702,000 and counting. That is the estimated figure of deaths related to drug overdoses from 1997-2017 reported by the CDC. Almost 70% of those deaths can be attributed to prescribed or illicit opioids. Many have been quick to place blame and unsurprisingly no one seems to be coming forward to take responsibility. What was the cause of this crisis? A current lawsuit against Purdue Pharma alleges that they are responsible for not only starting but continuing the crisis. (Strickler 2019) One of the initial indications of how the crisis started was due to unprofessional and deceptive sales tactics. Along with this, there have been many unethical practices involving advertising of various pharmaceutical products to exacerbate the issue. These practices range from general advertising to holding conferences with Doctors. Considering how many different parties are involved with the production, sale, prescription, and use of these products I find it difficult to place blame on one party. I wanted to specifically research how sales representatives build trust and relationships with their clients within this industry and how the crisis itself has impacted these relationships. The majority of my research consists of the foundation of relationships, different types of relationships, and how to build and maintain productive relationships. Relationships can be difficult, especially in a professional sales environment because each party typically has their own interests throughout each interaction. By understanding how professional relationships can be built we can aim to avoid a crisis like this in the future, and ultimately save lives because of it.

Often considered to be one of the most promising solutions in the fight against global poverty, “microfinance is a term used to describe financial services, such as loans, savings, insurance and fund transfers to entrepreneurs, small businesses and individuals who lack access to traditional baking services” (Kiva). With hundreds of organizations committed or partially committed to the facilitation of microfinance loans on a domestic and global scale, the way scholarly communities have ultimately decided to view this type of giving is narrow but optimistic. The trends associated with microfinancing show it to have a positive impact on both lenders and borrowers. The goal of this thesis is to bring a level of personal context to these trends with qualitative research from the stories of individuals who have participated in the facilitation of a microloan.

https://rlauren158.wixsite.com/thesis

The objective of this project was to combine my passion for creativity, branding and graphic design into a project that would be personally challenging for me, as well as something that would deliver a result. In considering all these things, I decided to “rebrand the brands we know & love” by picking 5 companies to recreate their logos and redesign the packaging and artwork for one product from each company.

The purpose of this study on Cruise Lines & Health and Wellness Trends is to explain the significance of health and wellness trends within the tourism industry, specifically the cruise line industry, and recommend that cruise lines implement changes to their food and beverage offerings for a continued competitive edge. Research was completed on the cruise line industry, today’s health and wellness trends, and how cruise lines are currently catering towards as many guests’ preferences as possible. Interviews were completed with a variety of crew members aboard a recently launched cruise ship. These four employees, to be kept anonymous, were asked questions regarding general demographics, their thoughts on guests’ dining preferences, and whether or not their company was successful in incorporating current health and wellness trends. This particular cruise line appeared to provide many tools to be healthier onboard; however, the crew members agreed that there is room for improvement and a need to focus on a younger demographic.
As mindsets on wellness change, dietary restrictions become more prevalent, and there is more food and beverage innovation, the general public desires more options in daily life. Holistic wellness trends and plant-based options are being welcomed into many personal routines. With substantial commitments and dietary restrictions, guests onboard cruises need additional food and beverage options. Values of Millennials and Generation Z will also need to be considered as they mature into adulthood and gain more buying power. Both generations value experiences over material items, holistic wellness, and inclusivity. Thus, minor additions of plant-based, allergy-friendly, and/or nutritional items onboard would be beneficial to ships within the rapidly growing cruise line industry. Many cruise lines have already begun to make slight changes to their menus and selections, such as plant-based juice bars and notations on menus for vegan or allergy-friendly items. While it is difficult to satisfy all, cruise lines must be more proactive in catering to the lifestyle changes being made by guests if they hope to remain competitive in the leisure travel market.

The connection between Judaism and Charitable giving was evaluated by researching what Judaism teaches about giving to charity and also how Jews practice these teachings. Primary research was gathered by referring to Jewish texts like the Torah and the Mishneh Torah. Three Jewish people were interviewed about their perspective and practices towards giving and the connection to Judaism. All answers were referenced against the research to determine the most likely causes that Jews give to charity.

While non-invasive breast cancer treatments may be considered less costly in the short-term, over the course of a lifetime, a more aggressive treatment can be overall less costly, especially with recurrence cases; however, these more aggressive treatments are not necessarily covered by insurance and are difficult to discuss in the short amount of time in physician consultations. This analysis studied data from 982 women diagnosed with breast cancer over a five-year period to evaluate monetary costs associated with treatment options and incorporated five in-depth interviews to understand experiences and non-monetary costs. Data showed the most expensive option was a unilateral mastectomy with radiation therapy and the least costly option was breast conserving surgery. Interviews determined each woman evaluated the monetary costs with each treatment but most heavily focused on personal values, biases and recommended opinions when deciding on a treatment. The use of prompt sheets before physician appointments and consultations, along with the addition of financial counselor meeting with each patient can improve patient satisfaction and alleviate stress by simplifying a woman's choice in deciding a treatment. In addition, increased insurance coverage to include every treatment chosen by women (rather than on a case-by-case basis), specifically contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and additional screening options, could decrease long term costs \u2014 both monetarily and in quality of life for patients.