Lord of the Flies Essay

In the novel Lord of the Flies, the author places a group of children in a situation where there are no grown ups to control them. On an island, faraway from civilisation, it is up to the schoolboys to establish a new society with new rules, so that they can live together. But their attempt at an ordered life soon falls apart and each of them is driven by an inner beast, which tempts them into evil. The novel suggests that even though man has evolved over the centuries, becoming civilized and leaving the cave for the city, the savage within him still remains. Disconnected from the restrictions of society, he slips back into a life where the strong dominate through fear, and there is no place for the weak other than as blind followers. It raises a very simple yet important question – do the strong always hurt the weak? Hunting is one clear theme from the text, which implies that the author’s answer to this question is ‘yes’. Since the beginning, the boys get classed according to their strength: Ralph is chosen as the chief, the littluns are left to themselves, Piggy and Simon are largely ignored and Jack becomes the leader of the hunters. Jack wants to be the one to provide ‘meat’ for the tribe. Yet, as time goes by, he seems to become more obsessed by the thrill of killing, feeling a â€Å"compulsion to track down and kill† that is â€Å"swallowing him up. † When the boys hunt the sow suckling its piglets, they choose the weakest and most innocent of preys. The killing is described almost as a sexual act indicating the amount of pleasure it gave them: â€Å"Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her†. In the island’s government, Jack also uses his power to hurt the weak to establish his authority. He shows off his hunting skills to convince the boys that he will be a better leader and give better protection against the feeble. When Roger kills Piggy, Jack screams, â€Å"See? See? That’s what you’ll get! † His set of laws is enforced through fear and punishment, and even when Ralph is alone and defenceless, he wants to hunt him down and kill him. Although Jack and Roger are the most obvious examples of strong hurting the weak, most of the other boys also have the same instinct. Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in! † they chant as they act out their hunt around the bonfire and do a savage dance. The performance seems to carry them into a hypnotic trance, which leads to the vicious killing of Simon. By the end of the novel, even the littluns have gone wild. Carried away by fear and violence, they join the hunt for Ralph. It is easy to see that Lord of the Flies reflects a very pessimistic view of human nature. The author seems to judge that the desire to hurt the weak is an inherent instinct in man. The thesis definitely holds true in the world showed in the book. But to fully understand whether it is true or not, it is important to apply it to the real world as well. There are countless examples in everyday life and history that support the thesis question. In 1996, the sports accessories giant Nike was hauled to court for exploiting children under sixteen to work in their sweatshops in Indonesia (Harsono, 1996). Not only was the company breaking Child Labor Laws, it was making the children work like slaves in terrible working conditions. They were being paid the official minimum wage, which was less that $2. 17 per day allowing Nike to make exorbitant profits. Children form the weakest section of human society and therefore are often hurt and exploited. But they in turn, can also become the tormentor for others weaker than themselves. We have all seen kids throwing stones at helpless dogs or stamping on ants just for fun. Playgrounds are filled with bullies who torment the meek. As Golding would say, the instinct to hurt seems to be present in us from birth. In another sensational example of people using their power to abuse the weak, The Independent (Coonan, 2006) recently featured an article revealing the ‘casting couch’ in the Chinese film industry. A Chinese actress Zhang Yu had blown the whistle on a number of famous directors and producers who only agreed to give roles in exchange for sex. And this is not an uncommon scenario. Life seems to be full of people who use their power to get what they want from those in their control. A recent film, The Hostel, explores this desire to hurt in humans, exposing it as a sickness. It is about a different kind of prostitution, where the powerless victims are sold to buyers who get pleasure torturing them. The movie shows the ‘beast’ in human nature at its worst. And the most terrifying is that the writer claims that its storyline is based on reports of true incidents. Yet, despite such strong evidence of support, one can’t help but find Golding’s worldview to be slightly one-sided as there are plenty of examples, which contradict it as well. It is true that people exist who enjoy hurting the weak. But it is also true that people exist who devote their entire life to protecting them. To accept unconditionally that the strong always want to harm the helpless, is to forget the Mother Theresas and the Nelson Mandelas of this world. The thesis ignores the human rights workers, lawyers, medical aides who work tirelessly for the cause of the weak. In the Genesis (1: 1-25), God is said to create light and darkness, water and earth, bird and beast. And so, just as there is evil, there is also good. It is a duality that is inherent in life. Is the desire to hurt the weak instinctive in man? In the imaginary world of the Lord of the Flies the answer is ‘yes’. But in real life, the issue is too complex for so absolute an answer. We cannot arrive at the truth by simply ignoring the better side of human nature and considering only the worst or vice versa. Golding’s outlook is all-inclusive and too generalized. The novel itself gives the first seed of doubt in the form of Simon. He helps the littluns collect fruit to eat. For every Jack in this world, there exists at least one Simon. If it were a universal truth that deep down all humans feel a desire to hurt the weak, his presence would be hard to explain indeed. Reference http://www.albionmonitor.com/9606a/nikelabor.html

Ballyhoo, Prosperity and the Crash

The Great Depression which came after the Crash of 1929 changed American attitudes from optimism, something that Americans had because of the increasing flow of consumer goods and because of this new better way of life to, despair. This economic despair was the lowest and bleakest time in American history. â€Å"Factories closed, machines fell silent, and millions upon millions of people walked the streets, looking for jobs that did not exist† (750). Lasting for ten years it took over every aspect of American life.Along with this came a change in government that would give way to a Democratic majority and removed Republican hold since the 1890’s. Immigrants who had came to America before WWI took a political stance that lasted through this difficult time on through to the next generation that resulted in the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of the first things his office did was developing The New Deal. This would create programs of â€Å"relief, recovery, and re form that greatly increased the role of government in American life† (750) in an effort to ease suffering and begin the path for economic recovery.In order to understand what happened economically during this time a look at business and government attitudes during the 20’s should be examined. During the 20’s Republicans â€Å"used their return to power after WWI to halt further reform legislation and to establish a friendly relationship between government and business† (742). This relationship led to false beliefs in economic growth and stability. The automobile and appliance industries during this time caused a saturation of the market. This slowed sales steadily and in 1927 there was a mild recession.The owners of these industries could have raised wages or lowered prices in an effort to stimulate buying power and hold onto the â€Å"consumer-goods revolution† (750) but ignored the signs. The government could have helped by stopping installment-bu ying and slowing bank loans that could have made the depression not last as long, but didn’t. The only institution that saw a possible problem and tried to do something about it was The Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Reserve Board saw problems and tried to stimulate the economy by lowering the discount rate, and charging banks less for loans.This extra credit that was given was thought to be used for re-investment but instead went into the stock market that was â€Å"touching off a new wave of speculation that obscured the growing economic slowdown and ensured a far greater crash to come† (751). Everyone jumped on the bandwagon as the 1920’s became better known as the get-rich-quick era. Millions of individuals from all the way at the top to all the way at the bottom played the stocks. Anyone with extra cash was investing heavily in the stock markets. They were betting that the huge rise in security prices would make them huge profits.Savings were used to be t on the speculative stocks. â€Å"Corporations used their large cash reserves to supply money to brokers who in turn loaned it to investors on the margin. † (751). By 1929 the whole country was in love with stock speculation. Offices open in huge numbers in city after city across America and people flocked to them in hopes of riches. This national obsession with the bull market gave a false idea that the economy was healthy and this caused a blind eye towards the mistakes that were happening that would lead to disaster.It was in October of 1929 that put the stop to this obsession of speculation stock buying. Overnight corporations and financial institutions no longer would provide capital for stock market purchases and this also made investors and bankers stop giving consumer credit. This stopped consumer buying power and leading to a sharp slope downward of sales of consumer goods economic disaster that continued for 4 years. 1932 showed a time that â€Å"unemployment had swelled to 25 percent of the work force.Steel production was down to 12 percent of capacity and the vast assembly lines in Detroit produced only a trickle of cars each day. † (751) There were many contributing factors toward the path of the Great Depression, but the single most important was that factories produced more goods than they were consuming. Some others were unstable economic conditions in Europe, the agricultural decline since 1919, corporate mismanagement and of course over speculation. Americans didn’t have the money to buy anymore.Even though most Americans didn’t have a car or a refrigerator the money just wasn’t there anymore. Too much money had gone into profits, dividends and industrial expansion. Not enough went into the hands of the workers who would become the consumer. Wages vs. factory productivity did not equal out. â€Å"Factory productivity had increased 43 percent during the decade, but the wages of industrial workers had only g one up 11 percent† (752). If all the money that was used for speculation had gone to increase wages then consumer purchasing would have gone up.This would have created a balance in production and consumption. It was only after a good look at what happened would the consumer-goods economy of America be understood. Not only did this cause a huge hardship for the population it also showed a challenge for political leadership in America. When Roosevelt took office the nation was near an economic collapse with unemployment at thirteen million. His first step was to save the banks. He drafted new legislature for banking that would help the stronger banks to reopen with government help and force the weaker banks to close.Roosevelt launched New Deal programs that would help in industrial and agricultural recovery, two of the hardest economic fields hit. This New Deal helped with immediate problems that were around in the 1930’s with programs that addressed relief in unemploymen t and destitute citizens. But in 1935 reform took the place of recovery and relief. â€Å"Roosevelt was developing a ‘broker-state’ concept of government, responding to pressures from organized elements such as corporations, labor unions, and farm groups while ignoring the needs and wants of the dispossessed who had no clear political voice† (761).This caused a major pressure for change because it did not help the average guy and was meant more for internal government change. The New Deal did have an influence on the quality of life in America, but also had some downfall. Labor unions was one influenced that changed history along with the introduction of Social Security, but the New Deal seemed to only help the more vocal and organized groups and left minorities out. But still Roosevelt’s impact on U. S.politics lead to the uplifting of the American people at a time when it was desperately needed in order to survive during a very disturbing and hard time. I don’t want to believe it was greed that caused this problem, but rather a misguided dream of the want of something better. Isn’t that the American dream? Reference: Divine, R. A. , Breen, T. H. , Fredrickson, G. M. , & Williams, R. H. (1987). America Past and Present 2nd. Ed. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company.

Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results

Table of Contents Understand the importance of business processes in delivering outcomes based upon business goals and objectives 2 Be able to develop plans for own area of responsibility to implement operational plans 3 Be able to monitor appropriate systems to improve organisational performance 4 Be able to manage health and safety in the workplace. 1: 1. 1 evaluate the interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organisation 1. 2 justify the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisation’s goals and objectives 1. 3 evaluate the output of the process and the quality gateways 2: 2. 1 design plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility 2. 2 write objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way2. 3 implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting orga nisational standards of quality 2. 4 carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control 3: 3. 1 design systems to manage and monitor quality standards specified by the organisation 3. demonstrate a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of the process 3. 3 recommend improvements which align with the organisation’s objectives and goals and which result in improvements 3. 4 report on the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation 4: 4. 1 carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements ensuring appropriate action is taken 4. 2 demonstrate that health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations are correctly and effectively applied 4. carry out a systematic review of organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and compliant 4. 4 carry out practica l application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. 1. 1 – The Interrelationship Between the Different Processes and Functions of the organisation Your business's functions are the things it does — production, sales, marketing, research and billing, for example. The organizational structure defines the relationship and interactions between the parts of your business, and identifies how the chain of command runs through the different levels.You can set up your business structure around your organizational functions, but even if you don't, function and structure will influence each other. Functional Structure Most businesses adopt a functional organizational structure: Different functions go into separate departments that report to department managers, who then report to someone higher up. If you adopt a functional structure, it has the advantage of clear lines of authority, and allows each employee to concentrate on her particular mission. The d rawback is that you can end up with departments that don't talk to each other or cooperate well.A customer may get bounced from department to department if his problem doesn't relate to one particular function. Divisional Structure A divisional organizational structure spreads functions across different branches: If you have different product lines, the division for each product line has its own marketing, R&D, sales and accounting departments. The advantage of this approach is that each branch has the personnel to carry out all necessary functions. The drawback is that with employees in each division performing identical functions, you could end up with a lot of redundancy and inefficiency.Matrix Structure Using a matrix structure in your business can give you greater flexibility in business functions than a more hierarchical organization. In a matrix structure, each employee works in a function-based department, such as marketing or finance, but they can be assigned to projects un der different managers and teamed with employees who have different functions. This structure adapts organizational function to changing organizational needs. The drawback is that the chain of command in a matrix may become cloudy and conflicted.Organizational Charts If you or your staff have trouble visualizing a proposed structure, you can use an organizational chart to see it clearly. The New York and Erie Railroad developed the first organizational charts in the 19th century as a way to improve management efficiency. A chart shows the lines of authority and control running between different departments and levels of management. A well-designed chart will make it easy to see who makes decisions, who reports to whom and how your organization divides up its operating functions. Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results Table of Contents Understand the importance of business processes in delivering outcomes based upon business goals and objectives 2 Be able to develop plans for own area of responsibility to implement operational plans 3 Be able to monitor appropriate systems to improve organisational performance 4 Be able to manage health and safety in the workplace. 1: 1. 1 evaluate the interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organisation 1. 2 justify the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisation’s goals and objectives 1. 3 evaluate the output of the process and the quality gateways 2: 2. 1 design plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility 2. 2 write objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way2. 3 implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting orga nisational standards of quality 2. 4 carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control 3: 3. 1 design systems to manage and monitor quality standards specified by the organisation 3. demonstrate a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of the process 3. 3 recommend improvements which align with the organisation’s objectives and goals and which result in improvements 3. 4 report on the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation 4: 4. 1 carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements ensuring appropriate action is taken 4. 2 demonstrate that health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations are correctly and effectively applied 4. carry out a systematic review of organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and compliant 4. 4 carry out practica l application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. 1. 1 – The Interrelationship Between the Different Processes and Functions of the organisation Your business's functions are the things it does — production, sales, marketing, research and billing, for example. The organizational structure defines the relationship and interactions between the parts of your business, and identifies how the chain of command runs through the different levels.You can set up your business structure around your organizational functions, but even if you don't, function and structure will influence each other. Functional Structure Most businesses adopt a functional organizational structure: Different functions go into separate departments that report to department managers, who then report to someone higher up. If you adopt a functional structure, it has the advantage of clear lines of authority, and allows each employee to concentrate on her particular mission. The d rawback is that you can end up with departments that don't talk to each other or cooperate well.A customer may get bounced from department to department if his problem doesn't relate to one particular function. Divisional Structure A divisional organizational structure spreads functions across different branches: If you have different product lines, the division for each product line has its own marketing, R&D, sales and accounting departments. The advantage of this approach is that each branch has the personnel to carry out all necessary functions. The drawback is that with employees in each division performing identical functions, you could end up with a lot of redundancy and inefficiency.Matrix Structure Using a matrix structure in your business can give you greater flexibility in business functions than a more hierarchical organization. In a matrix structure, each employee works in a function-based department, such as marketing or finance, but they can be assigned to projects un der different managers and teamed with employees who have different functions. This structure adapts organizational function to changing organizational needs. The drawback is that the chain of command in a matrix may become cloudy and conflicted.Organizational Charts If you or your staff have trouble visualizing a proposed structure, you can use an organizational chart to see it clearly. The New York and Erie Railroad developed the first organizational charts in the 19th century as a way to improve management efficiency. A chart shows the lines of authority and control running between different departments and levels of management. A well-designed chart will make it easy to see who makes decisions, who reports to whom and how your organization divides up its operating functions.

Comparative law ii trade and foreign investment in china Essay

Comparative law ii trade and foreign investment in china - Essay Example In DFW needs to transfer new technology to ST, it shall offer technical assistance and key components and parts during the preliminary stage of production. The means of payment for the technical services shall be specified in the technology transfer contract. Eventually, ST shall produce the items purely with domestic components with the upgrading in their skills and increase in domestic supplies. The signed contract will end with the fulfillment of the quality and quantity requirements specified in it. Advantages DFW will improve competitiveness in the SEZ by influencing few features such as competence/skill, capital, exports, infrastructure, and technology. Transfer of technology with synergistic results are dependent on achieving "reasonable compatible" targets between developing countries and foreign companies. A technology transfer will generally profit the SEZ in one of two ways. It will provide to manage research and development to accelerate the creation of new technology. Th e other way a technology transfer can benefit SEZ is when it  can share  its technology with less-developed regions in an endeavor to assist them with essential technologies, such as infrastructure development or food production. Technology transfer will modernize the Shenzhen economy and change the way products are generated, so the region becomes more resourceful and productive within the global market system. Disadvantages Technology transfer involves the movement of material structure, knowledge, skills, organization, values, and capital from the place of production to the receiving site. The unseen features of technology, such as organization, skills, and knowledge might be much more decisive than the physical  element it is for the  effective  transfer of technology. The technology that is transferred must also denotes the transfer of knowledge to the recipients, instead of making them rely on continuous external inputs and help. The new technology must be socially t olerable and beneficial on numerous levels, in addition to the general capability of communities to uphold healthy and sustainable livelihoods. Technological advances tend to raise complexity and uncertainty, making end users dependent on dedicated experts, and construct new knowledge obstacles for probable investors. In cases of the transfer of multifaceted production technologies, knowledge and technical proficiency become important hurdles to the transfer. b) Turnkey contract DFW can enter into a turnkey contract with SZ for the construction of a computer manufacturing plant and semiconductor manufacturing plant in the SEZ region. In this case, DFW will be entirely be responsible for the costs of designing and building the plant including its start-up and its capacity to produce computers and semiconductor chips as specified in the contract. ST shall provide a construction site for the computer manufacturing plant and semiconductor manufacturing plant, the required approvals from the Shenzhen government, the maintenance, and operational staff. On the other hand, DFW shall provide all the technology, design, and engineering services for procurement, supply, installation of all equipment, staff training, start-up of the plant, and guarantee that ST can use the plant to produce

Civil Disobedience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Civil Disobedience - Essay Example Mack, like Rosa Parks, takes the smallest of moves and starts a chain reaction that results in freedom for all regardless of class/race distinctions. Rosa Parks and Mack are further connected by virtue of the fact that they both expose social injustice and oppression from the bottom down. Like, Rosa Parks, Mack is positioned at the lowest stratum of society and yet, they both dare to challenge an established regime. Where Rosa Parks is arrested for her challenge, Mack is reprimanded and reminded of his rightful place in the social order. In other words, both Mack and Parks are reminded by established authority of their rightful place in society. However, both emerge heroic. Mack emerges as the real king of the pond whereas, Parks becomes an historical icon symbolizing the civil rights movement. Thus Parks is associated with freedom and equality and Mack is likewise associated with freedom and equality. Parks and Mack are further united by their observance of and displeasure of the di sparity and oppression forced upon their peers. Both observe the reluctance and fear that accompanies obedience and both determined that something needed to be done to break the cycle. Therefore both Mack and Parks spoke out in different ways, but with the same outcome: freedom for all although Mack’s freedom came at lot easier and faster than Parks. Naturalize Me Naturalization is defined by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (2011) as the qualification process that non-US citizens must successfully complete before becoming US citizens. The qualifications are set forth by the US Congress and are reflected in the Immigration and Nationality Act (US Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2011). In other words, naturalization is a process by which foreigners obtain the right to be citizens of another country. In order to become naturalized under the US Immigration and Nationality Act, there are a number of qualifying factors. If the applicant has been permanently living in the US for a minimum period of five years and is eligible for citizenship, naturalization will occur. An individual is eligible for citizenship if the individual has had a green card for a minimum of five years prior to applying for naturalization. Other eligibility requirements are: resided in a state for a minimum of 3 months before applying for naturalization; is in the US for no less than 30 months of the five years prior to applying for naturalization; lives in the US between the time of applying and the time of naturalization; is literate in English and knows US government and history; and is of good character and adheres to the US Constitutions (US Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2011). An individual may also qualify for naturalization if that individual is qualified as a the spouse of a US citizen and has been permanently living in the US for at least 3 years. A spouse of a US citizen is qualified for naturalization if the foreign spouse had been married to and liv ing with their US spouse for at least three years as a green card holder; is at least 18 years old; the US spouse was a US citizen for the three years that the applicant lived with him or her; has resided in a US state for a minimum of 3 months before applying for naturalization and all other qualifications applicable to the acquisition of US citizenship (US Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2011). In addition, members of the US armed forces, their family and dependants are also

Experiencing Art in Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Experiencing Art in Person - Essay Example Mr. Sprick carefully picked elements in the painting to bring life yet retaining a sense of mortality. Nothing in the artwork seems to be situated I its place in reality. Pins in the skull eyes are weird. The Ross and the plate are suspended which is not natural. How did a broken egg shell get to be suspended on a knife? Why would a soup can and beer bottle be put next to each other for communication? Mr. Sprick’s explanation requests us to try and see his work through his own eyes. Through the piece, he is trying to communicate to us that we need to appreciate imperfections in our daily lives. Things do not always have to work or be the way we are conditioned to see. Flexibility is important if we are to enjoy the beauty in life. Sprick shares with us an inspirational thought which states, when destiny knocks on our door, we need to discard all our plans.2 This is the only way we can fully enjoy the benefit of our calling. Having considered this, I reasonably believe, the sku ll was the centre of the piece but the desire to expand the message, Sprick introduced the other objects which he arranged in a systematic manner to portray unity. The use of linear perspective gives the painting a three dimensional quality that conveys reality.3 The dominant white color has been cleverly used to spread a feeling of peace and calmness in the painting despite its elements of violence depicted by a broken beer bottle, crashed egg shells, spilled red liquid and the dead bugs. My experience with Mr. Sprick’s painting has made me realize the power art has over life and death. When bugs stand still, one cannot differentiate between live ones and the dead ones because the dead ones retain their form unless interfered with physically. Notable is the seemingly happy face of... Mr. Sprick’s explanation requests us to try and see his work through his own eyes. Through the piece, he is trying to communicate to us that we need to appreciate imperfections in our daily lives. Things do not always have to work or be the way we are conditioned to see. Flexibility is important if we are to enjoy the beauty in life. Sprick shares with us an inspirational thought which states, when destiny knocks on our door, we need to discard all our plans. This is the only way we can fully enjoy the benefit of our calling. Having considered this, I reasonably believe, the skull was the centre of the piece but the desire to expand the message, Sprick introduced the other objects which he arranged in a systematic manner to portray unity. The use of linear perspective gives the painting a three dimensional quality that conveys reality. The dominant white color has been cleverly used to spread a feeling of peace and calmness in the painting despite its elements of violence depi cted by a broken beer bottle, crashed egg shells, spilled red liquid and the dead bugs. My experience with Mr. Sprick’s painting has made me realize the power art has over life and death. When bugs stand still, one cannot differentiate between live ones and the dead ones because the dead ones retain their form unless interfered with physically. Notable is the seemingly happy face of the skull and the pins give it a penetrating look.

Motivation and how management can use it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivation and how management can use it - Essay Example The late Marvin Bower, who transformed McKinsey & Co. into one of the best management consulting firms in the world, said that the "ability to inspire and require workers to be their best is the greatest resource of any business, and that the rewards for doing so include growth for the business itself, and growth in competitive position, size, and profits" (Edersheim, 2004, p. 65). Much literature about theories of motivation and work relate to the subject of inspiring employees to be their best (Gagne and Deci, 2005; Ambrose and Kulik, 1999). This paper explores how managers can use theories of motivating employees to make the workplace better, more profitable, and efficient. A manager's job is to get things done through their employees, so knowing how to motivate employees is always a challenge that has never been easy and is not getting any easier. Many changes driven by worldwide social and economic forces are happening in the workplace and in the workers themselves. The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s and the globalization of businesses are transforming corporations - public and private, large and small - in a radical way (Stiglitz, 2002). Global competition and the rise of democracy are pressuring companies to be more competitive, agile, and lean, changing the nature of organizational structures and the relationships between managers and workers (Micklethwait & Wooldridge, 2000). Another change agent is the progress of information and communications technology, especially the Internet and mobile computing, which has altered the nature of communication within the organization and the quality of the workforce. Workers are more educated and knowledgeable, able to gain quick access to information and perform knowledge-based tasks in an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration (Heerwagen, Kelly, & Kampshroer, 2005). As the workplace structure and the workers themselves change, management faces the problem posed by Gerstner (2002) after a successful ten-year effort to bring IBM Corporation out of a crisis: How do you pull the levers of motivation to change the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of a population Of course, different people are motivated by different things. Some by money. Some by advancement. Some by recognition. For some, the most effective motivation is fear - or anger. For others, that doesn't (sic) work; it's learning, or the opportunity to make an impact, to see their efforts produce concrete results. Most people can be roused by the threat of extinction. And most can be inspired by a compelling vision of the future. Over the past ten years, I've pulled most of those levers (p. 203). Effectively changing the attitudes, behavior, and thinking of workers demands that a manager knows what levers of motivation to pull in the first place. Theories, Concepts, and Practices Much research has been done to identify empirically-proven theories and methods that managers can use to motivate their

Should the Stakeholders Investing in the Companys Assets Research Paper

Should the Stakeholders Investing in the Companys Assets - Research Paper Example The research includes a literature review to make the topic understandable. Red Bull should keep on investing in the formula one Championship for next year. Currently, Red Bull is one of the top Formula One racing tracks around the world. The Formula One circuit sports reporters regularly announce the standings and winning cars of each Formula One racing event. The sports writers’ informed the general public about the painstaking and scrutinizing victory of the Red Bull Formula One racing team to all racing and other sports fans in Sweden, in all Formula One race track, television, radio, and newspaper sports news. Red Bull is a beverage company that is strategically located in Sweden. As of 2007 alone, Red Bull sells 3.5 billion cans and bottles of its Red Bull products because the average Red Bull customer is not price conscious (Grisen, 2010). The Red Bull beverage company’s continued investment of next year’s Formula One events is part of the necessary promot ional aspect of the company’s overall marketing strategy. Simon Vigar reiterated (2008) just like in the prior years, the red bull name on one of the formula one race cars speeding past other competing cars often brings cheers, sadness, fear, and awe to the audiences watching the games. The Red Bull Formula One car is seen by thousands of fans visiting many Formula One grand prix circuits located around the world. During the live telecast and the news reports of the Formula One races, the Red bull name is seen by thousands of race track fans. Because of the sport news reports, the Red bull name will have free advertising in all the televisions, radio stations, and newspapers around the world. Thus, the cost of investing in the formula one circuit can be easily recuperated through the free news items found in the sports sections of the news papers, radio and television media around the world (Abele 2008). Business Question What strategies for developing a fast food chain? Aim – to identify the perception of product brand among the current and prospective clients Objectives: – to pinpoint the product brand store image held by this consumer group 1.To examine if there are different perceptions of product brand among the diverse age groups among the customers. 2. To determine which type of store brand is popular among the consumers. 3. To determine the competitors’ products and services with the aim of increase client base. Literature Review The marketing environment focuses on several theories. According to Hilton (2007), the SWOT analysis theory states that the company uses both internal and external resources in its decision making tools. According to the Managerial Accounting Studies, the theory states that the company must gather enough of its strengths to outsmart the competitors in terms of client generation and revenue increase. The theory states that the company should resolve all its weaknesses in order to have a successful bu siness or person endeavor. The company exerts all efforts to profit from its opportunities (Kumar, 2003). In addition, the company musters all its resources to hurdle all threats that come in the way of the way of the company’s achieving its aims and objectives. The marketing theory focuses on the four strategies. The company should focus on selling quality products and services (Czinkota, 2007). Product. Bucholz (2006) theorized that the company must implement some marketing changes to increase the clients’ demand for its products. The company must add additional shoe styles. The new shoe styles are based on the latest market segment trends. The company must increase the production of its ladies’

Read the garduition story and after that answer the 3 question of end Essay

Read the garduition story and after that answer the 3 question of end of the story - Essay Example Angelou surprises her reader by relating her thoughts during the course of the graduation ceremony. She explains how the white politician takes the stage and insults the students by implying that the only jobs for which blacks are suited is manual labor and sports. The most jarring moment for the reader occurs at the end of the essay when Angelou describes the class singing the Negro National Anthem as a form of protest. 2. The ancient tragedy Angelou is describing is the tragedy of the slave being sold on the dais during the time of slavery in America. Angelou depicts the disgrace of this event. Professor Parsons is on the stage, but just like the slave being sold at auction, â€Å"his eyes said he was no longer with us.† He is detaching himself from the situation just as his ancestors did. Angelou changes the tragedy by relieving the disgrace at the end of the ceremony. Instead of ending in tragedy as the sale of a slave does, the graduation ceremony ends with a note of hope. As Angelou states, â€Å"we were on top again.† 3. Like Angelou, I was involved in an event in school that I greatly anticipated. I was very active in the drama club in high school. We would always put on three plays a year, and each one was a production that took a tremendous amount of effort to create. The technical crew would spend hours after school making sure that the sound and lighting was perfectly timed. The art classes at school would help paint the sets, and various students would build different sets using the tools from the woodworking class. The mothers of all the drama club students would stitch the costumes. I was always a part of the cast, in minor roles and major roles. One year, we chose a particularly difficult production, Alice in Wonderland. The costumes were very elaborate and took months to create. Because of the psychedelic nature of the play, the sets required bright colors and

Disciplines of Humanities, Social Science and Management Essay

Disciplines of Humanities, Social Science and Management - Essay Example One such idea, that hadn’t been put in place during the founder’s time, but that has since seen some use and development, includes Frederick Taylor’s (1856-1915) Scientific Management Method. The founding idea behind Frederick Taylor’s scientific management theory was the concept that â€Å"the principal object of management should be to secure the maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee.†1 Taylor’s theories can be seen in many organizations that exist today, but perhaps most easily in the processes that characterize the popular fast food chain McDonalds, especially if one studies the means by which the company has redesigned their work areas since my teenage years to produce the greatest possible product in the least amount of time with the fewest manpower hours necessary to keep customers happy. Another development in management science that has occurred in the past 50 years, but accelerate d in the past 20, has been the concept of a knowledge society and economy. Rather than being focused upon products and materials, the new economies and philosophies are based more upon the concept of information management and communication. To understand some of these concepts, Taylor’s Scientific Management Method will be introduced and applied to one of my earliest positions as a McDonald’s employee, examining how application of the theory has changed this organization in the intervening years, before examining the changing base of management to one of information and how that applies to my current position as a network administrator. Frederick Taylor’s theory centered around the concept that management and the workforce should work in tandem for a mutual benefit, but that it was essential for management to make benefits directly applicable to the employee who

Absorption and Marginal Costing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Absorption and Marginal Costing - Assignment Example This technique of costing is also known as the full-cost technique (Sikdar, 2008). In reality, the technique of marginal costing takes into consideration the behavioral features of costs by segregating the costs into fixed and variable elements. The segregation is done because per unit variable cost is fixed and total costs are variable in nature but actually total fixed costs are fixed and per unit fixed cost is variable in nature. In addition, variable costs are handy in nature, whereas total fixed costs are unmanageable in nature. Short term planning makes use of the Marginal costing technique. Control and decision making in particular reference to the production of multi-products also uses marginal costing (Sikdar, 2008). The contribution in marginal costing technique is computed after taking away variable costs from sales value. This is the way in which the total share of all products/services incurred towards the total fixed costs by the business is also taken into account. Since the fixed costs are dealt with as period costs they are subtracted from total share to compute net profit (Sikdar, 2008). From the perspective of cost for a product/service, an absorption costing regards a share of all costs incurred by a business with regard to each of its products/services. Costs are segregated based on their functions under absorption costing technique. Apart from this costs which are incurred with reference to other business functions are subtracted to compute the net profit. Thus we can infer that absorption costing is a better info give to price products since it takes into account both variable and fixed costs (Sikdar, 2008). The costs that fluctuate with a resolution should only be included in decision analysis. For many decisions that engage comparatively small fluctuations from accessible practice and/or are for comparatively restricted periods of time, fixed costs are not applicable to the decision.  

STEEPLE and Balance Scorecard Essay Example for Free

STEEPLE and Balance Scorecard Essay When a firm uses an external consultant to solve a problem or evaluate an opportunity the consultant can use STEEPLE (social, technological, economic, environmental, legal, and ethical), which is a preliminary analysis technique to answer why the business organization or systems exist (Wickham, Wickham, 2008, p. 128). This analysis the consultant preforms helps to determine how the firm business fits in its external environment. The consultant can also use the balances scorecard to measure the financial and non-financial performance of the firm. The consultant will use the STEEPLE and Balance Scorecard to analyze Phillip-Morris introduction of its electronic cigarettes in the market. In addition, the consultant will make any recommendation to Phillip-Morris from the results of the STEEPLE and Balance Scorecard analysis. STEEPLE Analysis The STEEPLE analysis is and extension of the PEST analysis. The PEST analysis acronym stands for; political, economical, social, and technological factors the firm may face in its external environment. This analysis is a form of system analysis that provides a structure for examining elements from the larger system of which the firm is a part of (Gustafson, 2002, p. 134) The STEELPE analysis includes the factors of the PEST analysis with the additions of the legal, environment, and ethical factors the firm can also face in its external environment. The consultant will examine the seven external environmental factors to solve the firm’s problem or opportunity in the market: Sociological factors are trends and attitudes that can affect buying behaviors. The negative publicity that firms, such as Phillip-Morris on the effects of smoking cigarettes, has altered societies view of Phillip-Morris. This has led to millions of individuals to stop smoking to improve his or her health st atus. Technological factors- Technology is constantly changing. This trend is that advanced technology generates new questions. The question for Phillip-Morris is does the firm have the knowledge for the design, production, and delivery of the product? If not, where can the firm gain the knowledge to produce such a product or use a third party to produce it. Economic factors- the consultant will look at if the target market can afford the product. In addition, the consultant must look at if the Phillip-Morris can afford to borrow the necessary funds to produce the product. Environmental Factors- The consultant look at how the e-cigarettes will be packaged and what type of chemicals is going to be used in the production of the product. Depending on the package materials and the chemicals that are used in the production of the product can have a negative effect on the environment. Green issues are important in society today, and the firm must take the issues of protecting the environment in consideration when producing any product. Political and legal factors- relates to the government of a countries federal, state, and local law passed by various governmental agencies. In this analysis the consultant must look at what laws and the attitudes of government agencies have been made for regulating smoking e-cigarettes. Ethical Factors- The consultant must look at how the product will be packaged, design and the marketing campaign to entice consumers to buy the product. This is because the negative publicity cigarettes firms marketing, packaging, and design its products to minors. If the product is produced to make smoking e-cigarettes is â€Å"cool† this can have a negative impact on the company, because it can entice minors to use the product. After conducting the STEEPLE analysis the consultant must determine where the firm has strengthens, weakness, thre ats, and opportunities in the internal and external environment. Phillip-Morris has a negative sociological factor regarding the views of consumers who uses the firm’s products. This negative view has made millions of customers to stop using the firms products. The technological factor, Phillip-Morris has does not have the knowledge of producing e-cigarettes. The firm will have to rely on a third party to produce the product. With the company not having the technology or the technical know how to produce e-cigarettes the price of the product can be very expensive. This has a negative affect on the economical factor, because many consumers may not be able to afford the  product. In addition, by the firm using a third party to produce the product the firm does not assume the risk of borrowing the necessary funds. The firm will not have any negative environmental factors of producing the product, because the third party will assume the risk. However, Phillip-Morris does impact the environment with its current production of making cigarettes. In the political and legal issues the firm can face is very limited. Phillip-Morris will have to comply with federal, state, and local laws governing the legal age requirement for purchasing the product. The firm will have ethical issues if the packaging, design, and marketing is promoting the alternative way of smoking as â€Å"cool.† This can entice young society members to purchase and use the product. However, if its marketing, packaging, and design is to provide adults an alternative and health way of smoking. This will show society that the firm cares about the health of its customers and those who are affected by second hand smoke. Balance Scorecard The balance scorecard gives the organization a total management system to help clarify its vision and strategy. In addition, this technique gives the usable data for the organization to take appropriate business actions, provides feedback to the internal business processes and the external outcomes to improve the firms strategic performance. According to the article â€Å"Using the Balance Scorecard,† written by Kaplan and Norton (1996), (pp. 75-85) the balance scorecard has four perspectives of: Financial Perspectives- Phillip-Morris must balance its business functions which as been allocated across the organization. If the Phillip-Morris decides to increase its economic growth it can do this through a productivity strategy. Phillip-Morris can lower the direct and indirect expense to improve cost, or reduce working and fixed capital to utilize its assets to support the business Customer Perspectives- The value proposition of the customer is the mix of products, price, service , relationship, and Phillip-Morris image. With this perspective Phillip-Morris will have to take on its competition. The company will have to differentiate its value proposition. Phillip-Morris can do this by selecting different operational excellence, customer intimacy, and product leadership. Business Process Perspectives-This matric allows management to understand how efficiently the organization is performing. It also helps Phillip-Morris to understand if  its products or services is meeting the customers needs. In addition, this perspective makes sure that the organization is align with the four high level business process of: Building franchises Increase customer value Achieving operational excellences Phillip-Morris becoming a good corporate citizen Learning and Growth Perspectives- This perspective looks at the employee career growth, training, and the corporate culture for individual and the firm’s self-improvement. In addition, it looks at the knowledge enhancements that Phillip-Morris has to communicate with employees and a mentor program. If Phillip-Morris can enhance employees learning and growth it can have a workforce to meet the firms strategic position. These perspectives allow the development of metrics, data analysis, and collection for the firm. Phillip-Morris is the largest tobacco firms and has a clear objective for its current and potential stockholders. This objective can be to improve the financial side of the firm. In this case the firm has the motivation to have long-term shareholder value, and avoiding the ethical issues that is associated with tobacco companies. By doing this Philip-Morris will neglect the customer, business process, and learning and growth perspective of the balance scorecard. Phill ip-Morris must develop a different business strategy to have a more balanced scorecard. Recommendations The STEEPLE analysis shows Phillip-Morris has a negative sociological and technological factor. There are no environmental factors in producing e-cigarettes, and the political and legal issues will be the same as other tobacco products. The ethical factors can be a negative or positive depending on how the company package, design, and market the product. Phillip-Morris balance scorecard focuses on the financial perspective, while neglecting the three other perspectives. With Phillip-Morris focusing on the financial perspective, and without the technical know how. It is recommended that Phillip-Morris look for a third party to produce its e-cigarettes. It is also the recommendation for Phillip-Morris to enter in a joint venture so it can gain the technical knowledge and have a complete  balance scorecard. References Gustafson, K. (2002). The future of instructional design. In R. Rieser J. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (pp. 333-343). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merril/Prentice Hall Kaplan, R.S., Norton, D.P. (1996, January-February). Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System. Harvard Business Review, 74(1), 75-85. ESBCO Host. Wickham, P., Wickham, L. (2008). Management consulting: Delivering an effective project (3rd ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 Introduction High performance liquid chromatography 214 is the most widely used of all of the analytical separation techniques. The reasons for the popularity of the method is its sensitivity, ready adaptability to accurate quantitative determinations, suitability for separating non-volatile species or thermally fragile ones, wide spread applicability to substance that are of prime interest to industry, many fields of science and the public. The applications of chromatography have grown explosively in the last fifty years owing not only to the development of several new types of chromatographic techniques but also to the growing need by scientist for better methods for characterizing complex mixtures. General methodology for the development of new HPLC methods 215-228 HPLC method development follows the series of steps summarized below. Information on sample, objective of separation. Need for special HPLC procedure, sample pretreatment etc. Choice of detector and detector settings. Choosing LC method, preliminary run, estimation of best separation conditions. Optimization of separation conditions. Check for problems or requirement for special procedure. a) Recovery of purified material   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Quantitative calibration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c) Qualitative method Validate method for routine laboratory use. A good method development strategy should require only as many experimental runs as are necessary to achieve the desired final result. Finally, method development should be simple as possible, yet it should allow the use of sophisticated tools such as computer modeling if these are available. Before the beginning of method development, it is necessary to review what is known about the sample in order to define the goals of separation. The kinds of sample related information that can be important are summarized in Table-7.1. Table-8.1 Important information concerning sample composition and properties Number   of compounds present in the sample Chemical structures of components Molecular weights of compounds PKa values of compounds UV spectra of compounds Concentration range of various compounds in samples of interest Sample solubility   Ã‚   The chemical composition of the sample can provide valuable clues for the best choice of initial conditions for an HPLC separation. Objectives of separation The objectives of HPLC separation need to be specified clearly include. The use of HPLC to isolate purified sample components for spectral identification or quantitative analysis. It may be necessary to separate all degradants or impurities from a product for reliable content assay. In quantitative analysis, the required levels of accuracy and precision should be known (a precision of  ± 1 to 2% is usually achievable). Whether a single HPLC procedure is sufficient for raw material or one or more formulations and / or different procedures are desired for the analysis of formulations? When the number of samples for analysis at one time is greater than 10, a run time of less than 20 min. will be oftenly important. Knowledge on the desired HPLC equipment, experience and academic training the operators have. Sample pretreatment and detection Samples for analysis come in various forms such as: Solutions ready for injections. Solutions that require dilution, buffering, addition of an internal standard or other volumetric manipulation. Solids that must first be dissolved or extracted. Samples that require pretreatment to remove interference and/or protect the column or equipment from damage. Most samples for HPLC analysis require weighing and / or volumetric dilution before injection. Best results are often obtained when the composition of the sample solvent is close to that of the mobile phase since this minimizes baseline upset and other problems. Some samples require a partial separation ( pretreatment) prior to HPLC, because of need to remove interference, concentrate sample analytes or eliminate â€Å"column killer†. In many cases the development of an adequate sample pretreatment can be challenging than achieving a good HPLC separation. The detector selected should sense all sample components of interest. Variable-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) detectors normally are the first choice, because of their convenience and applicability for most samples. For this reason information on the UV spectra can be an important aid for method development. When the UV response of the sample is inadequate, other detectors are available (flourescence, electrochemical, PDA etc.) or the sample can be derivatized for enhanced detection. Developing the method for the separation Selecting an HPLC method and initial conditions If HPLC is chosen for the separation, the next step is to classify the sample as regular or special. Regular samples means typical mixtures of small molecules (    Table-8.2 Handling of special sample Sample Requirements Inorganic ions Detection is primary problems; use ion chromatography Isomers Some isomers can be separated by reversed-phase HPLC and are then classified as regular samples; better separations of isomers are obtainable using either (1) normal-phase HPLC or (2) reversed-phase separations with cyclodextrin-silica columns. Enantiomers These compounds require â€Å"chiral† conditions for their separations. Biological Several factors make samples or this kind â€Å"special†; molecular conformation, polar functionality and a wide range of hydrophobicity. Macromolecules â€Å"Big† molecules require column packing with large pores  Ã‚  (>> 10-nm diameters); in addition, biological molecules require special conditions as noted above. Table-8.3 Preferred experimental conditions for the initial HPLC separation Separation variable Preferred initial choice Column Dimensions (length, ID) 15 x 0.46 cm Particle size 5 mma Stationary phase C8 or C18 Mobile phase Solvent A and B Buffer-acetonitrile % B 80-100%b Buffer (compound, pH, concentration) 25mM potassium phosphate 2.0 Additives (e.g., amine modifiers, ion pair reagents) Do not use initially Flow rate 1.5–2.0 ml/min Temperature 35-45 ºC Sample Size Volumed >25 mL Weightd B : Polar solvent  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a 3.5 mm particles are an alternative using a 7.5 cm column b For an initial isocratic run; an initial gradient run is preferred. c No buffer required for neutral samples; for pH d Smaller values required for smaller-volume columns (e.g., 7.50.46-cm, 3.5-mm column). Table-8.4 Physical properties of silica supports for some C 18 columns Column (mL/mL) Pore diameter (nm) Surface area (m2/g) Percent Porosity Hypersil ODS 12 170 57 LiChrosorb C18 10 355 71 Novapak C18 6 N/Aa N/Aa Nucleosil C18 10 350 69` Symmetry C18 10 335 66 Zorbax ODS 6 300 55 Zorbax Rx, SB, XDB 8 180 50 a N/A : Not available On the basis of the initial exploratory run isocratic or gradient elution can be selected as most suitable. If typical reversed-phase conditions provide insufficient sample retention, suggesting the use of either ion pair on normal phase HPLC. Alternatively, the sample may be strongly retained with 100% acetonitrile as mobile phase, suggesting the use of non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) chromatography or normal phase HPLC. Some characteristics of reversed-phase and other HPLC methods are summarized below. Table-8.5 Characteristics of primary HPLC methods Method / description/ columns Preferred method Reversed-phase HPLC Uses water – organic mobile phase Columns: C18 (ODS), C8, phenyl, trimethylsilyl (TMS), Cyano First choice for most samples, especially neutral or non-ionisable compounds that dissolve in water-organic mixtures Ion-pair HPLC Uses water-organic mobile phase a buffer to control pH and an ion pair reagent. Column : C18, C8, cyano. Acceptable choice for ionic or ionizable compounds, especially bases or cations. Normal phase HPLC Uses mixtures of organic solvents as mobile phase Columns: Cyano, diol, amino and silica. Good second choice when reversed-phase or ion-pair HPLC is ineffective, first choice for lipophilic samples that do not dissolve well in water-organic mixtures, first choice for mixtures of isomers and for preparative-scale HPLC (silica best) Getting started on method development One approach is to use an isocratic mobile phase of some average solvent strength (e.g., 50%) organic solvent. A better alternative is to use a very strong mobile phase with (80-100% B), then reduce %B as necessary. The initial separation with 100%B results in rapid elution of the entire sample, but few groups will separate. Decreasing solvent strength shows the rapid separation of all components with a much longer run time, with a broadening of later bands and reduced detection sensitivity. Improving the separation and repeatable separation Generally the chromatographers will consider several aspects of the separation, as summarized in Table-8.6. Table-8.6 Objectives of separation in HPLC method development Objectivesa Comment Resolution Precise and rugged quantitative analysis requires that Rs be greater than 1.5. Separation time Quantitation   Ã‚ £ 2% (1 SD) for assays;  £ 5% for less-demanding analysis;  £15% for trace analysis. Pressure Peak height Narrow peaks are desirable for large signal / noise ratios Solvent consumption   Minimum mobile-phase use per run is desirable. a Roughly in order of decreasing importance but may vary with analysis requirements. Separation or resolution is a primary requirement in quantitative HPLC. The resolution (Rs) value should be maximum (Rs>1.5) favours maximum precision. Resolution usually degrades during the life of the column and can vary from day to day with minor fluctuations in separation conditions. Therefore, values of Rs = 2 or greater should be the goal during method development for simple mixtures. Such resolution will favour both improved assay precision and greater method ruggedness. Some HPLC assays do not require base line separation of the compounds of interest (qualitative analysis). In such cases only enough separation of individual components is required to provide characteristic retention times for peak identification. The time required for a separation (run time = retention time for base band) should be as short as possible and the total time spent on method development is reasonable (runtimes 5 to 10 minutes are desirable). Conditions for the final HPLC method should be selected so that the operating pressure with a new column does not exceed 170 bar (2500 psi) and upper pressure limit below 2000 psi is desirable. There are two reasons for that pressure limit, despite the fact that most HPLC equipment can be operated at much higher pressures. First, during the life of a column, the back pressure may rise by a factor of as much as 2 due to the gradual plugging of the column by particular matter. Second, at lower pressures When dealing with more challenging samples or if the goals of separation are particularly stringent, a large number of method development runs may be required to achieve acceptable separation. Repeatable separation As the experimental runs described above are being carried out, it is important to confirm that each chromatogram can be repeated. When changing conditions (mobile phase, column, and temperature) between method development experiments, enough time must elapse for the column to come into equilibrium with a new mobile phase and temperature. Usually column equilibration is achieved after passage of 10 to 20 column volumes of the new mobile phase through the column. However, this should be confirmed by carrying out a repeat experiment under the same conditions. When constant retention times are observed in two such back-to-back repeat experiments ( ± 0.5% or better), it can be assumed that the column is equilibrated and the experiments are repeatable. Completing the HPLC method development The final procedure should meet all the objectives that were defined at the beginning of method development. The method should also be robust in routine operation and usable by all laboratories and personnel for which it is intended. Quantitation and method validation One of the strengths of HPLC is that is an excellent quantitative analytical technique. HPLC can be used for the quantitation of the primary or major component of a sample (including pure samples) for mixture of many compounds at intermediate concentrations and for the assessment of trace impurity concentrations in matrix. Method validation, according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), is performed to ensure that an analytical methodology is accurate, specific, reproducible and rugged over the specified range that an analyte will be analysed. Method validation provides an assurance of reliability during normal use and is sometimes described as the process of providing documented evidence that the method does what it is intended to do. According to USP, the method validation involves eight steps as given below. Precision Accuracy Limit of detection Limit of quantitation Specificity Linearity and range Ruggedness Robustness Precision and accuracy: Already discussed in chapter-1. Linearity The linearity of the method is a measure of how well a calibration plot of response v/s concentration approximates a straight line, or how well the data fit to the linear equation. Y = aX + b Where ‘Y’ is the response, ‘X’ is the concentration, ‘a’ is the slope and ‘b’ is the intercept of a line fit to the data. Ideally, a linear relationship is preferred (b = 0) because it is more precise, easier for calculations and can be defined with fewer standards. Also, UV detector response for a dilute sample is expected to follow Beer’s law and be linear. Therefore, a linear calibration gives evidence that the system is performing properly throughout the concentration range of interest. Generally in HPLC, if we are using internal standard, then the linearity plot is to be drawn by taking concentration of the analyte on x-axis and the ratio of area under the curve (AUC) of analyte to AUC of internal standard (IS) on y-axis. The resulting plot slope, intercept and correlation coefficient provide the desired information on linearity. A linearity correlation coefficient above 0.999 is acceptable for most methods. Limit of detection (LOD) The limit of detection (LOD) is the smallest concentration that can be detected reliably. The LOD represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) The LOQ is the concentration that can be quantitated reliably with a specified level of accuracy and precision. The LOQ represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. LOD and LOQ can be determined by using the following expressions. LOD  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 X N / B LOQ  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10 X N / B Where N is the noise estimate, is the standard deviation of the peak area ratio of analyte to IS (5 injections) of the drugs. B is the slope of the corresponding calibration curve. The LOD and LOQ values determined during method validation are affected by the separation conditions, columns, reagents and especially instrumentation and data systems. Ruggedness Method ruggedness is defined as the reproducibility of results when the method is performed under actual use conditions. This includes different analysts, laboratories, columns, instruments, sources, chemicals, solvents etc. method ruggedness may not be known when a method is first developed, but insight is obtained during subsequent use of that method. Robustness The concept of robustness of an analytical procedure has been defined by the ICH as â€Å" a measure of its capacity to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters†. The robustness of a method is the ability to remain unaffected by small changes in parameters such as pH of the mobile phase, temperature, percentage of organic solvent and buffer concentration etc. to determine robustness of the method experimental conditions were purposely altered and chromatographic characteristics were evaluated. To study the pH effect on the retention (K1) of the drug, buffer pH is to be changed by 0.2 units. At certain point, retention will increase at any pH above and below of the pH unit. The effect of temperature on the retention characteristics (K1) of the drug is to be studied by changing the temperature in steps 2 ºC from room temperature to 80 ºC and see the effect of temperature on the resolution and peak shape. Effect of percentage organic strength on retention is to be studied by varying the percentage of organic solvents like acetonitrile, methanol etc. from 0 to 2% while the other mobile phase contents are held constant and observe the K1. At certain point decreases in K1 observed with increase in the level of organic solvent. Effect of buffer concentration should be checked at three concentration levels i.e. 0.025 M, 0.05 M and 0.1 M and observe retention time and resolution. Stability To generate reproducible and reliable results, the samples, standards and reagents used for the HPLC method must be stable for a reasonable time (e.g., One day, one week, one month, depending on the need). For example, the analysis of even a single sample may require 10 or more chromatographic runs to determine system suitability, including standard concentrations to create a working analytical curve and duplicate or triplicate injections of the sample to be assayed. Therefore, a few hours of standard and sample solution stability can be required even for a short (10 min.) separation. When more than one sample is analyzed, automated, over night runs often are performed for better laboratory efficiency. Typically, 24 hours stability is desired for all solutions and reagents that need to be prepared for each analysis. Mobile phases should be chosen to avoid stability problems, especially the use of amine additives or specific solvents. For example, mobile phase containing THF (tetra hydrofuran) are known to be susceptible to oxidation, therefore, the mobile phase should be prepared daily with fresh THF. Some buffered mobile phases cause problems for example, phosphate and acetate provide good media for microbial growth. Sodium oxide (0.1%) is often added to the mobile phase buffer to inhibit such growth, adding more than 5% of organic solvent is also effective. Long term column stability is critical for method ruggedness. Even the best HPLC column will eventually degrade and lose its initial performance, often as a function of the number of samples injected. System suitability System suitability experiments can be defined as tests to ensure that the method can generate results of acceptable accuracy and precision. The requirements for system suitability are usually developed after method development and validation have been completed. The criteria selected will be based on the actual performance of the method as determined during its validation. For example, if sample retention times forms part of the system suitability criteria, their variation (SD) during validation can be determined, system suitability might then require that retention times fall within a  ±3 SD range during routine performance of the method. The USP (2000) defines parameters that can be used to determine system suitability prior to analysis. These parameters include plate number (N), tailing factor, k and / or a, resolution (Rs) and relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak height or peak area for respective injections. The RSD of peak height or area of five injections of standard solution is normally accepted as one of the standard criteria. For an assay method of a major component, the RSD should typically be less than 1% for these five respective injections. The plate number and / or tailing factor are used if the run contains only one peak. For chromatographic separations with more than one peak, such as an internal standard assay or an impurity method, expected to contain many peaks, some measure of separations such as Rs is recommended. Reproducibility of tR or k value for a specific compound also defines system performance. The column performance can be defined in terms of column plate number ‘N’ is defined by N = 5.54 (tR / W ½)2 Where ‘tR’ is the retention time of the peak and ‘W ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the width of the peak at half peak height. The resolution of two adjacent peaks can be calculated by using the formula Rs = 1.18 (t2-t1) / W0.5.1 +W0.5.2 Where ‘t1’ and ‘t2’ are retention times of the adjacent peaks and W0.5.1 and W0.5.2 are the width of the peaks at half height. Rs = 2.0 or greater is a desirable target for method development. The retention factor k is given by the equation. k = (tR – t0) / t0 where ‘tR’ is the band retention time and t0 is the column dead time. The peak symmetry can be represented in terms of peak asymmetry factor and peak tailing factor, which can be calculated by using the following formula. Peak asymmetry factor = B /A Where ‘B’ is the distance at 50% peak height between leading edge to the perpendicular drawn from the peak maxima and ‘A’ is the width of the peak at half height. According to USP (2000) peak tailing factor can be calculated by using the formula T = W0.05 / 2f Where â€Å"W0.05† is the width of the peak at 5% height and â€Å"f† is the distance from the peak maximum to the leading edge of the peak, the distance being measured at a point 50% of the peak height from the base line. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 Introduction High performance liquid chromatography 214 is the most widely used of all of the analytical separation techniques. The reasons for the popularity of the method is its sensitivity, ready adaptability to accurate quantitative determinations, suitability for separating non-volatile species or thermally fragile ones, wide spread applicability to substance that are of prime interest to industry, many fields of science and the public. The applications of chromatography have grown explosively in the last fifty years owing not only to the development of several new types of chromatographic techniques but also to the growing need by scientist for better methods for characterizing complex mixtures. General methodology for the development of new HPLC methods 215-228 HPLC method development follows the series of steps summarized below. Information on sample, objective of separation. Need for special HPLC procedure, sample pretreatment etc. Choice of detector and detector settings. Choosing LC method, preliminary run, estimation of best separation conditions. Optimization of separation conditions. Check for problems or requirement for special procedure. a) Recovery of purified material   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Quantitative calibration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c) Qualitative method Validate method for routine laboratory use. A good method development strategy should require only as many experimental runs as are necessary to achieve the desired final result. Finally, method development should be simple as possible, yet it should allow the use of sophisticated tools such as computer modeling if these are available. Before the beginning of method development, it is necessary to review what is known about the sample in order to define the goals of separation. The kinds of sample related information that can be important are summarized in Table-7.1. Table-8.1 Important information concerning sample composition and properties Number   of compounds present in the sample Chemical structures of components Molecular weights of compounds PKa values of compounds UV spectra of compounds Concentration range of various compounds in samples of interest Sample solubility   Ã‚   The chemical composition of the sample can provide valuable clues for the best choice of initial conditions for an HPLC separation. Objectives of separation The objectives of HPLC separation need to be specified clearly include. The use of HPLC to isolate purified sample components for spectral identification or quantitative analysis. It may be necessary to separate all degradants or impurities from a product for reliable content assay. In quantitative analysis, the required levels of accuracy and precision should be known (a precision of  ± 1 to 2% is usually achievable). Whether a single HPLC procedure is sufficient for raw material or one or more formulations and / or different procedures are desired for the analysis of formulations? When the number of samples for analysis at one time is greater than 10, a run time of less than 20 min. will be oftenly important. Knowledge on the desired HPLC equipment, experience and academic training the operators have. Sample pretreatment and detection Samples for analysis come in various forms such as: Solutions ready for injections. Solutions that require dilution, buffering, addition of an internal standard or other volumetric manipulation. Solids that must first be dissolved or extracted. Samples that require pretreatment to remove interference and/or protect the column or equipment from damage. Most samples for HPLC analysis require weighing and / or volumetric dilution before injection. Best results are often obtained when the composition of the sample solvent is close to that of the mobile phase since this minimizes baseline upset and other problems. Some samples require a partial separation ( pretreatment) prior to HPLC, because of need to remove interference, concentrate sample analytes or eliminate â€Å"column killer†. In many cases the development of an adequate sample pretreatment can be challenging than achieving a good HPLC separation. The detector selected should sense all sample components of interest. Variable-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) detectors normally are the first choice, because of their convenience and applicability for most samples. For this reason information on the UV spectra can be an important aid for method development. When the UV response of the sample is inadequate, other detectors are available (flourescence, electrochemical, PDA etc.) or the sample can be derivatized for enhanced detection. Developing the method for the separation Selecting an HPLC method and initial conditions If HPLC is chosen for the separation, the next step is to classify the sample as regular or special. Regular samples means typical mixtures of small molecules (    Table-8.2 Handling of special sample Sample Requirements Inorganic ions Detection is primary problems; use ion chromatography Isomers Some isomers can be separated by reversed-phase HPLC and are then classified as regular samples; better separations of isomers are obtainable using either (1) normal-phase HPLC or (2) reversed-phase separations with cyclodextrin-silica columns. Enantiomers These compounds require â€Å"chiral† conditions for their separations. Biological Several factors make samples or this kind â€Å"special†; molecular conformation, polar functionality and a wide range of hydrophobicity. Macromolecules â€Å"Big† molecules require column packing with large pores  Ã‚  (>> 10-nm diameters); in addition, biological molecules require special conditions as noted above. Table-8.3 Preferred experimental conditions for the initial HPLC separation Separation variable Preferred initial choice Column Dimensions (length, ID) 15 x 0.46 cm Particle size 5 mma Stationary phase C8 or C18 Mobile phase Solvent A and B Buffer-acetonitrile % B 80-100%b Buffer (compound, pH, concentration) 25mM potassium phosphate 2.0 Additives (e.g., amine modifiers, ion pair reagents) Do not use initially Flow rate 1.5–2.0 ml/min Temperature 35-45 ºC Sample Size Volumed >25 mL Weightd B : Polar solvent  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a 3.5 mm particles are an alternative using a 7.5 cm column b For an initial isocratic run; an initial gradient run is preferred. c No buffer required for neutral samples; for pH d Smaller values required for smaller-volume columns (e.g., 7.50.46-cm, 3.5-mm column). Table-8.4 Physical properties of silica supports for some C 18 columns Column (mL/mL) Pore diameter (nm) Surface area (m2/g) Percent Porosity Hypersil ODS 12 170 57 LiChrosorb C18 10 355 71 Novapak C18 6 N/Aa N/Aa Nucleosil C18 10 350 69` Symmetry C18 10 335 66 Zorbax ODS 6 300 55 Zorbax Rx, SB, XDB 8 180 50 a N/A : Not available On the basis of the initial exploratory run isocratic or gradient elution can be selected as most suitable. If typical reversed-phase conditions provide insufficient sample retention, suggesting the use of either ion pair on normal phase HPLC. Alternatively, the sample may be strongly retained with 100% acetonitrile as mobile phase, suggesting the use of non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) chromatography or normal phase HPLC. Some characteristics of reversed-phase and other HPLC methods are summarized below. Table-8.5 Characteristics of primary HPLC methods Method / description/ columns Preferred method Reversed-phase HPLC Uses water – organic mobile phase Columns: C18 (ODS), C8, phenyl, trimethylsilyl (TMS), Cyano First choice for most samples, especially neutral or non-ionisable compounds that dissolve in water-organic mixtures Ion-pair HPLC Uses water-organic mobile phase a buffer to control pH and an ion pair reagent. Column : C18, C8, cyano. Acceptable choice for ionic or ionizable compounds, especially bases or cations. Normal phase HPLC Uses mixtures of organic solvents as mobile phase Columns: Cyano, diol, amino and silica. Good second choice when reversed-phase or ion-pair HPLC is ineffective, first choice for lipophilic samples that do not dissolve well in water-organic mixtures, first choice for mixtures of isomers and for preparative-scale HPLC (silica best) Getting started on method development One approach is to use an isocratic mobile phase of some average solvent strength (e.g., 50%) organic solvent. A better alternative is to use a very strong mobile phase with (80-100% B), then reduce %B as necessary. The initial separation with 100%B results in rapid elution of the entire sample, but few groups will separate. Decreasing solvent strength shows the rapid separation of all components with a much longer run time, with a broadening of later bands and reduced detection sensitivity. Improving the separation and repeatable separation Generally the chromatographers will consider several aspects of the separation, as summarized in Table-8.6. Table-8.6 Objectives of separation in HPLC method development Objectivesa Comment Resolution Precise and rugged quantitative analysis requires that Rs be greater than 1.5. Separation time Quantitation   Ã‚ £ 2% (1 SD) for assays;  £ 5% for less-demanding analysis;  £15% for trace analysis. Pressure Peak height Narrow peaks are desirable for large signal / noise ratios Solvent consumption   Minimum mobile-phase use per run is desirable. a Roughly in order of decreasing importance but may vary with analysis requirements. Separation or resolution is a primary requirement in quantitative HPLC. The resolution (Rs) value should be maximum (Rs>1.5) favours maximum precision. Resolution usually degrades during the life of the column and can vary from day to day with minor fluctuations in separation conditions. Therefore, values of Rs = 2 or greater should be the goal during method development for simple mixtures. Such resolution will favour both improved assay precision and greater method ruggedness. Some HPLC assays do not require base line separation of the compounds of interest (qualitative analysis). In such cases only enough separation of individual components is required to provide characteristic retention times for peak identification. The time required for a separation (run time = retention time for base band) should be as short as possible and the total time spent on method development is reasonable (runtimes 5 to 10 minutes are desirable). Conditions for the final HPLC method should be selected so that the operating pressure with a new column does not exceed 170 bar (2500 psi) and upper pressure limit below 2000 psi is desirable. There are two reasons for that pressure limit, despite the fact that most HPLC equipment can be operated at much higher pressures. First, during the life of a column, the back pressure may rise by a factor of as much as 2 due to the gradual plugging of the column by particular matter. Second, at lower pressures When dealing with more challenging samples or if the goals of separation are particularly stringent, a large number of method development runs may be required to achieve acceptable separation. Repeatable separation As the experimental runs described above are being carried out, it is important to confirm that each chromatogram can be repeated. When changing conditions (mobile phase, column, and temperature) between method development experiments, enough time must elapse for the column to come into equilibrium with a new mobile phase and temperature. Usually column equilibration is achieved after passage of 10 to 20 column volumes of the new mobile phase through the column. However, this should be confirmed by carrying out a repeat experiment under the same conditions. When constant retention times are observed in two such back-to-back repeat experiments ( ± 0.5% or better), it can be assumed that the column is equilibrated and the experiments are repeatable. Completing the HPLC method development The final procedure should meet all the objectives that were defined at the beginning of method development. The method should also be robust in routine operation and usable by all laboratories and personnel for which it is intended. Quantitation and method validation One of the strengths of HPLC is that is an excellent quantitative analytical technique. HPLC can be used for the quantitation of the primary or major component of a sample (including pure samples) for mixture of many compounds at intermediate concentrations and for the assessment of trace impurity concentrations in matrix. Method validation, according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), is performed to ensure that an analytical methodology is accurate, specific, reproducible and rugged over the specified range that an analyte will be analysed. Method validation provides an assurance of reliability during normal use and is sometimes described as the process of providing documented evidence that the method does what it is intended to do. According to USP, the method validation involves eight steps as given below. Precision Accuracy Limit of detection Limit of quantitation Specificity Linearity and range Ruggedness Robustness Precision and accuracy: Already discussed in chapter-1. Linearity The linearity of the method is a measure of how well a calibration plot of response v/s concentration approximates a straight line, or how well the data fit to the linear equation. Y = aX + b Where ‘Y’ is the response, ‘X’ is the concentration, ‘a’ is the slope and ‘b’ is the intercept of a line fit to the data. Ideally, a linear relationship is preferred (b = 0) because it is more precise, easier for calculations and can be defined with fewer standards. Also, UV detector response for a dilute sample is expected to follow Beer’s law and be linear. Therefore, a linear calibration gives evidence that the system is performing properly throughout the concentration range of interest. Generally in HPLC, if we are using internal standard, then the linearity plot is to be drawn by taking concentration of the analyte on x-axis and the ratio of area under the curve (AUC) of analyte to AUC of internal standard (IS) on y-axis. The resulting plot slope, intercept and correlation coefficient provide the desired information on linearity. A linearity correlation coefficient above 0.999 is acceptable for most methods. Limit of detection (LOD) The limit of detection (LOD) is the smallest concentration that can be detected reliably. The LOD represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) The LOQ is the concentration that can be quantitated reliably with a specified level of accuracy and precision. The LOQ represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. LOD and LOQ can be determined by using the following expressions. LOD  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 X N / B LOQ  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10 X N / B Where N is the noise estimate, is the standard deviation of the peak area ratio of analyte to IS (5 injections) of the drugs. B is the slope of the corresponding calibration curve. The LOD and LOQ values determined during method validation are affected by the separation conditions, columns, reagents and especially instrumentation and data systems. Ruggedness Method ruggedness is defined as the reproducibility of results when the method is performed under actual use conditions. This includes different analysts, laboratories, columns, instruments, sources, chemicals, solvents etc. method ruggedness may not be known when a method is first developed, but insight is obtained during subsequent use of that method. Robustness The concept of robustness of an analytical procedure has been defined by the ICH as â€Å" a measure of its capacity to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters†. The robustness of a method is the ability to remain unaffected by small changes in parameters such as pH of the mobile phase, temperature, percentage of organic solvent and buffer concentration etc. to determine robustness of the method experimental conditions were purposely altered and chromatographic characteristics were evaluated. To study the pH effect on the retention (K1) of the drug, buffer pH is to be changed by 0.2 units. At certain point, retention will increase at any pH above and below of the pH unit. The effect of temperature on the retention characteristics (K1) of the drug is to be studied by changing the temperature in steps 2 ºC from room temperature to 80 ºC and see the effect of temperature on the resolution and peak shape. Effect of percentage organic strength on retention is to be studied by varying the percentage of organic solvents like acetonitrile, methanol etc. from 0 to 2% while the other mobile phase contents are held constant and observe the K1. At certain point decreases in K1 observed with increase in the level of organic solvent. Effect of buffer concentration should be checked at three concentration levels i.e. 0.025 M, 0.05 M and 0.1 M and observe retention time and resolution. Stability To generate reproducible and reliable results, the samples, standards and reagents used for the HPLC method must be stable for a reasonable time (e.g., One day, one week, one month, depending on the need). For example, the analysis of even a single sample may require 10 or more chromatographic runs to determine system suitability, including standard concentrations to create a working analytical curve and duplicate or triplicate injections of the sample to be assayed. Therefore, a few hours of standard and sample solution stability can be required even for a short (10 min.) separation. When more than one sample is analyzed, automated, over night runs often are performed for better laboratory efficiency. Typically, 24 hours stability is desired for all solutions and reagents that need to be prepared for each analysis. Mobile phases should be chosen to avoid stability problems, especially the use of amine additives or specific solvents. For example, mobile phase containing THF (tetra hydrofuran) are known to be susceptible to oxidation, therefore, the mobile phase should be prepared daily with fresh THF. Some buffered mobile phases cause problems for example, phosphate and acetate provide good media for microbial growth. Sodium oxide (0.1%) is often added to the mobile phase buffer to inhibit such growth, adding more than 5% of organic solvent is also effective. Long term column stability is critical for method ruggedness. Even the best HPLC column will eventually degrade and lose its initial performance, often as a function of the number of samples injected. System suitability System suitability experiments can be defined as tests to ensure that the method can generate results of acceptable accuracy and precision. The requirements for system suitability are usually developed after method development and validation have been completed. The criteria selected will be based on the actual performance of the method as determined during its validation. For example, if sample retention times forms part of the system suitability criteria, their variation (SD) during validation can be determined, system suitability might then require that retention times fall within a  ±3 SD range during routine performance of the method. The USP (2000) defines parameters that can be used to determine system suitability prior to analysis. These parameters include plate number (N), tailing factor, k and / or a, resolution (Rs) and relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak height or peak area for respective injections. The RSD of peak height or area of five injections of standard solution is normally accepted as one of the standard criteria. For an assay method of a major component, the RSD should typically be less than 1% for these five respective injections. The plate number and / or tailing factor are used if the run contains only one peak. For chromatographic separations with more than one peak, such as an internal standard assay or an impurity method, expected to contain many peaks, some measure of separations such as Rs is recommended. Reproducibility of tR or k value for a specific compound also defines system performance. The column performance can be defined in terms of column plate number ‘N’ is defined by N = 5.54 (tR / W ½)2 Where ‘tR’ is the retention time of the peak and ‘W ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the width of the peak at half peak height. The resolution of two adjacent peaks can be calculated by using the formula Rs = 1.18 (t2-t1) / W0.5.1 +W0.5.2 Where ‘t1’ and ‘t2’ are retention times of the adjacent peaks and W0.5.1 and W0.5.2 are the width of the peaks at half height. Rs = 2.0 or greater is a desirable target for method development. The retention factor k is given by the equation. k = (tR – t0) / t0 where ‘tR’ is the band retention time and t0 is the column dead time. The peak symmetry can be represented in terms of peak asymmetry factor and peak tailing factor, which can be calculated by using the following formula. Peak asymmetry factor = B /A Where ‘B’ is the distance at 50% peak height between leading edge to the perpendicular drawn from the peak maxima and ‘A’ is the width of the peak at half height. According to USP (2000) peak tailing factor can be calculated by using the formula T = W0.05 / 2f Where â€Å"W0.05† is the width of the peak at 5% height and â€Å"f† is the distance from the peak maximum to the leading edge of the peak, the distance being measured at a point 50% of the peak height from the base line.