Auxilium Pharmaceutical Corporation Research Paper

Auxilium Pharmaceutical Corporation - Research Paper Example In relation to the study the company which has been selected is Auxilium Pharmaceutical, a firm that has been in business since 1999. The firm’s common stocks are traded publicly in NASDAQ under the symbol AUXL. The mission statement of the company is: â€Å"To improve the lives of patients throughout the world by rapidly and efficiently identifying, developing and commercializing innovative specialty biopharmaceutical products†. The firm’s products target the following healthcare markets: hand and plastic surgeons, endocrinologist, rheumatologists, urologists, and primary care physicians. The two top selling brands the company has are Testim and Xiaflex. The values of the company include integrity, quality, innovation, teamwork, and result oriented. In fiscal year 2010 Auxilium Pharmaceutical generated $211 million in revenues. The organization has 565 employees. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest and most powerful industries in the world with 201 0 global sales of $875 billion. The United States has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. One of the challenges that U.S. healthcare companies face when trying to develop a new drug is that it takes a lot of time and money to bring a new drug to market. During the last five years the costs of bringing a new drug to market have gone up from $800 million to $1.3 billion. One of the primary reasons companies receive lengthy patent protection is to allow companies sufficient time to recover its investment and make a reasonable profit. All the costs across the entire healthcare system in the United States are on the rise. The medical spending per capita in the United States is twice as high as other developed countries such as the members of the European Union. In 2009 the United States spend $7,410 in healthcare spending per capita, while Europe in the same period spend only spend $3,615. Quality is not the main issue that’s driving the costs up since the Europeans receive equal if not better healthcare than American citizens. The cost of education may be a factor that is affecting the salary scales for doctors in the United States. Most medical students borrow over $250,000 in student loans to finance their education. Once they start practicing doctors are seeking higher salaries than ever before. Drugs are becoming more expensive due to higher development costs and medical plans are charging astronomical yearly fees in comparison with the past. In 2009 the average cost of family healthcare plan was $13,375. Medical insurance plan inflation increased 5% in comparison with 2008. Due to the rising cost of medical insurance the amount of Americans that are uninsured has increased to over 50 million. This hurts the sales of pharmaceutical companies because uninsured citizens typically cannot afford to pay for their prescription drugs in cash payments. Auxilium Pharmaceutical has multiple strengths that are helping the company stay competitive. T he firm has build up a nice brand value during its 13 years operating in the industry. During 2010 the company had very solid sales results of $211.4 million which represent an increase of 29% in comparison with the previous year.

Managing Human Resources Essay Example for Free

Managing Human Resources Essay This assissment is going to be about Human Resource Management and it’s going to contain information about different perspectives of human resources management and what the role involves. . HRM system is based on HR system , both work together to the same way. The example is HR strategies defining the direction in which HRM intends to go. We got few models of HRM , one I want to describe is Guest’s Model of HRM. David Guest’s model of HRM has 6 dimensions of analysis : HRM strategy HRM practices HRM outcomes Behaviour outcomes Performance outcomes Financial outcomes This model is prescriptive in the sense that it is based on the assumption that HRM is different from traditional personal management. How guest’s model is adopted in Harrods? In my opinion is adopted by having similar commitments for example the Guest model is prescriptive on the sense that it is bases on the assumption that HRM is distinctively different from traditional personnel management and rotted in strategic management. Also the Guest’s model of HRM outcomes are fairly similar as Harrods engages employees to continues success of the business by committing to what they are doing and one of the outcomes that the Guest’s model states is commitment. David Guest’s analysis financial outcomes in his model of HRM and when looking at the financial outcome at Harrods, we can see that they are loosing money due to the employee turnover. When looking at the case study it shows that the research that has been done about the turnover indicates that the employee turnover has significant cost and performance effects to the business. For example the employee turnover at Harrods measures the rate at which employees leave their employer normally after one year. The claim of the Guest model that it is superior to others is partly justified in the sense that it clearly maps out the field of HRM and delineates the inputs and outcomes. But the dynamics of people management are so complex that no model (including the Guest model) can capture them comprehensively. P. 1. 2 The purpose of HRM is to ensure that the employees of an organization are used in such a way that the employer obtains the greatest possible benefit from their abilities and the employees obtain both material and psychological rewards from their work. Personnel management is the traditional approach to managing. It deals with the reactive side, which are rules, and regulations, wages, pension, and leave administration. It is administrative in nature. Human Resource Management are people oriented an treats employees as an asset. It is the modern approach to managing an organisation and people in the organisation. It is the proactive side of managing which puts people first. The term industrial relations has developed both a broad and a narrow meaning. Industrial relations is increasingly being called employment relations or employee relations because of the importance of non-industrial employment relationships. Industrial relations has three faces: science building, problem solving, and ethical. In the science building phase, industrial relations is part of the social sciences, and it seeks to understand the employment relationship and its institutions through high-quality, rigorous research. From this perspective, an industrial relation covers all aspects of the employment relationship, including human resource or personnel management and employee relations. The difference between personnel management and human resource management is that personnel management basically deals with the employees, for example they deal with payroll recruitment. Where the HRM deals with the management of the work force, training and the well-being of all employees. Also we can say that Human Resources is to incorporate and develop personnel management tasks, while at the same time seeking to create and develop teams of workers to the advantage of the organization. Personnel management comprises mainly of administrative tasks that are considered to be traditional and routine. The Human Resources management at Harrods helps to build a competitive edge by positively getting involving the employees. The HRM at Harrods use an appropriate leadership style and they use two-way communication, which is very effective as it allows information to be passed on correctly and quickly. Similar organization which adopted IR practice and Personal is NHS. The NHS UK practice managers work within the primary care sector, where they manage the overall running of general practices surgeries. Practice managers come from a variety of backgrounds and do not necessarily need to be a qualified healthcare professional. Industrial relations in the UK health care sector are characterised by high levels of social dialogue and joint regulation, particularly in the public part of the sector. P. 1. 3 At Harrods the role of the line manager is to encourage communication targets and advice to employees through face-to-face interactions. This might involve sitting down in the staff room, or in a more formal setting, to agree objectives and to give advice about improvements and new ways of working. Acting as a coach helps the line managers to develop their managerial skills, build relationships and reinforce trust at Harrods. Employees play the most vital role in HRM because they are the key advantage and we also must remember that high-performing and innovative employees are the foundation of productivity. Some major implications for HRM are, they can set direction and implement a company strategy, which builds commitment to what they do. Employees at Harrods help to develop performance metrics for on going improvements in the business. In order to increase the productivity at Harrods the line manager or HRM support their employees by communicating effectively and giving them regular feedback on their performance and by them doing that it decreases the errors and frustration caused to employees at work. Also an effective reward system for employees at Harrods motivates them towards better performance. Non-monetary factors like better status can motivate employees in addition.

Saddam Hussein :: essays research papers

Saddam Hussein   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Middle East is an extremely volatile region of the world, and much of the current instability may be due to one man, Saddam Hussein. During the last few years, under Hussein's direction, Iraq has gone from being an oil rich country to a country that is suffering major embargoes and is low on supplies. Iraqi leaders are trying to leave as they realize how power can corrupt a man. If Hussein stays in power, the future looks bleak for the Gulf region.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq used to be a prosperous country. Oil was the main source of income for the area. During the Iran-Iraq War (Gulf War 1), which was from September 1980 to August 1988, Iraq went from being a wealthy country to a very poor country, nearly over night. Hussein had used all energy available in that war, and he came out of it losing over 1/3 of the entire male population of Iraq (Allman 61). Saddam feels that is actions were justified because he believes the Iran-Iraq war was a conspiracy by the US, Britain, and Israel to undermine Iraq (Kondrache 11). This leads people of the world to believe that this is a man who will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants. He was willing to risk his whole nation for a more money. High financial priorities? Survey says â€Å"yes† .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The basis on which Hussein is in power is controversial. He was not elected to his position, he took it. There was a military coup in 1968 that led him and his Ba'ath party to power. He was not elected, as until last year, there had not been an election since the coup (Cooperman 49). This says that Hussein has been a tyrant from the start, and his need for power is incredible. He wants complete domination of the Middle East, if not the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iraq is now a country struggling to survive. It is in the midst of an embargo, and the people are suffering. Death rates are up, and the amount of food available is declining. Saddam is displaced from his people, though. He is not feeling the same effects as they are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pursian Gulf War erupted in 1990 with Hussein ordering an invasion of neighboring Kuwait, on the grounds that Kuwait was stealing oil from in Iraqi oil field. The US became involved in this war for the next year, and they successfully pushed Iraq out of Kuwait. Iraq, however, feels that it won this war. The leaders of Iraq were still in power after the war ended, so the

The Great Dangers of Civil Disobedience

Van Dudes explicitly refutes the concepts of Thoreau suggesting that they, as the title of his work suggests, destroy democracy. Van Dudes feels that when man disobeys the law and separates from the democratic society he feels has failed, he simply pushes democracy further towards failure. While the ends laid out by Thoreau in Walden and Civil Disobedience, and Martin Luther King Jar. In Letter From Birmingham Jail, may be completely valid, the mean by which they chose to try and attain them, civil disobedience, is acted upon without true understanding of its detrimental impact to democratic society according to Lewis H.Van Dudes. While Henry David Thoreau seems to feel he is presenting the ideals for how one should live their life and how government should function, In reality he Is conveying an impractical message with detrimental effects. In his work Walden, Thoreau outlines the basic ideas of transcendentalism and keeps an account of his time spent living in the Walden woods. It is in the Walden woods that Thoreau concludes, â€Å"If we do not†¦ Forge rails, and devote days and nights to the work, but go to tinkering upon our lives o improve them, who will build railroads?†¦ Ho will want Thoreau Is conveying the message that within American society man has becomes so consumed with his own life that he has forgotten about striving towards progression. Thoreau feels that If every man spends his time concerned with minor detail, and the material things society has defined as symbols of success. Man will not advance, he will simply live a cyclical life during which nothing of meaning occurs. While Thoreau presents his ideas with great confidence he soon finds that man inherently can't abandon all outing and ritual, thus making his concept of transcendence impractical.More Important than the Impracticality of transcendentalism Is Thoreau Interpretation of what he is presenting. Thoreau feels he is providing the example of a man who transcends societal constraints and living his life to the fullest. In reality Thoreau is very much avoiding society entirely by taking up this supposed transcendent lifestyle. Lewis H. Van Dudes presents the Idea that call disobedience Is very much a self- fulfilling prophecy. In going to the woods Thoreau doesn't â€Å"build railroads† but instead leaves them to be built by the world which he has lost faith in.By leaving the building of railroads, essentially the directing of society, to a society he feels is very limited due to deeply Ingrained routine and ritual, Thoreau removes the Influence he may have potentially had. This removal of Influence doesn't lead the railroads to taking the shape Thoreau wished for but instead lets a society he already doesn't 1 OFF nave Tall n In create teen In any way teen please. When man elects to transcend, en really avoids society and does not build railroads but instead runs from them. Henry David Thoreau presents his ideas for achieving better governmen t in his work Civil Disobedience.As the title of his work suggests, Thoreau felt civil disobedience, a form of non-violent protest of laws, was the key to ensuring a government doesn't over extend its control over its people. In Civil Disobedience Thoreau states, â€Å"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right†(l). Thoreau seems to suggest that governmental laws constrain people. He feels as if man can't truly live within a society led by a government that â€Å"restricts† him by imposing laws and expecting adherence to them.While Thoreau feels that a government that didn't impose itself upon him would best allow man to flourish, it is Thoreau very belief that he should be able to do what he feels is right that could potentially create anarchy. Van Dudes argues that to break the law is to consider oneself above the law, and if everyone feels they are above the law society can't function. If no one pays taxes or suppor ts government society doesn't flourish instead it perishes. While an organized effort against government could potentially lead to unofficial results, when all people rebel against the laws currently in place the results are not necessarily ideal.Simply because many people disagree with the law doesn't mean they have the same opinions on what the proper laws are. Abandonment of laws would possibly, and likely result in the development of factions and these divided factions could result in the development of a state of anarchy. While Thoreau felt he was conveying the basis for great improvement in society, should his intellectual ideas be taken to fruition the possibility of anarchy could be ever present. Martin Luther King Jar. Arguably one of the most influential Americans of all time, relied upon civil disobedience as a method of attaining his ultimate goal, the elimination of segregation. During one of his nonviolent protests King was arrested and placed in a Birmingham Jail. Aft er being condemned by the clergymen of Birmingham King wrote his Letter From Birmingham Jail. Within this letter King attempts to Justify the need for his acts of civil disobedience. King claims there is a necessity for civil disobedience to bring about change.King's goal was, without a doubt, Just and necessary however his methods for attaining his goal were not. In his letter King stated, â€Å"One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey Just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with SST. Augustine that ‘an unjust law is no law at par 12). King takes a very similar position to Thoreau in deciding that it is man's responsibility to disobey laws he finds unjust. King is suggesting that to think a law is unjust but do nothing is Just s bad as blindly following the law in the first place.King is convinced that only civil disobedience could bring the results he desired. While King's goal to end the segregation of African Americans and whites in America was obviously one of great importance, his methods were not as ideal. Van Dudes would argue that by insisting on disobeying laws, Martin Luther King was demanding African Americans and others to pull away from the potential answer to their problem. King was essentially giving up on the democracy that he felt oppressed him. While democracy is inherently flawed it still allows for all who patiently adhere to it can have an influence.King doesn't patiently wait for the processes of democracy to get his point across. Instead , Klan puts enamels above democracy Ana requests toners ay ten same. Only in abandoning democracy does it truly fail, not due to its own inherent faults, but due to the assumption of failure by those who abandon it. Lewis H. Van Dudes, in his Civil Disobedience: Destroyer of Democracy, attempts to refute the beliefs of all those who favor civil disobedience. Van Dudes directly interdicts Thoreau in saying, â€Å"Thoreau posit ion is not only morally irresponsible but politically reprehensible.When citizens in a democracy are called on to make a profession of faith, the civil disobedient offer only a confession of failure. † Van Dudes is conveying the idea that Thoreau beliefs are unacceptable because what he feels to be an inspiring message for further progress, is simply a foreboding message of unavoidable failure. Thoreau sees civil disobedience as the expression of a higher man who is unwilling to stand for moral injustices. On the other hand, Van Dudes argues that Thoreau ideas suggest to man that he should give up on his effort to make change.By stepping away from American democracy and society the natural born right to try and direct democracy in the ways you wish is lost. Van Dudes also contradicts the idea that man should, at any time, disregard the law when he states, â€Å"There is no man who is above the law, and there is no man who has a right to break the law. Civil disobedience is no t above the law, but against the law. † Van Dudes is making it clear that are only two types of citizens, those who obey the law ND those who disobey the law. Civil disobedience is not a loophole or gray area it is simply a glorified Justification for breaking the law.Simply because such a glorified explanation is presented doesn't mean one should latch onto it. Man within a democracy should support it in hopes of making it better, not ignore it because he doesn't approve of it in its current state. Lewis H. Van Disuse's argument brings to light the potential dangers of the seemingly Justified argument for civil disobedience. Lewis H. Van Dudes refutes both Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King's arguments in favor of civil disobedience. Thoreau believed in a policy of civil disobedience in trying to prevent democratic government from oppressing its people.King felt that civil disobedience was a necessary measure in bringing an end to segregation. Van Dudes makes evident the potential dangers of both men's ideas. Van Dudes brings to the forefront the potential for political turmoil should the message of either King or Thoreau be put into practice. While King and Thoreau both feel they are presenting the method by which society can better itself, Van Dudes sakes it clear that their ideas imply people should give up on a government that doesn't comply exactly with their beliefs.

Detailed analysis of school safety

Safety is an important factor in any learning institution that is focussed to achieving its mission, vision and goals in the future. So the most important thing to be enforced in such institutions is thus safety. Although there are other factors that contribute to the success of students in learning, safety form the core foundations for all activities that are undertaken by any learning institutions. The need to provide better learning environment to students begins with the provision of physical safety that leading to the provisions of emotional well being to the students. Atkinson, 1996) However, in the recent past years, many schools within the country have been faced with a number of problems which led to the compromising of schools safety. During last year’s perilous event that took place in our school, many of us as part of the school community were affected. Follow such consequences, the school administration formed a committee to research on the safety conditions and control measures in our school. The following is the report that was hand over to the administrators:- Outline of the issues: The rising indiscipline behaviour among the students The misuse of drugs and the utilization of illegal drugs within the school compound The rampant violence act among students and teachers The movement of outsiders and non- students as well as students within the school compound (Trump, 1997) While the above four issues were tackled into detail, it was clear that in the first matter, students were becoming uncouth and rowdy. There were many cases that involved students fighting in classes and outside classes. Furthermore, some of the sources indicated that some students had even blackmailed the name of our school to the outside communities by misbehaving in public. Some students have been alleged not to respect the elders and those in authorities while they are in public places. The second issues of using drug and illegal drugs indicated that most students have been caught by watchmen either drinking or drunk of alcohol, beer, or they have been found smoking cigarettes, marijuana and others addict able materials that may stimulates and affects the normal functioning of body or nervous systems. I think the applications of these substances are the consequences of the first and the third issue of rampant violence among the students and to the teachers. The most important matter that perhaps has lead to all these scaring actions is the lack of school fence. This has paralysed the efforts of the guards to regulating and control the movement of all the people getting in and out of the school ground. In fact this has given a great opportunity to drug traffics to access the clients within the school without much struggle or impairment while the same applies to the addicted students who would like to sneak out to go and obtain their materials. (Huff, 1996) Control measures To alleviate to the crooked ways of the students’ behaviour, the administrators being the closes guardians to the students should be taught guidance and counselling courses. They will then help them to mould the students and even rescue those who are drug addicts from the scathing killer drugs. While this is being implemented, the school can invite sociologists and religious leaders to give words of advices to the students periodically. Moreover, to accomplish their mission, there is need for the administration to coordinate with the parents and the local communities as well as the public in general to act as role models and to give corrective measures and check the behaviour of students. Final the school requires to be provided with a physical fence to check the intruders and students movements. (Trump, 1993)

Why Pyramids Dont Work Simple Examples

Why Pyramids Dont Work Simple Examples Pyramids Schemes Explained A pyramid scheme is a type of investment scheme in which investors earn profits from the recruiting of new members to the scheme; all pyramid schemes inevitably fail because they rely on geometric growth to sustain returns for the investors, and eventually reach a point at which they collapse. A pyramid scheme is similar to a Ponzi scheme in that it relies on ever-increasing numbers of later investors to provide returns for earlier investors, but differs in that returns for investors are directly tied to the number of new investors each can recruit. Multi-level marketing (MLM) programs, which are legal in most places, are actually a form of pyramid scheme. There are a number of variations in the form of pyramid schemes. The three most common are the simple pyramid scheme, the 8-Ball Model, and the 2-Up System; the latter two are the basic format, with some slight adjustments, of most MLM systems. Simple Pyramid Schemes The simplest form of a pyramid scheme is also sometimes called a â€Å"chain-letter† scheme. The starter of the pyramid will recruit some number of investors, each of whom will pay him a certain amount. The second group of investors each recruits the same number of investors, thus earning several times over their original investment, i.e. the amount they each paid to the first investor at the tip of the pyramid. In order to earn a profit, each investor in each successive level must recruit the same number of people. For example, Investor Number One at the top of the pyramid recruits six new members for $1 each, earning a profit of $6. These six recruits then recruit six new members each, earning $5 profit and adding 36 people to the pyramid. In order to earn their profit, the 36 members on the third level of the pyramid must recruit a total of 216 people, who subsequently must recruit 1,296 people, and so on. This illustration published a few years ago by the US Securities and Exchange Commission shows how this pyramid scheme quickly becomes unrealistic: This kind of pyramid scheme is illegal everywhere, for obvious reasons; the only investor who is guaranteed a return is the one at the top of the pyramid, and practically speaking, anyone below the fourth or fifth level of the pyramid is likely to lose 100% of his investment. Want to know more? Go here: Currency Exchange Rates and Management Difference Between Management and Leadership Five Components of Service Management Buy Research Paper Online Top 10 Tips on Buying an Essay The 8-Ball Model The 8-Ball Model, which is called that because a diagram of it resembles a rack of billiard balls, is a format used by some MLM schemes. In an 8-Ball scheme, members do not receive a profit from new recruits until three levels are recruited. For example, Company X is set up so that each new member can collect a $100 payment for â€Å"starter kits† for new members (this kind of arrangement is made because of laws in most places requiring that members of an MLM program receive goods of â€Å"equivalent value† for any â€Å"membership fee† or initial investment they make). But, payment is not made until the third generation of recruits. Member 1 recruits two new members, who recruit four, who recruit eight new members. These eight pay a total of $800 to Member 1. When the eight members on the third level of the pyramid recruit their two new members each, the two originally recruited by Member 1 receive $800 each from the 16 new level-four members.  The bottom thre e levels in an 8-Ball Model will always lose 100% of their investment, no matter how many levels there are. The 2-Up System The 2-Up System is a variation that is used by MLM schemes because it encourages recruits to work harder to recruit new members. In a 2-Up format, the â€Å"sales income† – which might be actual sales of products, or might simply be the initial â€Å"starter kit† purchase – from the first two people a person recruit goes to that person’s own recruiter; the sales from the third and any subsequent recruits then go to that person. In a 2-Up System, the bottom level always loses 100% of their investment, while the second-lowest level always breaks even. The 2-Up System is used in MLM schemes, because the opportunity for income grows exponentially as one moves higher up the pyramid; however, it requires that three times as many people be recruited for each new level in order for the preceding level to earn a profit, and quickly runs out of available recruits (particularly if they’re smart, and realize they’re being rooked). Differences between MLMs and Pyramid Schemes The only difference between an MLM and a regular pyramid scheme, and what makes MLMs legal while pyramid schemes are not is that the sale of products at least theoretically gives members the opportunity to earn income without recruiting new members. So in the example 2-Up System in the diagram above, the network would not necessarily have to expand beyond the four levels that are shown. Let’s suppose that the company represented by the diagram sells a product which has a cost to dealers of $9, and retails for $10. Let’s also suppose (to keep things simple) that the top level (the black oval) was recruited by the company directly, and that the top level recruit does not actually sell any products, preferring to simply profit from the sales of his â€Å"downstream†. If each member below the top level sells one product, the top level makes $7, the second level makes $3, the third level makes $1 each, and the fourth level makes no profit at all – exactly the same proportion of returns as if the framework were a naked pyramid scheme. The company (the recruiter of the top level in this example) is guaranteed a profit of just $2 from a total of 15 products sold. That should tell you something about the real cost (and likely the quality) of products offered through multi-level marketing schemes, as well as the futility of investing in one. Unless you are fortunate enough to be near the top of the pyramid – whether it’s a legitimate (if only just) MLM program or an actual pyramid scheme – the claims of high returns these schemes offer mean, â€Å"High returns for those who came before you.† Best to do your homework, and find safer ways to invest your money.

Possessive Pronoun Definition and Examples in Grammar

Possessive Pronoun Definition and Examples in Grammar A possessive pronoun is a  pronoun that can take the place of a noun phrase to show ownership (as in This phone is mine). The weak possessives (also called possessive determiners) function as determiners  in front of nouns  (as in My phone is broken). The weak possessives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. In contrast, the strong (or absolute) possessive pronouns stand on their own: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs. The strong possessive is a type of independent genitive. A possessive pronoun never takes an apostrophe. Examples and Observations We were both work-study kids with University jobs. Hers was in the library; mine was in the Commons cafeteria.​(Stephen King, Joyland. Titan Books, 2013)Go on, get inside the TARDIS. Oh, never given you a key? Keep that. Go on, that’s yours. Quite a big moment really!(The Doctor to Donna in The Poison Sky. Doctor Who, 2005)Ours is an age of relentless testing, corrupted by cooked or deceitful results and widespread cheating scandals.(Joseph Featherstone, Tested. The Nation, February 17, 2014)Mine is a long and sad tale! said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing.It is a long tail, certainly, said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouses tail; but why do you call it sad?(Lewis Carroll, Alices Adventures in Wonderland)She underlines passages in my Bible because she cant find hers.(Ned in The War of the Simpsons. The Simpsons, 1991)Woman must have her freedom- the fundamental freedom of choosing whether or not she shall be a mother and how many children she will ha ve. Regardless of what mans attitude may be, that problem is hers- and before it can be his, it is hers alone.(Margaret Sanger, Woman and the New Race, 1920) Its really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs.(J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, 1951)Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.(William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, 1790-1793) Possessive Pronouns vs. Possessive Determiners The possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, etc.) are like possessive determiners, except that they constitute a whole noun phrase. The house will be  hers  you see when they are properly divorced.Writers have produced extraordinary work in conditions more oppressive than  mine. Possessive pronouns are typically used when the head noun can be found in the preceding context; thus in 1, hers means her house, and in 2, mine means my conditions. Here the possessive pronoun is parallel to the elliptic use of the genitive. (D. Biber, S. Conrad, and G. Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Student and Written English. Pearson, 2002) [The] construction with the possessive pronoun [e.g. a friend of mine] differs from the alternative of possessive determiner noun (e.g. my friend) mainly in that it is more indefinite. The sentences in (30) below illustrates this point. (30) a. You know John? A friend of his told me that the food served at that restaurant is awful.(30) b. You know John? His friend told me that the food served at that restaurant is awful. The construction with the possessive pronoun, in (30a), can be used if the speaker hasnt specified and doesnt need to specify the identity of the friend. In contrast, the construction with the possessive determiner, in (30b), implies that the speaker and listener both know what friend is intended.(Ron Cowan, The Teachers Grammar of English: A Course Book and Reference Guide. Cambridge University Press, 2008) Punctuation With Possessive Pronouns The words hers, ours, theirs, and yours are sometimes termed absolute or independent possessives because they occur when no noun follows. No apostrophe appears in these words, which are often in the predicate [the house was ours] [the fault was theirs]. Sometimes, though, they can occur as subjects [hers was a gift that anyone would envy]. (Bryan A. Garner, Garners Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2009) The Lighter Side of Possessive Pronouns: An Irish Toast Heres to you and yours  and to mine and ours,And if mine and ours ever come across you and yours,I hope you and yours will do as much for mine and oursAs mine and ours have done for you and yours!