Abner shows him just what he thinks of a man who gets ri ch on the sweat of the poor. There is something admirable about that Unfortunately, Abners class war has devastating consequences on his family. They live in terror and fear of Abners next strategic fight against power and privilege. Abner’s  impotent rage and search for vengeance push him to lash out violently at almost anyone with whom he comes in contact, but his actions are framed (in his mind) as revenge, not as evil. His method of destruction comes in the form of fire, which he uses to threaten, not to kill. Snopes’ does not use fire to kill because he still has to participate in society, and in his mind he is always the victim, not a criminal: barn burning is justice in his mind, and  Snopes’ still sees himself as a man forced to function in a corrupt world. His method is to allow a situation to provoke, create an imagined wrong,  then  conveniently forget that he started the situation, so that he might vent with barn burning in the name of symbolically righting all the wrongs done to him in life. From the small fires made at camp to the larger ones that burn down barns, Abner is the boss. Abner  as a fiercely independent spirit who flouts aristocratic oppression. Abner  tyrannizes his wretched family mercilessly; adheres selfishly to his own designs, heedless of his familys welfare; and squelches any attempt for social reform or communal identity (Ford). From this passage stated by Ford that hates the predicament that he is currently in and is almost compelled to lash out in the very distinct act of barn burning. Not even evaluating what this does to his family let alone their personal welfare. According to Loges, the narrator suggest that the fire to Abner, has mystical powers â€Å"the element of fire spoke to some deep mainspring of his father’s being, as the element of steel or of powder spoke to other men, as the one weapon for the preservation of integrity, else breath were not worth the breathing, and hence to be regarded with respect and used with discretion†(966). This suggests strongly that without fire, Abner would feel completely powerless and out of control. Fire is the one thing in his life he can control, and use to kind of heal the wounds of his depressed ego. Furthermore, Fire to Snopes represents his powerlessness and his quest for power and self-expression. Snopes and Sarty’s relationship is not of a normal father-son relationship filled with love, respect, loyalty and admiration. From the beginning you can conclude that their relationship lacks all except the loyalty, which I feel Sarty has for his father only because of the fear of consequence for not obeying his fathers orders. During the scene at the De Spain mansion you really get a sense of who he is, because this is when you read his inner most thoughts. Interestingly, the first thing the mansion reminds him of is a courthouse (965). This suggests that Sarty has not only seen a real courthouse, but also that he has some positive feelings about the  legal  system, which his father is so adept at thwarting. The mansion gives Sarty a sense of peace and dignity (965). In Sartys experience the legal process of justice is messy and unfair and has little to do with peace and dignity. Sarty thinks the mansion will shield the de Spain barn from being burned. Not only that, but the sight of the mansion might even change his father so that he doesnt even want to burn barns anymore. That gets more to the heart of the matter. Sarty doesnt understand that the southern mansion was probably built on activities worse than barn burning, but he knows it wasnt built by living the way his father lives. Unlike anything hes ever seen, the mansion represents an extreme  alternative  to his fathers way of life. Sartys reaction paints him as naive. Even as he watches his deliberately father track horse poop on the de Spains white rug, destroying all that peace and dignity with one move, he holds out hope. Still, when Sarty sees his father treated with contempt by de Spain, he realizes that maybe there is more to the mansion than meets the eye. This growing awareness allows Sarty to sympathize with his father, at least for a time. The experience of living by the de Spains mansion is a positive experience, event though Sartys idealization of the mansion ultimately vanishes. It reminds him that there are many alternatives in between the two-room shack and the mansion, and gives him reason to hope. Though  Snopes  feels no remorse in what he does, society will eventually not stand for his blame game as justification for his barn burnings. Abner  Snopes’ son,  Sarty, is a firsthand witness to the next barn burning and is put in the role of societal judge. Sarty  is caught in a moral dilemma, pulled between the values of the community and his loyalty to his father. Rather than inherit the alienated condition of his father,  Sarty  chooses society, turning his father in to plantation owner Major De Spain. Sarty  realizes what  Abner  Snopes  does not: you can function at the edge of a society, defy a society and violate a community’s rules to a point because you feel you are a special case, specifically a victim, but you cannot escape responsibility forever. Society now will remove Snopes’ delusional, selfish, victim-seeking-revenge status and force him to face reality: he is a petty evil man who rejecting, but still working in society, must now face real laws and punishment for his â€Å"blame game† justified crimes.

Alcatraz essays

Alcatraz essays In western California, in San Fransisco Bay, Alcatraz rises 130 feet above the surface of the bay and is about 1755 feet long. The United States Depeartment of Justice used the island as a Military Prison from 1868 until 1933, when it became a federal prison for dangerous prisoners. The prison was closed in 1963. In 1972 Alcatraz became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The island has many natural features such as gardens, tide pools, and bird colonies. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the occupation of the Alcatraz Island by Indians of all tribes. The name Alcataz derived from the spanish word Alcatraces. It was given to the island by a spanish explorer namedm Juan Manuel de Ayala. The name Alcatraz means pelican or strange bird. Well known prisoners that stayed in Alcatraz were Al Capone, George Machine-Gun Kelly, Alvin Karpis, and Arthur Doc Barker. At Alcatraz, a prisoner had 4 rights: food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Everything else was a privilege and had to be earned. Privileges that had to be earned were: working, corresponding with and having visits from family members, access to the prison library, and recreational activities. Over the 29 years that the federal prison operated, 36 men, including 2 who tried to escape twice, were involved in 14 separate escape attempts. 23 were caught, 6 were shot and killed, and 2 drowned. No one ever succeeded in escaping from Alcatraz. Although, to this day, there are 5 prisoners listed as missing and presumed dead. The average population for the prison was between 260 and 275 prisoners. The prison never once reached its maximum capacity of 336. Some prisoners considered Alcatraz better than other Federal Prisons. After the prison closed, it was basically abandoned. Many ideas were brought up for the island. From 1909 through 1911, Alcatraz wa ...