Steroids Abuse in Baseball Essay Example For Students

Steroids Abuse in Baseball Essay Steroid Abuse Hurts BaseballThe abuse of steroids among players in Major League Baseball is corrupting the image of Americas Pastime as well as endangering the health of those who use the illegal substances. The lack of testing and punishment for the use of illegal substances like steroids in the Major Leagues portrays a negative image to aspiring young athletes. They see their role models using steroids and becoming better athletes rather than seeing suspensions for the illegal behavior or the negative health effects. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic substances which increase skeletal muscle growth and increase male hormone production. Steroids are legal only through prescription. They are often prescribed for ailments in which the body does not grow correctly because of a lack of testosterone (NIDA InfoFacts, np). Steroids are taken either orally or through an injection. The most common oral steroids are anadrol, oaxadrin, dianabol, and winstrol. The most common injected steroids are deca-durabolin, durabolin, depo-testosterone, and equipoise. There are also legal steroidal supplements such as dehydroepian-drosterone and androstenedione (NIDA Research, np). We will write a custom essay on Steroids Abuse in Baseball specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The effects of steroids depend on the reason for the use of the drugs. Legally prescribed steroids are portioned so that the user receives only the desired effects such as increased testosterone and muscle growth. Negative effects mainly come from the illegal use of steroids. When steroids are abused major negative effects such as cancer, tumors, and increased blood pressure can occur. Lesser negative side effects are gender specific. The higher levels of testosterone in males may cause shrinking of the testicles, baldness, and the growth of breasts. In woman the testosterone can cause facial hair, baldness, and deepening of the voice (NIDA InfoFacts, np). The most serious affects of steroid use can be fatal as they were in the case of former Major League Baseball (MLB) MVP Ken Caminiti. Caminiti died at the age of 41 just days after he had admitted testing positive for cocaine in a Houston court. Although his death was an apparent drug overdose, the medical examiner reported that an enlarged heart and coronary artery disease were contributing factors. The medical examiner also added his admitted steroid use would, absolutely have been a significant contributing factor to an enlarged and weakened heart (Cocaine and opiates found in Caminits Body, np). The death of Caminiti was the first wake up call to the public and Major League Baseball that steroids are a problem in baseball. It is a shame that it took a death to reveal it. The next major blow to baseball was leaked Grand Jury testimony by reigning MVP Barry Bonds for the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO). BALCO was under investigation for distributing illegal performance enhancing substances such as steroids to major athletes including Bonds. In the testimony Bonds described taking substances given to him by his trainer Greg Anderson, who was indicted for distributing steroids. The substances described were similar to two types of steroids commonly distributed by BALCO. Bonds claimed ignorance stating that he thought the substances were natural supplements for arthritis (Associated Press, np). The final blow to the league was the tell-all book Juiced written by former MLB star Jose Canseco. In his best-selling book Canseco admitted to personally injecting then teammate and former single season homerun record holder Mark McGwire with steroids. In an interview on 60 Minutes Mike Wallace read out of Cansecos book:What we did more times than I can count was go into a bathroom stall together, shoot up steroids. After batting practice or right before the game, Mark and I would duck into a stall in the mens room, load up our syringes and inject ourselves. I would often inject Mark (60 Minutes). .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .postImageUrl , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:hover , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:visited , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:active { border:0!important; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:active , .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2 .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucad78172da768857c1eeaa01e8c3d7a2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: ergogenic aids EssayDuring the interview Wallace asked Canseco to talk about his steroid experiences with McGwire. Canseco responded, Just the first time injecting them in his buttocks. It wasnt like you gave a lot of thought. It was something so common (60 Minutes). All three of these news stories caused great disruption at the front office of the Major Leagues. The commissioners office needed to do something about the growing steroid problem and did so quickly announcing a new drug testing policy in early January of this year. The policy calls for at least one announced drug test and also allows random testing of other players. A player is suspended 10 games for the first offense, 30 games for the second, 60 for the third, and one year for the fourth. This policy is a huge step for the MLB considering prior to 2003 there was no drug testing policy in place due to the opposition from the strong players union (Bodley, np). Despite the great advance in the drug testing policy for the league Congress was not satisfied and the Committee on Government Reform investigated the problem. Chairman Tom Davis sent a formal letter to Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association Donald M. Fehr about the problems he and the rest of the committee thought still remained with the leagues drug policy. One of the main problems the Committee had with the policy was the discrepancy between the announced penalties for violations and the printed version. In the letter, the Committee pointed out the differences:In public statements, Major League Baseball representatives have emphasized that players who violate the new policy will be publicly identified and suspended from baseball for ten days. In fact, the details of the new policy reveal that the penalty for a first offense can be either a suspension or a fine of $10,000 or less; that there is no public identification of players who are fined instead of suspended; and that even if players are suspended, the public disclosure is limited to the fact of their suspension with no official confirmation that the player tested positive for steroids (Davis, np). The committee also questions the leagues decision for who supervises the drug testing:Under the new Major League Baseball policy, many key implementation decisions are to be made by a four-person committee that includes Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Major League Baseballs Executive Vice President, Labor and Human Resources, and Gene Orza, the Chief Operating Officer and Associate General Counsel of the Major League Players Association. According to the policy, some of these decisions must be made unanimously, giving both Major League Baseball management and the players union a veto (Davis, np). Another question brought up in the letter is the Anti-Oversight Clause: The new policy contains an extraordinary provision that in the event of a governmental investigation relating to drug testing of players, all testing shall be suspended immediately. The suspension will remain in effect until the government investigation is withdrawn, the league and players union have successfully resisted an investigation at the trial court level, or both sides agree to resume testing. If testing is suspended for a year, then the entire drug program is subject to renegotiation (Davis, np). Along with the thorough examination of Major League Baseballs new drug policy, the Committee subpoenaed numerous players to speak at a congressional hearing. The players subpoenaed were Canseco, McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, and Curt Schilling. Giambi was pardoned due to an ailment and Thomas joined by video conference (ESPN.coms Steroid Hearing Scorecard, np). The eleven hour hearing began with opening statements made by Chairman Davis and Representative Henry A. Waxman. Each criticized baseballs inability to police itself. Davis stated, were in the first inning of what could be an extra inning ball game, and that the truth needs to come out, however ugly the truth might be (ESPN.coms Steroid Hearing Scorecard, np). .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .postImageUrl , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:hover , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:visited , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:active { border:0!important; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:active , .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua918311fc22b17334a0feb7d0f32d7ba:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Koch Snowflake Sample EssayThe hearing was highlighted by the questioning of the subpoenaed players. Besides Canseco the remainder of the witnesses were short with there answers under obvious watch from their lawyers due to the fact no one was given immunity. Canseco took numerous stands stating that baseball has a steroid problem, and denying the fact will not help. He emphasized the point with this statement:The most effective thing right now is for us to admit theres a major problem From what Im hearing I was the only individual in major league baseball to use steroids. Thats hard to believe (ESPN.coms Steroid Hearing Scorecard, np). Because of his interviews, book, and willingness to talk about the steroid problem in baseball, Jose Canseco is viewed as a snitch to most of the baseball world, but Representative Dutch Ruppersberger said it best when he stated, I guarantee you that Jose Canseco is not going to win a popularity contest with the players, but Jose Canseco might be the best thing that has happened to yall (ESPN.coms Steroid Hearing Scorecard, np). Steroids are an obvious problem in Major League Baseball that have been ignored for far too long. It took a leaked grand jury testimony, a congressional hearing, and worst of all a death to a great player before the league was willing to admit to the problem. Although the Commissioners office is making some changes, the policy is far too weak to clean up the game. Until a strict no tolerance policy for steroid use is enforced the league and all of its players will be under a cloud of scrutiny from the media and the public. Commissioner Bud Selig and Executive Director Donald Fehr must work together to renew the great tradition of Americas Pastime. Works CitedAssociated Press. Bonds admitted to using substances thought to be steroids. 3 December. 2004. ESPN.com. 27 March. 2005. . Bodley, Hal. Baseball officials announce tougher steroids policy. 12 January. 2005. USATODAY.com. 27 March. 2005. . Cocaine and opiates found in Caminitis body. 1 November. 2004. ESPN.com News Services. 27 March. 2005. . Davis, Tom. Davis/Waxman Letter to MLB and MLBPA on MLB Testing Policy. 17 March. 2005. Committee on Governement Reform. 27 March. 2005. . ESPN.coms Steroid Hearing Scorecard. 17 March. 2005. ESPN.com. 27 March. 2005. . NIDA Research Report Series Anabolic Steroids Abuse. 4 February. 2005. The National Institute on Drug Abuse. 27 March. 2005. . NIDA InfoFacts: Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic). March. 2005. The National Institute on Drug Abuse. 27 March. 2005. . Steroid User Canseco Names Names. 60 Minutes. By Mike Wallace. CBS. 13 February. 2005.

Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana

Mainstream vs. Alternative Media; who do we believe? The Journal of Media Studies Writer Discussion of the legalization of marijuanabrings up two main issues, those who are pro- marijuana and those who are anti- marijuana. These issues have beencovered by both mainstream and alternative media, mainstream being pro, and alternative beinganti.Thesetwo factions have been arguing over this issue in the halls of justice for many years. Because most of theamericansociety is mainly exposed to only mainstream media, they are not aware of other factors of legalizingmarijuana that alternative media covers. The problem caused by this lack of exposure, is that the public may be deprived of the truth, and may be led to believe facts that are not true. Marijuana and Medicine Both pro and anti- marijuana groups have discussed whether or not marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes. Mainstream groups do not believe that there are any convincing reasons to make marijuana a treatment to sick patients. Their position is that marijuana can have harmful long-term effects. The Anti-Legalization Forum explains that some of these effects are: impairment of the immune system due to the inability of T-cells to battle off diseases, delaying puberty in both males and females, and unhealthy and smaller children born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy. The Drug Enforcement Administration believes that since marijuana is not accepted by any American health associations, there is no reason to legalize the drug. They think that the main reason why pro marijuana advocates use the medical use argument is because the uninformed public can be easily convinced to support the movement. Simply not enough evidence proves that marijuana can be used medically (Claim V). Unlike the D.E.A., lobbying groups such as the Cannabis Action Network and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, believe that marijuana is a beneficial herb... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana One question that has haunted Americans for a long time is: â€Å" Should the use of marijuana be legalized?† Some say, â€Å"Yes†, while others say, â€Å"No†. Marijuana usage has many medical benefits. Legalizing the use of marijuana has many economical benefits and would also decrease the crime rate. Despite marijuana being illegal, the drug is still somewhat commonly used. Here we are years later after marijuana was made illegal, still without a satisfactory answer to the question. I think that legalizing the use of marijuana would have many medical benefits, economical benefits, and would decrease the incidence of crime. Most marijuana smokers are quick to mention that marijuana grows wild in the U.S. and that Native Americans used the weed for religious ceremonies, as a medicinal herb for various ailments and as a pre-battle smoke to calm the nerves and possibly provide added ferocity. Native Americans weren't concerned with the natural aspect at all and quickly found that marijuana could alleviate pain, stimulate the appetite and provide some small comfort in a harsh environment. They used it in their religious ceremonies to open passages to the spirit world. It was used in peace pipes along with tobacco as a means of sealing treaties with warring tribes. Hemp was an important crop for the early colonists as early as 1629 and remained so until Eli Whitney introduced the cotton gin. It was one of the first crops our forefathers produced and was used to produce paper, clothing and rope. It was so important in those early days of America that Virginia introduced legislation in 1762 that exacted penalties on farms that didn't produce it. George Washington was an early hemp farmer and made notes in his diary about the quality of the hemp . There is nothing to indicate that George Washington smoked marijuana but the myth is prevalent among marijuana advocates. In 1793 the invention of the cotton gin made the separation cott... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Legalizing Marijuana Whether or not to legalize marijuana is a growing debate. Some people with certain medical conditions use marijuana for a painkiller. Other people who use this drug buy it illegally and use it because they say it makes them feel good. It is obvious that these people do not realize the effects that marijuana can have on their bodies. Supporters of legalizing marijuana say that it is a stress reliever and should be used for medication. They have also said that no one has ever died from smoking marijuana; and that the crime rate will drop, because it would be bought and sold legally instead of on the black market. Marijuana is a dangerous drug that affects a persons’ health. Those against this drug say it causes loss of memory and coordination, increased heart rate, and some say that it causes anxiety and lung cancer. I have heard that marijuana use causes some to use more serious drugs. If marijuana is legalized, it will be easy for teenagers to buy. Even if you have to be eighteen or twenty one, I am sure it wouldn’t be hard for a teen to find an adult willing to buy it for them. Also, if marijuana is legalized, more people will become addicted to the drug and crime rates will increase. Christians believe that the body is a â€Å"temple† and you should not put anything in your body that can hurt you. Although I personally have no experience with this drug, I feel that if a patient’s doctor recommends the drug for pain relief then it should be legal for them to use it. But I do not believe the drug should be legal for personal use.... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana The Legalization of Marijuana A question that has haunted society for many decades is: Should the use of marijuana be legalized? While some disagree, many agree and have several reasons to support their decision. Marijuana is a drug from the Indian hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it can be smoked or eaten for a hallucinogenic and relaxing effect. The supporters of legalizing marijuana believe there are enough positive reasons to overcome the negatives. Yes, many people consider marijuana to be a â€Å"gateway† to other more serious drugs but on the otherhand the same can be said about alcohol or even tobacco. If used responsibly marijuana is a safe drug that we can benefit from, whether it is for medical or economical reasons or to lower the rate of crime. Marijuana used responsibly is safer, less addicting than many legal drugs. Dr. Andrew Weil was part of the first team of researchers to perform a government authorized study into the effects of marijuana on humans. This team made its study in 1968. These researchers determined that marijuana could be used safely under medical supervision. In the twenty years since then, Dr. Weil has seen no information that would cause him to reconsider that conclusion. There is no question in his mind that marijuana is safe for use under appropriate medical supervision. (MAMA) The lethal dose to its effective dose of marijuana is about 40,000 to 1. In an average marijuana cigarette there is approximately .9 grams (MAMA). Theoretically a smoker would have to smoke about 1,500 pounds within 15 minutes for the drug to be lethal (MAMA). With these numbers it is obvious there has never been a case of an overdose of marijuana or a death directly connecting with the drug. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the legalized substances of tobacco and alcohol. Every year about 45,000 Canadians die of complications from tobacco use (Stats Canada). In Canada drinking caused almost 2000 deaths... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is first and foremost a hazardous and illegal drug. It is not a drug that should be legalized.  Although marijuana can be used to aid the pain of glaucoma, cancer, AIDS and many other terminal illnesses, it is not a proven fact that it is beneficial and good for a person’s health (Hart 101).   Marijuana has proven to affect a person’s memory, judgment, perception, and body.  Marijuana cigarettes have often been compared to that of regular cigarettes and are classified as being poor for your health. Many advocates for the legalization of marijuana, or weed, believe that it is beneficial to a patient that is suffering from a painful and terminal illness (Hart 200). Marijuana can affect a person’s memory, judgment, and perception. This drug enables a person to function both mentally and physically. The inhalation of this drug immediately goes to the brain. By doing this it can interfere with ones normal functions, physical feelings, and emotions (Goodykoontz 15).  Some users get bad effects from the usage of this drug. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. Because this drug can affect memory, users may forget things that they may have done or things they are supposed to do. Many people who smoke weed on a regular basis make stupid mistakes that could embarrass or hurt them or someone around them.  Many of them will lose interest in their looks or social status with friends and companions.  They will start declining in school cause their grades to drop.   Athletes who smoke marijuana have trouble keeping up with the sport. Their timing for specific skills is off, their movement may be slowed down and their coordination is lost (Goodykoontz 18).  A marijuana smoker is also unable to drive and function properly due to the loss of concentration and the ability to not react quickly. For example, a person who is high on marijuana may drive too slow or stop way before a stop sign because their al... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Legalize Pot, marijuana, hash, joints, blunts, green trees, etc., the list goes on and on. Whatever you want to call it, marijuana is currently illegal in the United States. Whenever marijuana is brought up, it becomes the cause of much commotion and debating. Many people feel it is the gateway drug, and have heard of the negative side effects that are greatly overblown. Although many people feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount of drug use, I feel that it should be legalized. It will greatly reduce the amount of money spend on enforcement, and will increase our options for spending our tax dollars and lessen crime, and it will also be useful in treating certain medical conditions. Many people feel that legalization is unnecessary, and they fail to see the possible benefits of legalization. However, one possible benefit of legalization is that it will be profitable to the global economy. It will allow money that is spent on drug law enforcement to be spent on other programs. There have been escalating costs spent on the war against drugs and countless dollars spent on rehabilitation. Every year in the United States, ten billion dollars are spent on enforcing drugs alone. Drug violators accounted for forty percent of all criminals in federal prisons (Schwenk 73). In 1989, a Republican county executive of Mercer County, NJ estimated that it would cost approximately one billion dollars to build the jail space required to house all the drug users in Trenton alone (Schwenk 98). All of this money could be spent on things of greater importance. Drug violators are a major cause of extreme overcrowding in US prisons. We currently have close to one million inmates nationwide, and a high percentage of these prisoners are in because of drug related incidents. Since 1982, there has been about a 160% increase in inmate population. Most of this increase is attributed to drug violators, and sadly this number will only continue to ris... Free Essays on Legalizing Marijuana Mainstream vs. Alternative Media; who do we believe? The Journal of Media Studies Writer Discussion of the legalization of marijuanabrings up two main issues, those who are pro- marijuana and those who are anti- marijuana. These issues have beencovered by both mainstream and alternative media, mainstream being pro, and alternative beinganti.Thesetwo factions have been arguing over this issue in the halls of justice for many years. Because most of theamericansociety is mainly exposed to only mainstream media, they are not aware of other factors of legalizingmarijuana that alternative media covers. The problem caused by this lack of exposure, is that the public may be deprived of the truth, and may be led to believe facts that are not true. Marijuana and Medicine Both pro and anti- marijuana groups have discussed whether or not marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes. Mainstream groups do not believe that there are any convincing reasons to make marijuana a treatment to sick patients. Their position is that marijuana can have harmful long-term effects. The Anti-Legalization Forum explains that some of these effects are: impairment of the immune system due to the inability of T-cells to battle off diseases, delaying puberty in both males and females, and unhealthy and smaller children born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy. The Drug Enforcement Administration believes that since marijuana is not accepted by any American health associations, there is no reason to legalize the drug. They think that the main reason why pro marijuana advocates use the medical use argument is because the uninformed public can be easily convinced to support the movement. Simply not enough evidence proves that marijuana can be used medically (Claim V). Unlike the D.E.A., lobbying groups such as the Cannabis Action Network and the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, believe that marijuana is a beneficial herb...

Case Study Foreign Direct Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Case Study Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example Consolidation in the United States with a penetrating strategy was also chosen based on the fact that the major competitors were on the verge of facing very adversity publicity, and the company had a product that could do the reverse nutritionally, if it is able to capitalize on the opportunity. Investment in terms of alliance in organic farming in Europe where projections are for double digits growth in that sector was also a viable option that North Western could pursue, due to the complementarities of both products to a growing health conscious society. In moving into such an alliance, the present management structure would require significant changes, as experts in this field will have to be recruited to strengthen perceived areas of weaknesses in advance, so that timely and informed decisions can be made. Going oversees in term of South Africa and or the Vietnamese markets will definitely challenged the competence of the organization, especially from cultural perspectives, as we ll as the levels of leadership representation required to negotiate with the government and private sector interest. Sensitivity to the needs of the environment, especially as it relates to environmentalists groups will require the adoption of new approach to maintain the stable climates that are conducive to its growth and development on a continuous basis, will prove crucial. North Western will do well to look at its financial commitment, the threats from competitors, the dwindling sales and market shares, as well as the attractive market options that are available now but may not be six months later, and make decisions, even changes in the leadership structure to reflect what qualities will be required to meet challenges in the national and global environments. Strategic Development Directions 1 North Western Corporation is a major manufacturer of health drinks and distributor of fusion nutrition health drink. Presently it has a 15% market share in the US and 12% in Europe. Howev er, these percentages were much higher six months ago. There is a cause for concern insofar as the strategy to deploy to change the scenario, increase percentage profitability, and consolidate its position as a major competitor in the market place. The managing director Leslie Owen and his Oregon City team knows that economic down turn is only one of the reasons why his company is not doing so well as this point in time. This team of managers are going to be provided with the options to consider, with a bank balance in excess of $500 million dollars, a Research and Development that is has to produce at least five new brands for the market, are advantages to bear in mind insofar as options are presented. Strategy Development Directions for North Western Corporation will include four different approach, from which management will make the choice that will reflect its best interest. Based on market intelligence North Western prices are competitive with other products in the market. How ever, the company is not satisfied with its returns and market share, and has decided to engage in market penetration strategy to reduce the level of competition. The company has already profited from all these products and is in the process of introducing additional products to the market. This is reminiscent of Sony according to Berkowitz, et al (2000), which in1995,