Beyond The Chocolate War essays

Beyond The Chocolate War essays Beyond The Chocolate War, a novel written by Robert Cormier is the compelling sequel to The Chocolate War. Robert Cormier is a successful writer who pictures the typical lives of everyday people with extraordinary talent. He is also the author of After The First Death the set novel for year 10 this year. As the names suggest, these books revolve around the same classification: conflict however these are not your common books about pure physical war and battle but it adresses the other side of conflict - the thoughts racing though the characters minds. He very carefully nurtures the plot and story through not only the actions but the thinking of people to build up to a complex climax. The genre of Beyond The Chocolate War is a psychological thriller that deals with the darker side side of human nature. The novel considers real life situations exaggerated for more effect is a very psychological manner. The dilemmas and predicaments experienced by the many characters in the story are expressed via the battle with their own mind, their decisions and the outcomes of their decisions afterwards. There are many themes in Beyond The Chocolate War that all contribute to the composition on the story. Relationships, sexual desires, fighting, revenge, murder, rape, assault, anxiety/distress/trouble (very much so), rebellion, suicide, school values, secret societies and authority. The were numerous examples of relationships and sexual desires with the main character (Obie) having a girlfriend and other people lusting after her. Fighting was not used much - like brain over brawn although there were some fights involving physical violence and injury between students. The strong jocks and students who had built stature's were made to be in a lesser class, easily manipulated and "dopey" despite their physique. The plot of the story was also largely based on revenge with many of the characters devising devious plans as vengeance against one of the ...

Combustible Liquids in Storage Tanks

Suppression of Flammable/Combustible Liquids in Storage Tanks Introduction The use, storage, and handling of flammable liquids or chemicals require appropriate measures to protect people from fires or explosions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Suppression of Flammable/Combustible Liquids in Storage Tanks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Experience has proven that poor safety practices when handling combustible or flammable liquids can be a major cause of explosions or fires that can cause injuries and at times death (Hildebrand and Gregory 21). Important terms Before looking at this subject, one must know various important terms relating to the subject. The flash point of a liquid describes the lowest temperature at which the liquid generates enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with the air close to the liquid’s surface (NFPA 6s of these industries include but not limited to power plants, oil refineries as well as car manufacturing plants. Most of this facilities store their flammable liquids in atmospheric storage tanks. The sizes of these tanks may vary with some having a diameter as large as 350 feet and capable of holding quantities exceeding 1.5 million barrels of liquid (Hildebrand and Gregory 18). The classification of storage tanks is mainly based on the type of roofs that they have. There are several types of storage tank that may include; internal (covered) floating roof, domed external floating roof and open top floating roof (Crawford 25). While choosing a storage tank several things are considered including the location as well as the liquid that will be stored in the tank. For those liquids that are flammable, it is advised that they be stored in large cone roof tanks. If this is not possible, they may be stored in underground tanks or tanks that are lowly pressurized. Flammable liquids are mainly stored in internal floating roof tanks or open top floating roof tanks when in large quantities and in small low-pressure horizontal or vertical tanks and underground tanks (Shelley 63).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Suppression of Flammable/Combustible Liquids in Storage Tanks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Open-top floating roof tanks These types of tanks are those that are used and have no fixed roof. Their roof is made to float on the liquid in the tank and the roof can rise or fall according to the level of the flammable liquid in the storage tank. â€Å"The tanks are fitted with rim seals to prevent vapors from escaping to the atmosphere† (Hildebrand and Gregory 33). Internal floating roof tanks These types of tanks are made having two roofs where one is a permanent roof and the other is a floating roof. Internal floating roof tanks are usually equipped with vertical supports for the permanent roof (Hildebrand and Gregory 33). Just like the open –top floating roof the internal roof will float on the liquid and will ri se and fall as the level of the liquid in the storage tank changes. This roof will usually float on pontoons and other times it will be fixed with a double deck that helps it to float on the liquid. In order to allow the space between the two roofs to breathe, the fixed roof is usually constructed with air vents. These vents are fitted since the vapor space of the fixed roof is considered lower than the flammable limits (Shelley 64). In the attempt to avoid fumes escaping from the tank, seals are fitted in the rim seal spaces of the tank. The internal floating tanks are mostly used to store liquids that are very flammable such as petrol. Fixed roof tanks These are vertical cylindrical structures made of steel and have a permanent attached roof (Shelley 64). In industries that mostly deal with petrol the roofs are cone shaped and this gives them their name fixed cone roof tanks. In fixed roof tanks, the roof is usually slightly domed or flat to allow a vapor space between the under side of the roof and the surface of the liquid and to prevent the accumulation of water (NFPA 7-16).Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the construction of the tanks, API standards are followed and the tanks are fitted with a weak roof that helps to shell seam. This allows the roof and the main structure shell to separate in case of internal over pressure arising from explosion or other situations. Storage tank fire: Causes and Prevention Every year there are very many cases of storage tank fires in the world. The causes of this fire can be as a result of human errors, inappropriate safety policies or simple design errors. The following section presents various causes of storage fires and the appropriate suppression, prevention techniques. Overfill fires These fires occur above ground in the dike surrounding the storage tank due to leakages in the pipe or tanks (Crawford 33). These types of fires can occur on any storage tank that is above the ground. Most of these fires are caused by operators’ errors and at times the malfunction of equipment or both. This leads into the spillage of the flammable or com bustible liquid into the dike above ground. It is important to identify the source of the spillage and isolate all source of ignition from the spillage in order to prevent overfill ignition. An example of overspill fires is the Buncefield oil depot fire that occurred in December 11, 2005 in Hertfordshire, UK (Crawford 35). The oil depot was struck by lightning leading to the malfunction of the safety system responsible for stopping the flow of unleaded gasoline into the storage tank. Over 300 tons of gasoline overflowed from the tanks and began filling the containment dike. Finally, the vapor cloud from the spill flowed over the dyke and spread to surrounding areas in the facility. Sometime later, an explosion originated from a nearby car park and spread quickly to other areas of the facility and finally reaching the dikes. It took over five days for the fire to be extinguished completely. Vent fires These are the types of fires resulting from the ignition of fugitive vapors exiti ng tank vents, mainly during tank filling (Hildebrand and Gregory 35). In most cases, the fires usually are as a result of lightning but can also be caused by static discharge, electrical arcing and human activities near the location of the tank. Vent fires can occur in any type of storage space tanks apart from external suspended-roof tanks, which do not hold any vents. In order to prevent static discharge in the storage tanks, API standards have been developed to identify the correct conditions and flow rates. Another way of suppressing vent fires is through ensuring that the tanks are relatively safe from lightning from applying lightning protectors as per NFPA guidelines (NAFP 20-217) and that any human activities near the tanks are closely monitored. Rim-Seal Fires In floating roof tanks, especially external floating roof tanks, the most common types of fires are rim-seal fires. According to studies, 95% of all rim-seal fires are as a result of lightning strikes. Studies also claim that during any one year, 0.16% of all tanks fitted with rim seals will suffer a rim seal fire. According to NFPA 780, one of the main methods of preventing rim seal fires is through the installation of roof shunts that enable the dissipation of energy from lightning strikes and thus prevent fires (12). Recent studies have also shown that rim-seal fires can be mitigated by ensuring that tight-fitting seals (both primary and secondary) have been installed and are effective in restricting the escape of vapors from the tanks. These fires can also be mitigated by ensuring the submerged grounding cables are in place to connect the storage tank shell and the roof. It is also important to install monitoring systems and other fire fighting systems to detect rim fires and to allow rapid response when dealing with these fires (Ritchie 6). Full Surface fires These types of fires occur when the entire surface of the liquid in the storage tank is on fire (Hildebrand and Gregory 37). Ful l surface fires can exist either as obstructed full surface fires or as unobstructed full-surface fire. â€Å"Obstructed full –surface fires are those fires that have the roof or pan blocking access to the burning part† (Hildebrand and Gregory 38). These types of fires usually occur due to sinking of the roof or the pan. Roof sinking may arise due to several factors. First, sinking may occur due to accumulation of rain on the roof exceeding the design standards for the tank. Secondly, sinking may also occur when the pontoon is filled with the contents of the tank mainly due to corrosion or other failure. Finally, sinking may also take place due to inappropriate use of firefighting materials during a rim-seal fire, resulting in the sinking of the roof. Full surface fires can be suppressed using regular inspection programs. The main of these inspection programs is to identify pontoon failure and drain plugging as per API 653 standards. Unhindered full surface fires occur when there is a free admittance to the entire tank surface (Hildebrand and Gregory 38). These types of fires usually take place in fixed roof tanks that do not have pans (internal roofs). In these types of fires, the weak weld between the roof and the shell is broken and the roof separated from the shell mainly as a result of a particular incident. The fires may also be experienced in external floating roof tanks, where the design capacity of the storage tank may be overwhelmed by heavy rains. For tanks smaller than 45m, unobstructed full-surface fires are usually extinguished easily provided there are enough resources such as foam and water (Ritchie 7). For tanks larger than 45 meters, these fires may prove to be a problem and are usually quite difficult to manage mainly due to the large resources needed. According to Crawford (49), â€Å"the largest successfully extinguished full surface fire took place on 8th June 2001 in Norco, Louisiana.† A tank with a 325,000-barrel ca pacity, 82m in diameter and 10 meters high was struck by lightning and its contents ignited. The blaze was put out within 65 minutes of repression doings at the end of a 13-hour ordeal. The fire required 50% more water than the Burchfield site fire disaster. Fire risk mitigation The risk of storage tank fires is impossible to eliminate however, it can be greatly reduced through proper design, operation, and maintenance practices. Carrying out appropriate inspections as per the API 653 standards is important in recognizing design and maintenance issues with existing tanks (Shelley 68). API 653 details three main types of inspections: Monthly routine in-service inspections, formal in-service external inspections and out-of-service internal inspections. Monthly routine in-service inspections involves a visual inspection of tanks and exterior surfaces so as to identify shell distortions, evidence of leaks, paint coating, foundation condition, settlement, corrosion and the nature of insu lation system (Shelley 68). Formal in-service external inspections one the other hand are hand are compulsory checks carried out after every five years or sooner should the remaining corrosion allowance be less than 20 years. â€Å"If the corrosion allowance is less than 20 years, inspection must be carried out at a time period that is one quarter of the remaining estimated tank life† (Ritchie 8). This inspection mainly focuses on the fire protection system utilized, roof, access structure, shell appurtenances, dike, foundation, wind girder, and internal floating deck. The condition and operating capacity of these elements are assessed and a report is prepared as to their effectiveness and level of safety. The final type of inspections is the out-of-service internal inspections. These kinds of check should be carried out in a minimum of once in 20 years except a risk based check has been placed or at a sector of the storage tank remaining life. If a corrosion rate for the tan ks has not been identified, the inspections should be carried out every 10 years (API 86). â€Å"In order to undertake these inspections, the tanks must be emptied and cleaned† (API 87). Apart from visual inspection, a combination of ultrasonic thickness, magnetic flux, and leak testing is also applied. The main purpose of this inspection is to confirm the continued integrity of the tank through verifying that the bottom of the tank has acceptable levels of corrosion, gathering data for minimum shell and bottom thickness evaluations, and identification and evaluation of any settlement in the bottom of the tank. Apart from these, this evaluation also seeks to inspect the roof and the interior shell walls for localized pitting and general corrosion. In pontoons are present in the tank, they are inspected to evaluate them for corrosion and fracture that may lead to failure. Apart from safety controls installed in storage tanks, the use of effective inspection techniques is the m ost effective means of suppressing flammable and combustible liquids in storage tanks. Inspection enables the identification of anomalies before they escalate into major problems that may lead to catastrophic failure. Conclusion The storage of flammable and combustible liquids brings with it the inherent risk of explosion and fire hazards. There are three classes of both flammable and combustible liquids. These classes mainly determine the type of storage facilities to be used for storing these liquids. When storing flammable liquids there are various storage tanks designs that may be adopted. Each type of storage tank is prone to specific type of fire risk with some risks being shared across the full spectrum of the tanks. Using various standards such as NASP, various design, inspection, and maintenance practices have been developed to reduce the risk of fire or explosion in storage tanks. Researchers and scientists have also developed various fire fighting equipments and system th at are meant to ensure that the flammable and combustible liquids are safely contained. By identifying the type of fire common in storage tanks, one can chose the best prevention and suppression technique from a list of many methods. This will ensure that damage is kept to a minimum should the worst ever happen.  The most important suppression technique is proper inspection as per the laid down standards. Proper inspection ensures that all the information about the storage tank is continuously evaluated and that subtle changes can be made as required before small problems escalate to massive disasters causing loss of money and at times lives. Suppression and prevention of fires is important when dealing with flammable and combustible liquids is very important. It should be well planned in any industry or setting that contains storage tanks for these liquids. Having a suitable suppression system that is based in NASP guidelines can be crucial in deciding the outcomes of a particula r event in large companies or industries that are connected with storage of combustible and flammable liquids. American Petroleum Institute (API). Prevention and Suppression of Fires in Large  Above Ground Atmospheric Storage Tanks. Washington DC: API, 2006 Crawford, Edward. Tank Fire Suppression/Tank Overfill Prevention. Washington:  American Petroleum Institute, 2008. Hildebrand, M and Gregory Noll. Storage Tanks Emergencies: Guidelines and  Procedures. Anapolis, MD: Red Hat, 1997. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Fire Protection Handbook. 20th ed. Quincy,  MA: NFPA, 2008 Ritchie, Ray. â€Å"Preventing Storage Tank Fires†. Hydrocarbon Processing. November  (2009): 5-11 Shelley, Craig. â€Å"Storage Tank Fires: Is your Department Prepared†. Fire Engineering,  11.2 (1998): 63-69

The Impact of Unemployment on the Economy Term Paper

The Impact of Unemployment on the Economy - Term Paper Example The success of a business relies on not only the own particular market and its own decisions but also the macroeconomic environment it operates within. The macroeconomic environment has a direct effect on the profitability and success of a business. This paper aims at dealing with one of the essential aspects of the macroeconomic environment of business, i.e. unemployment. This paper will deal with unemployment in detail and will include aspects like the meaning of unemployment, and the costs of unemployment. Also, a focus will be on the labor markets and unemployment. The study will also touch upon the two main types of unemployment, i.e. Disequilibrium unemployment and Equilibrium unemployment. Here an attempt will be made to explain the two types of unemployment and the various subcategories of these will also be touched upon. However, before moving on, it is essential to understand the meaning of a few terms like labor force, number unemployed, unemployment rate, and unemployment . Claimant Unemployment: This refers to the people who receive unemployment-related benefits (Sloman and Sutcliffe). This mainly measures all those who receive the unemployment-related benefits and claim the benefits to cover their expenses until they have a job. Standardized Unemployment Rate: This is an unemployment rate that is used by the International Labor Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (Sloman and Sutcliffe). Here unemployed refers to people of the working age and who are without work. b) Costs of unemployment: Unemployment leads to numerous costs and these costs do not only influence the person unemployed but others as well. There are three main costs that are involved with unemployment are as follows: i) The first and most obvious costs involved are that incurred by the unemployed themselves.

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia Research Paper

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia - Research Paper Example An adult diagnosed as having schizophrenia will go to a completely separate facility and will see a very different specialist—though the doctor will still likely be a specialist. What is most unfortunate about the current mind set and treatment set-up is that neither allows for comprehensive understanding of these neurological disorders or for continuous treatment of them. What is most relied upon for diagnosing neurological disorders at present (outside of the symptoms themselves) is the prevalence of the suspected disorder among the patient’s immediate and distant family. The thought is that such disorders are largely hereditary, and so if several other members of the family have this particular disorder, then the patient likely has it as well. More recent research could definitely shift that thought process, however. According to research, there is a clear overlapping of various symptoms and developmental delay between many of these disorders. The symptoms themselves (i.e. developmental delay, cognitive impairment, social impairment, etc) are seen across the spectrum of disorders, and where they differ is in their severity. With that kind of overlapping, treatment of one disorder could most certainly benefit from understanding of treatment of another disorder. As we well understand, more comprehensive understanding of a disorder allows for more creative and more effective treatment options. Obviously, with more and better treatment options, doctors are more likely to be able to better the quality of life for their patients. At the end of the day, is that not the end goal of all medical understanding—to improve the quality of life for the patient? Administrative set-up for treatment facilities is also limiting the medical community’s ability to treat their patients. While studies are showing that neurodevelopmental disorders cross the age spectrum from children with ADHD to adults with bipolar disorder, treatment facilities only al low for treatment of one or the other. What happens to those individuals who develop what becomes labeled as one disorder as a child, and then continues to need treatment as an adult? Often times these adults are re-diagnosed with a different disorder and are subjected to a completely new set of lifestyle rules and treatments. More comprehensive understanding of these neurological disorders as being on a spectrum and having overlapping symptoms (and possibly treatments), would allow for doctors to take information of a childhood disorder and factor that in to treatment of the adult patient. Better communication between facilities would also surely result from better comprehension given that members of the medical community already have well-established policies of working with other members who may offer insight in to what would help their individual patient. The connection of the information in this article to my personal major and career aspirations were strongly felt by me. As a psychiatric social worker, it will be my duty to understand both what individuals’ symptoms indicate in terms of illness and comprehend the way those symptoms are felt by the individual. That is to say, how the symptoms present themselves and what they mean to and for the client. Aside from my duties, being a psychiatric soc

Marketing-Santa Fe Grill SPSS Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Marketing-Santa Fe Grill SPSS Analysis - Essay Example Summary statistics for some questions of interest are presented hereunder. The main objectives of this survey were as follows; The average frequency of eating at Joses Southwestern Cafà © was about 4 days per week while at Santa Fe Grill was approximately 3 days per week. Table 1 provides a breakdown of respondents’ frequency of eating for the two restaurants. 33.6% of respondents very frequently had meals at Joses Southwestern Cafà © as compared to 15.8% that very frequently had meals at Santa Fe grill. This is a confirmation of the dwindling customers for Santa fee grill. The pie charts below show the distribution of age by type of restaurant. From the chart, we can see that majority of the customers are aged between 35 and 49. This is true for both Santa Fe Grill and Jose’s Southwestern Cafà © restaurant. To be noted is the fact that Santa Fe has fewer customers aged between 26 and 43 than its competitor. Table 1c below shows the distribution of the number of children customers have at home for the two restaurants. This factor is believed to influence the type of restaurant one chooses to dine at. From the results, we can see that majority of Joses Southwestern Cafes’ customers (44.7%) have 1-2 children at home whereas the case of Santa Fe Grill majority of their customers has no children at home. In order to see if there is an association between a number of children at home and restaurant, a Pearson chi-square test was done and the results presented in table 1d show that at 5% level of significance, this association exists and it’s statistically significant. Table 1e presents results of a cross-tabulation of employee friendliness and restaurant. From the summary statistics, we learn that majority of customers at Santa Fe Grill (40.7%) disagree that the employees of the restaurant are friendly.  

Colgate pursues low cost strategy

Colgate pursues low cost strategy CP has a large and efficient distribution network. Its distribution channels are located all over Pakistan (Moore, E.R) It caters to a broad customer base. It has developed itself in almost all the categories which are associated with customers on the daily basis. Colgate pursues low cost strategy. Its plant is automated. Only one plant is used for the manufacturing of three different detergents like bonus, express, brite The whole process is repeated for each of the detergent. By automating the plant, CP is able to save a lot of cost. CP value delivery network does not have any delays in it which helps CP to save cost. CP targets all segment, it has products for the lower class, middle class and the upper class. Its pricing is done accordingly. It has cost leadership in the detergent and the surface care category CP forecasting is very accurate which helps them to reduce cost because if estimated are accurate then it helps the company to avail cost advantages CP is allowed to deviate only 5% from its forecast both upwards and downwards CP has concentrated more on process efficiencies CP has access to large capital that is required to make significant investment. CP never compromises on the development expenditure. It is always ready to improve its production processes. Being a low cost producer it helps CP to better compete to its rivals. Being the low cost producer it has helped CP to insulate themselves from powerful suppliers who nowadays demand increasing prices due to rising inflation. Being he low cost producer, it has also helped to attract powerful buyers whom CP sells directly like MAKRO, DMART, IMITAZ, AGHAS, and NAHEED etc (Moore, E.R). Economic Factor The overall economy of the country is showing a stable growth. Therefore this industry is also showing a growth of 10%. But the inflation is growing rapidly which is not a good sign for the new entrants. Change in the interest rate also affects the industry. Hence the new entrants are also threatened by the increasing interest rates. Economic factors do influence the bargaining power of buyers as inflation is the major factor that is affecting the consumers hard. Economic factors do not affect the availability of substitutes. But since inflation is growing, so it is hard for the poor people to switch to more modern products like washing powder, tooth paste. They would rather prefer oil to clean their clothes and use miswak to brush their teeth. Economic factors do have an affect on the bargaining power of suppliers as inflation is rising fast. Suppliers demand that they would provide the necessary raw material at a higher price. Exchange rate fluctuations also affect the cost of raw material. Economic factors do affect the rivalry among the competitors as all the players in the industry want to have cost leadership. The economic factors are favoring intense competition from the last five years. People have more money at their disposal. Also Pakistan is a consumption oriented society (Hiatt, Jeff.). Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) STRATEGY 1 STRATEGY 2 Weights AS TAS AS TAS STRENGTHS Market leader in surface care with 90% market share 0.15 Good Leadership 0.06 Employee commitment 0.12 3 0.36 2 0.24 Cooling crystal patent 0.1 Accurate forecast with respect to demand 0.07 4 0.28 2 0.14 High EPS 0.08 3 0.24 2 0.16 Strong advertisement and promotional campaign 0.08 2 0.16 3 0.24 WEAKNESSES IT not used optimally 0.13 4 0.52 2 0.26 No ecommerce 0.1 3 0.3 2 0.26 No proper use of forward integration 0.05 2 0.1 3 0.15 They are not exporting their products to other countries 0.06 1 OPPORTUNITIES Exploring into new categories like shampoo, hand wash , body wash, shower gel 0.14 2 0.28 4 0.56 Rural population switching from miswak to toothpaste 0.06 Gap in tooth brush market 0.08 2 0.16 3 0.24 Implementation of ERP(SAP) 0.14 4 0.56 2 0.28 People becoming hygiene and beauty conscious 0.1 2 0.2 3 0.3 No layoffs 0.07 THREATS(T) Raw material and energy prices are increasing 0.12 3 0.36 2 0.24 Inflation in the country 0.07 3 0.21 2 0.14 Competitors re launching their products 0.1 2 0.2 3 0.3 Competitors increasing their marketing budgets 0.06 2 0.12 3 0.18 Unstable law and order conditions. 0.06 1 TOTAL 4.05 3.69 Rivalry among existing competitors Yes (+) No (-) The industry is growing rapidly. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ The industry is not cyclical with intermittent overcapacity. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ The fixed costs of the business are relatively low portion of total costs. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ There are significant product differences and brand identities between the competitors. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ The competitors are diversified rather than specialized. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ It would not be hard to get out of this business because there are no specialized skills and facilities or long-term contract commitments etc. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ My customers would incur significant costs in switching to a competitor. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ My product is complex and requires a detailed understanding on the part of my customer. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ My competitors are all of approximately the same size as I am. à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 7 LOW MEDIUM HIGH INTERPRETATION: Threat of competitors is high because the product is not unique as there are no product differences. Same products are available with all competitors like Unilever, Procter and Gamble, Shield, Oral B. Therefore rivalry is also increasing as demand in the economy has also increased for the last 5 to years. Majority of the competitors are MNCs which means that they have the necessary resource and skill (Hiatt, Jeff). Government Factors: Government regulations do have an affect on the rivalry among the competitors. Political factors: Political factors do not affect the rivalry among the competitors Economic factors Economic factors do affect the rivalry among the competitors as all the players in the industry want to have cost leadership. The economic factors are favoring intense competition from the last five years. People have more money at their disposal. Also Pakistan is a consumption oriented society (Hiatt, Jeff). Social trends Social trends have changed, buyer are more aware of their purchases. So the players in the industry are always trying hard to increase their market share (Hiatt, Jeff). Technological change Technology is helping the companies to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Also research and development plays an important role in this (Hiatt, Jeff). KEY SUCCESS ACTORS FOR COMPETIVE SUCCESS Low cost production efficiency. CP has plants installed that take only 30 minutes for the plant to shift from the production of one product to the other. High quality manufacturing of products with very few defects. A strong network of wholesale distributors. Gaining ample space on retailer shelves. (Examples Naheed, Aghas, Makro and other small shops.) Attractive packaging and styling. Good length of product lines. Attractive commercials and advertising. Good reputation in the industry along with favorable reputation with buyers. Market penetration Colgate can do market penetration by increasing its advertising, people always associate Colgate with tooth paste and have no awareness that it produces personal and surface care products as well. They should show their logo on all its products so that people know the producers and this will increase customer loyalty and also when people will come to know that Colgate is the producer then new customers will also buy the product (Hiatt, Jeff). They should also increase their promotion efforts by going to school and doing health awareness programs, also they should go to residential areas and make women aware of their surface care and fabric care products such as max, bonus and express etc Product development: Colgate can also do product development by introducing new features in their already existing brands. They can improve their tooth brush quality and features by introducing flexi tooth brushes for special oral care. Also they can introduce whitening features in their feature in their tooth paste; different colors of tooth paste can also be introduced to attract the kinds market. In their fabric care they can introduce in special features of protecting the color of the cloth while washing and also whitening enhancing surfs to give a good shine to while clothes (Hiatt, Jeff). develop systems to involve appropriate stakeholders in the introduction of change SIX THINGS REQUIRED TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGY According to Porter, to implement a strategy effectively six things should be followed: Create a formal plan: Distributor Quantity Item Price Negotiation, Inventory Reporting, Stock Details, Payment Terms HR Module Inventory / Store Sales Module Sales Module Stock Details Quantity item Price negotiation, inventory reporting, ex stock details, payment terms Finance Module Credit terms, payment procedures, Stock in out effect Inflow outflow of raw materials Procurement Module Create a multifunctional team: To effectively implement ERP, Colgate must first hire an independent resource firm. Acquire licensing for SAP Implementation. Establish an independent IT unit for the monitoring of ERP. This department will coordinate with all the other departments (Robbins S, Mukerji). Communication of strategy: inside and outside: All employees in the company should be made aware of the new automated system. Each employee must be provided a minimal insight of SAP but those employees who have to work on SAP the most should ofcourse be provided with proper training course of SAP. These include: Factory Manager Manager accounts Warehouse Manager Distribution team Consumer insight department Outside the company the strategy to implement ERP should be communicated properly to all the local and foreign suppliers of Colgate Palmolive (Hagberg). Consistency over time: As Information Technology is progressing day by day, new changes in ERP are expected after certain time periods. Therefore it would become very important for Colgate to cope up with the changes in the software. For this purpose it would need to update it employees by providing training whenever any change takes place in SAP (Hagberg). Use proper measurements: Other measures, not just financial measures would be required to test whether the system is working properly. These measures include: Whether the system is accurately forecasting demand, sales, price changes Whether or not there are any deviations in the actual versus projected sales Effectiveness of the internal processes after the strategy implementation (Robbins S, Mukerji). Test the strategy: Ask employees and senior management in all departments whether they are satisfied with the new system of working. Talk to suppliers and distributors whether they want any more improvements in the new system of working (Hagberg). EIGHT PILLARS OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Allocating resources: Colgate has to invest around 50mn for which they have to make a separate IT department in which 1 trained personnel have to be hired so that it can be implemented in an efficient way. building capable organizaion: After the implementation of SAP, a capable organization would be established. It would help the company to coordinate all activities. CP can then expand into new markets and would develop innovative products. Exercising strategic leadership: SAP implementation will require an annual strategic audit to check whether the desired objectives have been achieved or not. This means a visionary leadership is required. Leadership should be exercised strategically in such a way that it helps the company to maintain its competitive advantage. Tying rewards: Rewards in maintaining the best MIS, highest no of transactions, successful employee in training face should be given in terms of recognition, increased in salary and gift vouchers. Installing support system: It is important to maintain MIS with in different department so they can work in a best possible way Benchmarking: In Pakistan very few organizations has implemented SAP. PSO and National Foods are some of them. Since PSO has very successfully implemented SAP so Colgate benchmarks them. Strategic supportive policies: They have to make strategies in which maintaining an MIS should be mandatory. There should be digital culture. They should have a centralize data base through which all department are interlinked and any transaction can be tracked down by any department. Every department should have access to only relevant information. Shaping corporate culture: Colgate should implement paperless. Digital culture where the records must be maintained through MIS and not manually .even communication should be done electronically. KEY DRIVING FORCES Industry growth: Now most of the people have knowledge about the different products and its advantages. The intense competition in industry and high demand enables the new entrants to compete in this market (Hagberg). Product innovation: Innovation in product, as Colgate has just introduced Max fresh in which the coolant crystals are present which none of the competitors has adopted yet. There is also room in innovation in washing detergents (Hagberg). Changing societal concerns, attitudes and lifestyle: Since social issues are really effecting the use of product just like the use of Miswak which is the Islamic mode of cleaning the teeth (Hagberg). Use of E-commerce and Internet: Usage of online ordering and maintaining the stock level through e-commerce can be driving force in the industry. By using that they can provide products to customer which is value addition for them (Hagberg). This report is purely based on the finding from the Colgate expert and the secondary data analysis, and the reason for writing the whole report is to find the obstacle / hindrance a business men face and how the organization can minimize it through implementing the different strategies and analysis. The whole report research draws attention to  the fact that any problem can be eliminate if proper investigation and consideration can be observed the success is easy to get, Pakistan market is mature market and the competition is tough here because most of the customer is price conscious and act like butterflies, so targeting this kind of customer is quite difficult, but on the other hand it can be managed if the you can understand the market effectively and efficiently (Robbins S, Mukerji). Hiatt, Jeff. The definition and history of change management. http://www.change-management.com/tutorial-definition-history.htm. Filicetti, John (August 20, 2007). Project Management Dictionary Moore, E.R., (accessed 1 April, 2001), Creating Organizational Cultures: An Ethnographic Study, Eastern Academy of Management Virtual Proceedings, Moore, E.R., (accessed 1 April, 2001), Creating Organizational Cultures: An Ethnographic Study, Eastern Academy of Management Virtual Proceedings, , R. Ph.D. Heifetz, D.Ph., 2000 (accessed 4 April, 2001), Corporate Hagberg Culture/Organisational Culture: UnderJerryding and Assessment, Robbins S, Mukerji D (1994). Managing organisations. Prentice Hall of Australia, McPhersons Printing Group, Australia. Sergiovanni, T.J. (1984) Educational Leadership, Leadership and excellence in schooling, Volume 41, Number 5, United States of America, page 4-13 Kent State University 2000 (accessed 28th March, 2001), Kent State University Cultural Self-Study Internal Communication of Change By Dagmar Recklies Circling the Pyramid Building Lasting Commitment to Change  Ã‚   (pdf-file) by Edmond Mellina What Makes a Good Change Agent? by Dagmar Recklies The Role of the Change Master From Change Agent to Change Master By Ruth Tearle Managing Change Definition and Phases in Change Processes by Oliver Recklies Problems in Managing Change by Oliver Recklies AuditNet.org provides a downloadable PDF of change management best practices. Fred Nickols wrote Change Management 101: A Primer. SearchCRM.com provides resources on handling change management following a CRM upgrade. Neglecting your change control process can kill an IT disaster recovery plan.

Free Capital Punishment Essays - Murderers and Rapists Deserve Another Chance! :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Capital Punishment Essays - Murderers and Rapists Deserve Another Chance! When turning on the television, radio, or simply opening the local newspaper, one is bombarded with news of arrests, murders, homicides, serial killers, and other such tragedies. It is a rare occasion to go throughout a day in this world and not hear of these things. So what should be done about this crime rate? Not only is it committing a crime, but today, it is signing your life over to the government. This is a risk one is taking when he decides to pull a trigger or plunge a knife, but is it really up to our justice system to decide one's fate? There are many issues that address this question of capital punishment such as religion, the effect on society, restitution being denied, the possible "wrongly accused", and the rights of the convicted. But how often do these concepts creep into the public's mind when it hears of our 'fair, trusty' government taking away someone's breathing rights? The Bible states "Thou shalt not kill," and this being a sin should have to be amended within oneself. However, the Bible also states "Don't judge others' personal convictions." It is the government's responsibility to punish people that disobey the law to keep our world in tact but is it their right to take away their lives? It is a Christian's responsibility to point out to those who sin that they do so and this country, trusting in God as it says it does, should do just that. So if the government stands strongly by this statement that's on the dollar bill, may they line up all the liars, adulterers, Buddhists, thieves, covetous and murderers at the chair. If they shall look into this one sin as so evil may they see all ten commandments so holy. The society is so confused as to what is "right." More and more children are becoming murderers themselves. The reason is obvious: they see that if they kill someone they go to jail, get the death penalty, and the government, who they know as the "good guy" kills them for punishment. Lesson learned: the finger is pointing to its own actions. Learning morals is only as hard as people make it. Why complicate things? Some people think that restitution is granted when one is sentenced to the death penalty.

Biggest Problems Facing Medicare and Problems Key Similarities and Differences Essay

Problems Facing Medicare and Medicaid The Federal Government has sponsored Health insurance programs such as Medicare as well as the Medicaid. Medical insurance for the elderly, disabled, as well as low-income Americans are covered by these insurance programs. In 1965, these programs took effect and the Health Care Finance Administration or the HCFA, of the Department of Health and Human Services administered these programs. Health Care coverage is provided by the US government to a variety of groups such as federal employees, military personnel, veterans as well as the Native Americans. However, the largest proportion of health care expenditures is accounted by the Medicare as well as Medicaid programs. The program of Medicaid provides Health services as well as residential care to more than 50 million Americans wherein each has unique personal needs. Medicaid provides payment for prenatal care for about one-third of the children of the nation, long-term care for more than 20 percent of elderly citizens as well as health safety for people with disabilities are provided. In addition to that several States works on similar initiative to cover the uninsured. Medicaid are facing severe crisis of sustainability. It was found that since 1990s a typical State was able to see that the medical costs have double the percentage of their budget and it was also projected that continued disproportionate growth is evident. In 2006, the combined federal as well as State expenditures totaled $320 billion and by 2016, they are projected to reach $580 billion (â€Å"Making Medicaid Work: A Practical Guide for Transforming Medicaid,† 2007). The Annual Medicaid Budget Survey Report have indicated that at the beginning of the state fiscal year 2008, according to the description of the Medical Directors, State fiscal situation is generally improving, the state revenues are increasing that allowed Governors as well as the state legislatures to restore many cuts as well as restrictions that have been adopted during the economic downturn, and adopt positive changes in Medicaid such as increase in provider payment rates as well as expansion in benefits and eligibility. The State policy decisions for 2007 and 2008, includes a clear focus on improving coverage as well as quality of care provider under the program  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Across the states, however, signs that the economic climate was changing, emerged just a few months into state fiscal year 2008, in the fall of 2007. Studies have shown that the outlook was no longer positive as it had been in the case early in the state fiscal year (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Different Issues Facing Medicare and Medicaid Key Issues of Medicaid A lot of key issues, concerns and priorities in mid fiscal year 2008, have been identified by Medicaid Directors. On top of it were the effects of an increase in fiscal stress across states, a lot of federal state issues such as those impacting Medicaid enrollment and access, as well as their current efforts to address the uninsured (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Fiscal Stress across the States As described by the directors of the State Medicaid, in the last half calendar 2007, economic situation in a lot of states leveled off unexpectedly and in some cases deteriorated. Results have shown that early in fiscal year 2008, the revenues came in below projections on which the state policy makers had based the state budget. Based on the report â€Å"as the state approached the mid-point in fiscal year 2008, the outlook for the immediate future was less optimistic than it had been at the beginning of the year. The directors of Medicaid had also described in the budget survey that at the beginning of state fiscal year 2008, they strongly sense that the state economies were rebounding as compared to the recent years, according to recent rates of growth in state revenues. Due to Annual changes in each state’s federal Medicaid matching rate, the states budget is affected. It would be difficult to achieve significant Medicaid cost savings now than it had been during the last economic downturn and Medicaid cost control actions are not often easy and almost always have impacts on the effectiveness of the program (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Issues of the Federal-State The recent federal regulatory changes are adverse to the states, according to Directors of Medicaid, and it will provide negative impact on the programs including the proposed changes regarding the Medicaid benefit design as well as the Medicaid financing arrangements. They also have singled out the Health Information Technology as an example of the state-federal relations moving in a positive way (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Improving Access in Medicaid In Medicaid the issue of access had been perennial because of generally lower rates of provider reimbursement in most of the states, occasional budget-driven cuts or freezes, as well as rate increases occurring at certain intervals when authorized by state legislatures. Few providers of specific types as well as commercially insured patients encountered access problem for certain specialists such as psychiatrists, pediatric specialists in some states. Directors have also expressed concern over access to oral as well as mental health services. It was observed that in many states there are few dental health providers who participate in the Medicaid program. Moreover, participation has not been improved just by the rate of increases. In fact, one state reported that despite the rate adjustments, even dental clinic of public university would no longer serve Medicaid patients. In addition to that, while access to mental health services suffers from lack of providers, the issue gets more c omplicated by the lack of resources and need to coordinate with other agencies in order to provide non-medical services (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Enrolment in Medicaid â€Å"The total Medicaid enrollment dropped by -0.5% in fiscal year 2007on average across all states, with increase enrollment for almost half of the states and decrease enrollment for over half of the states. Reports indicated that Medicaid caseload was showing flat or continued downward-sloping caseload trend, and in addition to that, several state indicated that their current projections had been revised upward. Where the caseload was now increasing, the upward caseload trend was thought to be associated with a more sluggish economy (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). The Health Care Reform and Covering of the Uninsured The Governors, as reported by the Medicaid directors are interested in reforming the health care system as well as the strategies to reduce the number of individuals who do not have health insurance coverage. A lot of states have proposed initiatives to address the problem of the continuous increase of the number of uninsured nationally. In some states their goal is universal coverage, on the other hand, others focused on increasing coverage options for the targeted populations (Smith V.K., Edwards, B.C. & Tolbert, J. (2008). Key Issues of Medicare One of the major problems of Medicare program is that financing mechanisms of Medicare will not be able to sustain it in the long run. Another concern is that the structure of the program which in large measure reflects health care delivery and political considerations in effect at the enactment, has failed to keep pace with the changes in the health care system as a whole. A lot of individual suggest that in order to address this problems major structural reform are required. However, to others the existing system should be improved rather than replaced. As of now, there has been no consensus reached. The major focus in the recent years has been on providing prescription drug coverage for beneficiaries. According to some observers, it would not be appropriate to add new costly benefit before structural reforms are enacted, while others stated that seniors, particularly low-income seniors, should not be required to wait for benefits until resolution of the entire restructuring issue (O’Sullivan, Chaikind, and Tilson, 2001). Program financing is the major concern to policy makers. Another important issue that they are facing is whether the program has responded to changes in the health care delivery. Another issue is fraud in Medicare. Sometimes beneficiaries are not safe, that is why Medicare is working hard in order to protect them from being a victim of fraud (Quick Facts About Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage and Protecting Your Personal Information). Key similarities of the Problem Both Medicare and Medicaid are having problems in sustaining the program. â€Å"The biggest problem that the Federal Government is facing is fraud in Medicare as well as Medicaid. They wish to address the problem by teaching the beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid on how to avoid being the victims of fraud, waste and abuse. Mr. Clarkson stated that everyone is at stake in this since the money lost, in these practices has an impact on premiums and deductibles and could result in cutbacks to these programs† (â€Å"Medicare Fraud,† 2008).

Malala Yousafzai Essay Example

Malala Yousafzai Essay Example Malala Yousafzai Paper Malala Yousafzai Paper Malala Yousafzai Marc Champion, Salman Masood, and Beclan Walsh further analyze the outcome of the Nobel Peace Prize to reflect upon Malala Yousafzais attributes to society. The writers professionally address the perspectives of the Pakistani people while applying their opinions as to why Yousafzai deserved to be recognized. Marc Champion adequately expresses the idea that Yousafzais achievements are the embodiment of the Nobel Peace Prize representation, therefore being the rightful contender. He assertively states that, l know who I would have chosen for this years Nobel Peace Prize: Malala Yousafzai. Reclaiming her contributions to the world, Champion reasons that the Nobel Peace Prize should have gone to her on the basis that she deserved it now, while the OPCW deserve it in the future. Using President Obama, Champion argues, [He was] awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for getting elected, as a, kind of advance payment on great deeds to come. This advanced payment does not promise future the fulfillment while Yousafzai has already done the greatest deed of all; she endangered herself for the greater good. As such, he implies, l dont see how [the OPCW] competes with the bravery of Malala and her family. Does Champion make an acceptable case for her? I agree the contributions by Yousafzai should have been appreciated by the Nobel Peace Prize standards. Many opinions follow the actions of Yousafzai and her family including those that claim fraud and publicity purposes. The people of Pakistan will not associate with Yousafzai on the grounds that, [she is] a C. I. A agent, part of a nebulous Western Plot to humiliate their country and pressure their government. It is also claimed that Yousafzais assassination attempt was fake to dramatize her actions towards society. The Pakistani people do not believe she deserved the Nobel Peace Prize because of the lack of proof behind Yousafzais experiences. Simply put, Malala Yousafzais involvement with education and womens rights brought multitudes of opinions, especially on the results of the Nobel Peace Prize. Marc Champion, Salman Masood, and Beclan Walsh eloquently establish respect for Yousafzai while addressing the perspective of those who believe she is false. So is Yousafzai worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize? Indeed, she earned the respect deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize, but in the end she did not go unnoticed and she did not go unrewarded. By HSslacker

Germination on plants essays

Germination on plants essays B16 FACTORS AFFECTING GERMINATION OF SEEDS To prove the factors that affect germination 1. Control: This experiment has the 4 factors that are necessary for germination. Its conditions are going to be the appropriate ones and this experiment is going to grow and develop correctly. 2. No Water: The seeds in this experiment are not going to germinate because there is no water to make them swell up and burst. 3. No light: It is possible that germination is not going to be very evident because there are other factors that are missing, but as there is water there may be more germination than the one expected. 4. No Oxygen: These seeds may begin to germinate but end this process soon because they lack oxygen which is important for respiration and energy. 5. Low Temperature: These seeds may grow because although temperature is a variable, it may be replaced for sun heat, allowing for its development. If you put some seeds in a moist place, you can see what happens when they produce new plants. This process is called germination. There are different stages in this process: first they take up water, this makes it swell and as a result the seed coat bursts open and the young root and shoot grow out. The root grows downwards and the shoot upwards. There are various conditions for the germination of a seed to take place these are: 1. Water, absorbed from the soil, is used for building up new cytoplasm in the cells, enlarging the vacuoles, therefore expanding the cells, carrying food from the cotyledons to the areas of growth and for photosynthesis when the leaves appear. Water is also the factor that stimulates the gibberellins to start their work. Without water its seeds cannot swell up and burst open, and the embryo cannot grow. 2. A supply of oxygen is needed. This enables seeds to respire so they have plenty of energy for germination. 3. A suitable temperature is required. This varies with different plants. Usually seeds...

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Business Law - Essay Example 56). The second issue arises from Robert`s customer who claimed that Robert had neglected or had carelessly left a pin in the neck of the sheep skin coat that he had bought which resulted into Grant experiencing blood poisoning and thus was admitted in the hospital for a whole week interfering with his work for a month. Accordingly, the third case in this research involves wool traders and SnoDogs clothing. In this case, the two participants had an issue with the prices. For instance, SnoDogs Clothing claimed that wool traders had changed their prices on the delivery invoice about $360 more than the initial price shown at the time of the order. Relevant Legal Principles The case study has demonstrated some examples of legal principles and they encompass an intention to develop legal relations. This is usually so if the contract is a commercial one which will demand the court to take up this purpose. Like in this case, wool traders had the intention of establishing a legal relationshi p with Robert who was a retailer. Another principle involves consideration for the contract or contracts made by each party or the participants. This legal principles emphasizes that each partner should give or promise to offer something in return for the other`s responsibilities. For instance, in the case between the wool traders and its customers including Robert; wool traders made a contract with Robert to make for them sheepskin coats and hats, while Robert was to pay for their services and products offered. In the same way, SnoDogs clothing made an order from the wool traders for ski suits. In addition, consensus is another legal principle, which demonstrates that the participants must have arrived at definite contract (Ingeborg 2012, p. 90). This is frequently illustrated as offer and approval or acceptance. In this case, one party creates a proposal and the other consents it. For example, Wool Traders got an e-mailed order from SnoDogs Clothing for 36 ski suits. SnoDogsâ€⠄¢ terms and conditions (attached to their e-mail) evidently state that â€Å"orders produce a lawful offer to buy at the price itemized by buyer at date of reception.† Wool traders send a message showing the acceptance of the order, and transcribed approval of the same. Both had a fresh duplicate of Wool Traders` terms and settings, therefore, SnoDogs took delivery of the goods. Thus, this is a good illustration that shows the legal principle of consent or consensus. Questions of fact that will need to be decided by a court, on which liability and damages may depend Damages refer to the reimbursement for harm or destruction instigated by the breach. In case breach of agreements results into loss or harm, the bruised or the affected party has, the right to take legal action for harms or damages (Stone 2005, p. 56). In case the breach is serious enough to an extent it goes back to the base of the agreement, the affected party may consider the agreement as efficiently gone or r ejected by the other party and decline to be destined by it or reject to pay. In certain circumstances, the affected person may reject the bond and claim indemnities. Therefore, there are various questions of fact that will need to be decided by a court, on which liability and damages may depend. For instance, will the court consider Robert`s loss and grant him refund despite the fact that he was late to return the goods as stated from the wool trader`s terms and conditi

THE RETAIL GROCERY MARKET Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

THE RETAIL GROCERY MARKET - Essay Example dominate the UK grocery market, accounting for around three quarters of total sales, which IGD values at  £88.2billion  in 2005.   However, this share of total grocery has fallen slightly in recent years as other sectors have grown more quickly. The Convenience sector continues to be a strong driving force behind the overall growth within the UK grocery market.  Ã‚   For every pound spent on food and grocery, consumers now spend 20p in convenience stores and IGD currently values the sector at  £23.9billion, up 4.9% on 2004, which now accounts for a 19.9% share of total grocery. So let’s try to identify the mission objectives and responsibilities of an organisation within its environment. To make our ideas more clear we’ll take a certain retailer, using for instance Tesco Company. Everybody can agree that the main aim of any business is profit earning. Even the relevant definition of â€Å"business† approves that any enterprise or company is created to earn money. Of course, shareholders of any business are its owners and want to get maximum profits. If a company stops producing profits it can be adjudicated a bankrupt. Everybody knows that retail is one of the most competitive economics sector. Shops, marketplaces, boutiques, super- and hypermarkets offer us great choice of different goods and foodstuffs. That’s why if any company has been taking the top positions for almost 10 years, - it is considered as a great success. Britain hypermarket net Tesco is one of such leaders. This company sails one third of all foodstuffs in the country. Tesco can firmly be named as a â€Å"national shop†. Rich, average and poor customers can find the foodstuffs according their wishes and financial abilities. Comfortable location, competitive prices, polite staff, great variety of goods and products, mainly, circumspect development strategy helped Tesco to become a really national shop. Let’s analyze the most important responsibilities, among which the main is