General Motors Essay

I first want to start out with the bailout in 2009 where the government gave General Motors money ($40 million) to help get them out the situation with their creditors and took over most of the company. According to reports all of the outstanding stock has been sold and now the company is out of the government’s hands. The total amount given to them was not paid in full and they do not feel like they need to repay anymore because they said that there was a risk with taking the stock and that the government would just get back what the stock sold for. I know that this is true in the stock market, as I have stocks myself and know the risks that I am taking. I still have a problem with giving them money when one of the other larger automobile companies (Ford Motor Company) took it upon themselves to restructure and is paying off their own debts little by little and is still moving along today. Along with the sale of all of the stock came a lift on the freeze of upper management w ages and incentives. This is just not right. I would like to live on what some of them make, and I am sure that I could live very comfortably. Let them come and live on my income and see what they can do. I really have a problem with going overseas for production and I always will. It is probably my age and all of the trials and tribulations that I have lived through as well as what I have seen others live through. Many people were told that their jobs would be secure and since then General Motors has cut back on jobs here in the United States. I wonder just how many people outside of this country have been given jobs that could have been here at home. I know that many companies take production overseas because they say that the costs for labor are a lot  lower. Well, that may be true but has anyone seen the living conditions of those people overseas. Are we really paying them what they should be getting? Let’s take into consideration all of the recalls that General Motors has made in the last few years. Way too many in my book. Why is there faulty material being used to manufacture a product that could easily take the lives of many people. These products were made mostly overseas, I believe, and could lower wages be part of the problem of not noticing the faulty parts in the first place? By taking away incentives for prospective buyers, I believe, really hurt their business, but then I say, â€Å"Why give an incentive and not just reduce the price of the car in the first place?† I know that consumers look f or incentives but I think that they would look just as hard if the price of the cars were lower too. Let us look at the strategy that General Motors is wanting to take. The strategy that I believe that they are using is a combination of three strategies. They are as follows: Defensive Strategy in that General Motors decided to cut back the number of makes of automobiles; Cost-Leadership Strategy in that expenses needed to manufacture the cars are kept at a lower cost and maintained at that lower cost; and Differentiation Strategy in that they need to make a superior product for a vast number of people at a low cost. According to the plan General Motors is going to start making their automobiles using the same parts in the same laid out plants and using the same kind of tools throughout. They are also cutting back on the number of models from 86 to 49. When it came to the cost-leadership strategy, I put the loss of incentives to customers in this category. I still do not understand why there are incentives when they could just reduce the price of the automobile or truck. I think that people would look more if the price were lower. The differentiation strategy they have cut back on the workforce but are still making the superior produc t for a vast audience. I realize that they need to watch their competitors closely, especially those overseas but they also need to take care of the people right here in the United States. General Motors has a vision to reduce costs and increase revenue through global sales growth to a net profit of 10%. I think that they are asking for a lot out of the economy, as it is today As the plan states, Ford is farther ahead of General Motors and they made more of a profit per vehicle sold than General Motors. This was all done because of  going globally. The culture needs to change too and get away from focusing on selling the most cars and take care of the customers that they currently have and possibly will have in the future. Yes, sales are important, but they will come if their customer focus is there first. I think that the 10% increase in profits is a little out the park when you are just restructuring and trying to maintain your status. You will need to take smaller increases in profit for a few years and then the profits will increase as the years go by. When looking at SMART goals I find that General Motors set their goal of making more than $10 billion per year. This is a very challenging goal for a company that is just coming back from restructuring. This goal is very specific but I do not believe that it is attainable with the economy that we have today. I know that they look at achieving this goal globally but they really need to concentrate right here in the United States. To be results-oriented they needed to decrease the number of types of cars they produce, reduce the number in their global workforce, (which they did), reduce the number of union workers here in the United States (which they did) and close down plants that were not up to par (which they did). Was this the right decision to make? Who knows for sure? The only thing that I can see is that they put a lot of people out of work. In looking at the Planning/Control Cycle, I see that General Motors followed it by making the plan, carrying out the plan, they looked at the results of the plan and they controlled the direction of the plan by making any corrections as they went along with the plan. Planning is very important in everything that you do. You must always follow through too and watch as the plan is being carried out and always have control of what is going on and make sure that you make any corrections as the plan goes on. If need be, go back to the beginning and start all over again if the plan goes off track too far or if you have to make too many corrections. According to Mr. Akerson when asked about being back on top and the world’s largest auto maker his response was: â€Å"General Motors needs to focus on profits and margins and not necessarily try to post nu mbers on the board.† Maybe they need to go back and re-think their plan again and make sure they are staying on track as they proceed. In conclusion, I just want to add that I read two reports that just came out on CNN today. â€Å"One concerned a former manager for General Motors, Bill McAleer, who was in charge of the Global delivery system from 1988 to 1998 which was  used to access the quality of cars before they were sent to various dealers. He said that the culture of General Motors was the main problem of the company where if there was a problem and you said anything that you could be fired and then on the other hand if you did not say anything, you still could be fired.† What kind of culture is that? It is kind of twisted, if I must say. He said that he had sent a letter to the upper management about all of the defects that he had found and that they just ignored it. He also said that he never received a response in any way about the letter. He mentioned that in 1997 the focus for the company really changed and internally and that there were to be NO problems admitted to. How ridiculous is that. There is never a time during the day that a company does not have some kind of problem. He went on to say; â€Å"That’s what happened with the ignition switch, people knew that there was a problem but problems were not acceptable. They just ignored it.† Mr. McAleer was laid off in 2004 and filed suit agains t the company under the Whistleblower Law but he lost his suit. And what happened yesterday, June 27, 2014? General Motors recalled another 430,000 2013 and 2014 vehicles for various defects from windshield wiper assemblies on Caprice Police Cars, to transmission software, to rear shock absorbers, and to air bag problems. What is with this company? The article stated that since January, General Motors has recalled more than 20 million vehicles worldwide. If they knew about the ignition switch more than a decade ago and did nothing until this year, why are they still in business? Where are most of these defective parts coming from? I would imagine that you can see why I cannot be happy about this company. I have lived many years and have worked in various occupations and have seen the defective merchandise come from out of the country and would just sit there and shake my head. Working in retail for over 20 years, I just would not put merchandise on the floor for customers to purchase if I found it to be defective. Did I get into trouble for it? Absolutely not! We cared about our customers, why doesn’t General Motors. Seems like all they are interested in is the almighty dollar. Ref: CNN.com Article by Patrick Sheridan, June 28, 2014 @ 12:24 pm ET Article by Patrick Sheridan, June 27, 2014 @ 6:564 pm ET

Personality Profile Essay

In modern business, it is important to have a mindset of sustainability and environmentally friendly business practices. Two fundamental characteristics of an effective and sustainable leadership model are having the foresight of what the company is trying to attain and identifying the worth in the process and supplying the leadership to reach the companies goals. Leadership begins with trusting in the process, and adhering to the steps themselves. The single best way to achieve this is to lead by example. In this paper the author will explain how Marie Ziegler of John Deere help set the company on the path it follows today. Marie Ziegler has set the standard for John Deere and the employees of the company. As the vice president and treasurer for the John Deere Corporation it is within her responsibilities to ensure that the product that they are producing meets and exceeds the standards of the industry. All of John Deere’s products meet the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) off-highway equipment emission regulations as of 2011. The regulations set out to reduce the particulate matter in the atmosphere by 90% in addition to reducing oxides of nitrogen emissions by as much as 50% (John Deere, 2012). In one position or another Marie Ziegler has preformed various duties within John Deere since 1978. During this time Marie has grown to know the company and industry well and has helped the company to grow, remain profitable and become an industry leader. The decision to make sure that John Deere’s products met the EPA standards was just another stepping stone towards the goal of being an industry leader. The virtues of a good leader within an effective and sustainable business include vision, values, strategy and systems. Marie began with the vision to achieve a product that met the standard set forth by the EPA guidelines and pushed forward with that goal (Weitzman, H . 2010). Values, values include the practices and beliefs that the company uses to achieve success. These include people, people being the employees of John Deere who treat each other with respect which in turn promotes teamwork and the ability for the company to succeed and grow. Marie recognized that the  customers are the reason a company exists. As a good leader she understood that without customers, there is no need for the products that John Deere provides. The product and the service that any company provides is a direct reflection of the dedication of a company, its values and its employees. The conduct of a business from the president and CEO all the way down to the staff on the sales floor reflects a company’s values. Strategy is what a leader uses to develop a set of actions to follow that supports long term visions, values and objectives (Desjardins, 2007). Strategy is the crucial aspect for the integrated management system. There are key elements to developing the strategy that surrounds all the health, safety, and environmental considerations required to fulfill the strategic plan. Included within this are the planning process, setting targets and objectives, establishing and environmental policy that backs the vision of the company, contemplating which industry code of practices will be instituted, and defining the framework for communication. When these aspects are combined, they create an environmental policy that states a company’s base principals and projected intentions for environmental performance. Marie exhibits a take control type personality which is a strong leadership style. As an effective business leader she knows what needs to be done, she develops a plan and sets it in motion. When the EPA established new emissions standards Marie knew how to strategize a plan to implement the changes to John Deere’s production process in a timely manner. This meant that she had to clearly communicate the needed changes to her team of employees to enact the strategy that she developed. Communication is the key aspect to ensuring a plan is enacted properly, effectively and efficiently. One of Marie’s actions as a leader in sustainability was instilling a culture of sustainability amongst her employees by implementing sustainable practices and adhering to those policies herself in order to lead by example. In addition to leading by example she uses clear communication skills to communicate her needs to her employees to ensure her decisions as a leader are disseminated down the chain and that policies are understood by all employees and team members. Marie displays strong leadership skills and knows John Deere inside and out, she believes in the product they produce and this is an important aspect to being an effective leader in sustainability. With the leadership of Marie Ziegler John Deere can set  forth a standard that allows the company to be a leader in green sustainability. The author of this paper tries to uses general management strategies that promote sustainability within the work environment but finds that it can be difficult for an individual to do so considering the following. As an employee of EC3 International, the author’s duties are usually prescribed by test plans which leave little room to enact sustainable management methods of his own. However, the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of the Army (DoA) have been enacting environmental standards and practices that promote sustainability and are more environmentally friendly for many years now. The army has most recently switched its primary small caliber ammunition to more environmentally friendly ammunition in order to reduce the negative environmental effects on weapons ranges. Many years ago the DoA along with the Proving Grounds implemented a new policy of no longer indiscriminately firing depleted uranium (DU) tank rounds out on to ranges. The DoA mandated that all DU test rounds must be fired into a catch box that can be cleaned out and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. In summary as a leader in sustainability within a company it is crucial to lead by example. No manager or business leader can expect his or her employees to conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner unless they practice what they preach. When a leader takes a shortcut employees take note and will feel that it is not a problem to do so because their leadership does it. Marie Ziegler is an excellent example of how to conduct oneself who wishes to become a leader in sustainability. References DESJARDINS, J. R. (2007). Business, Ethics, and the Environment. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Lomborg, B. (2008). Cool It. New York, NY: Vintage Books. John Deere, Products, (2012). Retrieved August 10, 2012 from http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/corporate/our_company/citizenship/environmental_stewardship/products/products.page Weitzman, H. (2010, Nov 25). Deere counts cost of emission controls. Financial Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/811393069?accountid=458

Globalization and Business IT Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Globalization and Business IT Exam - Assignment Example Business to Consumer (B2C) Business to Employees (B2E) and Consumer to Consumer (C2C), the archaic methodology of conducting business has been redefined. The most striking advancement brought upon by the advancement in information technology is the drastic modification in the communication norms. Businesses are now able to communicate with its internal, external and connected stakeholders more conveniently, thus saving precious time and cost. Internet has played the most prominent part in abridging the distance. By using e-commerce, companies of all types are able to explore new business ventures in the form of new and similar market segments and lucrative business opportunities. Distance in no more a hurdle. Since the internet never sleeps, customers have the privilege of doing transactions 24-hours of the day, 365-days of the year. Bad weather or labor problems will not prevent the customers from visiting the store and placing their orders. From global perspective, the introduction of electronic data interchange (EDI) has standardized the language of business all across the globe. According the Advantages of EDI, using these industry standards, for transmitting data related to commercial transactions, the manufacturer and the supplier are easily and quickly able to complete a business transaction. In order to objectively evaluate the role of information technology for all businesses, its role can be divided into three major aspects which can prove to be vital for any business enterprise Support of its business processes and operations Support of decision making by its employees and managers Supports of its strategies for competitive advantage (O’Brien and Marakas 2008) An organization operating in global environment strives to implement the above mentioned traits in its corporate strategy and thus reaping maximum benefits. Multinational organization uses IT in order to integrate its various strategic business processes and operations such as keeping re cord of purchases and sales, automating the inventory record system or maintaining transaction history of the customers in order to forecast their demand in future. IT also provides the managers and those charged with governance several tools which assist them in making apt decisions. These decisions might include the addition or deletion of products from the current product line, what are the projects which are likely to yield positive cash flows in the future and identification of the lucrative investments. In today’s world, to obtain a clear strategic advantage over the competitors, a company needs to align its corporate strategy keeping in consideration the information technology requirements. The use of strategic information system has tremendously uplifted the quality of product and services offered by different companies and have immensely assisted in obtaining competitive advantage. A company can only survive if it develops strategies which are sufficient to counter t he prevailing competitive threats in the market. Competitive forces can be analyzed through Porter’s five forces model which are illustrated in the figure below In today’s dynamic market, not only the companies are expending sufficient resources in countering the prevailing rivals in the market, but efforts have also been diverted towards establishing barriers which will stop the new entrants into the market. The internet has created several ways through which new entrants can enter into the market more easily and quickly and with considerably less

Davidson College as the Recipient of Beall Foundation Article

Davidson College as the Recipient of Beall Foundation - Article Example She is supposed to be the first Dean of Don Beall Engineering.The gift will be used to launch the multi-disciplinary programs like green engineering, biomedical device engineering, and global experiential learning. The funds gifted by Beall will also be used to launch the initiatives for student success, their professional development, and faculty excellence. While appreciating the great task of Beall, Belle Wei stated, â€Å"Donald Beall believes strongly in the value of engineering and science education and its critical role in the innovation and entrepreneurial process leading to a stronger America," She further expressed her gratitude and said, "We are grateful for this gift, which will help us advance our vision to educate new engineers who are technically excellent, broadly educated, and socially responsible, the new kind of engineers who can rise to the challenges of the 21st century." Being an alumnus of San Jose University, Don Beall secured his bachelor degree in metallurgical engineering in 1960 and he acquired the MBA degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1961. While talking about Beall’s overall academic performance, Ralph Parkman, one of Beall’s former professors at SJSU stated, â€Å"He was an outstanding student and a very capable young man," Parkman further said, "I'm was not surprised he went as far as he did." Don Beall retired from Rockwell after spending 30 years there. At that time he had honored many prestigious positions such as Company President, Chairman, and CEO. After a long and prestigious job, he retired from Rockwell in 1988.His leadership made the Rockwell a global leader in aerospace, electronics, and automotive market. Apart from Rockwell Collins, Mr. Beall served as a director on the boards of various companies like Conexant System, Mindspeed Technologies, and CT Realty. SJSU’s College of Engineering was ranked 16th among the national level programs. This was declared in the most recent edition of America’s best Colleges 2008 by US News and World report. Thousands of talented alumni of this college have made a bright future in Silicon Valley and beyond. This college has a strong tie-up with many companies in Silicon Valley which provide an opportunity for scholarships, internship, research project, and placements.

The Habitat and Productivity of the Morel Mushroom Research Paper

The Habitat and Productivity of the Morel Mushroom - Research Paper Example However, our limited understanding of morel productivity, diversity, and ecology hinders such synergistic management. We used genetic, morphological, and ecological data to identify and characterize putative species. Some of these putative species fruited only on burned soils the ?rst spring season following a wild ?re. The other two putative species fruited in non-burned forests, in islands of non-burned soils in burned forests, or the second year following ?re on burned soils. Unbiased landscape-level estimates of genus-level morel productivity (not partitioned by putative species) ranged from 80 to 4350 morels per hectare and from 0.550 to 9.080 kg per ha. Productivity which followed the general trend of wild ?re burned forests, insect-damaged forests and healthy forests management. (Catherine G.Parks) Introduction Morels are species of mushroom called Marcella species. They are edible mushrooms which are highly prized and commercially harvested. In 1992 Oregon, Washington, and Id aho approximately harvested 590 metric tonnes of morels providing harvesters with $ 5.2 million of income (SchlosserW.E.Blatner).Morels often fruit prolifically after fire, tree mortality, or ground disturbance. In montane forests east of the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest decades of fire suppression have allowed development of dense, fire-prone stands and also periodic insect epidemics also have caused extensive tree mortality which influence morel crops. (J.K). Â   In east central Ohio, the Morel’s normal growing season is early April to mid May. Further south it will be one to two weeks earlier, to the north a little later. A damp habitat is needed for the Morel’s growth. Too much rain or dry weather is not what the mushroom needs they require normal weather pattern. Temperature plays an important role in the growth of the mushrooms as well, Morel mushroom thrives when daytime temperature are in the 60 and 70 degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures are n ot lower than 40 degrees Celsius. Identification on the morel There are a list of over 190 kinds of the morel species and subspecific taxa in the genus Morchella. General agreement exists that at least two major groups can be clearly distinguished they include; Black Morel (Morchella elata) Black Morels when cut lengthwise it will be hollow from bottom of stem to top of cap. It looks like a rubber mold prompting comments from non-morel lovers, bottom of the cap is attached to the stem (cap and stock all one piece), cap is full of Ridges and Pits, cap is also longer than the stem which has little bumps both inside and outside, stalk are usually lighter in color. Its ribs darken to gray or black with age. (Kirk P.M (Coord)) Yellow Morel (Morchella esculenta) Yellow Morels also when cut lengthwise are hollow from bottom of stem to top of cap which is attached to the stem, cup is also full of ridges and pits and it is longer than the stem. Its stalk is usually lighter in color (sand, ye llow). Other Morel species are; I. Half-free morels (Morchella semilibera).There cap are usually small in comparison to the stem and may only be a quarter the length of the stem. Cap is also not connected from the bottom to the stem II. Caps or Early morel (Verpa bohemica) and Beefsteak (Gyromitra esculenta).they belongs to False morel and they are poisonous. The poison in false morel is MMH (monmthylhydrazine) whose toxicity may

The inequality of miniorities in the criminal justice system. What Term Paper

The inequality of miniorities in the criminal justice system. What type of stereotypes and unfair justice do miniorities face by - Term Paper Example This research essay will have a detailed analysis and discussion on the inequality of minorities in the criminal justice system in USA and how to have a balanced approach without any bias for the offenses committed despite their color and creed. Introduction United States of America can be defined as a nation of diverse culture comprising of white ethnic immigrants, native Americans, Latinos, African Americans and Asians. As per Russell—Brown (2009), slave codes are those set of laws that ruled the life of African slaves as early in 1600s. Under slavery law, majorities of the African Americans were the victims, and their ordeal came to an end due to the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. More rights of the blacks were recognized due to the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865. According to Free (1996), immediately after the elimination of slavery in USA, â€Å"Black codes â€Å"were legislated in many of the US states in an endeavor to employ the legal system to be dominated by the White supremacy with Jim Crow laws, which stipulated separate facilities for blacks, particularly in cars, rail , schools ,bathrooms , etc. (Hartley, 2010, p.112). As per Browne-Marshall, in 1896, in Plessey v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court of USA sanctioned the policy of â€Å"separate but equal† all but legitimate White supremacy. The enactment of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 which banned racial discrimination in employment , in public places ,which was trailed by Voting Rights Act of 1965, which gave legal acknowledgement to the rights of Black voters.(Gabbidon ,2010,p.66). Though discrimination is banned through Civil Rights Act of 1964, many empirical evidences like Mauer (1994), Tonry (1995), Free (1996), Donziger (1996), Walker (1999), and Walker et al (2000) have shown that racial discrimination prevails virtually in every phase of USAs criminal justice system even today. (Hartley, 2010, p.112). The Main objective of this research essay is to dis cuss about the inequality witnessed by the minorities in the criminal justice system of the U.S.A and to discuss about the type of stereotypes, and unfair justice do minorities face by the treatment of the United States court system in an exhaustive manner. â€Å"Discrimination of Minorities in the American Criminal Justice System† As per Walker, Spohn & DeLone (2000), racial disparities in the United States criminal justice system have long been given attention by the researchers who have found that there has been evidence of discrimination shown to ethnic and racial minorities at every phase of the criminal justice system. Footed upon by the debate posed by Marxist and conflict criminologists, scholars have tried to answer the query whether the law does, in reality, operate to the advantage of a dominant upper class and to the disadvantage of an immobilized lower community. Critics also have raised the question, whether the criminal action of that community which control or own the means of economic production are comparatively impervious from criminal prosecution? (Cullen & Wilcox, 2010, p.475). As per labelling theory of criminal justice, offenders are being treated as if they were criminal, which had the effect of unwanted outcomes on

Can free trade withstand recession Dissertation

Can free trade withstand recession - Dissertation Example Demand for fair trade during recession 4.1 Consumer buying behaviour during difficult times†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦25 4.2 how will a prolonged recession effect the fair trade movement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦26 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦27 Introduction: Fair trade is said to increase the level of economic activities within as well as across national boundaries. This provides greater levels of economic and financial advantage to national as well as international suppliers of goods and services and also increases the profit earning ability of these suppliers. This reduces costs of purchasing various goods and services both in national and international markets. Fair trade is expected to reduce the price elasticity of demand of variou s goods and services and also to affect the altruistic behaviour of consumers. During the period of recession or economic and financial crisis practices related to fair trade is expected to reduce the negative economic impacts by increasing the volume of demand and thus production and income. By controlling international prices for various goods and services fair trade practices are expected to make significant effects on economic policies used for preventing recession. But there are also some obstacles which are created by recession on fair trade practices. This paper is aimed at providing an answer to the question that whether fair trade can withstand with recession or not. 1. Fair Trade 1.1 What is fair trade? â€Å"Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seek greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing... This paper is aimed at providing an answer to the question that whether fair trade can withstand with recession or not. Fair trade is said to increase the level of economic activities within as well as across national boundaries. This provides greater levels of economic and financial advantage to national as well as international suppliers of goods and services and also increases the profit earning ability of these suppliers. This reduces costs of purchasing various goods and services both in national and international markets. Fair trade is expected to reduce the price elasticity of demand of various goods and services and also to affect the altruistic behaviour of consumers. During the period of recession or economic and financial crisis practices related to fair trade is expected to reduce the negative economic impacts by increasing the volume of demand and thus production and income. By controlling international prices for various goods and services fair trade practices are expe cted to make significant effects on economic policies used for preventing recession. But there are also some obstacles which are created by recession on fair trade practices. The dimension of free trade arose with the development perspective of the excluded and disadvantaged producers with a view to promote sustainability to them and achieving better trading conditions. Fair trade is a concept arising from the realms of free trade. Therefore before elucidating the concept of fair trade a short discussion about the notion of free trade entails some necessity.

Loss Prevention Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Loss Prevention - Term Paper Example It was up approximately 15% from the previous year. This was the worst year and appeared to have been precipitated by the poor economic situation. According to Risk and Jillings (2011) shoplifting is on the increase due to hard times. In New Zeal children were being sent to still while their parents waited outside the store (Risk and Jillings 2011). Consequences of Inventory Shrinkage Inventory shrinkage due to shoplifting not only erodes profit margins but it also results in a loss of sales. This happens because store personnel do not realize quickly enough that shelves are available and that certain goods are not represented on these shelves. When a customer does not see the goods they want on the shelves they end up going to another competitor to purchased the items. Most Popular Item Shoplifted According to Bullock (2010), the UK-based Center for Retail Research indicates that cosmetics were the second most popular items stolen. The most targeted products within this group are ma keup, perfume, hair care, skin creams and tanning product. According to Barnfield of the Center for Retail Research (qtd. in Bullock 2010) these thieves are brand conscious as they focus on top brands like Oil of Olay, CoverGirl and Bumble and Bumble. Bulluck (2010) indicated that a Florida investigation described as Operation Beauty Stop uncovered a ring which sold items stolen from popular retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Sweetbay. These items were then offered for sale on EBay. Measures to prevent loss A number of measures can be used to prevent loss. These include the employment and use of security equipment. Although these measures are not foolproof they provide a means of reducing the cost of theft to companies and reduce the corresponding increase in selling price which arises from this type of shrinkage. Loss prevention officers According to McGoey (n.d.), retail loss prevention is a profession that has the responsibility of reducing inventory losses at retail stores. Loss prevention officers are the persons who manage security program in the stores. Their job is to reduce inventory losses that are not only caused by employee theft and shop lifting but due to fraud, vendor theft and accounting errors. They interact with both customers and other store employees whenever any such events occur. They have to exercise a certain level of professionalism when dealing with matters like these and so they have to be properly trained. Loss prevention officers are required to be observant, they should be able to think quickly and use good judgment to solve problems. They should be able to blend into the crowd so that they are not easily identified by would be shoplifters. Sensormatic security tags Sensormatic security tags are widely used in retail stores. They are pinned to merchandise and are not taken off until the customer pays for the merchandise at the cashier. The tags work in conjunction with checkpoint security systems and are further explained belo w. Checkpoint security systems Check point security systems involve the use of sensors called electronic article security (EAS) antennas (Loss Prevention Systems, Inc 2011). These sensors/antennas are placed at the entrance and exits points of the stores. They pick up signals from security tags on clothes, shoes, bags and other store merchandise. Therefore if a shoplifter attempts to leave a store with stolen

Principle cells of the immune system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Principle cells of the immune system - Essay Example Three of such principal cells of the immune system are lymphocytes, antigens, and effector cells. Below, brief descriptions of the roles of these three cells in immune response are discussed. Lymphocytes have been noted to be cells that emanate from stem cells within the larger immune system. As far as immune response is concerned, the lymphocytes take charge of the adaptive response (Guermonprez et al., 2012). For this to happen, there are a series of functional activities that come together. Working together with specific receptors, the lymphocytes function towards the recognition of specific antigens that enter the body. Consequently, the effect of antigens in the body would be hampered if the lymphocytes are not functioning properly. Bryant, Trinder and Curtis (2004) also noted that one the lymphocytes emanate from the stem cells, they go on to form three different populations of cells which are B cells, T cells and natural killer (NK). Of the three however, it is the B and T cells that take part in the adaptive immunity as NK cells function as innate immunity. The B cells for example produce antibodies, whiles the T cells engage in cell-mediated immunity (Guermonpre z et al., 2012). The second principal cells are the antigen presenting cells, which have the core role of aiding the lymphocytes to undertake the adaptive response. In some cases therefore, the antigen presenting cells are considered to be also responsible for adaptive response. The antigen presenting cells function by bringing antigens to the lymphocytes. Writing on the anatomy of the immune system, Zen and Parkos (2003) indicated that the location of the antigen presenting cells (APC) makes it very convenient for it to play its role. This is because these APCs are found in the periphery. From this location, they are able to examine the tissues to identify antigens. One major difference between the function of the lymphocytes and APCs is

Analyze and asses the economic effects of regulation on passenger vs Essay

Analyze and asses the economic effects of regulation on passenger vs. freight transportation - Essay Example This is when aspects of comparison are enforced in the market and the targeted performance by the airline companies. This paper analyzes and assesses the economic effects of regulation on passenger versus freight transportation. In the field of economics, once supply is reduced the tendency for price increase to be introduced is always very high. Regulations that inhibit airlines from taking a certain route within a timeline result in choked supply of the goods that are required. This means that there are people that want to travel and transport their goods from one area to the next. They are not able to do so because government regulations restrict them. The people and the goods have to be transported within set timelines. This results in so many people wanting to travel. In other cases, the flow of goods is hampered especially if the goods are perishable in nature. At this point, it is the mandate of the airline company to increase the air fares thus reducing the demand for the service. This means that if governments allowed airline companies to travel to regions as many times as they would want to, the demand would be evenly spread. This will also translate to cheaper airfares for anyone using the servic e (Abramowitz & Brown, 1993). In many instances, regulation has been viewed as a form of any government’s effort to reduce the number of people and goods using air transport. This is because many of them do not have the structural capacity to deal with the ever emerging need for transportation. Economically, this results in over congestion of other forms of transport and reduced revenue generation from the air companies. The aspect of coordination and relationships is greatly affected by the fact that regulations have been perceived as a form of dictatorial governance. This is a headache for very many governments and their transport systems. It is necessary to note that regulations affect economic relations between nations by stipulating the terms

White Castle Essay Example for Free

White Castle Essay White Castle is known as the original fast-food hamburger chain. The first White Castle opened its doors in Witchita, Kansas, in 1921. White Castle (WC) has since grown to 393 restaurants in 11 states (White Castle hamburger , 2004) and is now expanding internationally. By analysing White Castles internal strengths, internal weaknesses, external opportunities, and external threats, otherwise known as a SWOT analysis (Kerin, 2005), Learning Team B was able to exam market demographics, company needs, trends, and market forecast as they pertain to White Castle. During the SWOT analysis Learning Team B (LTB) discovered the primary strategic marketing issue is in order to remain profitable White Castle needs to promote its unique product(s) and adapt its menu items in order to continue to appeal to the changing desires of todays consumers. The same holds trues today as it did in 1998 when William J. McDonald stated White Castle needs to continually reassess its marketing strategy, particularly its pricing and promotional activities to determine what approach will be most effective into the future. Marketing strategy recommendations A major strategy in the element of marketing is generating and maintaining brand recognition. Attaining brand recognition in the target market is a critical milestone for any branding strategy. There are many cues in the brand recognition arsenal. Typically brand building begins with aesthetic cues, the design features in a graphic or logo meant to visually represent the brand. Color, shape, texture, style, typeface, and position are among the design attributes which can offer recognition cues, making a design visually distinctive. Its the reason why, when a new logo is evaluated, recognition factors and design uniqueness are taken into consideration. According to Kim Kelly-Bartley (2001), vice president of marketing and site development for the Columbus, Ohio-based chain, summarizes, In an effort to boost brand recognition, White Castle is revamping units for only the second time in its 80-year history. An earlier change occurred five years ago, when the nations oldest burger chain celebrated its 75th anniversary. Prior to that, the chain had not changed, other than to make sure the units were clean and in good repair. The first retrofit was introduced in late July, in an existing store in Queens, N. Y. The prototype is also being tested in Chicago, St. Louis and Columbus. The chains updated look features orange accents, wood laminates and chrome finishes. Orange neon lighting, for example, encircles the restaurants dining room and accents seating. White Castles enduring (and too many customers, endearing) color scheme had been limited to blue and white. We wanted to see if you can add a color and still uphold the look. (p. 1). The process of recognition is a core component of branding. If a brand strategy doesnt employ visual or auditory cues, establishing brand perceptions and evoking memories is a lot more difficult and complicated. Without cues, the brain has to rely solely on recall to remember a brand. Boosting brand recognition is always a combination of knowing the target audience, market(s), category competition, and distribution. In order to boost brand recognition, a company must know their brands visual equity and level of current brand recognition. Finally, a company must understand what sales have been doing in their target market(s), what their strategic business goals are for increased sales, and what the budget is for increasing sales. Generating brand recognition through exposing the market to the product and promoting it heavily as well as finding promotional partners may also be beneficial. In a special Valentines Day promotion, couples who love White Castle hamburgers can dine at any of 48 White Castle fast-food restaurants nationwide participating in a special Valentines Day promotion. In comparison with some of the pricier, more upscale events held for lovers, Valentines Day at White Castle cost just 49 cents per burger to enjoy. Hostesses dressed in elegant costumes instead of the usual White Castle uniforms seat couples at cloth-covered, candlelit tables while romantic music is played in the background. The promotion is not a new invention. It debuted in St. Louis and Minneapolis about 16 years ago but was so popular it was expanded to White Castles in other Midwestern cities last year. For duos on a budget, the evening cost a whopping $6. 05 for a 10-pack of the bite-sized burgers and a small order of fries, leaving just enough money in the bank for the requisite Valentines Day bouquet of flowers and box of chocolates. Growth in competition in the fast-food market The consumer is the driving force in any highly competitive market, with his power growing ever stronger and becoming ingrained. The fast-food market is being fueled by the generation x and echo-boomers running between work, soccer, dance and other family activities with little time to spare for cooking at home. Todays consumer has more choices in variety, nutrition and value than ever before. The minimum population growth currently being experienced in the United States means that there is little new business to be had so it must be taken from others (http://www. fmi. org/media/bg/FoodRetailing. pdf). In order to compete in the fast-food market White Castle will need to give the consumer what they want. Many customers today are demanding healthier choices on menues, as well as more family friendly surroundings. Consumers are looking for family dining experiences without losing the fast-food aspect of dining out. Restraunts are starting to offer more salads and other alternatives to red meat, like chicken and fish in order to attract the more health conscience consumer (http://www. entrepreneur. com/franzone/article/0,5847,308510,00. html) . Location, location, location has been suggested as one of the most important marketing and competitive strategies. White Castle should consider expansion into new markets in new areas of the country. Proposed marketing elements What specific price, distribution, promotion, and product elements would you propose and why? Conclusion References At long last, change. (2001, September). Chain Leader, 6(9). Retrieved April 9, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database. Elan, E. (2006, February). White Castle offers couples a Valentine promo with heart. Nations Restaurant News, 40(9). Retrieved April 9, 2006 from InfoTrac OneFile Database. Kerin, R. , Hartley, S. , Berkowitz, E. , Rudelius, W. (2005). Marketing (8th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. McDonald, W. J. , (1998). Case 6 White Castle System Inc. , UOP Eresource, Retrieved April 8, 2006, from Eresource database. White Castle hamburger chain adopts DigitalPersona fingerprint authentication technology. (2004, Decemeber). Digitalpersona. Retrieved on April 9, 2006 from http://www. digitalpersona. com/company/news/releases/120804. php http://www. whitecastle. com/ Retrieved on April 9, 2006.

Successfully Raise A Defence Of Necessity

Successfully Raise A Defence Of Necessity Necessity and Private Defence are closely linked therefore; many of the requirements of private defence are also requirements for necessity. The difference between these two grounds of justification is that private defence stems from and is directed at, an unlawful human attack while in necessity a person finds him/herself in a situation in which he/she must between two evils: either suffer personal harm or break the law. The act of defence in private defence is always directed at an unlawful human attack whereas; in cases of necessity it is directed at either the interests of another innocent party or a mere legal provision. (Snyman, 2008, p. 115) Necessity There must be an urgent and immediate threat to life which creates a situation in which the defendant reasonably believes that a fair response to that threat is to break the law. This reflects the distinction between the defenses of necessity and duress in that the former is pressure of circumstances arising naturally, whereas the latter is a threat from an entirely human agency that overpowers the will of the defendant. The subjective frame of mind of the person who is relying on necessity the courts will not consider this but rather whether the act of necessity was in accordance with the legal conviction of society. The courts will also weight the option of whether a reasonable would have acted in the same way as a person that claims to have acted in necessity. They are using the concept of the reasonable person to practically embody the legal convictions of society and not to determining negligence. (Joubert, 2001, p. 61) REQUIREMENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY RAISE A DEFENCE OF NECESSITY The author will no discuss five (5) requirements that must be met in order for a person to successfully raise a defence of necessity: A legal interest must be endangered The danger must have begun or be imminent The defensive act must be necessary to avert the danger The defensive act must be reasonable The endangered person must know he/she is acting in necessity A legal interest must be endangered The purpose of the specific conduct must be clearly to protect a legal interest. Although the law recognizes many interests the most obvious are a persons life, limb, personal safety and integrity. A person may act in a situation of necessity to protect property but cannot relay on necessity to protect his/her job. If a person is not able to perform his job without breaking the law he must find another way to earn a living. For example a person cannot operate an illegal shebeen and claim it is to sustain his family when apprehended. The person must rather apply legally for a shebeens license. A person may also act in necessity in defence of some else. (S v Pretorius, 1975) The danger must have begun or be imminent When danger has already passed or will possibly occur in the distant feature a person cannot rely on necessity. Therefore, the danger must already have begun or the situation must be immediately threatening. In the trail Regina v. Dudley Stephens four stranded sailors were adrift in a small boat without supplies. The three strongest decided to eat the fourth, a seventeen (17) year old cabin boy to save themselves. There was some degree of necessity arising from the threat of starvation, even though the cabin boy would almost certainly have died of natural causes the sailors killed the boy intentionally and the court ruled that cannibalizing the boy was not urgently necessary and found them guilty of murder. (Regina v. Dudley Stephens, 1884) The defensive act must be necessary to avert the danger When a person relies on necessity the action taken should have to avert the danger. When there is less drastic measure to avert the danger a person a person should take this option. If it was not taken a person cannot rely on necessity. For instance when a man are awake by a noise in the middle of the night and found a person at his fridge busy eating food and killed the person by shooting him he thus cannot relay on necessity. If there is a possibility that a person can flee from the immediate or imminent danger he should do so. (S v Pretorius, 1975). The danger does not take the form of an unlawful attack and removing oneself from the danger in most cases of necessity. The defensive act must be reasonable A person must act reasonable if he wants to rely on necessity as ground of justification. The interest that is being protected must not be disproportionate of the defence act. Not more harm than is necessary to avert the attack must be inflicted by the person who wants to rely on necessity. According to Snyman this proportionality requirement is sometimes explained by requiring that the protected interest should be of greater value than the interest that is infringed upon. (Snyman, 2008, p. 119). The protected and infringed interests are a totally different nature, but if the infringed interest is a legal provision only, the defence of necessity would most probably succeed. For example a correctional exceeding the speed limit because he is rushing to the Prison where inmates are in the process of escaping, he will most probably be allowed to justify his actions by relying on necessity as a defence, since he infringed a legal provision only. The endangered person must know he/she is acting in necessity If a person is conscious of the fact that an emergency exists and knowingly acted in necessity than he can rely on necessity as a defence. A person cannot thus rely on necessity as a ground of justification if he throws a brick through a window in an attempt to break into a house but his action saves the occupants lives who are sleeping in a room filled with poisonous gas. PRIVATE DEFENCE The onus is on the state to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused action cannot be justified, if private defence is raised as a ground of justification. Private defence involves a person who takes the law into his own hands. Therefore, it is a drastic measure that should not be used for corrective purposes. Snyman alleged that this ground of justification has no history, but exist from the beginning of time. (Snyman, 2008, p. 103). Every person has a right to defend himself against an unlawful attack a right that is recognised in section 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. The two theories for the existence of private defence are protection theory, which emphasises each persons right to defend oneself or another against an unlawful attack whereas in upholding-of justice theory is where people acting in private defence perform acts assist in upholding the legal order. (Snyman, Criminal Law, 2004, p. 178). It is the primary duty of the state to protect the life and property of individuals but no state no matter how big its recourses can afford it. Therefore, this right has been given by the state to every citizen to take the law into his own hands for their safety. REQUIREMENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY RELIANCE ON PRIVATE DEFENCE The requirements of private defence can be divided into two groups for the purpose of classification namely: the requirements with which the attack must comply and the requirements with which the defence must comply. Requirements of the attack It must be unlawful A legal interest deserves protection. It must be imminent, but not yet completed The attack must be unlawful When the attack on a person is unlawful only than can a defender rely on private defence. A suspect who was lawfully arrested by a police official cannot rely on private defence in resisting the arrest. On the other hand, when a police official exceeds his powers by arresting a person he is not allowed to arrest the person may resist and can rely on private defence to justify his resistance. A legal interest deserves protection. Normally a person acts in private defence to protect his life, limb, bodily integrity and property. These are not the only interest worth of protection as the courts also recognized a persons right to defend personal freedom, sexual integrity, self-respect and chastity. To protect the interest of other persons is also an act of private defence but than the third party should want the defender to act on his behalf. However, the defender will not be able to rely on private defence if the victim does not want the help of the defender. (Joubert, 2001, p. 52) The attack must be imminent, but not yet completed If it is clear that an attack is about to happen than a person can rely on private defence. The defender doesnt have to wait for the attacker to attack first if the attack is imminent he can avert the attack by defending himself before the attack actually arise. But if the attack have been already completed the defender no longer defend him but get even. In the case of S v Moghlwane it was find that if the attack formed part of one and the same immediate and continued act of resistance, the defender can rely on private defence even if he left the scene temporarily. (S v Mogohlwane, 1982) The defence requirements Before private defence can succeed the defensive action have to comply with certain standards. The defence must be directed at the attacker It must be necessary It must be reasonable The defence must be directed at the attacker When the defence is directed at anyone else than private defence as a ground of justification will not succeed therefore, it may only be directed at the attacker. (Snyman, Criminal Law, 2004) The defence must be necessary If there is another way that the attack can be averted in a less serious way than that option should be used. The law must not be taken into their own hands if the defender can rely on another remedy. Therefore, the defence should be absolutely necessary in order to protect the interest threatened. The question arises than should a person rather flee an attack than resort to private defence? But than once there is a duty to flee it will imply that justice will have to give up to injustice. Therefore, it is not expected of a police official on duty to flee if he is being attacked while lawfully performing his duties. The defence must be reasonable There should be a balance between the attack and the defence. The defence act may not be more harmful than necessary to ward of the attack. Therefore, it would be unreasonable to kill a person who attempts to steal bread. Proportionality also plays a very important role in determining whether the defence was reasonable or not. The proportionality requirement will be met if the defence act is reasonably proportionate to the attack. The right of private defence is a good weapon in the hand of citizens to defend themselves but it is not revenge rather towards the threat and imminent danger of an attack. The courts find it difficult whether this right had been exercised in good faith or not. Conclusion It can be said that the confusion arise between Necessity and private defence are that they are closely related to each other. The difference are than is that private defence is an act of defence directed at an unlawful human attack while necessity is directed at either the interests of another innocent party or a simple legal provision.

Drinks That Cause Tooth Decay Health Essay

Drinks That Cause Tooth Decay Health Essay The content in the drinks that causes tooth decay is the acidic content in our food and beverages. In general, drinks with a pH below 5.0 5.7 have been known to trigger dental erosion. Previous scientific research findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH level in beverages could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure caused by the acid and leads to tooth decay. The acidity level in popular beverages that we consume everyday contributes to the erosion of enamel. Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of a tooth due to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacterial origin. There is generally widespread ignorance of the damaging effects of acid erosion; this is particularly the case with erosion due to fruit juices, because they tend to be seen as healthy. Erosion is found initially in the enamel and if unchecked, may proceed to the underlying structure of a tooth. Numerous clinical and laboratory reports link erosion to excessive consumption of drinks, frui t juices such as orange juice (which contain citric acid) and carbonated drinks (citric and phosphoric acid). This essay examines scientific research of the issue to determine if, in fact, acidic drinks do cause tooth decay. As part of my research, I conducted my own experiment, using human teeth and different types of drinks. After considering the results I obtained, as well as other research, I conclude that acid contain in the drinks is the cause of tooth decay. The acid content will slowly dissolve the enamel of the teeth. It dissolves the calcium molecules from the teeth surface, thus the teeth will erode. This essay will examine the validity of acid content in the drinks as the real culprit to tooth decay, evaluate the extend of the damage and recommendations for proper tooth care. Introduction Tooth decay is the loss of enamel from the tooth surface. When sugary drinks are consumed by bacteria in the mouth, it turns the sugar into acids. These acids corrode the enamel of the teeth, which leads to cavities. Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of a tooth to chemical dissolution by acids not of bacteria origin. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease for children aged 5 17 although it is only recently that it is recognized as a dental health problem. There is generally widespread ignorance of the damaging effects of acid erosion, this particularly due to fruit juices, because they are perceived to be healthy. Erosion is initially found in the enamel and if left unchecked, may proceed to the underlying structure of a tooth. Numerous clinical and laboratory reports linked erosion to excessive consumption of sweet drinks, carbonated drinks and fruit juices. Previous scientific research findings have help to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) level bel ow pH 5.0 5.7 may initiate dental erosion. The consumption behaviour plays a major role in oral health. However, public awareness on dental erosion is not high. Sources of acids can be endogenous or exogenous, and erosive intensity is modified by quality and quantity of saliva. Acidic beverages are the most common extrinsic factors that cause dental erosion (tooth decay). Because of these identified factors, I am interested to do this research to clear my curiosity. Basically this experiment is done to support my hypothesis. The experiment consists of gathering extracted human teeth of various shapes and sizes, disinfection and the submission in the selected beverages. Duration of 5 months is needed to complete the whole experiment. With the findings, I will be convinced and able to convince that acidic beverages cause tooth decay. Review of Literature Lemon Juice The juice extracted from fresh lemon is used as refreshing beverage. People go for lemon juice because they are able to cool down our body temperature. This is why when people are sick, they are advised to drink more citric juices so that the body system can be cooled down and recover the patients. Besides that, lemon juice also has high content of Vitamin C which is essential to our body immune system. 2.2 Coke Coke is a very famous carbonated drink. Despite the fizzy feeling and sweet tasting of the drink, it is actually one of the main contributors to tooth decay. Coke is a very sweet beverage making it able to promote the growth of oral bacteria, which is known as Streptococcus mutan  [1]  as the sugar contained in coke can feed the bacteria. Coke contains phosphoric acid and has the ability to corrode the tooth enamel. Plus, coke can stain the teeth and forms caries on the surface of the teeth  [2]  . 2.3 Coffee Coffee causes calcium loss in our bone mass, which leads to the excretion of calcium from our bones, doesnt matter which part of our body it is. This causes the thinning of the teeth which in turn, causes the teeth to become weak and is vulnerable to corrosion or break. Furthermore, coffee is also mostly acidic, which also causes tooth erosion, then leads to tooth decay  [3]  . 2.4 Energy Drink Energy drinks can also cause tooth decay. The pH level of the drink can lead to tooth erosion and hypersensitivity. It causes the breakdown of the tooth structure. In energy drinks, it is not the acidity of the drink that cause tooth erosion, but it is the buffering capacity of the drink that corrodes the tooth. Buffering capacity is the ability to neutralize acid  [4]  . Energy drinks have high buffering capacity, making them to have the strongest potential to cause tooth erosion. 2.5 Sugar Solution Sugar is scientifically known as sucrose, a sweet tasting organic compound, derived from glucose and fructose. Streptococcus mutans which live in our oral cavity will react with the sugar and form lactic acid which will also causes tooth erosion. Sucrose will be converted into dextran which favors the bacteria to be attracted to the teeth. Dextran is the food for the oral bacteria and lactic acid is their waste product  [5]  . Therefore, those bacteria will just stick to the teeth. This will make it difficult to remove those bacteria  [6]  . 2.6 Tap Water Tap water will not cause tooth decay as it does not have any effects on our teeth. Tap water is fluoride-enhanced, and it serves the purpose of making the teeth stronger and protects the teeth, making it an important teeth-protecting agent. Therefore, tap water will not stand the possibility of causing tooth decay. 2.7 Tooth Anatomy As the function of the teeth is to bite and chew food, hence, they are the first step in the digestion of food. The long, sharp canine teeth tear up food. The wide, flat molars grind and mash up food. Teeth also help us say certain sounds. Human have two sets of teeth in their lives, the primary teeth (also called the baby, milk or deciduous teeth) and the permanent teeth. Children have 20 primary teeth; they are replaced by the permanent teeth by about age 13. Adult have 32 permanent teeth. 7 Diagram of a tooth anatomy 3.0 Hypothesis Acid in drinks is the cause of tooth decay. Acidic drinks such as orange juice and lemon juice, the acid content will slowly dissolve the calcium in the teeth, corroding the enamel. The process starts from the surface of the teeth, towards the inner structure of the teeth. Method Development Planning In order to carry out this research successfully, materials have been carefully chosen to give a more promising and accurate result. Materials were carefully studied through several researches and readings from various useful sources. For my research, I have studied and researched on drinks such as lemon juice, coke, coffee, energy drink (100-Plus), sugar solution and tap water. The choice of tap water in my experiment is because of the neutral pH and fluoride enhancement. I have been studying about the compositions of the drinks and how they actually contributed to tooth decay. This experiment was carried out in the Health Laboratory of a Government Health Clinic in Sibu. All the research work was done during each of my college holidays. I was fortunate because I was consented to use the apparatus like digital weighing scale, microscope and more. All the extracted human teeth were supplied by the dental clinic with consent granted by the dental officer. I was also being taught the proper way of disinfecting the teeth with a proper disinfectant by the health staff in the laboratory. The main reason I chose to do my experiment here is because of the proper equipment available. Besides, I can also handle the teeth in a correct way to prevent myself from the bacteria. During the planning stage, Ive done a thorough research in choosing the appropriate drinks to be tested in my experiment. I chose only those drinks is because they are some of the popular drinks and are consumed the most nowadays. Besides that, these drinks are easily available in the market, regardless whether it is in the urban or rural area. And since I am studying of the effects of these drinks on human, so children can be a good subject for me because these drinks are mostly consumed by children. These drinks are also very affordable, so there wont be any financial problem in carrying out this experiment. As for the teeth, various types of teeth were used in this experiment. However, no specific tooth is being used due to the unavailability. These teeth range from Incisors, Canine, premolar to molar. Tooth that is with minimal erosion noted is selected for this experiment as no perfect human tooth is being extracted and readily available for such an experiment. 30 human teeth are used in this experiment. Only 30 teeth are used because it is quite difficult to get human teeth as human teeth are really dirty and dentists usually dispose them off immediately due to hygienic reason. Besides that, as for the solutions, 200ml of each solution is used. The same amount of solutions are also used each and everytime when I change the solutions in each beaker, once a week. This experiment takes approximately 5 months in order to obtain a more significant and accurate result. Initially the duration of the experiment was only 10 weeks as planned; however no significant change can be seen. Therefore, the duration of the experiment was extended to 5 months instead because the teeth required a longer period of time to witness a significant change in the structure of every tooth. The experiment was carried out at room temperature, which is approximately at. This is because oral bacteria can function well at such temperature, which may contribute to a more accurate result. The experiment was done, with permission, for using the equipment at a Clinic laboratory of a Healthcare facility in Sibu. All the extracted teeth for this study were taken from the Dental Clinic of that facility with each tooth weighs between 0.510 gram and 2.280 gram depending on various types of teeth (molar, premolar, canine and incisor) extracted and the weight of these extracted teeth. After being thoroughly washed and disinfected (to prevent any possible infections during the process of this experiment), specimens (extracted teeth) were alternately immersed, 5s, in each different types of drinks place in a labelled beaker ranging from A to F as follows: Beaker A Lemon juice Beaker B Coke Beaker C Coffee Beaker D 100 Plus Beaker E Sugar Solution Beaker F Tap Water This study was done for duration of 5 months. This is to enable me to note significant changes. This is necessary in order for me to chart and document accurately the gradually changes to these teeth. A shorter duration will not show any significant changes which could be documented. The first reading will only be done after 1 month post immersion in each of the marked beaker filled with the experimented drinks. These readings include the documentation of the colour, contour (mass) and the weight of each tooth after which at the end of my study I would be able to determine which of the 6 beakers show significant changes in the tooth mass. The inspection of each beaker will be done monthly for the next subsequent 5 months. Beaker A (lemon juice) Beaker B (Coke) Beaker C (coffee) Beaker D (100 Plus) Beaker E (sugar water) Beaker F (tap water) In the meantime, a clean 200ml beaker was used to measure 200ml of lemon juice and the beaker is labelled accordingly. The pH of each drink is being measured to determine their acidity level. pH Chart from the journal of dental hygiene is being used as a guideline for my experiment. The diagram below show the various pH levels of frequently consumed foods and drinks below pH 5.0 5.7 which may initiate dental erosion. This step was repeated to measure out the same amount (200ml) of Coke, coffee, 100 Plus, sugar water and tap water. In the experiment, tap water acts as a control. After that, 30 teeth of almost the same size were cleaned and disinfected thoroughly with antiseptic disinfectant. The teeth must be clean and are without plague in order to detect new changes to the mass and contour of the teeth. Then, the teeth were dried with a hair dryer to ascertain that the teeth are totally dry and no residual water detected. This is done to make sure that the result will not be temper ed. The initial mass of each tooth was also weighted and the measurements were recorded. After the measuring processes, each of the teeth was immersed into their respective beakers ranging from beaker A to beaker F, 5 teeth per solution per beaker due to the limited amount of human teeth available. Those teeth must be immersed completely in their respective solution. After that, those 6 beakers were left in the laboratory under standard room temperature and humidity. After a month, every tooth in the 6 beakers was individually checked and the changes which had taken place on the surface of the teeth were observed and documented with each of the tooth mass measured. Then these teeth are re-immersed with fresh drinks (to ensure the potency of these drinks does not decline) for the subsequent month documentation. This process will be carried out at a monthly interval with fresh solution to detect any changes occurring to the mass and contour of the teeth, be it acute or gradual. At the end of the experiment which lasted for 5 months, the teeth were removed from each of the solutions and they were cleaned. After cleaning process, the teeth were dried using a hair dryer until each of them was totally dry. The final mass of each tooth was weighted and all the measurements were recorded as shown in the table below. At last, the data collected, which is the final mass (quantitative data) and the observation on the teeth (qualitative data) were tabulated for analysis. 8 Diagram of the pH level of frequently consumed food and drinks below pH 5.0-5.7 may initiate dental erosion. 5.0 Materials and Procedure 5.1 Materials Materials Quantity Extracted tooth 30 Lemon juice 200ml Coke 200ml Coffee 200ml 100 Plus 200ml Sugar solution 200ml Tap Water 200ml 5.2 Apparatus Apparatus Quantity 200ml beaker 6 Forceps 1 Electronic balance 1 Magnifying glass 1 Hair dryer 1 Microscope 1 5.3 Variables Variables Independent variable Different types of drinks (lemon juice, coke, coffee, 100 plus, sugar water, tap water) Dependent variable Condition of the teeth Constant variable Volume of drinks used Type of teeth used Temperature of the drinks Duration of the experiment Number of teeth used 5.4 Methodology Prepare 6 clean and empty beakers. Label all the 6 beakers with alphabets, ranging from A to F. Beaker A Lemon juice Beaker B Coke Beaker C Coffee Beaker D 100 Plus Beaker E Sugar solution Beaker F Distilled water In the mean time, use a clean 200ml beaker, measure 200ml of lemon juice. Repeat step (3) with coke, coffee, 100 Plus, sugar water and distilled water. The distilled water acts as the control experiment. Then, clean 30 teeth of the same size thoroughly. Make sure that there is no plaque on them. Dry the teeth with a hair dryer. Weight the initial mass of the teeth. Record the measurements. Immerse the each of the teeth into respective beakers. Label the teeth with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for easy recognition. Make sure that the tooth is completely immersed in their respective solution. Leave the 6 beakers in the laboratory with a standard surrounding temperature. After 24 hours, check on the tooth in the 6 beakers and observe the changes which are taken place on the surface of the teeth. Remove the teeth from the solutions and clean them. Dry the teeth with a hair dryer and make sure that they are totally dry. Weight the final mass of the teeth. Record the measurement. Tabulate the data. Data Collection 6.1 Quantitative Data Drinks pH Value Lemon Juice 2.10 Coke 2.30 Coffee 4.95 100 Plus 3.78 Sugar Solution 7.00 Tap Water 7.00 The table shows the pH level of each drink for this study. Type of Drinks pH Value () Month Mass of Teeth/mg () Tooth 1 Tooth 2 Tooth 3 Tooth 4 Tooth 5 Lemon Juice 2.10 1 2.37 2.68 1.80 2.22 1.05 2 2.37 2.67 1.79 2.21 1.04 3 2.35 2.65 1.78 2.20 1.03 4 2.33 2.63 1.75 2.18 1.01 5 2.29 2.60 1.72 2.14 0.98 Coke 2.30 1 1.82 2.33 2.06 1.80 2.46 2 1.81 2.32 2.06 1.80 2.44 3 1.79 2.30 2.04 1.78 2.43 4 1.75 2.28 2.01 1.76 2.41 5 1.75 2.26 1.98 1.74 2.39 Coffee 4.95 1 1.55 1.74 2.34 2.26 1.37 2 1.55 1.73 2.33 2.26 1.36 3 1.54 1.73 2.32 2.25 1.36 4 1.52 1.71 2.31 2.25 1.35 5 1.50 1.69 2.29 2.24 1.33 100 Plus 3.78 1 2.67 2.64 2.75 1.30 2.14 2 2.66 2.63 2.75 1.30 2.12 3 2.64 2.61 2.73 1.28 2.10 4 2.62 2.60 2.71 1.25 2.08 5 2.60 2.58 2.69 1.23 2.06 Sugar Solution 7.00 1 1.37 1.46 2.06 1.47 2.33 2 1.37 1.45 2.04 1.46 2.32 3 1.35 1.45 2.03 1.44 2.30 4 1.34 1.44 2.01 1.43 2.29 5 1.33 1.43 2.00 1.42 2.28 Tap Water 7.00 1 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.63 2 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.63 3 2.65 2.43 2.86 1.43 2.62 4 2.64 2.43 2.85 1.43 2.62 5 2.63 2.42 2.84 1.43 2.61 The table shows the mass of the teeth throughout the experiment. 6.2 Qualitative Data Type of Drinks Month Colour Contour Mass Lemon Juice 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Coke 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Coffee 1 No change No change No change 2 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish brown Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease 100 Plus 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change Slight decrease 3 Yellowish Microscopic flaking and softening of enamel Slight decrease 4 Yellowish Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Sugar Solution 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change No change 3 Yellowish No change Slight decrease 4 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Significant decrease 5 Yellowish brown Erosion noted Consistent decrease Tap Water 1 No change No change No change 2 No change No change No change 3 No change No change Slight decrease 4 No change No change Slight decrease 5 Yellowish No change Slight decrease The table shows the observations obtained throughout the experiment. 7.0 Data Processing Analysis 7.1 Data Processing 7.1.1 Calculation for the difference in mass of the teeth. Formula: Difference in mass =Mass in month 1- Mass in month 5 Example, The 5th month (lemon juice), tooth 1: Difference = = *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Difference in mass/mg () Tooth 1 Tooth 2 Tooth 3 Tooth 4 Tooth 5 Lemon Juice 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.07 Coke 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.06 0.07 Coffee 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.04 100 Plus 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.08 Sugar solution 0.04 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.05 Tap water 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.02 The table shows the difference in mass of each tooth throughout the 5 months for each drink. 7.1.2 Calculation for the uncertainties of difference in mass Formula: Uncertainty of the initial mass + uncertainty of the final mass Example, Therefore, difference in mass for tooth 1 in lemon juice: Difference = *Same calculation applied to others. 7.1.3 Calculation for the average difference. Formula: Example, For lemon juice: *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Average difference in mass/mg Lemon juice 0.08 Coke 0.07 Coffee 0.05 100 Plus 0.07 Sugar solution 0.05 Tap water 0.01 The table shows the average difference in mass of the teeth in each drink. 7.1.4 Calculations for the Standard deviation of the average difference in mass. Due to the complexity of the calculation, the standard deviation is calculated by using the Graphic Display Calculator (GDC). Steps: Press the STAT button. Press the ENTER button. List the data (the average difference in mass of the 5 teeth per solution) in one of the column. Press the STAT button. Press > button so that the CALC image on the screen is highlighted. Press the ENTER button. Beside the 1 Var Stats words on the screen, type the 2ND button and the name of the column that contains the data (name of the column used in step 3). Press the ENTER button. The standard deviation is equal to. The above steps are repeated to calculate the standard deviation for the teeth in the rest of the drinks. Example, For lemon juice, Key in the difference in mass of the 5 teeth in the 1st column. Based on the steps above, the GDC automatically calculated the standard deviation, which is,. *Same calculation applied to others. Type of Drinks Average Difference in Mass/mgStandard Deviation Lemon juice 0.080.004 Coke 0.070.007 Coffee 0.050.007 100 Plus 0.070.008 Sugar Solution 0.050.011 Tap water 0.010.009 The table shows the average difference in mass of the teeth with the standard deviation. 7.1.5 Calculation of the rate of reaction between the teeth and the drinks. Formula: Calculations: Lemon Juice Rate of Reaction = = Coke Rate of Reaction = = Coffee Rate of Reaction = = 100 Plus Rate of Reaction = = Sugar Solution Rate of Reaction = = Tap Water Rate of Reaction = = 7.1.6 Calculation for the standard error of the rate of reaction. Formula: Where, = uncertainty of the mass = rate of reaction Example: Lemon juice Coke Coffee 100 Plus Sugar Solution Tap Water Type of Drinks pH Value Duration of Experiment/ months Average Difference in Mass/ mg Rate of Reaction/ mg/day Lemon juice 2.10 5 0.080.004 Coke 2.30 5 0.070.007 Coffee 4.95 5 0.050.007 100 Plus 3.78 5 0.070.008 Sugar solution 7.00 5 0.050.011 Tap water 7.00 5 0.010.009 The table shows the summary of the calculations in the experiment. 7.2 Data Presentation 7.3 Statistical Analysis 7.3.1 T-test lemon juice and sugar solution. 1st Month: t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means Variable 1 Variable 2 Mean 2.024 1.738 Variance 0.39683 0.18467 Observations 5 5 Pearson Correlation -0.933627334 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.286 df 4 t Stat 2.38114E-16 P(T 0.5 t Critical one-tail 2.131846786 P(T 1 t Critical two-tail 2.776445105 To do a T-test, I came up with two hypotheses, which are as followed: The difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is not significant. The difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is significant. From the result of T-test generated by Microsoft Excel 2010, the value of is and the value of is. Thus, . Therefore, is accepted and is rejected. This means that from the T-test, the difference between the average mass of the teeth in lemon juice and sugar solution for the 1st month is not significant. This is because all the teeth used in this experiment have an average mass initially. 7.3.2 T-test between lemon juice and sugar solution 2nd Month: t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means Variable 1 Variable 2 Mean 2.016 1.728 Variance 0.39858 0.18127 Observations 5 5 Pearson Correlation -0.938299713 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.288 df 4

Memory (SPEECH OUTLINE) -- essays research papers fc

Memory Specific purpose: to increase my audience's understanding of how memory functions and how it affects them. Central idea: Memory is a process of the brain which is prone to certain failures, although specific steps can be taken to guard against these failures. Introduction I. Memory problems can affect us in many ways. A. Some of you might have had problems finding your keys before you came to class. B. Some of you have certainly suffered from "What's Your Name Again?" syndrome. 1. We can remember attributes of people without being able to recall their names. 2. For instance, you may not know my name but you would be able to recognize me as being in your class. II. I will explain some of the basic ways memory can fail and how to take care of your memory. A. Memory can fail in numerous ways, from the common examples above to more devasting problems, like Alzheimer's disease. B. Fortunately, brain problems like Alzheimer's can be delayed or even prevented. C. In order to understand how human memory fails, we need a basic understanding of how it works. Body I. Memory is a complex process that takes place primarily in the brain. Cite: Cognition Lab @ NASA, website A. Short-term memory is the first memory formed. 1. Short-term memory holds memories that were created recently for a short period of time. a. includes sensory memory b. can turn into long-term memory B. Long-term memory stores memories created throughout our past that we may need at a future time. 1. For long term memory to be formed from short-term memory, three conditions must be met: a. attention b. repetition c. connection 2. There are two basic types of long-term memory: Cite: Dr. Eric Kendel in States of Mind, Columbia professor and director of Columbia's Center for Neurobiology and Behavior a. implicit &nbs... ...p; ii. seems to protect brain's central learning & reasoning regions from shrinkage b. All-around healthy diet is recommended. Conclusion I. Take care of your brain, because your memory is one of your most important assets. II. Keep in mind that your memory is imperfect. A. Memory is generally effective. B. People's memories can make errors such that they believe in a memory that is inaccurate. C. Even your memory can fail, so don't believe everything that you remember. Works Cited Begley, Sharon. "Memory's Mind Games." Newsweek 16 July 2001: 52-54. Conlan, Roberta, ed. States of Mind. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Human Memory. 1998. NASA Cognition Lab. <http://eos.arc.nasa.gov/cognition/tutorials/ModelOf/Knowmore1.html>. Lemonick, Michael and Alice Park. "The Nun Study." Time 14 May 2001: 54-65. Loftus, Elizabeth, and Katherine Ketcham. Witness for the Defense: The Accused, the Eyewitness, and the Expert Who Puts Memory on Trial. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992.

Tiger Subspecies :: essays research papers

Tiger Subspecies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am here writing a report on the sub species of tigers. Many of these tigers will not survive in the next forty years due to the killing that us humans have caused. Tiger sub species have not been as important to us humans as whether or not the species Tiger Panthera tigris can survive either in the wild or in captivity for the next forty years. Nevertheless a great deal of information on the future of the tiger can be learned from a study of subspecies. Which is what my report will be based on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is amazing to me that people want numbers of tigers. Process is the important aspect. If I say that the number of Sumatra tigers today is between 300 and 400, it doesn't tell one that the 1975 census was 1500. Therefore saying that the Bali tiger, theCaspian tiger, the Javan tiger, the Manchurian tiger, and the Southwest Chinese tiger are now extinct doesn't give you aportrait of the process of extinction. The Javan tiger became extinct in the 1970's in a set aside special national park under full protection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Politicans and bureaucrats seem to be obsessed with numbers and not trends. Let me illustrate this with tigers. There are frequently requests as to the exact number of tigers, or a tiger subspecies left in the world. That tells you that there are people that care. But there are so little tigers left that we can not even keep track of them. We should look at the trend that the population is taking, rather than the number as a slice in time. Just as you might say of a young member of the Hunt family, that they were very wealthy. A hypothetical individual was 24 years old and had $1,000,000. What isn'tavailable in this one time analysis was that this Hunt inherited $24,000,000 at age 21, has no education nor ever worked. At age 22 Hunt had $9,000,000 and at 23 had $4,000,000. Now instead of saying Hunt was rich, we would say Hunt is in trouble. Tigers are a great deal like Hunt. The estimates of tigers are from the Carnivore Preservation Trust has arrived at their own estimates; they are highly educated guesses:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bengal tigers probably number fewer than 1000 in India. In majority of that country it is hopelessly fragmented. It is, overall, actively poached. Fewer than 200 exist in Nepal and under 1000 exist in Myammar (Burma). Indochinese tigers are among 500 and 2000. CPT's guess is about 700 amidst heavy poaching. In the early sixties when the South China tiger had a population of Tiger Subspecies :: essays research papers Tiger Subspecies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am here writing a report on the sub species of tigers. Many of these tigers will not survive in the next forty years due to the killing that us humans have caused. Tiger sub species have not been as important to us humans as whether or not the species Tiger Panthera tigris can survive either in the wild or in captivity for the next forty years. Nevertheless a great deal of information on the future of the tiger can be learned from a study of subspecies. Which is what my report will be based on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is amazing to me that people want numbers of tigers. Process is the important aspect. If I say that the number of Sumatra tigers today is between 300 and 400, it doesn't tell one that the 1975 census was 1500. Therefore saying that the Bali tiger, theCaspian tiger, the Javan tiger, the Manchurian tiger, and the Southwest Chinese tiger are now extinct doesn't give you aportrait of the process of extinction. The Javan tiger became extinct in the 1970's in a set aside special national park under full protection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Politicans and bureaucrats seem to be obsessed with numbers and not trends. Let me illustrate this with tigers. There are frequently requests as to the exact number of tigers, or a tiger subspecies left in the world. That tells you that there are people that care. But there are so little tigers left that we can not even keep track of them. We should look at the trend that the population is taking, rather than the number as a slice in time. Just as you might say of a young member of the Hunt family, that they were very wealthy. A hypothetical individual was 24 years old and had $1,000,000. What isn'tavailable in this one time analysis was that this Hunt inherited $24,000,000 at age 21, has no education nor ever worked. At age 22 Hunt had $9,000,000 and at 23 had $4,000,000. Now instead of saying Hunt was rich, we would say Hunt is in trouble. Tigers are a great deal like Hunt. The estimates of tigers are from the Carnivore Preservation Trust has arrived at their own estimates; they are highly educated guesses:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bengal tigers probably number fewer than 1000 in India. In majority of that country it is hopelessly fragmented. It is, overall, actively poached. Fewer than 200 exist in Nepal and under 1000 exist in Myammar (Burma). Indochinese tigers are among 500 and 2000. CPT's guess is about 700 amidst heavy poaching. In the early sixties when the South China tiger had a population of

Ancient China Essay -- essays research papers

One of the most important inventions of all time was the invention of gunpowder. â€Å"Imagine their enemy's surprise when the Chinese first demonstrated their newest invention in the eighth century AD. Chinese scientists discovered that an explosive mixture could be produced by combining sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate). The military applications were clear. New weapons were rapidly developed, including rockets and others that were launched from a bamboo tube† (Franklin Institute). The Chinese are known for their inventions that still are used in the modern day. Those inventions are paper, gunpowder, books, and much more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gunpowder was discovered in the tenth century by Chinese medicine men that were looking for the secret to immortality. They thought that gunpowder could be used as a medicine of some sort. â€Å"The invention of gunpowder gave the Chinese a distinct advantage over their enemies, changing the nature of warfare† (Ken Hsu, Willy Hsu, Micheal Lu).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At first gunpowder was used to blast rocks apart and to make fireworks, later to be used as warfare. To medieval Chinese it was simply an aid to esthetic pleasure. By the 10th century, gunpowder began to be used for military purposes in China in the form of rockets and explosive bombs fired from catapults. The first reference to cannon appears in 1126 when oil bamboo tubes were used to launch missiles at the enemy. Eventually bamboo tubes were replaced by metal tubes, and the oldest cannon in China dates from 1290. From China, the military use of gunpowder appears to have spread to Japan and Europe. â€Å"It was used by the Mongols against the Hungarians in 1241 and was mentioned by Roger Bacon in 1248. By the mid 14th century, early cannons are mentioned extensively both in Europe and in China.† (Jack Kelly). In China as in Europe, the use of gunpowder to produce firearms and cannons was delayed by difficulties in creating metal tubes that would contain an explosion. This problem may have led to the false myth that the Chinese used their invention only for the manufacture of fireworks. In fact, gunpowder powered cannons and rockets were extensively used in the Mongol conquests of the 13th century and were a feature of East Asian warfare afterwards. â€Å"The short squat and thick city walls of Beijing for example, were specifically designe... ...emoved by hand. The fibers are beaten in a blender or by hand to a creamy pulp. At this stage, dyes can be added to create colored papers. The pulp is poured into a large tub and the fibers are suspended in the water. The artisan dips a framed screen into the water and with great skill, lifts it to the surface catching the fibers onto the screen. The screens can be left in the sun to dry, or be transferred to boards, pressed, smoothed and then dried. â€Å"It wasn't until the invention of paper that information could be recorded and passed on cheaply and in greater quantity† (Paper Trading International).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the many years of experimenting it has paid off for the Chinese. I researched two great masterpieces from it. But there were many more inventions, like the compass, medicine, printing, embroidery and silk. When trying to find the secret to immortality they made gunpowder with a bang! When getting bored trying to make something to send messages on they made the great paper. Both of these inventions are still used this very day, maybe it will be used for a lot more in years to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Project: South African Aluminum Essay

At the beginning of 1994, Alusaf was considering building the world’s largest greenfield primary aluminum smelter, a 466,000-ton-per-year smelter at Richard’s Bay, a deepwater port on the east coast of South Africa’s province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Alusaf was the sole primary aluminum producer in South Africa, operating 170,000 tpy of capacity at the existing â€Å"Bayside† facility at Richard’s Bay. Alusaf’s 1993 revenues were $220. 2 million, up 1% from 1992. Income was $8. 6 million, up 122% from 1992. A feasibility study for the proposed â€Å"Hillside† smelter had been completed over the past two years. During this time, South Africa’s political regime had undergone a dramatic transformation with the 1993 passing of the Transitional Executive Council (TEC) Bill. This bill removed absolute power from the hands of whites and created a multi-racial body that would share responsibility for organizing and overseeing the general elections to be held in April 1994. Within days, Nelson Mandela, leader of the African National Congress party, addressed the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid in New York, calling on the international community to lift sanctions against South Africa. The European Union, the Organization of African Unity, Canada, China, Sweden, Singapore, India, and the United States all responded quickly with announcements that they would begin the process of restoring normal economic relations with South Africa. Aluminum prices had fallen dramatically since the feasibility study was begun, as Russian aluminum continued to flood the market. Now, with aluminum prices near their all-time low in real terms in early 1994, Alusaf had to decide whether to embark on this massive project. The South African Aluminum Industry The South African aluminum industry’s origins could be traced to investments made by Alcan in the 1940s. As part of its efforts to create demand for its ingot, Alcan built semifabrication capacity in South Africa to serve the local market. A government-coordinated development effort at the port of Richard’s Bay, together with a desire to reduce dependence on imported ingot, led to construction of South Africa’s first primary production facility nearly 25 years later. The original Bayside plant came onstream in 1972 with ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Kenneth S. Corts prepared this case as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 2002 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. This document is authorized for use only in PGDM 1st Year – 1007 by Rakhi Singh at IILM Institute for Business and Management, Gurgaon (IILM-IBM, Gurgaon) from October 2013 to April 2014. 799-130 Aluminum Smelting in South Africa: Alusaf’s Hillside Project capacity of approximately 85,000 tpy. Less than a quarter of Bayside’s production was exported. Ten years later, the Bayside plant was expanded through the relocation to Richard’s Bay of a similarly sized plant in Niigata, Japan, that had been shut down due to escalating energy costs. Over three quarters of the new plant’s production was exported as ingot. In 1989, South African mining and metals giant Gencor acquired a controlling interest in Alusaf. The other primary shareholders were Swiss aluminum producer Alusuisse and South Africa’s quasigovernmental Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). Gencor was founded in 1980 by the merger of two major mining companies, each founded in the late nineteenth century. Since that merger, Gencor had been a diversified financial, mining and industrial conglomerate. In May 1993, Gencor announced it was spinning off its financial and industrial interests in order to refocus on its mining, metals, and minerals businesses. In addition to Alusaf, the companies retained in the â€Å"unbundled† Gencor included the world’s third-largest gold producer, the world’s second-largest platinum producer, the world’s largest producer of ferroalloys, and the world’s largest supplier of titanium dioxide feedstock. Basic financial results for Gencor are given in Table A. Table Aduction of secondary aluminum had held relatively steady at about 30,000 tpy since 1980. Together with primary production, this brought total domestic production to about 200,000 tpy (see Exhibit 1). In 1994, semifabrication in South Africa remained primarily focused on domestic demand. South African aluminum exports totaled approximately 100,000 tpy, of which 20,000 tpy were semifabricated products and 80,000 tpy were ingot. Domestic consumption totaled about 130,000 tpy, of which about 30,000 was imported products (see Exhibit 2). The Hillside Project Escom, South Africa’s electrical power utility, initiated discussion of the Hillside project with Alusaf in mid-1991. With aluminum prices around $1,300 per ton, Alusaf had suggested to Escom that the Bayside smelter was not economically viable given market conditions and might be shut down. Escom responded with an offer to reduce power rates dramatically if Bayside were kept open and an additional facility at Richard’s Bay constructed. Escom offered to supply the smelter’s approximately 680 Mw electricity requirements under an unusual long-term contract. About half the world’s smelters operated under contracts guaranteeing discounted electricity for multiple years; often these contracts tied the price of electricity to the price 2 This document is authorized for use only in PGDM 1st Year – 1007 by Rakhi Singh at IILM Institute for Business and Management, Gurgaon (IILM-IBM, Gurgaon) from October 2013 to April 2014. Aluminum Smelting in South Africa: Alusaf’s Hillside Project 799-130 of aluminum and employed complicated formulas that imposed caps and floors on prices. The 25year Escom/Alusaf contract was unique in its simplicity: Alusaf would pay Escom 16% of the per-ton price of aluminum for every ton of aluminum produced, assuming the plant produced at its designed efficiency. While the contract did contain provisions protecting Escom from inefficient production, it did not protect Escom against fluctuations in the price of aluminum. Escom and Alusaf were also discussing whether Escom might take an equity stake in the facility. As a result of high growth projections in the 1970s, Escom had built enormous generating capacity of 38,000 Mw, of which 8,000 Mw now stood idle. Rob Barbour, managing director of Alusaf, claimed that the high energy requirements of aluminum production made aluminum essentially â€Å"frozen energy† and that therefore Alusaf â€Å"will become an exporter of South African energy with i high value-added. † For provision of all the basic engineering and technology for the plant, Alusaf planned to contract with Pechiney, the French firm whose technology had been used in over three quarters of all recent smelter projects. Lacking bauxite and alumina operations, Alusaf intended to import the full 900,000 tpy alumina requirement of the new smelter and had negotiated a tentative alumina supply agreement with Alcoa of Australia and Billiton (a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell). This contract tied the price of alumina to the price of aluminum, a common contracting practice employed by about half the world’s smelters. For the Hillside plant, this contract ensured that per-ton alumina and power costs would always amount to 41% of the price of aluminum. Estimates for other operating costs at Hillside are given in Table B. Capital costs were estimated to total $2 billion. Table B Hillside’s Projected Operating Costs ($ per ton) Other raw materials $143 Plant power and fuel 17 Consumables 32 Maintenance Labor Freight 38 68 40 General and administrative 32 Before the feasibility study was complete, Barbour announced that he believed there was a â€Å"high probability† the smelter would be approved. â€Å"In the meantime we hope to deter others from thinking about aluminum smelter projects,† he added. â€Å"We want to frighten them off by convincing ii them that this one is unstoppable. † The Decision In early 1994, tentative contracts for power, alumina, and the smelting technology were all in place, and willing investors had been lined up. The financing plan called for $1. 9 billion of new capital to be raised, about $830 million of it in equity. Gencor was to contribute $340 million in 3 This document is authorized for use only in PGDM 1st Year – 1007 by Rakhi Singh at IILM Institute for Business and Management, Gurgaon (IILM-IBM, Gurgaon) from October 2013 to April 2014. 799-130 Aluminum Smelting in South Africa: Alusaf’s Hillside Project equity, the IDC $270 million in equity, other local institutions $140 million in equity, and Escom $80 million in convertible debt. Three new smelters using the Pechiney technology had been completed in recent months. Now, Hillside was the only planned smelter project, and a number of other proposed projects had been cancelled. Equipment suppliers were quoting Alusaf prices 20% to 30% below those supplied for the feasibility study, and the capital cost of the new plant was now projected to total only $1. 6 billion. At the beginning of 1994, aluminum prices stood at $1,110. Aluminum-producing countries had scheduled meetings in the coming months to address the world glut of aluminum, but it was unclear whether prices would recover anytime soon. Barbour wondered whether he should commit to this enormous and ambitious project in the face of these uncertain industry conditions. 4 This document is authorized for use only in PGDM 1st Year – 1007 by Rakhi Singh at IILM Institute for Business and Management, Gurgaon (IILM-IBM, Gurgaon) from October 2013 to April 2014.