Children after the separation Essay

Further his studies of the effects of war on children who were separated from their mothers at an early age was considered to be research done in a crisis situation. Critics argue under these circumstances it would be impossible to conclude how the same children would have reacted out of a war time environment. It was also argued that Bowlby failed to take account in his studies what had happened to the children after the separation. Bowlby was influenced greatly by James Robertson’s research on the effects of separation on mother and child through hospitalisation. Robertson’s studied children between six months and three years of age who were separated from their mothers due to hospitalisation. Robertson claimed to have established a sequence of behaviour that all children would pass through. This sequence consisted of distress, were children behaved in a disturbed manner. Despair whereby the child seems to lose hope of finding there lost parent. Lastly, the child display detachment type behaviour, refusing anyone to become involved with them. Robertson concluded that separation from their mother was harmful. In 1971 Klein and Stern studied why parents abuse their children. They found evidence in their studies that a high percentage of abused children had been born prematurely. Because these children were put into an incubator and separated from their parents an attachment was unable to develop, resulting in later abuse toward the children. The study concluded that there is a crucial period when attachments not formed adequately would not be able to be re-formed. This is of considerable importance to social work in relation to the modern day understanding of child abuse as further research has shown that many abusers were once abused themselves. Klaus & Kennell (1976) two paediatricians put forward the theory that they too believed there was a critical period when attachment took place, this was immediately after birth, when the mother was physiologically pre-disposed to bond with her infant. It was during this time that the strength of the attachment was determined.  The American National Center for Clinical Programs supports Bowlby’s notion of ‘motherlove’. They propose that a parent who realises they are going to have a long-term relationship with their child will put more into the caregiving and interaction, as opposed to a substitute care giver who may not be so motivated as they see many children come and go and therefore do not build up a caring relationship with children. This idea has implications for fostering as a consequence may be lack of care or favouritism towards other children in their care. John & Elisabeth Newson (1986) point out that one function of a parent is to act as a memory store for the children to play back and compare experiences. Children in a care setting without a key adult with whom they have a close relationship with will be unable to build upon past experiences and this may have an impact on their emotional development.  Many studies have looked at whether attachment is instinctive, as Bowlby had believed. Konrad Lorenz (1935) agreed that attachment was instinctive when he put forward his imprinting theory. His observations revealed that newly hatched goslings follow the first thing they saw, this could be a human or other object and there was a brief critical period early in the goslings life when this would occur and was found to be irreversible. Lorenz’s believed this was biological, a factor of evolution that ensures the young of all species are able to attach to someone for survival, and was relevant to the way humans form attachments in relation to it being an instinctive behaviour. Critics of his theory (Sluckin 1961 and Bateson 1964) have shown that if a young bird is kept isolated it stays unimprinted beyond Lorenz’s ‘critical period’ and imprinting can take place after the critical period has passed. This casts doubt on Lorenz’s claim that imprinting processes are instinctive. Many researchers now believe that imprinting is actually a process of rapid learning (MacFarlane 1975) In contrast to the theory that attachment is instinctive Colin Turnbull and Margaret Mead when studying families in various African tribes concluded that they saw no signs of instinctive love or affection between parents and children. It was quite normal for many children to be left to fend for themselves; many were even killed as they were thought of as burdens by their parents. The researchers came to believe attachment to be a learnt process that we internalise from observing our own mother’s behaviour, and if not learnt properly for example through illness or as in the tribes case through a different set of family norms and lifestyles, then no bonding or emotional attachment can occur. In New York in 1943 Goldfarb conducted a study of orphans. Two groups of fifteen orphans were matched for age, sex and social background of their parents. The orphans of group A had been fostered before nine months old. The orphans in group B had spent at least their first three years in an orphanage before they were fostered. Goldfarb visited each child at ages three, six, eight and twelve years and measured their development with regard to intelligence, language skills, social maturity and their ability to form relationships. Goldfarb found that every child in group A did better than those in group B leading to the conclusion that a ‘normal’ family home is crucial to emotional and cognitive development. Critics of this study argue that the children may not have had the same intelligence to begin with and that the children in Group B did not have the stimulation of a family for as long a period as those children in Group A. Harlow & Zimmerman conducted studies on a group of rhesus monkeys. Their studies consisted of isolating young monkeys for three months, six months or twelve months. The researchers concluded that the behaviour of the monkeys who had been isolated for twelve months was proportionately worse than those who had been isolated for three months. The behaviour of all the monkeys who had suffered isolation was seen to be disturbed. The same researchers also placed monkeys in a cage with surrogate mothers, a doll made of wire with a feeding bottle and a doll made of wood and towelling without a feeding bottle. The monkeys spent equal amounts of time with each ‘surrogate mother’. The studies showed that the monkeys preferred to cling to the towelling doll even if it meant they did not have a feeding bottle. This led the researchers to believe that warm contact is of critical importance as a need for the monkeys and leads to affectionate responses. Critics of both these studies question the relevance of animal studies to human behaviour. Bowlby’s influential theory managed to link together the evolutionary focus of adaptation with the psychodynamic and behavioural importance of social relationships during infancy and childhood. (Hollin 95)  A measure of its influence can be gained from the action of the World Health Organisation in 1955 stating that â€Å"Permanent damage can be done to the emotional health of babies and children when put into nurseries or sent to child-minders.† The WHO report had many consequences and resulted in lots of practices regarding child care and children’s needs being changed. Women were encouraged to stay at home and were made to feel guilty and bad mothers if the went out to work. (Which suited the government at the time, as they needed these vacated jobs for men) Family Allowance payments were also introduced as a further inducement to keep women from going out to work  Maternity wards encouraged siblings to stay with their mother, whilst children’s wards encouraged mothers to stay.  A main influence on social work practice was the idea that ‘ a bad home is better that the best institution’ which resulted in less fostering and removal of children from poor if not dangerous situations at home. Bowlby’s findings were influential but controversial and became the starting point for further studies. Some studies began to disagree with Bowlby, Fraiberg in 1974 argued that it was possible to strengthen an attachment; Parents of blind children who did not experience eye contact with their infant felt rejected and consequently were unable to develop a strong attachment to their children. When taught to interpret their child’s hand movements, it was found the bond could be strengthened. Interaction was thought to be the important element in developing the attachment.

Engine powered by liquid hydrogen

Wide Range of Flammability:In comparing with all other fuels, Hydrogen has a really broad scope of flammability. Hence, Hydrogen can be combusted in an internal burning engine over a broad scope of fuel-air mixtures. One of the important advantages of this is that Hydrogen fuel can run a really thin mixture. A thin mixture is one in which the sum of fuel is less than the theoretical, stoichiometric or chemically ideal sum needed for burning with a given sum of air. This is why it is reasonably easy to acquire an engine to get down on H. In general, fuel economic system is greater and the burning reaction is more complete when a vehicle is run on a thin mixture. Besides, the concluding burning temperature is lower hence cut downing the sum of pollutants, such as N oxides, emitted in the fumes. However, there is a bound to how thin the engine can be run, as thin operation can significantly cut down the power end product due to a decrease in the volumetric heating value of the air/fuel mixtureLow Ignition Energy:Ignition energy is the energy needed to light a fuel. Hydrogen has really low ignition energy. The sum of energy needed to light H is about one order of magnitude less than that required for gasolene. The feature of low Ignition energy enables hydrogen engines to light thin mixtures and besides ensures prompt ignition. Unfortunately, the low ignition energy besides carries the hazard that hot gases and hot musca volitanss on the cylinder can function as beginnings of ignition and hence making jobs such as premature ignition and flashback. Preventing the above mentioned jobs is one of the jobs associated with runing an engine on H. The broad flammability scope of H agencies that about any mixture can be ignited by a hot topographic point.Small Quenching Distance:Hydrogen has a little extinction distance, even smaller than that of gasolene. Hence, it ‘s more hard to slake a H fire than a gasolene fire. The inclination for blowback additions as a consequence of smaller extinction distance, since the fire from a hydrogen-air mixture more readily passes a about closed consumption valve, than a hydrocarbon-air fire.High Auto-Ignition Temperature:Hydrogen has a comparatively high auto-ignition temperature. This characteristic is of import because the hydrogen-air mixture has to be compressed and the refore plays an of import function in finding the compaction ratio that an engine can utilize, since the temperature rise during compaction is related to the compaction ratio. The temperature should non transcend the auto-ignition temperature, as this would do a premature ignition. Hence, the absolute concluding temperature controls the compaction ratio. The high car ignition temperature of H allows larger compaction ratios to be used in a H engine than in a hydrocarbon engine. On the other manus, H is hard to light in a compaction ignition or Diesel constellation, because the temperatures needed for those types of ignition are comparatively high.High Flame SpeedHydrogen has high fire velocity at stoichiometric ratios. Under these conditions, the H fire velocity is about an order of magnitude higher ( faster ) than that of gasolene. This means that H engines can more closely approach the thermodynamically ideal engine rhythm. At leaner mixtures, nevertheless, the fire speed decreases significantly.High DiffusivityHydrogen has really high diffusivity. This ability to scatter in air is well greater than gasolene and is advantageous for two chief grounds. Fir st, it facilitates the formation of a unvarying mixture of fuel and air. Second, if a H leak develops, the H disperses quickly. Therefore, insecure conditions can either be avoided or minimized.Low DensityHydrogen has really low denseness. This consequences in two jobs when used in an internal burning engine. First, a really big volume is necessary to hive away adequate H to give a vehicle an equal drive scope. Second, the energy denseness of a hydrogen-air mixture, and therefore the power end product, is reduced.Fuel Delivery SystemsHydrogen fuel bringing system can be broken down into three chief types:Cardinal injection ( or â€Å"carburetted† )Port injectionDirect injectionCentral and port fuel bringing systems injection forms the fuel-air mixture during the intake shot. In the instance of cardinal injection or a carburetor, the injection is at the recess of the air intake manifold. In the instance of port injection, it is injected at the recess port. Direct cylinder inje ction is more technologically sophisticated and involves organizing the fuel-air mixture inside the burning cylinder after the air consumption valve has closed.Cardinal Injection or Carburetted Systems:The simplest method of presenting fuel to a H engine is by manner of a carburetor or cardinal injection system. This system has advantages for a H engine. First, cardinal injection does non necessitate the H supply force per unit area to be every bit high as for other methods. Second, cardinal injection or carburetors are used on gasolene engines, doing it easy to change over a standard gasolene engine to hydrogen or a gasoline/hydrogen engine. The disadvantage of cardinal injection is that it is more susceptible to irregular burning due to pre-ignition and back fire. The greater sum of hydrogen/air mixture within the consumption manifold compounds the effects of pre-ignition.Port Injection SystemsThe port injection fuel bringing system injects fuel straight into the consumption manifold at each consumption port, instead than pulling fuel in at a cardinal point. Typically, the H is injected into the manifold after the beginning of the consumption shot. At this point conditions are much less terrible and the chance for premature ignition is reduced. In port injection, the air is injected individually at the beginning of the consumption shot to thin the hot residuary gases and cool any hot musca volitanss. Since less gas ( H or air ) is in the manifold at any one clip, any pre-ignition is less terrible. The recess supply force per unit area for port injection tends to be higher than for carburetted or cardinal injection syste ms, but less than for direct injection systems. The changeless volume injection ( CVI ) system uses a mechanical cam-operated device to clip the injection of the H to each cylinder. The CVI block is shown on the far right of the exposure with four fuel lines go outing on left side of the block ( one fuel line for each cylinder ) . The electronic fuel injection ( EFI ) system meters the H to each cylinder. This system uses single electronic fuel injectors ( solenoid valves ) for each cylinder and pumped to a common fuel rail located down the Centre of the consumption manifold. Whereas the CVI system uses changeless injection timing and variable fuel rail force per unit area, the EFI system uses variable injection timing and changeless fuel rail force per unit area.Direct Injection SystemsMore sophisticated H engines use direct injection into the burning cylinder during the compaction shot. In direct injection, the consumption valve is closed when the fuel is injected, wholly avoiding premature ignition during the intake shot. Consequently the engine can non backlash into the consumption manifold. The power end product of a direct injected H engine is 20 % more than for a gasolene engine and 42 % more than a H engine utilizing a carburetor. While direct injection solves the job of pre-ignition in the consumption manifold, it does non needfully forestall pre ignition within the burning chamber. In add-on, due to the reduced commixture clip of the air and fuel in a direct injection engine, the air/fuel mixture can be non-homogenous. Surveies have suggested this can take to higher NOx emanations than the non-direct injection systems. Direct injection systems require a higher fuel rail force per unit area than the other.Thermal DilutionPre-ignition conditions can be curbed utilizing thermic dilution techniques such as fumes gas recirculation ( EGR ) or H2O injection. As the name implies, an EGR system re-circulates a part of the fumes gases back into the consumption manifold. The debut of exhaust gases helps to cut down the temperature of hot musca volitanss, cut downing the possibility of pre-ignition. Additionally, re-circulating fumes gases cut down the peak burning temperature, which reduces NOx emanations. Typically a 25 to 30 % recirculation of fumes gas is effectual in extinguishing blo wback. On the other manus, the power end product of the engine is reduced when utilizing EGR. The presence of exhaust gases reduces the sum of fuel mixture that can be drawn into the burning chamber. Another technique for thermally thining the fuel mixture is the injection of H2O. Injecting H2O into the H watercourse prior to blending with air has produced better consequences than shooting it into the hydrogen-air mixture within the consumption manifold. A possible job with this type of system is that H2O can acquire assorted with the oil, so care must be taken to guarantee that seals do non leak.Engine DesignThe most effectual agencies of commanding pre-ignition and knock is to re-design the engine for H usage, specifically the burning chamber and the chilling system. A discoid burning chamber ( with a level Piston and chamber ceiling ) can be used to cut down turbulency within the chamber. The disc form helps bring forth low radial and digressive speed constituents and does non magnify recess whirl during compaction. Since unburned hydrocarbons are non a concern in H engines, a big bore-to-stroke ratio can be used with this engine. To suit the wider scope of fire velocities tha t occur over a greater scope of equality ratios, two flicker stoppers are needed. The chilling system must be designed to supply unvarying flow to all locations that need chilling. Extra steps to diminish the chance of pre ignition are the usage of two little exhaust valves as opposed to a individual big one, and the development of an effectual scavenging system, that is, a agency of displacing exhaust gas from the burning chamber with fresh air.Ignition SystemsDue to hydrogen ‘s low ignition energy bound, lighting H is easy and gasoline ignition systems can be used. At really thin air/fuel ratios ( 130:1 to 180:1 ) the fire speed is reduced well and the usage of a double flicker stopper system is preferred. Ignition systems that use a waste flicker system should non be used for H engines. These systems energize the flicker each clip the Piston is at top dead Centre whether or non the Piston is on the compaction stroke or on its exhaust shot. For gasolene engines, waste flicke r systems work good and are less expensive than other systems. For H engines, the waste flickers are a beginning of pre-ignition. Spark stopper for a H engine should hold a cold evaluation and have non-platinum tips. A cold-rated stopper is one that transfers heat from the stopper tip to the cylinder caput quicker than a hot-rated flicker stopper. This means the opportunities of the flicker stopper tip lighting the air/fuel charge is reduced. Hot rated spark stoppers are designed to keep a certain sum of heat so that C sedimentations do non roll up. Since H does non incorporate C, hot-rated flicker stoppers do non function a utile map. Platinum-tip flicker stopper should besides be avoided since Pt is a accelerator, doing H to oxidise with air.Crankcase Ventilation:Crankcase airing is even more of import for H engines than for gasolene engines. As with gasolene engines, un-burnt fuel can ooze by the Piston rings and enter the crankcase. Since H has a lower energy ignition bound than gasolene, any un-burnt H come ining the crankcase has a greater opportunity of lighting. Hydrogen should be prevented from roll uping through airing. Ignition within the crankcase can be merely a startling noise or consequence in engine fire. When H ignites within the crankcase, a sudden force per unit area rise occurs. To alleviate this force per unit area, a force per unit area alleviation valve must be installed on the valve screen. Exhaust gases can besides ooze by the Piston rings into the crankcase. Since H fumes is H2O vapor, H2O can distill in the crankcase when proper airing is non provided. The commixture of H2O into the crankcase oil reduces its lubrication ability, ensuing in a higher grade of engine wear.Emissions:The burning of H with O green goodss H2O as its lone merchandise: 2H2 + O2 = 2H2O The burning of H with air nevertheless can besides bring forth oxides of N ( NOx ) : H2 + O2 + N2 = H2O + N2 + NOx The oxides of N are created due to the high temperatures generated within the burning chamber during burning. This high temperature causes some of the N in the air to unite with the O in the air. The sum of NOx formed depends on:The air/fuel ratioThe engine compaction ratioThe engine velocityThe ignition timingWhether thermic dilution is utilisedIn add-on to oxides of N, hints of C monoxide and C dioxide can be present in the fumes gas, due to ooze oil combustion in the burning chamber. Depending on the status of the engine ( combustion of oil ) and the operating scheme used ( a rich versus thin air/fuel ratio ) , a H engine can bring forth from about zero emanations ( every bit low as a few ppm ) to high NOx and important C monoxide emanations. Power End product: The theoretical maximal power end product from a H engine depends on the air/fuel ratio and fuel injection method used. As mentioned in above, the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for H is 34:1. At this air/fuel ratio, H will displace 29 % of the burning chamber go forthing merely 71 % for the air. As a consequence, the energy content of this mixture will be less than it would be if the fuel were gasolene ( since gasolene is a liquid, it merely occupies a really little volume of the burning chamber, and therefore allows more air to enter ) . Since both the carburetted and larboard injection methods mix the fuel and air prior to it come ining the burning chamber, these systems limit the maximal theoretical power gettable to about 85 % of that of gasolene engines. For direct injection systems, which mix the fuel with the air after the consumption valve has closed ( and therefore the burning chamber has 100 % air ) , the maximal end product of the engine can be about 15 % higher than that for gasolene engines. Therefore, depending on how the fuel is metered, the maximal end product for a H engine can be either 15 % higher or 15 % less than that of gasolene if a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio is used. However, at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, the burning temperature is really high and as a consequence it will organize a big sum of N oxides ( NOx ) , which is a criteria pollutant. Since one of the grounds for utilizing H is low exhaust emanations, H engines are non usually designed to run at a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. Typically hydrogen engines are designed to utilize approximately twice every bit much air as theoretically required for complete burning. At this air/fuel ratio, the formation of NOx is reduced to near nothing. Unfortunately, this besides reduces the power end product to about half that of a likewise sized gasolene engine. To do up for the power loss, H engines are normally larger than gasolene engines, and/or are equipped with turbochargers or superchargers.Hydrogen Gas Mixtures:Hydrogen can be used well in internal burning engines as an linear to a hydrocarbon fuel. Hydrogen is most normally assorted with high force per unit area natural gas for this intent since both gases can be stored in the same armored combat vehicle. If H is blended with other fuels, it normally has to be stored individually and assorted in the gaseous province instantly before ignition. In general, it is impractical to utilize H in concurrence with other fuels that besides require bulky storage systems, such as propane. Gaseous H can non be stored in the same vas as a liquid fuel. Hydrogen ‘s low denseness will do it to stay on top of the liquid and non blend. Furthermore, liquid fuels are stored at comparatively low force per unit areas so that really small H could be added to the vas. Liquid H can non be stored in the same vas as other fuels. Hydrogen ‘s low boiling point will stop dead other fuels ensuing in fuel â€Å"ice† . Hydrogen can be used in concurrence with compact liquid fuels such as gasolene, intoxicant or Diesel provided each are stored individually. In these applications, the fuel armored combat vehicles can be formed to suit into fresh infinites on the vehicle. Existing vehicles of this type tend to run utilizing one fuel or the other but non both at the same clip. One advantage of this scheme is that the vehicle can go on to run if H is unavailable. Hydrogen can non be used straight in a Diesel ( or â€Å"compression ignition† ) engine since H ‘s car ignition temperature is excessively high ( this is besides true of natural gas ) . Therefore, diesel engines must be outfitted with spark stoppers or utilize a little sum of Diesel fuel to light the gas ( known as pilot ignition ) . Although pilot ignition techniques have been developed for usage with natural gas, no 1 is presently making this with H. One commercially available gas mixture known as Hythane contains 20 % H and 80 % natural gas. At this ratio, no alterations are required to a natural gas engine, and surveies have shown that emanations are reduced by more than 20 % . Mixtures of more than 20 % H with natural gas can cut down emanations further but some engine alterations are required. Thin operation of any internal burning engine is advantageous in footings of oxides of nitrogen emanations and fuel economic system. For hydrocarbon engines, thin operation besides leads to take down emanations of C monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons. As more O is available than required to burn the fuel, the extra O oxidizes more C monoxide into C dioxide, a less harmful emanation. The extra O besides helps to finish the burning, diminishing the sum of unburned hydrocarbons. As with H, the drawback of thin operation with hydrocarbon fuels is a decreased power end product. Thin operation of hydrocarbon engines has extra drawbacks. Thin mixtures are difficult to light, despite the mixture being above the LFL of the fuel. This consequence in dud, which increases unburned hydrocarbon emanations, reduces public presentation and wastes fuel. Another disadvantage is the decreased transition efficiency of 3-way catalytic convertors, ensuing in more harmful emanations. To some extent, blending H with other hydrocarbon fuels reduces all of these drawbacks. Hydrogen ‘s low ignition energy bound and high firing velocity makes the hydrogen/hydrocarbon mixture easier to light, cut downing dud and thereby bettering emanations, public presentation and fuel economic system. Sing power end product, H augments the mixture ‘s energy denseness at thin mixtures by increasing the hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, and thereby improves torsion at wide-open throttle conditions.Current Status:A few car makers have been making some work in the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles ( Ford has late announced that they have developed a â€Å"production ready† hydrogen-powered vehicle utilizing an ICE and BMW has completed a universe circuit exposing a twelve or so hydrogen-powered 750i vehicles ) . However, it is non likely that any hydrogen-powered vehicles will be available to the populace until there is an equal re-fuelling substructure and trained tech nicians to mend and keep these vehicles. Like current gasoline-powered vehicles, the design of each H powered vehicle will most likely vary from maker to maker and theoretical account to pattern. One theoretical account may be simple in design and operation, for illustration, a thin combustion fuel metering scheme utilizing no emanation control systems such as EGR, catalytic convertor, evaporate fuel case shot, etc. Another theoretical account may be really sophisticated in design and operation, for illustration, utilizing an EGR fuel metering scheme with a catalytic convertor, multiple flicker stoppers, etc. Until such clip that a H substructure exists, hydrogen/natural gas fuel blends provide a logical passage to to the full hydrogen-powered vehicles. These vehicles can run on either fuel, depending on handiness

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Ethical Self-Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Self-Assessment - Essay Example I realized that every decision I made in the workplace and even in my private life has an ethical aspect to it and failing to address this can lead to unethical actions. I also realised that every action and decision taken will affect both me and at least another individual in a certain way. In this regard, when making decisions, it is necessary to know when to act in which way and how this will affect the other person; this is especially so with regard to the patients I deal with and the people I work with. The ACHE standards are important in guiding my professional ethical conduct as they act as a guidelines as well as a reminder of the importance of ethical behaviour and ethical conduct. The ACHE standards are important in reminding me how important it is for a professional in my career to be able look at the ways in which my actions affect the other people. ACHE standards are geared towards affecting the way people think about their actions with regard to other people. As an indi vidual, ACHE standards have made me to rethink the way I do things and the way I look at issues. They have reminded me that in making decisions, I should be able to think about the other person and not just how the decision will be beneficial to me. My individual ethics determines how I make decisions and how I act in all times. Regardless of the ACHE standards, I am an honest person and I believe in fairness. In this regard, I always look for fairness when making decisions and when acting in certain ways. This helps me to make the right decisions and to be able to consider how my decisions will affect other people. However, there are those instances where I may drop my guard and may not essentially act in the ethical way. One example of such a time is when dealing with other people’s actions. ACHE standards have made me to realise that ethical conduct is not just limited to my actions, but rather that it also has to do with how I deal with other people’s actions. In t his regard, if a colleague acts in an unethical way, it is my ethical responsibility to correct them and to make sure that such unethical actions are not tolerated. Acting in an ethical manner can be a big challenge due to a number of issues. One main issue has to do with the fact that one may not know when he or she is acting in an unethical way. In this regard, one of the strategies which I will use in order to help myself to act in an ethical manner in the future is by learning as much as possible about ethical issues. For instance, studying the ACHE standards can help me to identify the many situations in which I should be alert ethically. As described above, being able to correct the actions of others when they are unethical is part of ethical behaviour and failing to do so is unethical. This was only made clear to me after studying the ACHE ethical standards. In this regard, I intend to learn as much as possible in order to make sure that I understand as much as possible the v arious issues which constitute unethical behaviour. The other important thing which I will include in my strategy for the future with regard to ethical behaviour is acting in time and being proactive. By reading the ACHE ethical standards, I realised that failing to act in time and only acting in the last minute is one of the factors which lead to unethical action because one is left with little choice. In this regard, I will start acting proactively to make sure that

Nike Case Study on their Supply Chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nike Case Study on their Supply Chain - Essay Example People from various places across the globe have different tastes for different products hence the need to satisfy these as a way of gaining competitive advantage globally. The other competitive priority for Nike is the need to be cognisant of the changes in consumer behaviour. Consumer wants and needs are different from various parts of the globe hence the need to make an effort to identify and satisfy these so as to be able to remain viable. The cost advantage is another competitive priority for Nike. This is seen as a strategy that is meant to bring goods of an acceptable quality to the market with comparatively lower production costs than its competitors (Strydom 2004). This is achieved through careful and effective management of the cost drivers for the business where it seeks to be a low cost producer while at the same time retaining competitive advantage (Strydom 2004). The other competitive priority that can be adopted by Nike is differentiation. According to Porter (1985:120), differentiation is â€Å"the process when the company provides something unique that is valuable to buyers beyond simply offering low price.† Thus, differentiation strategy is mainly concerned with identifying unique features about a particular product that have a broad perceived value in the market. 2. Nike should reduce product proliferation in an attempt to reduce their supply chain complexity and costs. Product proliferation suggests that there is a rapid growth of a particular product which may be counter-productive as far as demand and supply are concerned. According to the law of demand and supply, when there is high demand the price is likely to go up and this means an increase in the production of new products where costs are likely to be recovered while at the same time an increase in supply will lower the prices (Kotler 1999). Oversupply of products can result in

Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Management - Research Paper Example Racists feel that their race is superior to the other and therefore they bear qualities that people from the other race do not have. The act of racism in workplaces is a form of discrimination that is persisting in the society and should be dealt with. The most reported cases of racism is between the whites and the blacks whereby the whites feel that they are more superior to the blacks and so they discriminate them at work places. Racism in the workplace breeds hatred, discrimination, friction, distrust and violence among employees. In this paper, I will discuss the forms of racism and how they can be prevented. Racism in workplaces takes many forms which are: Recruitment During the recruitment process, the recruitment staff may exclude ethnic minority candidates from the process. They even decline their applications because they are from the minority group or are people with color yet the organization is owned by whites. They even discriminate them because of their gender insisting that they only hire men. This should be stopped. Working environment Many employees are discriminated in their working place with allegations that they do not have certain skills to take some jobs. The employees from the ethnic minority are harassed and their work loads increased while they work under poor working conditions. Promotion When a chance for a promotion arises in an organization, some employees are exempted due to their race and the chance given to the whites who are from the ethnic majority who believe they are more superior to the blacks. Employees deserve equal opportunities despite their race, it is one’s knowledge, skills and competence that can earn them a promotion (Silva, 2007). Harassment Racism in the workplace may come in form of harassment whereby the ethnic minorities are harassed by those in higher positions. The people of color are harassed by their superiors and their work loads increased as they are threatened with dismissal. The employees from t he superior race make fun of employees from the minority group yet no action is taken. Redundancy During a redundancy exercise, only employees from the minority groups are selected for redundancy leaving behind those from the superior race Dismissal When there is misconduct in a working place, the people from the ethnic minority are singled out and dismissed. On the other hand, the superior races who are the white workers are retained and only given warning letter and that is racial discrimination. Furthermore, according to a research done by Osajima (2007), ethnic minorities are always dismissed for minor mistakes yet that can be solved and they continue working. The superior groups are always on the run to kick out the people of color from their workplaces. Preventing racism in workplaces The first step to take in order to prevent racism in workplaces is by advocating for the creation of anti-discrimination policies which addresses racism and the consequences of racism acts. The n ext step is to make sure that organizations hire employees from different ethnic groups and races so as to create a diverse working force. Next is promoting employees basing on their merits and achievements and not basing on their race and other discriminatory factors. When this is done, employees will feel valued and they will work harder for the benefit of the organization. Employees should be trained equally and at the same time so as to decrease discriminatory rates and racism. Employee trainings should be held so as to give them guidance on how to conduct themselves at their place of work and how to treat each other. Moreover, the organization should organize team buildings for

Comparison and Contrast of Sweeney Todd and the Lion King Films Essay - 2

Comparison and Contrast of Sweeney Todd and the Lion King Films - Essay Example A movie is defined as a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement. Movies usually have a plot that is either based on a novel such as the Harry Potter, The Devil Wears Prada, A Walk to Remember, etc.; or have an original screenplay such as the High School Musical, Cheetah Girls, etc. Some are even counterparts or representation of popular theatrical plays that have already been considered as classic. However, in other cases, it is the other way around. A movie might be very brilliant and magnificently done it has garnered so much glamour, that a theatrical play is created to re-enact it. Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a theatrical play by Christopher Bond which is created in 1973. It has later become a musical thriller in 1979 with music and lyrics done by Stephen Sondheim and libretto by Hugh Wheeler. The musical theater production of Sweeney Todd started at the Uris Theatre on March 1, 1979, and ran for almost 600 performances. It was directed by Harold Prince with musical staging by Larry Fuller. The musical tells the story of Benjamin Barker, alias Sweeney Todd, who returns to London after 15 years deportation and prison based on false charges. He then vows revenge after learning from his former landlady, Mrs. Lovett, that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by Judge Turpin who wrongly executed him. The musical theater production was really magnificent for it has nine nominations for Tony Awards in which it won eight including Best Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, and Best Actor in a Musical.   And then later, the film adaptation of the theatrical play Sweeney Todd was jointly produced by DreamWorks and Warner Brothers. It was released on December 21, 2007.  

Gender, Trade and Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender, Trade and Religion - Essay Example According to Drislane and Parkinson, Patriarchy is â€Å"literally rule by the father but generally it refers to a social situation where men are dominant over women in wealth status and in all other aspects† (Online Dictionary of the Social Sciences). Since the time of creation women had been assigned the natural role of childbearer, homemaker and pleaser of their husband’s every whim. She didn’t chose, she was chosen. As in the case of biblical Leah and Rachel who were both given to Jacob in exchange of 14 years of labor. Or in the case of Rebekah, who was given to Isaac in exchange for gold, silver and other jewelries (Genesis 29:16-28). For thousands of millenia, the lot of women had been dictated by Patriarchy. When men had discovered that by bartering and trading, gargantuan profits could be amassed, women were either given away by their fathers in exchange for something dear or they served as courtesans to the foreign traders mostly with the knowledge and blessing of the fathers (Whitfield 133 ). To my opinion, this inhumane status of women being either given, bartered or rented by the hour as a result of international trade and contacts by the native populace with foreign merchants, soldiers and other kibitzers is the most interesting and important idea that we can put forward regarding gender relations in history. In the Indian epic poem of Ramayana, 2 Sita was given away in marriage to Rama because Rama succeeded in wielding the "mighty bow of Siva" a possession of Sita's father, King Janaka (Narayan 23). In utter obeisance to paternal pressure, Sita acceded. In The Analects of Confucius, out of 20 chapters of desiderata that compel the men to follow or avoid, only four sentences pertained to women, two of them were outright shocking to modern civilization. One says "The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived.Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife" and "Of Nan Yung.He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife" (Confucius chapter 5). Confucianism then, was the worst because women were not bartered or exchanged but outrightly given away gratis et amore. In the African Igbo tribe in Nigeria where polygamy is being practiced by men, women are not allowed to choose their husbands but they are given away after negotiations by groups representing both sides (Achebe xxx ). Since the subject matter of this paper involves gender relations as a result of international trade which also result to the spread of religion, nothing else illustrates this situation better than the Silk Road of olden days as all 3 elements are interlaced together. We therefore focus on the Silk Road phenomenon. The Silk Road is one of the world's most important and oldest trade route leading to ancient China. It was made possible because ancient China especially during the Han Dynasty was reputed to be the wealthiest and the most civilized among all nations and it had so many important and useful products to offer to the rest of humanity. Some of these are silk, porcelain, jade, lacquer ware, pearls, rubies, diamonds, satin, musk and rhubarb (Wood 9, 13-23).

Management Change Excercise Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Change Excercise - Research Paper Example The steps include creation of urgency, development of powerful coalition, creation of a change vision, communication of the change vision, eradication of obstacles, creation of short-term success goals, building on the change, and integration of change into the corporate culture of the organization (Mind Tools, 2012).The first step in the process of change management requires the organizational leaders to convince the organizational personnel that a certain change needs to be there on urgent basis because of certain reasons (Coutts, 2000). If this action is not taken, people would underestimate the need of change. In the second step, the organizational leaders need to develop a team which facilitates gaining of people’s consent for change implementation. If this action is not taken, much more effort would be required to convince individuals because they would be scattered and not members of the same team. In the third step, the leader needs to develop a relation between change and a big vision in order to make it easier for the followers to realize what is happening. If this action is not taken, followers would have subjective idea of what is happening. In the fourth step, measures need to be taken to quickly communicate the change and spread the vision. If this action is not taken, there would not be uniformity of approach due to lack of information in certain followers. In the fifth step, the leader needs to recognize the barriers in the way of implementation of change and do whatever is required to remove them. If this action is not taken, the change process is likely to be interrupted along the way. In the sixth step, the leader should appreciate together with the followers the achievement of intermediary goals. If this action is not taken, followers might lose interest as there is little realization of achievement of preliminary goals. In the seventh step, the leader should emphasize upon a need for the followers to continue working in the same dire ction so that the achievement of preliminary goals leads to the attainment of the ultimate goal. If this action is not taken, followers might become over-confident and not do the needful. In the eighth step, the followers need to be motivated to constantly review the change process and keep modifying it to attain optimal results. If this action is not taken, the change may not bring the desired results. Each of the eight steps included in the Kotter’s model is essentially an action that requires a complete strategy to be taken effectively. Implementation of change and its management as suggested by Kotter requires sound management skills in an individual. As a manager, I have good oratory skills and thus, can convince people or for the least, present my opinion in an apprehensible manner. I am good at taking actions pertaining to all the steps of Kotter’s eight step model generally. However, I need a little improvement in the fourth, seventh and eighth step. This is be cause of the fact that I am a little careless due to which, I might not be able to make sure that the process of change is communicated to all of the organizational personnel. This requires a bit of organization on my part. I find it difficult to recollect myself if the continuity in a process is broken. So after the sixth step, in which I as a manager would celebrate preliminary goals with the organizational personnel, it might be difficult for me to develop the focus again to make sure that

Athen vs Rome Essay Example for Free

Athen vs Rome Essay â€Å"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge† (Plato). Such a great philosopher like Plato, he strives to educate the people of Athens on behalf of Socrates. With the passion of various ideas on philosophy and political science, Plato pushes through his learning to teach our people. The former philosopher Socrates, Plato had gained the knowledge of the various meanings and the strive after Socrates was sentenced to death which the Athenian Council had given him for what he believed in. Plato’s ideas of teaching weren’t so complicated for us to bestow our knowledge to further extent. Later the teaching will not stop at the cost of false individual in the democracy. Aristotle will continue to prevail in the teaching of philosophy and other subjects that will lead to be a better person with great judgment in the political system in Athens. The â€Å"Academy† was a gift from Plato to expand our knowledge of learning philosophy, mathematics, and theoretical astronomy. It will show that written dialogues are far easy to comprehend because they are in play style form instead of textbooks. The challenges in learning are tend to be hurdles yet they are not to be giving up on. Towards the Athenian council, I truly demand that politics should be controlled by well educated individuals. Our former Athenian, Socrates, had to pay the consequences on his belief because he believe that people should devote themselves to individual excellence and justice for achievements above any other concern meant that they should abandon commitment towards the moral code. Socrates had his own principle to stand by on what he believed and to speak to us Athenians to examine our unexamined assumption about individual virtue. With this in mind he was labeled as a traitor and a false philosopher to corrupt the young minds of Athenians. Is this the way we have to go with ourselves in believing that there are gods out there who help us in fights, fights in which we have fought with our own sweat, blood, and tear to acknowledge that we are getting assistant from the gods. I truly state within the teaching of the Academy it shows people to make understandable judgment before the execution on one of our own. The Athenian Council before you, even confessed they had made a terrible mistake in giving Socrates a death sentence. We as a great nation made a huge mistake and informed this tragic situation with creating this horrific democracy. Plato, a great philosopher that was once under Socrates first created this Academy for the teaching of philosophy, mathematics, and theoretical astronomy to us Athens. Creating this Academy Plato shows us that he wanted to make readers reflect thoughtfully on difficult philosophical questions. It was a challenge for us to inherit the aspect of learning and understanding the key elements towards metaphysics. As all teachers their views are critically changed over time where Plato presents a consistent set of doctrines. Plato maintained one essential idea â€Å"Moral virtues are universal and absolute, not relative. † Our people of Athens need to believe the proper goal for humans is to seek order and purity in our own souls by using reason to control their irrational desires. We have far yet to prove that we live for ourselves we don’t live under someone, not until the soul is taken away after death from our bodies. With the system of democracy justice wont prevail it will need hierarchy. Leading back to Socrates death the citizens of Athens are incapable of rising above ignorant self-interest. With the ideal society that Plato showed that high ranked men and women should live together and create healthy babies. This might not lead to become true, but the sought of teaching the people into thinking this way it leads to live justly. Within this Academy that was created by Plato it won’t stop for the future philosopher and more Academies to assemble. The prodigy of a young gifted soul that was under the famous Plato came to be recognized as Aristotle. His teaching was soon to be more advance and hence for us as Athenians. He showed much more morals to ourselves then we could imagine. Aristotle achievement towards the system showed that logic argument and scientific investigation of the natural world we stand by. Unlike Plato, Aristotle insisted on explanations based on common sense rather than metaphysics. Aristotle showed us that observing an object or a human being is best to acknowledge on how they tend to act. With patience we tend to realize slowly that we develop behaviors and not just good intentions. â€Å"Self-control did not mean denying human desires and appetites; rather, it meant striking a balance between suppressing and heedlessly indulging physical yearnings, of finding the mean† (Aristotle). The Council of Athens, we tend to realize some of our moral code is sacred, but do tend to open your horizons on us as individuals for achieving goals and valuing self-control. As we come to an end, I hope you have the same output as I have explained the teachings and most importantly the Academy that was first formed by our own, Plato. The aspect of growing is not to just have beliefs, but to believe in ourselves as Athenians that we can strive to pursue anything whether it is war, learning, teaching, or creating. The future of our children needs to be well educated to know the difference between right or wrong with some aspect towards our moral code. Our people deserves better, for which they are messengers to expand the knowledge, power, and desire for Athens. They will not have any of those values what so ever if they are not well educated through the Academy that Plato and further more Aristotle has provided. May we have hope for the future as you, the Athenian Council to accept and recognize the great Academy was a best gift that the gods have given to Athens.

Gi Fi Or Gigabit Wireless

Gi Fi Or Gigabit Wireless Gi-Fi will helps to push wireless communications to faster drive. For many years cables ruled the world. Optical fibers played a dominant role for its higher bit rates and faster transmission. But the installation of cables caused a greater difficulty and thus led to wireless access. The foremost of this is Bluetooth which can cover 9-10mts. Wi-Fi followed it having coverage area of 91mts. No doubt, introduction of Wi-Fi wireless networks has proved a revolutionary solution to last mile problem. However, the standards original limitations for data exchange rate and range, number of channels, high cost of the infrastructure have not yet made it possible for Wi-Fi to become a total threat to cellular networks on the one hand, and hard-wire networks, on the other. But the mans continuous quest for even better technology despite the substantial advantages of present technologies led to the introduction of new, more up-to-date standards for data exchange rate i.e., Gi-Fi. Gi-Fi or Gigabit Wireless is the worlds first transceiver integrated on a single chip that operates at 60GHz on the CMOS process. It will allow wireless transfer of audio and video data up to 5gigabits per second, ten times the current maximum wireless transfer rate, at one-tenth of the cost, usually within a range of 10 meters. It utilizes a 5mm square chip and a 1mm wide antenna burning less than 2watts of power to transmit data wirelessly over short distances, much like Bluetooth. The development will enable the truly wireless office and home of the future. As the integrated transceiver is extremely small, it can be embedded into devices. The breakthrough will mean the networking of office and home equipment without wires will finally become a reality. In this we present a low cost, low power and high broadband chip, which will be vital in enabling the digital economy of the future. INTRODUCTION: Wi-Fi (IEEE-802.11b) and Wi-Max (IEEE-802.16e) have captured our attention, as there are no recent developments in the above technologies which cannot transfer data and video information at a faster rate and led to the introduction of Gi-fi technology. It offers some advantages over Wi-Fi, a similar wireless technology, that offers faster information rate in Gbps less power consumption and low cost for short range transmissions. Gi-Fi or Gigabit Wireless is the worlds first transceiver integrated on a single chip in which a small antenna used and both transmitter- receiver are integrated on a single chip which is fabricated using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. Because of Gi-Fi transfer of large videos, files can be done within seconds. Researchers of Melbourne University has come up with a wireless technology which promises high speed short range data transfers with a speed of up to 5Gbps within a radius of 10 meters. The new wireless technology is named as Gi-Fi and operates on the 60GHz frequency band, which is currently mostly unused. The Gi-Fi Chip developed by the Australian researchers measures 5mm square and is manufactured using existing complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the same system that is currently used to print silicon chips. The best part about this new technology is its cost effectiveness and power consumption, it consumes only 2watts of power for its operation with antenna (1mm) included and the development of Gi-Fi chip costs approximately $10( Rs 380) to manufacture. In theory this technology would transfers GBs of your favorite high definition movies in seconds. So Gi-Fi can be considered as a challenger to Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi and could find applications ranging from new mobile phones to consumer electronics. REASONS FOR OPTING GI-FI: The reason for pushing into Gi-Fi technology is because of slow rate, high power consumption, low range of frequency operations of earlier technologies i.e. Bluetooth GI-FI: Gi-Fi or gigabit wireless is the worlds first transceiver integrated on a single chip that operates at 60GHz on the cmos process. It will allow wirelesss transfer of audio and video data at up to 5gigabits per second, ten times the current maximum wireless transfer rate, at one-tenth the cost. NICTA researchers have chosen to develop this technology in the 57-64GHz unlicensed frequency band as the millimeter-wave range of the spectrum makes possible high component on-chip integration as well as allowing for the integration of very small high gain arrays. The available 7GHz of spectrum results in very high data rates, up to 5 gigabits per second to users within an indoor environment, usually within a range of 10 metres .It satisfies the standards of IEEE 802.15.3C .The Gi-Fi integrated wireless transceiver chip developed at the National ICT Research Centre, Australia A new silicon chip developed in Melbourne is predicted to revolutionize the way household gadgets like televisions, phones and DVD players talk to each other. The tiny five-millimeter-a-side chip can transmit data through a wireless connection at a breakthrough five gigabits per second over distances of up to 10 meters. An entire high-definition movie could be transmitted to a mobile phone in a few seconds, and the phone could then upload the movie to a home computer or screen at the same speed. The Gi-Fi was unveiled today at the Melbourne University-based laboratories of NICTA, the national information and communications technology research centre. Short-range wireless technology is a hotly contested area, with research teams around the world racing to be the first to launch such a product. Professor Skafiadas said his team was the first to demonstrate a working transceiver-on-a-chip that uses CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology the cheap, ubiquitous technique that prints silicon chips. This means his team is ahead and stood in front of the competition in terms of price and power demand. His chip uses only a tiny one-millimeter-wide antenna and less than two watts of power, and would cost less than $10 to manufacture. Chip of Gi-Fi The chip shown in the above figure uses the 60GHz millimeter wave spectrum to transmit the data, which gives an advantage over Wi-Fi (wireless internet). Wi-Fis part of the spectrum is increasingly crowded, sharing the waves with devices such as cordless phones, which leads to interference and slower speeds. But the millimeter wave spectrum (30 to 300 GHz) is almost unoccupied, and the new chip is potentially hundreds of times faster than the average home Wi-Fi unit. However, Wi-Fi still benefits from being able to provide wireless coverage over a greater distance TECHNOLOGIES USED This mmWave WPAN will operate in the new and clear band including 57-64 GHz unlicensed band defined by FCC 47 CFR 15.255. The millimeter-wave WPAN will allow high coexistence (close physical spacing) with all other microwave systems in the 802.15 family of WPANs. Two Technologies that help realize GWLAN are, Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) System-On-a-Package(SOP) APPLICATIONS There are many usage scenarios that can be addressed by Gi-Fi. The following are some applications of Gi-Fi . Gi-Fi access devices: Gi-Fi access devices Some of the Gi-Fi access devices are shown in fig.These access devices include termination units, internal radio modules, network interface cards ,printers, PCs,and all household electronic appliances. Broadcasting video signal transmission system in sports stadium : Broadcasting video signals Easy and immediate construction of temporal broadband network such as in sports stadium for the advertisement of information distribution can be possible as shown in fig Office appliances: Office appliances As gi-fi data transfer rate is very high we can transfer data at very high speed in offices as shown in fig 7.0.3 which made work very easy and it also provides high quality of information from the internet. Video information transfer: Video information transfer By using present technologies video swapping takes hours of time where as with this technology as shown in fig 7.0.4 we can transfer data at a speed of giga bits/sec same as that for the transfer of information from a PC to a mobile and vice-versa. FUTURE SCOPE: As the integrated transceiver is extremely small, it can be embedded into devices. The breakthrough will mean the networking of office and home equipment without wires will finally become a reality. The Gi-Fi integrated transceiver chip may be launched by the starting of next year by NICTA. Due to the less cost of chip so many companies are coming forward to launch the chip. The potential of mmwave range for ultra fast data exchange has prompted many companies like intel, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony Toshiba to form wireless HD. Specifically wireless HD has a stated goal of enabling wireless connectivity for streaming high definition content between source devices and high definition devices. CONCLUSION: Within five years, we expect Gi-Fi to be the dominant technology for wireless networking. By that time it will be to provide services with low-cost, high broadband access, and with very high speed large files swapped within seconds which will develop wireless home and office of future. If the success of Wi-Fi and the imminent wide usage of WiMAX is any indication, Gi-Fi potentially can bring wireless broadband to the enterprise in an entirely new way.

Living in George Orwells 1984-Today Essay example -- George Orwell 19

Living in George Orwell's 1984-Today George Orwell's horrendous yet prophetic vision of the future in his novel, 1984 has come and gone. In this nightmarish novel, Oceania, where the story takes place, is the perfect depiction of "Negative Utopia" in which the government is in total control of their citizens. They control every aspect of their life. From the smallest things as the clothes their citizen wore on a daily basis to the person they were allowed to marry to their thoughts. Freedom of choice and thought was unquestionable and was not allowed and anything or anyone that went against this principle or resisted oppression was completely suppressed themselves. Now, under our current government there are a lot of similarities between the haunting novel of the "Negative Utopia" which George Orwell portrays in 1984 and ours. Many tactics which were used in 1984 by the Party and which are being used today in American by our current government are psychological manipulation of people, physical torture and the shaping o f human thought through language. In reality, democracy or true democracy has never existed in the United States of America. If we look back in time and read the creation of this nation in our history books, our founding fathers were the better off people during their time when talking about money. They were the only few that met the profile, which they created, that allowed a person to run for office; in essence, you had to be a white adult male (at least giving the fact that the youngest "freedom fighter" was 26 years of age) and owned your land (which meant wealth in that era). If the United States was truly established as a democracy, why did only a few white male who were the powerful ones during that... ...t and radio host in Austin, Texas. Barnes, Fred. "A War without Heroes? Only if you're Reading the Mainstream Media." Weekly Standard. 26 December 2005: Volume 011, Issue 15(1) http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/496eeymx.asp">http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/496eeymx.asp "Pat Tillman." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 20:56, 5 May 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman Nichols, John. The "Plane Crash" of Senator Wellstone. 2002. 8 May 2006. http://www.oilempire.us/wellstone.html">http://www.oilempire.us/wellstone.html Guantà ¡namo: Lives torn apart - The impact of indefinite detention on detainees and their families. 2006. 8 May 2006. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR510072006">http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR510072006

Classification Essay - Friends :: Classification Essays

Classification of Friends On a conscious level, we rarely spend much time actually thinking about and classifying our friends. However, since I was a small child, my mother taught me to recognize and appreciate various types of friends. I have discovered that there are three different types of friends. I group them according to how well I know them and how well they know me. We encounter each type of friend everyday, whether in school, home, or at the gym. First, there are the "pest friends"- general acquaintances. Next, there are "guest friends"- social partners. Lastly, we have "best friends"- our true friends. The first type of friend is simply an acquaintance. This means that you basically only know their name. You might not even remember what they look like if you go away for a short vacation. Usually, you meet these type of friends in school, at work, on the bus, in the gym, or anywhere else you might be. You normally would not mind having a cup of coffee with them, but if anything else came up, you usually would have no problem parting company. You normally don’t miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friends who give you the most amount of aggravation. Since most of the time you are placed in a position where you have to act friendly, such as school or work, you would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something aggravating, such as tapping the fingers an a table or chewing gum loudly. This is why I call them "pest friends." The second category of friends I call "social partners." This is because they are closer than acquaintances, but no where near as close as a true friend. Social partners are usually acquaintances who evolve into "guest friends" through increased extracurricular activities. You know their name, a little of what they like or dislike, a little of their family history, and usually have several things in common. As the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together," so too the social partners have to have several things in common with you. No one is going to want to spend any more time than necessary with somebody completely opposite and aggravating to him. Keep in mind, though, that the biggest thing that distinguishes a "best friend" from a "guest friend" is the fact that "guess friends" usually don’t converse about anything substantial or deep, such as their innermost desires and fears.

Culture Shock in Japan Essay

Culture is a condition of confusion and anxiety affecting a person suddenly exposed to an alien culture or milieu. There are many different ways to experience culture shock. It can be experienced across the world or as near as one’s backyard. Many Americans would venture that they consider themselves very culturally accepting. Often, when these same Americans travel abroad, they experience culture shock. It is not always a negative thing. Often to some American coming to Japan and adjusting to life in Japan can be difficult, since even the most mundane things could be done differently than they would have been done in the U.S, so here are some basic facts of Japan. And remember be patient. Home. When entering a Japanese home you are expected to remove your shoes before stepping up from the entry area into a Japanese home known as the genkan. There in the genkan you must change from outdoor shoes into indoor slippers. When entering the genkan, you have to remember to step out of your shoes, and step into the house proper. Then you must turn around, kneel or bend down, and turn the outdoor shoes around so that they face the door, ready to be slipped into again when they leave. This custom is also required in many traditional Japanese restaurants, all department store dressing rooms, temples, and a few other businesses. On an extra note it is wise to buy clean socks since you will be taking off your shoes when you enter homes or some resteraunts. And you don’t want to embarrass yourself with dirty socks. Food. In the U.S many people carry their lunches in lunchboxes, but in Japan people use Bento boxes which are pre-prepared lunches, sold in every convenience store in Japan or brought from home. Usually a bento box consists of a box divided into several sections, containing perhaps, noodles, rice, pickles,  meat or fish, and maybe a little fruit. If there is a need to heat their lunches almost all stores also have a microwave so that you can heat the bento in the shop. When traveling to Japan one must be aware of the proper way to eat. In the U.S slurping is generally considered rude, so it is useful to know that the Japanese people consider it correct to slurp whenever eating noodles, ramen or soup etc. By making slurping when one eats their soup or noodles is considered to be polite, also by slurping you compliment the person who cooked it. More than that slurping serves a practical purpose, as noodles, ramen etc, are often served very hot, slurping draws air into the mouth which helps to cool the food as well as bring out the flavor. Knowing how to use chopsticks can make life in Japan a bit easier, but you have to remember the certain etiquette that concern using chopsticks. Just as there are good manners when it comes to using a knife and fork in the west, the Japanese have definite rules of thumb when it comes to using chopsticks. Don’t point at people with your chopsticks, move plates with them or wave them or stick them. Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. Only at funerals are chopsticks stuck into the rice that is put onto the altar. Education. Education in Japan is similar to that of the education system in the U.S, since it was adopted based on the U. S education system by the Japanese after World War II. But some things are quite different. If you are a parent sending your child to school in Japan, there are some key facts you must know In Japan competition for entering a good University is fierce, for that reason many student start at a young age go to Juku, which are cram schools, parents send their kids to, so that they have a better chance of doing well on University exams. In Japan if you are able to go to a good University than the chances of a good and stable job is quite high. It quite common for kids to finish school then go at night for 2 to 3 hours to a cram school. Hygiene. When bathing Japanese style, you are supposed to first rinse your body outside the bath tub with some water from the tub, using a washbowl. Afterwards, you enter the tub, which is used for soaking only. The bath water tends to be relatively hot for Western bathing standards. If you can barely enter, try not to move much, since moving around makes the water appear even hotter. After soaking for a while, leave the tub and clean your body with soap. Make sure that no soap gets into the bathing water. Once you finished cleaning yourself and rinsed all the soap off your body, enter the bath tub once more for some more soaking. After leaving the tub, do not drain the water, since all household members will use the same water. There are three types of toilets commonly found in Japan. The oldest type is a simple squat toilet, modern Western-type toilets and urinals and the state of the art is bidet toilets However traditional toilets are usually the most common type in most public places, universities, restaurants etc. The tradition toilet is known as the squat toilet, it essentially looks like a miniature urinal rotated 90 degrees and set into the floor. Most squat toilets in Japan are made of porcelain, though in some cases (like on trains), stainless steel is also used. Instead of sitting, the user squats over the toilet, facing the wall in the back of the. A shallow trough collects the waste, instead of a large water-filled bowl as in a western toilet. In Japan, being clean is very important; the bidet toilet is like the western flush toilet. While the toilet looks like a Western-style toilet at first glance, there are a number of additional features, such as blow dryer, seat heating, massage options, water jet adjustments, automatic lid opening, flushing after use which are included either as part of the toilet or in the seat. These features can be accessed by a control panel that is either  attached to one side of the seat or on a wall nearby, often transmitting the commands wirelessly to the toilet seat. For an American coming to Japan for the first time, the squat toilet or the bidets could be quite a shock and could take some time getting used to. Gambling entertainment. If you want to gamble in Japan you must remember that gambling is illegal so to compensate there is the wildly addicting game known as Pachinko a type of vertical pinball machine. The winnings are in the form of more balls, which the player may use to keep playing or exchange for prizes such as pens or cigarette lighters. Cash cannot be paid out according to Japanese law, but players can then exchange certain prizes for cash at small centers located nearby, but separate from the parlors. In America there are cartoons and comic books in Japan there are manga and anime. Remember when reading manga or any Japanese book, guide for the matter, you must start at the â€Å"last† page and work â€Å"backwards†. The same applies to the panels within the pages. They should be read right to left, not left to right. Transportation. In Japan, cars drive on the left side of the road and have the driver’s seat and steering wheel on the right. And unlike the U.S which has a minimum driving age of 16, the legal minimum age for driving in Japan is 18 years. While you are waiting for the train to arrive, you stand in politely in neat rows, calmly waiting for your train. When the train arrives, the first rule you must bear in mind is that no matter how crowded it looks, there will always be room for one more. If you have any doubt about the above rule, there’s a white gloved attendant ready to shove you in. Then, once you get one the train, you must remember certain rules. Don’t drink coffee in the morning, save drinking anything for the ride back home. The morning rush hours peak on weekdays between 8am and 9am, while the evening rush hours are more spread out and commence around 5pm. Rush hours are most extreme in Tokyo, but also pretty heavy in Japan’s other major cities. So if you plan on riding the train it is best to go before rush hours. As you stay in Japan you as individual can learn to grow towards multicultural perspectives and develop alternative futures for his or her self, thus making his or her self a more culturally accepting person.

Media Review: On Climate Change

Even before the post-contemporary period, various environmental problems have been detected as one of the principal factors that affect the change on the way of life all over the world. It is for the reason that environment serves as the prime setting wherein people do their thing and improve their way of living. Climate change has been one of the factors that people consider in performing their daily tasks and endeavors. It has significantly seen as something that changes the outline of the world and civilizations, geographically and sociologically wise. Global Warming is not a new issue. Global warming is the primary cause of sudden climate change that tends to make the climate hotter (Tyagi). The greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere which makes the increase in temperature. This effects of this phenomenon are severe such that all regions of are feeling and witnessing them. The melting of the ice caps of the Polar Regions is one of its effects likewise, drought and intense heat (Tyagi). These effects have also bad effects on mankind’s daily activities. Vegetations and agriculture have been sternly affected by climate change. Various diseases that are triggered from having a very high temperature are also detected to debilitate the health of the people (Tyagi). These are just some of the ill-effects of untoward climate change. Nevertheless, such detrimental effects of extreme climate change could be treated and even prevented from impairing the world and the mankind. By being aware and involved on campaigns and programs that tend to rehabilitate the environment, one could really be assured that the problem on climate change could be addressed if not instantly at least gradually. Lastly, environmental issues should not be used for selfish interests and political propaganda. No matter how perfect the economy and the politics of one country if the environment is at risk, all the things that it has would disappear if environment problems would not be addressed and given priority. Work Cited: Tyagi, Avinash. Climate Change and Global Warming. Rajat Publications , 2006. Â  

Harvard Case : BMW of North America: Dream it. Build it. Drive it. Essay

Brief Description: Set in 2011, this case describes how BMW, the leading luxury car manufacturer in the U.S., successfully implemented a new marketing initiative based on its online video services and increased sales of customized vehicles. The case addresses the challenges of catering to the North American consumer, where most car buyers want or have become conditioned towards immediate gratification with their purchases. Main Learning Objectives: To underscore the importance of consumer behavior in strategic planning To illustrate the complexity of strategically managing the supply chain for a modern manufacturing company and the implications effects of ‘mass customization’ on supply (value) chain Preparation & Analysis For Wednesday’s class (10/9/13): 1. Go online, research and take down a few notes on a strategic marketing concept called â€Å"mass customization† for in-class discussion. The process of delivering wide-market goods and services that are modified to satisfy a specific customer need. Is a marketing and manufacturing technique that combines the flexibility and personalization of custom-made with the low unit cost associated with mass production Sometimes called made-to-order or built to order.  Enabling a customer to decide the exact specification of a product or service, and have that product or service supplied to them at a price close to that for an ordinary mass produced alternative. 2. Read the case study. 3. Review the following videos which directly pertain to the case Martha Stewart customizes a BMW X3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ddq6O_QAz0 Understanding Robots – Mass Customization http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJzzPXeDdX8 BMW X3 Ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpLutmBkyZ4 BMW X3 Build Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH1gtBYNPOA Individual Assignment: After spending time researching the concept of mass customization,viewing the above videos, and reading the case answerand provide your rationale for each of the following questions in an overall1-2 page brief essay format. 1. Assuming that most modern cars share very similar characteristics, what do customers really buy – a product or an experience? In your opinion, what drives car-buying decisions?  Years after years, the customer’s perceptions towards cars has been changing. People value more on their needs these days than their wants. People started looking for products/vehicles that give more value to them; they want cars for real use not for showing off. I think customers buys products with experience from which they can get value out of it. The car buying decision is not an easy task and would drive various aspects before buying. In my opinion the most important factor is gender. In most cases gender plays a vital role in buying a car. Price can be another important factor that might drive the buying decision. Fuel efficiency, affordable, reliable, effective and efficient are various factors for car buying decisions. 2. Do you think customers really need â€Å"millions of combinations† for their car? Can they be happy with available standard options? What are the upsides and downsides of mass customization from both the consumer and manufacturer’s perspective? It depends on the customer needs that if they really need â€Å"millions of combinations† for their car or not. Most of the customers are happy with the standard options but if we dig little deeper, not all the features available  in the standard versions are important or useful for a particular customer and what they want may not be in the specific model. In my opinion, that is the main reason mass customization is being used by various car companies to carter the specific needs of their customers. Mass customization is the process of delivering products that are modified to satisfy a specific customer needs. This enables a customer to decide the exact specification of a product or services. Mass customization allowed manufacturers to customize products at lower costs, reduced overheads, and produced higher margins. For customers, they get benefited of finding exactly what they wanted without paying a premium price. The downside of mass customization from manufacturer’s perspectives are the major operational challenges faced in supply chain to manage the supply, maintain lead time and maintain various parts and products within a very little timeframe. The downside of mass customization from the customer’s perspectives is they won’t be able to compare and contrast the product with the competitors and sometime the price might be high with certain customizations. With various choices and lack of expertise some customers might chose unwanted and unnecessary par ts for the product. 3. Put yourself in Josef Weirda’s shoes. What would your decision be regarding using video streaming technology for other models such as the X5 or X1? In effect, would you apply a similar â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† program for the launch of the X4 in 2014? What is the basis for your decision? â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† was a success for X3 models. My decision for streaming technology for other models will be yes. This is because of the success factors the X3 models received, and almost 50% of the customers enrolled in it, accessed and shared the video. I think it is a better value for customers to see how their customized vehicle has been manufactured and be more in touch with it before it actually gets delivered. Based on the success result and the stats available from X3, I will apply a similar â€Å"Dream It. Build It. Drive It.† program for the launch of the X4 and  do aggressive marketing like it was done for X3. But will not only stick with this mass customization, I will also encourage for the standard models at the dealers. Customization can be one of the features for those customers who want to customize their cars. I think with the success of the X3, the customer will try to see some kind of similar features in the new launch and also this will give more value to the vehicle. Based on the numbers and records from the case, for now the mass customization concept should be based on US market only.

Liberty in America from 1865 to 1941

Liberty is not just a wonderful thing. It is a rare thing. As much as we would like to wish otherwise there is far more tyranny in the world as opposed to liberty. Throughout history, there have been tyrannical monarchies and totalitarian regimes that impose their will on the populace. Actually, one does not even have to look into the historical past for examples as there are many nations this very day where tyranny rules. Those who live in the United States, however, can at least lay claim to living in one of the freest nations on earth. This is because the United States has built itself upon the concept of liberty, democracy and freedom. While there have been dark patches in American history, many of those dark periods have been overcome. One of the more interesting periods in the nation's history in terms of exploring liberty progression and regression would be during the time period from the end of the Civil War to just prior to American involvement in World War Two. During the Reconstruction Era, a tremendous amount of liberty was provided to African-Americans as freedom from slavery had arrived. Sadly, there was not much in the way of racial equality brought forth during this time period and many point to the apartheid like environment southern blacks had to endure. However, there was also the period of the Great Migration where many African-Americans moved north during World War One to take advantage of ob opportunities and a better living environment. No one impeded the migration as the liberty of being able to seek a better life was afforded. In addition, the liberties of the United States were afforded to people who lived outside the United States. This is evidenced in the significant immigration waves to the USA from Europe. These waves occurred throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century and all those who arrived were provided all the freedoms of the United States as well as being afforded the opportunity to take part in the democratic process. In addition to voting in the United States, many of these immigrants would go one to become major political figures. In fact, within a short number of decades many immigrants and African-Americans would become mayors of major cities. While liberty was not expanded quickly, it did expand and crossed all racial, gender and ethnic lines. Of course, at various times in American history there have been a number of challenges to liberty. Under President Woodrow Wilson, there were a number of famous assaults on the concept of liberty. This was most notable in Wilson's Sedition Act which essentially imposed the totalitarian concept of the â€Å"enemy of the state† on people who opposed Wilson's war policies. However, the way in which these procedures were enacted were so severe there is no way one could argue that these were sane policies. These laws arbitrarily targeted large numbers of the population and were quite random in their enforcement.. Thankfully, with the end of Wilson's tenure such practices would cease to occur with the exception of the Japanese internment during World War Two. The reason this aberration is pointed out is because it is an aberration. Such extreme methods are not the general practice of the United States as it remains a reliable beacon of liberty where such liberties are provided for all. Yes, there are stumbling blocks to liberties now and then but ultimately the United States remains the freest nation of earth and one that cherishes its freedoms.            

E-Retail Industry – The Uk Internet Grocery Market

This study aims to understand the competitive environment of some of the main retailers within the UK market and to demonstrate the different elements of the e-environment that impact on the retailer's business and marketing strategy. Furthermore this study will assess the impact of many factors and constraints surrounding the e-retail industry and specifically the grocery sector of the retail industry. It is known globally that the UK has the most developed grocery e-tailing sector in the world and that is increasingly appearing specially after the failure of many business models which have adopted the internet for distributing and selling there products This study will exclude B2B sector and will focus on B2C sector in the retail market I will be focusing on the online grocery market and the main British players leading this market. I have selected this industry because recently, it has caused a noise globally, and many interested people are wondering whether this industry has reached the mature level or it is still growing or it is only a noise which will lose its importance later. The UK Grocery Market it is estimated that à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½105 billion of groceries are sold in Britain each year, (MINTEL Nov, 2002) , that shows a noticeable increase in sales over the period since 1999 until the end of 2002. The Total retail sales through specialist and non-specialist food retailers were worth some à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½90 billion in 1999 and many specialists predict this market to continue growing to reach 120 billion by 2005 (MINTEL, Nov. 2000) Within the food market itself, fruit and vegetables represent the largest market, with high demand within the sector for fresh produce. Convenience foods – fresh and frozen ready meals – are also highly demanded, as are products which generally fit well with the needs of the much maligned ‘cash rich and time poor' consumer. Key debates within the market surround the use of genetically modified (GM) produce, and this has helped to create niches in the retail market for suppliers of GM-free or organic ranges. The major supermarkets have been moving quickly into the organic sector, in which higher margins can be found. (Key Note) The UK grocery market is driven by economic factors, population structures, household size employment pattern and lifestyle patterns whose impact is shown below as macroeconomic factors: Economic factors – Although consumer expenditure is predicted to continue to grow by 12.6% to 2004, with personal disposable income expected to also grow steadily, it is unlikely that this will impact strongly on spending on food for in-home expenditure; As personal wealth has grown, spending on food has decreased as a proportion of total expenditure, with leisure activities, including eating out, taking most of the surplus. Some premium categories of food, such as organic produce, will benefit. As a result the focus of promotional strategy is moving away from price competitiveness towards other aspects of the retail offer. The population structure – Food expenditure and the overall market size is directly related to the size of the population but the long-term outlook for the British population is for very low growth, implying that the food retailing sector is likely to find domestic profits hard to grow. Household structure – Over the period 1999-2004, an increase of 830,000 (3.4%) (MINTEL, Nov 2000) household is anticipated. This is due to factors other than an increase in population; the growth is coming from one- and two-person households, due to rising divorce and separation rates, getting married later or not at all and the elderly living longer These trends disrupt the economic logic of the superstore model which is designed to offer large families convenient means to buy large volumes of food in one place, relatively infrequently, during the daytime, and to transport that shopping home by private car. Yet only 20% of adults have children under 16 living at home with them. All the major grocery retailers are competing to grow their share of this crucial segment of the population. Smaller households equate to more frequent shops for a few items at a time, often at unsociable hours, a considerably more expensive retailing proposition. Changing employment patterns and practices, with increasing frequency of part-time working, mean there are fewer families in which one partner has the time to shop at relative leisure during the day, and more for whom shopping is a shared duty, carried out whenever busy schedules will allow. In turn, time-pressured shoppers will often want to use a variety of shopping patterns according to circumstance, with retailers being required to offer more channels to market in order to compete. This cannot be done without cost implications. Changes in consumer tastes and lifestyles have an influence on grocery demand patterns. Healthy-food fashions and food-safety scares cause people to change what they eat, while there is a strong trend towards snacking and convenience eating – which involves an increasing proportion of food being bought through channels other than grocery retailers.(MINTEL) Internet adoption in the UK retail Sector Retailers generally begin on-line activities by providing information and interactive communication. Their site may develop into an electronic shop almost mirroring their offline activities A study by the department of trade and industry (DTI) called, ‘E-Commerce Impact Study: Retail Overview' (www.dti.gov.uk 29 July 2002) shows that: More than 75% of retailers are adopting e-business technologies, Nearly a quarter of retailers surveyed, and more than 56% of micro firms in the convenience store sector, have not thought about the benefits of the e-commerce. This report provides a detailed look at a number of key retail sector, and shows how UK retailers are getting to grip with e-commerce and that modern technologies are helping to change the way they do business. The report mentioned that: – 77% of companies are adopting e-commerce technologies – 71% of businesses use external e-mail – 53% of firms have a website More British food shoppers have converted to online grocery shopping than in any other country. However, Internet sales still represent a tiny, although growing, percentage of the overall UK grocery market. Most people use the Internet as a way of gathering information on products and making price comparisons before visiting their local store.(Key Note) Despite these statistics are showing quite positive numbers, some experts and specialists state that this field needs further research to determine the extent to which the web is likely to promote long term changes in the retail sector . Table 1 A classification of online retail activit 1 Food and consumables: Grocery, including supermarkets and hyper-markets 2 Convenience stores 3 Specialists food retailers, e.g. bakers and confectioners 4 Alcohol retailers, including off-licences 5 Clothing and accessories: Clothing retailers, including female, male and children 6 Footwear retailers, including fashion and work wear 7 Jewellery retailers, including accessories 8 Home: Furnishings retailers, including hard and soft furnishings and Textiles 9 Electrical goods, including brown and white goods and Computers 10 DIY, including gardening 11 Leisure and entertainment: Sports retailers, including sportswear and equipment 12 Toys retailers, including games, hobbies and crafts 13 Books, music, stationery and video retailers 14 News, including newsagents and CTNs 15 Health and beauty: Health and beauty, including chemists and opticians 16 Home shopping: Home shopping, including catalogues and mail order Directories 17 Mixed stores: Mixed stores, including department stores and variety retailers Source N.F. Doherty, F. Ellis-Chadwick and C.A. Hart. 1999 .Cyber retailing in the UK: the potential of the Internet as a retail channel Online Grocery UK Market In the UK online market there are four main grocery retailers dominating the market those are (Tesco, J Sainsbury, Asda, and Iceland.co.uk) According to the researchers the UK leads the world in online grocery shopping. â€Å"Chains like Tesco and Iceland have been much faster than their US counterparts in exploiting the immense potential of new virtual shopping markets.† They estimate that the online grocery market is already worth à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200m a year and will reach à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1bn within two years.(Guardian Friday February 4, 2000 ) The online grocery market is characterised by many of the features of the traditional grocery market. Big supermarkets have woken up to the Internet as a distribution channel and are gearing up to dominate the market. Smaller suppliers, using the Web as another side of their portfolio, are sure to lose out in this area. Smaller niche suppliers make up a large element of the market in terms of numbers of firms. In fact, there are so many companies, many of which operate on a very local delivery basis, that it is almost impossible to calculate their actual number. MARKET SIZE Online shopping grew 19 times faster than traditional brick-and-mortar retailing in December 2002, and increased a further five percent in January 2003 to represent six percent of all UK retail .(www.nua.com) Various reported predictions suggest the online grocery market will be worth around up to 10 % of 120 billion which is the predicted grocery market size by 2005 (MINTEL Nov, 2000) The current size of the UK online grocery market has been estimated to be worth à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.2bn. (Key Note 2001), while Tesco reported 446 million sales during 2003. Sainsbury's the second market leader announced annual sales of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½110 million during 2002 (MINTEL Mar 2003) More than half the UK population will have bought something online by the end of 2003. Online shopping will represent 7% of all retail sales in the UK, accounting for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2 billion a month.(MINTEL Apr 2003) The total size of the UK grocery market has been estimated at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100bn per year. To support the market, the UK has 5.9 million online shoppers, growing to a predicted 8.5 million over the next 5 years à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500m of turnover, that suggests that average spending per user in 2000 was in the region of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½83 per head, suggesting that the Majority of users are not regular consumers of online services.(Key Note) Market size is difficult to determine, as figures for turnover from Internet sales are often included in total sales figures. Companies that are struggling to perform in the market may be taking a rather flexible view in how they present figures that may disappoint shareholders. However, Key Note's assessment is that the size of the true online market is currently à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½465m (lower than many estimates suggest). Within this, Tesco claims 64.5% of the market, Sainsbury's 9%, ASDA 7.5%, Iceland 4.7%, , with the balance held by a range of independents, small suppliers and niche companies. Table:2 The UK Online Grocery Market by Online Sales by Supermarket (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m and %), 2000 Online Sales (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m) % of Total Tesco 300 64.5 J Sainsbury 42 9.0 ASDA Wal-Mart 35 7.5 Iceland.co.uk 22 4.7 Others 66 14.2 Total 465 100.0 Source: Key Note Macro Environment To understand the macro-environment a technique called a PEST (Political, Economical, Socio-cultural, and Technological) analysis is usually undertaken. The PEST analysis identifies all external factors that affect the way a business can operate. What follows is a PEST for the E-grocery industry PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS The UK government sets itself as the target of making the UK the world's best place for e-commerce by developing public internet access and e-commerce awareness among UK businesses To trade in the UK there are 40 different laws that a company may be subject to (chaffey) Stephen Timms, e-commerce Minister, said: â€Å"The UK's retailers are making progress in adopting e-commerce and developing e-business solutions. But there clearly is room for improvement, and we cannot afford to be complacent. â€Å"E-business technologies offer a wealth of benefits. In order to exploit these we must help create the right culture throughout the business community so that UK firms of all sizes can seize the competitive advantage. â€Å"UK online for business is leading the way in getting business online, and the Government's aim to make the UK the best place in the world for e-commerce.†( http://www.gnn.gov.uk) The first Annual Report on the strategy was launched in September 2000. The UK strategy for online development is laid down in the UK Online Action Plan, which details 94 recommendations for action in 25 areas of priority. One specific goal is to develop the UK as the world's best environment for electronic trading by 2002. This, it is stated, will be achieved in four specific ways: * Encouraging competition in Internet access markets * Establishing a new regulatory framework for converging telecommunications and broadcasting markets * removing regulatory obstacles to electronic ways of working * Co-operating with international partners to develop a ‘global framework for e-commerce'. Oftel (Office of Telecommunications) is one of the tools for achieving this strategy, and, as such, has been charged with driving competition in the areas of dial-up access and delivering high-speed access routes to the Internet , specifically the encouragement of adoption of Broadband technology, and NPD (new product development) in the mobile-phone and fixed-wireless markets. Government strategy is to put as many UK consumers as possible online. Those responsible for driving this strategy are aware of consumer concerns about the Internet that must be addressed if the Government's objective is to be secured.(Key Note) ECONOMICAL FACTORS The innovation in information technology (IT) and new business practices facilitated by IT are forming a â€Å"new† economy, Electronic commerce and the IT innovations fuelling it are supposed to be fundamentally changing the logics of business practice, forming new social realities, and new business models. Traditional â€Å"old economy† firms and organizations are busy building bridges to the new economy. A stable rate of economic growth is one way in which the Government hopes to guarantee macro-economic stability, which can assist firms when assessing the risks associated with innovative practices. This, combined with the factors outlined below, has an influential effect on the rate of growth of the online grocery market. Low Cost of Internet Access One of the main drivers encouraging the use of Internet access and e-grocery in the UK is the relatively low cost of time spent online. The UK is the cheapest off-peak location in the world from which to surf the Internet, peak rates have has been dropped. This advantageous position benefits consumers, and the state of competition within the market is strong, with a large number of good quality Internet service providers (ISPs) available and eager to serve the public demand. Levels of Disposable Income The greater the levels of PDI consumers have, the more likely they are to be tempted towards higher margin products. Such high-margin products can make the difference between a profitable online transaction and a loss-making one. Table: 3 Index of Personal Disposable Income (1995=100 and %), 1995-2001 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Disposable Income index 100 106 113 116 122 127 132 % change Year-on-year – 6.0 6.6 2.7 5.2 4.1 3.9 Source:National Statistics Table 3 shows that levels of disposable income are rising, and have risen by 32% since 1995. The indications are that the upward trend will continue to apply, suggesting that this economic indicator will contribute to growth within the market in the short term. Rate of Change of Prices The change of prices gives a good sign of the stability of the economy. The UK has a low rate of inflation, and this is confirmed by an assessment of the RPI in Table 4 Table 4: Retail Price Index for All Items and Food(1995 =100 and %), 1995-2000 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 RPI (all items) 149.1 152.7 157.7 162.9 165.4 170.0 % change Year-on-year _ 2.4 3.3 3.3 1.5 2.8 RPI (food) 151.4 154.9 160.5 166.5 169.4 175.2 % change Year-on-year – 2.3 3.6 3.7 1.7 3.4 RPI – retail price index Source: National Statistics It can be seen from Table: 4 that the rate of change in the price of food between 1995 and 2000 has been roughly in line with the general rate of change in the RPI. Similarly European Currency and Simplification O European Trading Laws The advance of the European currency and the simplification of European trading laws will mean that Consumers will find it increasingly easy to trade with European retailers. The Internet offers International retailers a great opportunity to attack the UK marketplace. British shoppers are already prepared to go Euro to get what they want online. â€Å"Big brand names are in the best position to immediately exploit e-commerce but if they don't start moving soon the threat from foreign competition is real.† (Jolanta Pilecka, E-commerce Marketing Manager, Hewlett-Packard). In future a number of important factors might affect the economic state of the UK and inevitably supermarkets. The first is the possible introduction of the Euro. The Euro has been introduced in various European countries, but most notably France. The introduction of the Euro in France has pushed up weekly shopping bills for the average French household by 10 per cent. Could the same be expected to happen in Britain should the Euro SOCIAL FACTORS To know the barriers to consumer online purchasing adoption it is useful to understand the different factors that affect the level of internet access. Value proposition ease, Security and fear of unknown are the main factors affecting the internet adoption (Chaffey) Over the period July to September 2002 an estimated 11.4 million households in the UK could access the internet from home, that amount 46 percent of all households. This is over twice the number three years earlier and is an increase of 7 percent from 39 percent reported in the third quarter of 2001. (www.nua.com ) Evidence suggests that household formation will continue to grow, but that the profile of home size as mentioned at the first of this paper will stay strongly biased towards homes with one or two people. Table 5: Changing Household Numbers in the UK (million and %), 2000 and 2005 2000 2005 Million % of Total Million % of Total One person 7.3 29.1 8.0 31.1 Two persons 8.9 35.5 9.0 35.0 Three persons 3.7 14.7 3.5 13.6 Four persons 3.5 13.9 3.5 13.6 Five or more persons 1.7 6.8 1.7 6.6 All households 25.1 100.0 25.7 100.0 Source:National Statistics An estimated 62 %of adult in the Great Britain have accessed the internet some time according to figures from the October 2002 national omnibus survey. This is equivalent to approximately 28.6 million adults in Britain having accessed the internet. In the month prior to the survey 52 per cent of adults had accessed the internet. Differences between the countries and regions of the UK Levels of access vary greatly between different parts of the UK. In October 2001 to September 2002 the proportion of households with access was lowest in Northern Ireland (30%), Wales (31%) and the West midlands (34%). It is noticeable that the proportions were highest in the East of England (52%), London (50%) and the South East (50%) were around half of households had access to the internet. Table:6 Households with home access to the Internet by Government Office Region & UK country: October 2000 to September 2001 and October 2001 to September 2002 Oct 2000 Oct 2001 to to Sep 2001 Sep 2002 Per cent North East 26 36 North West 35 41 Yorkshire and the Humber 32 39 East Midlands 40 46 West Midlands 35 34 East 40 52 London 46 50 South East 46 50 South West 38 41 England 39 44 Wales 27 31 Scotland 30 40 Northern Ireland 26 30 United Kingdom 37 43 Source: national statistics According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (www.itu.int ) it is shown that in the UK 36.62 per 100 own a PC Table 7: Internet Estimated PCs Hosts total 2002 Hosts per 10`000 inhab. 2002 Users (k) 2002 Users per 10`000 inhab. 2002 Total (k) 2002 Per100 Inhab. 2002 2`865`930 485.03 24`000.0 4`061.74 22,00 36.62 table 7 , shows that a large proportion of the UK population own a PC that makes accessing the internet easer than going to the work place or other places Legal and ethical concerns It is argued that people do not change as quickly as may be believed. They still do not like parting with personal details, especially to those that they do not trust. Firms that request data from consumers need to make supplying information optional and allow users to change and delete the information provided. Crucially, they need to convince consumers that they will treat all information confidentially. Firms that are recognised as ‘good citizens' and with a high reputation in this regard are well placed to ease the anxieties of consumers scared of fraudulent use of details. Smaller companies with an Internet-only presence will find it hard to build up this trust. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS E-retailing can be seen as an innovation in retailing that in turn is built around a technological innovation Many reports have summarized technological problems as: The complexity of the user interface bandwidth restrictions and access connection speeds and security concerns A wide range of new technologies have enabled companies to create better and more efficient relationships with consumers as e-retailers: – provide more information in the pre-shop experience; – increase the number of access points to meet customers needs; – offer a wider choice of products than can be held in-store; and, – improve the overall service provision, for example through better stock management. www.gnn.gov.uk Technological breakthroughs are some of the key drivers in building the right conditions for online grocery to thrive. The main technological factors influencing the market include: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The expansion of broadband Internet à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ The introduction and growth of DTV (digital television) à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ M-commerce (mobile-commerce) and WAP (wireless application protocol) phones à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Automated reordering systems à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Systems offering defence against fraud à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Automated customer service. (Key Note 2001) Broadband Internet One of the problems many consumers have when dealing with the Internet is the speed of access. Many consumers connect using 56K modems, although the majority never achieve this speed, perhaps because they live a great distance from the central phone-exchange routes or because their phone lines are too old. Broadband connections can alleviate this problem. Broadband connections come in two basic types: digital subscriber line connections (DSL) and cable modem connections In the first quarter of 2001, the number of DSL lines grew by 90% in the UK This market is likely to experience high growth in the coming years.(www.itu.int) Digital Television Advancements in television are running parallel to other Internet-enabled technologies 4.4 million households had DTV in 2000, and the figure is now probably in excess of 5 million. Not all DTV services are fully Internet-enabled, but there are plans to achieve this. The growth rate in subscription to DTV services is believed to be higher than the rate of new subscribers to ISPs. It has been suggested that more than 45% of homes will have digital satellite TV by 2008 (generating revenues for the communications companies of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.4bn per year). One of the major barriers to e-grocers is the high costs charged to the suppliers by the DTV companies. Tesco reported to have found Open Digital's charges too expensive to make a venture worthwhile, however, the majority of the large supermarkets are signing up to the service may have very severe consequences in the long term. M-Commerce and WAP Phones M-commerce for all markets in Europe is forecast to reach levels of around $38bn by 2004.(Key Note) with over half of European companies planning to offer some form of service via mobile phones (particularly in the banking and service sectors). Major multiples are increasingly active in the service sector, and their online successes in other areas could well spill over into m-commerce activities, Mobile communications company Ericsson has estimated that, by 2004, there will be more than 600 million people using mobile Internet services in Europe. In 2000, the market for subscriptions to mobile-phone services grew by 67% and by 84% in 2002 .(www.itu.int ) However, WAP phones, currently the only method of accessing Internet via a mobile, have been relatively slow to catch on in Europe and make up only 15% of overall handset sales globally. Automated Re-ordering Systems All the technologies so far discussed require a conscious effort on the behalf of the consumer. In the future, it is possible that automated re-ordering systems will mean that the retailer is automatically notified when products are being used up within the home and need replenishing. There are two enabling technologies currently under development that may make this less fictional and more everyday. Vendor managed inventory (VMI) is one of these technologies. Another enabling technology in the same area is radio frequency identification technology, also known as RFID. This improves on VMI by using radio waves to scan all products in the fridge at any one time. Those kinds of technologies build and grow up the relationship between the consumer and the supplier learns more about the consumer behaviour to satisfy his demand Also they can create a competitive advantage for the business Systems Offering Defence Against Fraud Concern over fraud continues to scare many consumers away from using the Internet as a route for purchasing items and services. Credit-card companies are already making changes to their services to ease these concerns, but longer-term solutions may be found in encryption technology. Technology is being developed that adds digital signatures to a purchaser's Web browser which may help fight fraud. Such services can only be developed and provided by strategic partnerships between online retailers and Web security corporations such as Inktomi, Ariba, Broadvision, Vignette and Verisign (all leaders in secure-payment processing solutions). INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT Porter's 5 forces analysis Michael Porter's five forces is The model that widely used for competition analysis in business strategy formulation, states that an organisation exists within an industry. To succeed it must deal with the competitive forces that exist within that industry: (1) Entry of new competition. (2) Threat of substitute products. (3) Bargaining power of buyers. (4) Bargaining power of suppliers. (5) Rivalry amongst existing competitors. THE GROCERY E-TAILING MARRET As an industry in the early stages of its life cycle, the online grocery market is currently very fragmented, with a growing number of competitors. The reasons for this fragmentation lie in several factors: relatively low entry barriers, high transportation costs, the perish ability of grocery items, nontradable goods and services industry, and the ability to specialize in geographic regions and reap the benefits of economies of scale. Much like traditional bricks-and-mortar supermarkets, online grocers are highly localized except for a few that operate nationally or internationally by delivering only non-perishable goods. (Success factors) Barrier to entry Compared to building traditional supermarkets, the barriers to entry in the online grocery market are relatively low, since most online grocers are localized. Set-up costs include establishing the computer system, creating logistics and warehousing capabilities, building brand awareness, and having the necessary alliances with local grocers in place. Many online grocers have already established partnerships or alliances. Entry into the industry is currently relatively easy, because no one has inherent advantages. Innovation and competitive moves, which can be easily replicated, have not prevented new firms or substitutes from entering the market. However, entry barriers may rise in the future as consolidation likely occurs. Market such as groceries, barriers must be built on differentiation through brand recognition by achieving superior customer service and responsiveness. One attraction for the recent surge of Internet startups in the grocery business is that online grocers require less capital and have lower variable costs than bricks-and-mortar stores. Fixed costs are high, but the potential for big returns is great if a large sales volume can be generated. Exit barriers can be moderate to high, depending on the amount invested in logistics and warehousing, the Web site, computer systems, and marketing. PPOWER OF SUPPLIERS Retailers have high bargaining power when they purchase a large volume of goods from their suppliers. Unlike huge supermarket chains, the smaller online grocers typically possess a lower level of bargaining power than their suppliers. But traditional grocers that decide to branch out onto the Net have the advantage in this regard, buying in bulk and enjoying established relationships with suppliers and customers. This allows them to price their goods competitively, deterring new entrants or forcing inefficient incumbents out. POWER OF BUYERS The bargaining power of buyers or consumers is very high in this industry. With many substitutes and competitors to choose from, dissatisfied customers can simply switch to a competitor. Groceries are commodities, so consumers can be sure to purchase the exact same products elsewhere. THREAT OF SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS The threat of substitutes is undoubtedly high for two reasons: Firstly, the products and services offered online to customers are extremely similar. So similar in fact that supermarket' often have to lower their prices to give them more appeal. Secondly although there is a certain degree of brand loyalty, it can't be relied on, as customer loyalties tend to change when they find they can obtain better value for money elsewhere. E-grocers understand that the threat of substitutes is high, and this then is the main reason for supermarkets branching out and pursuing a broader product line, as a means of calming the intense competition with their competitors. However, in pursuing broader product line grocers open themselves up for further competition from experienced players in other non food retail markets. RIVALRY AMONGST EXISTING COMPETITORS Competitors will do everything in their power to increase their market share. Supermarkets also have high fixed costs due to the sheer number of stores they have open. They must make a sufficient amount of sales to cover their costs and generate profit. As discussed earlier there are a variety of substitute products and services that are becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate thus custom is very much determined by price. This situation is further aggravated because switching costs are difficult to impose, as food is an everyday necessity, many customers will happily forget any loyalties if they really need to obtain it. Conclusion The environment in the online grocery industry is growing more and more competitive as new firms continue to enter. Grocers which established its online purchasing site first is gaining the benefits of the first-mover advantages such as Tesco.com E-grocery has become a considerable industry sector each main player in this industry is trying to create a competitive advantage to attract more numbers of spoiled customers trying to satisfy there demands. The UK e-environment is one of the best e-environments globally that ease the entrance to this industry and generate the potential for more and more customers to buy grocery on line. This industry sector is a quite new industry that makes the flow of information about its success and pitfall factors relatively not enough to know every factor influences this industry We can't say that e-grocery sector has reached the mature level since there are more and more numbers of customers and rivals are entering this sector.