Monday, September 30, 2019

His notes

Over the last several years I have been working on and off award an additional degree in Education. I am currently working for the El Paso Independent School District as a classroom instructor, as well as a curriculum writer in US History. I look forward to having you in class. Course Description This course provides an overview of the principal cultural, political, and economic developments that shaped Western civilization from prehistory to the Middle Ages. It presents a framework for understanding current social experience by applying historical perspectives to contemporary issues.After the course, students will be able o use historical knowledge to solve contemporary issues. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materi als forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class.If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies overriding your current class modality. Course Materials The West: Encounters and Transformations, Combined Volume, e ISBN: 9780205947157 Author: nana Elevate Copyright Pearson Education, Inc. (2014) All electronic materials are available on the student website Week One: Prehistory and the Ancient World Details Due Points Objectives 1. 1 Explain the significance of the transition from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era. 1. 2 Compare the cultural, political, and economic developments of Mesopotamia and Egypt.Readings Read Chi. 1 The West: Encounters and Transformations, Combined Volume, e Read Unhistorical: Issue of the Day: From Hunter-gatherers to Food-producers – Overcoming Obstacles Read Unhistorical: Issue of the Day: Geography and Civilization: Egypt and Mesopotamia – Impact of Agriculture? Attendance & Participation Attendance & Participate in class discussion. 8/06 2 Talking Respond to weekly discussion questions. Choose 2 questions to answer and post each week by pm. Week 1 Talking Points What is an important discovery from prehistory? Why is it important?What are the differences between the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras? What is important about the development of human history when we consider the preferences between these two eras? How were the worldviews of the Mesopotamia and Egyptians similar? How were they different? What factors have influenced the way each of these cultures developed their worldviews? What kind of evidence do we have in order to comprehend prehistory and the ancient civilizations? Does the evidence offer a clear picture of these time periods? Why or why not? Which era of Egyptian history was the most successful?Why? Individual Prehistory and the Ancie nt Civilizations Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you explain the significance of the ruinations of humankind from a hunter-gatherer society to a food-producing society. Include the following: A description of the Paleolithic era Events that transformed society from the Paleolithic era to the Neolithic era A description of Neolithic era An explanation of how the transition from Paleolithic to Neolithic was significant in the development of Mesopotamia and Egypt Format your paper consistent with PAP guidelines.Galoshes (before 2000 BCC)-?Earliest known fully-developed literary character )d First written language on cuneiform clay tablets )e Elaborate art work, mosaics (Standard of Our) )f First systematic polytheistic religion 01 Sights: goddess of love, fertility, and wars 02 Elaborate temple rituals in auguries 03 Religion in Sumerian Oh Sacred literature b Influence on Hebrew Bible )g Babylon under reign of Hamburg (1792-1750 BCC) – powerful cultural and political center 01 Code of Hamburg Oh Collection of laws b Earliest evidence of legal system Co Guarantees protection of slaves, women, and childrenOdd Governs complex Babylonian commerce system Oh Principle of Justice is retribution 02 Advancements in mathematics and astronomy 03 Jargon, king of Kodak – Most important figure in Mesopotamia history )2 Political and economic developments of Mesopotamia )a Several dynasties develop concept of monarchy )b Assyria (northern district of Sumerian)-?kings are chief priests )c Babylonian-?kings and priests have separate offices )d In later stages, influx and intermingling of various cultures, such as Hitters and Assyrian )e Expansion into Asia Minor, Syria, Persia, Palestine, and Egypt under

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Die Casting

Presentation Pressure Die Casting Sam Mande Deepak Ch Veera Pratap Vamsi raj J (BUB0912011) (BUB0912016) (BUB0912013) (BUB0912010) M. Sc. (Engg. ) in Engineering Manufacturing and Management Module Leader : Dr N S Mahesh M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 1 History Casting since about 4000 BC†¦ Ancient Greece; bronze statue casting 450BC Iron works in early Europe, e. g. cast iron cannons from England 1543 2 M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies Introduction Die casting is a very commonly used type of permanent molding process in which surface finish and tolerance of die cast parts is good that post-processing can be eliminated in many cases. †¢ Die casting molds are expensive and require much time to manufacture they are generally called dies. †¢ Die casting is done for high volume with high details, and value added economically priced cast parts. M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 3 Die Casting Process 1. Die is ready to start 2. Die is closed, molten metal is filled in the chamber . The ram pushes the molten metal in to the die 4. Die cavity is filled with molten metal in few micro seconds 4 M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies Die Casting Process 5. The metal than solidifies 6. The component casted is ejected from the die 7. The die is cleaned and sprayed with releasing agents 8. Die is ready for the next cycle 5 M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies Die casting process †¢ In Die-Casting the metal is injected in to the mold under high pressure 10-210 Mpa (1,450-30500 psi) Casting can produce very complex geometry parts with internal cavities and hollow sections. †¢ It is economical, with very little wastage, the extra metals in each casting is melted and reused †¢ The clamping pressure exerted on the die is Rated in â€Å"Clamping tons† †¢ The capacity varies from 400 tons to 4000 tons. M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 6 Die Casting Process †¢ Most of the die castings are made from non-ferrous metals, particularly zinc, copper, aluminum, magnesium, lead, and tin based alloys, although ferrous metal die castings are possible The die casting method is especially suited for applications where a large quantity of small to medium sized parts are needed with good detail , a fine surface quality and dimensional tolerance †¢ There are two common types of die casting: hot- chamber process and cold-chamber process †¢ Example: Pressure die casting M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 7 Cold chamber process †¢ The essential feature of this process is the independent holding and injection units †¢ In the cold chamber process metal is transferred by ladle, manually or automatically, to the shot sleeve †¢ Actuation of the injection piston forces the metal into the die.This is a single-shot operation †¢ This procedure minimizes the contact time between the hot metal and the injector components, this extend their operating life M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 8 Cold chamber process †¢ Hot melt is pressurised with high-speed injection is likely to enter air in the metal, which can cause porosity in the castings †¢ The cold chamber process is used for the production of aluminium, copper base alloys and steel castings †¢ Next to zinc, aluminium is the most widely used die-casting alloy The mould has sections, which include the â€Å"cover† or hot side and the â€Å"movable† or ejector side M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 9 †¢ The die may also have additional moveable segments called slides or pulls, which are used to create features such as undercuts or holes which are parallel to the parting line †¢ Available machine capacity ranges 300 to 4000 T clamping pressure M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 10 Cold-Chamber Die Casting Process Operating Sequence of the ColdChamber Die Casting ProcessThe die is closed and the molten metal is ladled into the cold-chamber shot sleeve. The plunger pushes the molten metal into the die cavity where it is held under pressure until solidification. Ejector pins push the casting out of the ejector die and the plunger returns to its original position The die opens and the plunger advances, to ensure that the casting remains in the ejector die. Cores, if any, retract. M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 11 Applications †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Fuel Pumps Carburetor Parts Valve Covers Handles M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 2 Hot Chamber Process †¢ Hot chamber process is the process where the metal is maintained at an appropriate temperature in a holding furnace adjacent to the machine †¢ The injection mechanism is located within the holding furnace and a part of it is therefore in constant contact with the molten metal †¢ Pressure is transmitted to the metal by the injection piston through the gooseneck and into the die †¢ On the return stroke metal is drawn into the g ooseneck for the next shot M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 13 Hot Chamber Process In this process there is minimum contact between air and the metal to be injected †¢ Due to the contact between the metal and parts of the injection system hot chamber is restricted to zinc-base alloys †¢ The Zinc alloys are mostly used in the die casting process †¢ They have physical, mechanical and casting properties †¢ Applications limited to low melting point metals that do not chemically attack nozzle and other mechanical components M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 14 Hot Chamber Process †¢ The main advantage of this process includes fast cycle times of approximately 15 cycles per minute Due to this process, hot chamber machines are used with Casting metals likes zinc, tin, lead, and magnesium M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 15 Hot Chamber Die Casting Process M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 16 Advantages †¢ Economical for large produ ction quantities †¢ More accuracy †¢ Surface finish is good †¢ Thin sections are possible †¢ Fast cooling leads small grain size and also good strength to casting †¢ Dimensional control is achieved †¢ Due to thin walls, weight is reduced M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 17Disadvantages †¢ High tooling costs †¢ Size restrictions of castings †¢ Volume restrictions †¢ Generally limited to metals with low metal points †¢ Part geometry must allow removal from die M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 18 Applicability †¢ Excellent for large and complicated shapes, particularly with internal features †¢ Can produce net shape or near net shape components †¢ Used where mechanical properties are not important †¢ Used where solid state processing is difficult or uneconomical M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 19 Conclusion Depending on the field of application Die casting plays a crucial role in fulfill ing the requirement accordingly &depending on the size and shape of component and material used the appropriate process should be selected †¢Mainly by controlling and maintaining the various parameters such as material, machine, cycle time and impression(mould)the effectiveness can be improved and its directly reflects in M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 20 †¢ Reducing maintenance cost †¢ Quality of component is improved †¢ Rejection rate is less †¢ Wastage of material is less Life of machine and mould is improved †¢ By following these parameters overall process will be effective & which leads to economic effectiveness M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 21 Reference [1] Unknown. , pressure die casting process, www. wikipedia. com, [2] Unknown, Advantages of PDC, www. dynecast. com, [3] Unknown. , cold chamber die casting, www. diecastetechnology. blogspot. com , [4] Unknown. , Hot chamber die casting, www. duecasting. com [4] Module notes ENG:MATLS. Dr Ns mahesh MSRSAS Bangalore. , M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 22 THANK YOU M. S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies 23

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 21

Business Ethics - Essay Example Therefore, the Civil False Claims Act of 1986 strengthened the government’s course of pursuing the legal claims against its fraudulent contractors. The study highlights a review of the act and the argumentative approach that would solve the litigants’ quest to drop the law’s stringent measures. The clauses of the Civil False Claims Act commonly called the Whistle-blowers act establishes that the federal government has the mandate to pursue a lawsuit against any of its contractors whenever there is a suspicious case concerning fraud. Secondly, the act’s clauses indicate that employees or any other interested parties have the legal mandate to implicate any fraudulent firm working for the government at an individual capacity. Since the government contracts different firms for the delivery of different products and services that eventually affect the majority population, it is apparent that the act is a controllable to curb any fraudulent acts from the contracted parties. According to research, the government has been involved in 20% of the lawsuits filed against its fraudulent contractors. It is known that 80% of the cases are pursued by the whistleblowers until the court’s final jurisdiction. It is critical for the government to understand that cases of fraud w ould not cease with the firms remaining contented of the lack of probability that the federal government would intervene and pursue any cases presented by a relator. The fact that the qui tam lawsuits are expensive to pursue as an individual, the government should change the act’s clauses and include a government unit that would act as a recipient to all whistleblowers with the aim of identifying the evidence of cases. Secondly, the changes should develop a fund for the individual whistle-blowers to use in their pursuit in the fraud cases holding to the knowledge that the intentions are meant to yield revenue after the recovery of the damages.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Lead discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lead discussion - Assignment Example On the other hand, the Euro-Americans benefited from the regions where the Indian- Americans left as they were pushed to the west. The whole scenario outraged the natives because the Euro-Americans saw them as inferior and they started to treat the environment in a way that the natives did not like. Moreover, Indian-Americans were persuaded to give land to Euro-Americans and US government at a low amount by signing a treaty. Therefore, â€Å"The Chief Seattle’s of 1854 Oration† is a lamentation speech because the Indian-Americans were given a raw deal. The treaty led to scattering of Native Americans since they surrendered their land to the superior white race. This was believed to extinct most of the natives. Because of this, the chief Seattle tries to persuade the Americans to treat the natives with utmost respect because they were feeling the effects of harsh living conditions to places they were pushed. One is that the white chief does not need the friendships of the natives. This is elaborated in the quote, â€Å"The white chief says that Big Chief at Washington sends us greetings of friendship and goodwill. This is kind of him for we know he has little need of our friendship in return†. Relating some subjects with the main discussion was difficult and took me much time to know their meaning. For instance, â€Å"Day and night cannot dwell together† was used to show disparity between natives and colonizers because they cannot stay

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Study for Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Study for Business - Essay Example As a matter of fact, businesses around the world, that are looking forward to establish a foothold in a new or existent market with its ever changing consumer behavior and product - market dynamics are increasingly looking forward to opt for consulting services provided by various well established and renowned consulting organizations and agencies for a particular country or region to various agencies. Consulting is carried out mostly in order to serve one of the many purposes of the client comprises which comprises mainly of fulfilling company’s goals and targets, solving the client company’s problems related to the management, identifying and recommending new business opportunities across various markets, providing learning and helping the client with the process of implementing changes within the organization’s structure and processes (Kuber, 2012, p. 3-6). In other words, it can be said that consulting services are often rendered by industry experts with valu able and significant amount of work experience, besides having related product as well as market knowledge. A key factor that differentiates the service of consulting from any other service or product is that the client is purchasing a promise of satisfaction for the services provided by the consultant and expects that the advices and recommendations provided by the consultant will solve the company’s existing problems. Hence the services provided by the consultant needs to be impeccable, effective and highly accurate (Biech, 2003, p. 4-5). Possible Reasons of Failure There can be a multiple number of reasons that can be attributed for the fact of possible failures of a group project. The most important factor can be the fact of ineffective communication amongst team members. Ineffective communication amongst the team members leads to misunderstanding of the job roles and the required project functionalities allocated to them. Due to the cause of this, the team members most o f the time face difficulties in understanding the personalized project related goals and individual targets allocated to them. This also leads to highlighting of the fact that poor communication among team members leads to poor role clarity to the team members. Also, ineffective team communication arises from the ego factors of the team members involved. This also leads to an increased communication gap. Motivational factor of the team members is a huge factor for the success and effective execution of a group project. Team members, who have low level of motivation, which may arise out of several factors ranging from personal problems, marital problems, financial pressure, work related stress etc will have a low level of involvement, which may affect their performance and contribution to the group based project. Another vital factor is inefficient time allocation and time management for the project involved. Improper time allocation for the project leads to hurried completion of the project, in order to meet the deadline allocated for the project. This leads to overlooking and skipping of some of the important goals and objectives of the project (Team Building, 2009). Possible Corrective Measures In order to take effective steps for the purpose of prevention of the above mentioned reasons of failure, certain steps can be taken. For the purpose of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Compostion article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Compostion article - Essay Example Freshman students, including those studying in AUC, also experience the same problem. In addition, since most of the students are Egyptians, English is only a second language. Thus, the present study utilized a hybrid concept/mind mapping online strategy (E-mapping) in order to enhance text comprehension and develop critical reading skills. AUC has a core curriculum course required for all students, Scientific Thinking, which emphasizes on the scientific process and scientific approach in dealing with the world. This curriculum is a basis that students do not usually read texts assigned to them, or cannot analyze the texts. With the use of E-mapping, researchers aim to explore if such strategy could enhance critical thinking and text comprehension, as well as increase student participation in the Scientific Thinking course of the school. Through this study, it will also be determined if the technique would improve the quality and quantity of interaction with text and among students a nd instructors (p. 635). Review and Analysis I. Methods Because graphic strategies are said to aid in visual approaches to reading better than the traditional linear text presentations, the researchers used concept mapping and mind mapping as strategies to help improve text comprehension and retention. ... 635). In two semesters, E-mapping was incorporated into the syllabus of three Scientific Thinking sections, introduced gradually to students due to its unfamiliar approach. Initially using a pen and paper introduction and then shifting to a free online software, the students were exposed to the mapping techniques. Assignments of increasing difficulty were given to the sample of 70 students enrolled in the course. Data gathering techniques used comprised of student E-maps, early and late semester anonymous surveys, and mid-semester small group instructional diagnosis (SGID) (p. 638). Surveys were based on students’ perceptions, the SGID on their suggestions, and the E-maps evaluated their performance. II. Results and Conclusions Outcomes of the research project show that E-mapping has several strengths. The strategy encouraged the students to read the texts assigned, and participate in class discussions. In addition, they were obliged to read the text in a critical manner in or der to come up with maps as representations of the linear text. Through the maps they construct, knowledge, perceptions, or misconceptions regarding a topic are assessed. Generally, the tool has the benefits expected from it, but student’s reaction to the approach differs. The main concern of the students regarding E-maps is the workload it demands from them. They perceive it as time-consuming, and require â€Å"too much work,† concluding that E-mapping is an active learning strategy but not a unique way of testing content or critical thinking, and presenting that such technique permits students to have improved visualization skills important in communicating ideas (p. 645). III. Strengths and limitations The goals of the research project are clearly

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Gold Standard and The Foriegn Exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gold Standard and The Foriegn Exchange - Essay Example Kemmerer (1944) defines gold standard as â€Å"a monetary system where the unit of value, in terms of which prices, wages, and debts are customarily expressed and paid, consists of the value of a fixed quantity of gold in a large international market which is substantially free.† (p. 134) From mid 1870s more and more countries started to value their national currencies against gold. In the 1920s fixing a gold value for the currency ensured stable exchange rates which boosted external value of it and consequently ensured the stability of internal prices. The gold standard period is characterized by national governments policy aimed at preserving the value of the currency (Milward 1996, p.87) Very simple in its origins gold standard was declared to support national currencies serving as an equilibrating mechanism reducing foreign exchange risk and eliminating the risk of destroying governmental policies. Each country has a domestic supply of money backed by its domestic reserves of gold. If a Treasury printed banknotes not backed by the gold standard, the result would be individual requirements to exchange the excess banknotes for gold. (DeLong 1997) Countries which joined fixed exchange rate standard were enjoying long-run price level stability and predictability, stable and low long-run interest rates, stable exchange rates which contributed to massive capital inputs to the worlds developing countries. (Bordo and Schwartz 1996, p.11) As historically-specific institution the gold standard had been supported by all industrial-economy governments to maintain convertibility of their currency. Under the gold standard not only trade expanded but also international capital markets developed. It allowed considerable investments into enterprises in other industrializing, mineral-rich countries which benefited greatly the economies of these countries. The gold standard ensured the entrepreneurs engaged in international trade from foreign exchange

Monday, September 23, 2019

About Pesticides Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

About Pesticides - Essay Example Use of chemicals therefore results to minimum tillage a practice that reduces soil erosion. This prevents water bodies’ siltation which causes imbalance in the aquatic environment (Matthews 2006, p.21) One of the major effects of pesticides to the environment is destruction of aqua system. When pesticides are washed away by rainfall, they are taken into the water bodies. When consumed by aquatic animals it causes complications in their bodies leading to death (Matthews 2006, p.13) Human being is also affected by these chemicals when they are released in the environment. The release of these chemicals causes body complications such as breathing complications. Some of these diseases cause human death. In addition to this, when plants are sprayed by pesticides, they may end up accumulating in the body of human being through ingestion causing body disorders and diseases such as cancer (Matthews 2006) In conclusion, pesticides fumes are cited as great contributors of global warming and therefore, use of pesticides should be highly discouraged and instead uphold organic farming. On the other hand reduced tillage as a result of use of pesticides gives farmers time to participate in other social activities that involve

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The hedge fund and private equity capital raising environment in EU Essay

The hedge fund and private equity capital raising environment in EU - Essay Example Most hedge funds establish and organize themselves as limited partnerships because of the flexibility that it allows them. In order to withdraw funds investors have to give notice of 30 days or more. There are approximately 7,000 hedge funds with market values of US$1 trillion. According to McCaherty and Vermeulen (n.d.) hedge funds take a variety of forms and are characteristic of the pursuit of high returns and the use of leverage to enhance the return on their investment. In recent times hedge funds and private equity have come to represent a significant part of financial activities in the financial markets in Europe, USA and Asia. The sizes of these investments are large as they continue to grow. Fund managers use a number of strategies, traditional techniques and a number of instruments such as equity, debt, options, futures and foreign currencies. In recent times hedge fund managers have engaged in high risk investment strategies including currency trading, credit derivatives a nd restructurings in order to obtain above normal returns on their investments Private Equity Private equity fund managers invest mainly in unregistered securities. However, in recent times they have been engaged in taking private a number of publicly listed companies. They use a number of different investment strategies with varying levels of liquidity. Private Equity Firms are not only involved in providing funds for new and developing companies but they are also engaged in the provision of funds for corporate restructuring, management buy-out and leveraged buy-outs. One Writer attributes the emergence of the buyout fund as the dominant style of investment to favorable credit market conditions, a large supply of loan funds and low interest rates, changes in the preferences of investors, a large number of publicly listed private equity vehicles and the increase in the demand for alternative assets by institutional investors such as pension funds. Brigham and Ehrhardt (2005, p. 664) indicates that â€Å"in a going private transaction the entire equity of a publicly held firm is purchased by a small group of investors that usually includes the firms current senior management.† There are usually two ways in which this transaction is carried out. In one instance the managers acquire all the equity of the company and in the other it does so with a small group of investors who set the previous managers to manage. These are referred to as management buy-out (MBO) and management buy-in (MBI) respectively. This process normally involves substantial borrowings and is therefore described as Leveraged buyouts (LBO). Another term which is normally used is â€Å"taken private† which relates to a buyout of a public company and in the process removing it from the stock exchange listing, and therefore transforming it into a private firm (Fraser-Sampson, 2007). Public companies are normally taken private because they have the potential of providing substantial ca sh flows to investors as the shares are currently undervalued on the stock market. The managers see the potential of â€Å"significantly boosting the firm’s value under private ownership† (Brigham and Ehrhardt 2005, p. 664). This means that companies taken private have the potential of enriching not only the managers who take part in the buyout but the public shareholders who are often offered prices higher than the going market

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Davis Moore thesis discusses and analyzes Essay Example for Free

Davis Moore thesis discusses and analyzes Essay Davis-Moore thesis discusses and analyzes the social equality and inequality and explains why different people obtain different rewards for the jobs that they do (Macionis, 2013). The general topic of the thesis is social stratification, which according to Davis-Moore, is present in every society due to the reason that it has some consequential benefits for the operation and the growth of the society. According to Davis-Moore, more reward is given to people that hold positions in the society that are considered to have some functional importance, such as that of a medical doctor (Macionis, 2013). The result of the reward system in the society implies equality in opportunities while promoting inequality in terms of the outcome that people receive. Social stratification, according to Davis-Moore thesis, makes the society more productive as well as efficient. The functional consequence of inequality in the society helps in ensuring that the relevant and skilled people fill various roles that are considered important in the society (Macionis, 2013). Talented people in the society are supplied with the necessary opportunities and motivation that enable them to undertake training and thus result in filling of the important roles in the society (Macionis, 2013). People who are most talented perform the important functions in the society. The greatest rewards are also offered to the positions that require a lot of training and are of importance in the maintenance of the order and system in the society (Macionis, 2013). For example, doctors train for many years and, therefore, are expected to receive higher perks due to the kind of role they play in the society. Engineers and pilots also take a lot of time to train hence the notion that they should receive higher rewards for their jobs. Melvin Tumin criticized Davis-Moore’s thesis of social stratification by saying that there has been no demonstration of functional importance of the varying positions in the society (Macionis, 2013). Melvin also notes that such a demonstration has not been made. Reference Macionis, J. (2013). Sociology. Pearson Education. Source document

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Natural And Human Sciences

The Natural And Human Sciences Our knowledge in the natural and human sciences has evolved significantly over the past centuries. This can be primarily attributed to disagreement within these fields of science. Disagreement can be understood in different ways; it may be over the logic of the arguments or the value of evidence presented or it may also refer to differences among scientists or differences amongst scientists and society. The disagreements may be over in their views of scientific paradigms, assumptions or research methods. However, just because an individuals idea may be rejected, or disagreed upon, in the marketplace of scientific ideas, it does not mean that one shies away utterly defeated. Instead, one can try to increase their efforts to uncover more evidence, or attempt to formulate an experiment that can provide a more rigorous test of the ideas, or try to make a slight modification to the discarded idea to provide an improved fit to the evidence. Through these methods of counteracting disagreeme nts in science, new knowledge or evidence is likely to be discovered. Hence, the knowledge issue that will be focused on in this essay is as follows: To what extent are disagreements useful in the creation of knowledge in the natural and human sciences?  [1]   The generation of new knowledge in the natural sciences can be notably credited to disagreement. For example, before the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift were proposed, geologists assumed that the Earths major features were fixed. Additionally, most Europeans thought that a Biblical Flood played a major role in shaping the Earths surface.  [2]   However, in the early 1900s, Alfred Wegener opposed the logic of these hypotheses and formulated his own hypothesis that a single landmass called Pangaea split up about 40 million years ago, and the resulting continents eventually drifted to their present locations. In contrast to the previous hypotheses mentioned, Wegener provided evidence to support his theory stating that fossils of the same species were found in two different continents, rock sequences were nearly the same on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and geological structures matched up with one another suggesting that Pangaea once existed. The opposition of Wegners views against the previous beliefs on why the Earth is shaped as it is has proved to be useful in generating new knowledge. His theory of Pangaea has acted as a root on which scientists have branched out to explore. It has revolutionized our understanding of Earth and has provided explanations to questions that scientists had speculated upon for centuries suc h as why earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in very specific areas around the world, and how and why great mountain ranges formed.  [3]   In addition to Geology, another natural science where disagreement is beneficial in creating new knowledge is in Biology. For instance, in my IB Biology HL course, it is required to create and conduct your own independent research paper. In investigating the effects of different concentrations of coffee on heart rate, I recognized that I was not getting the desired results, as there was no effect on the subjects heart rate a few minutes after they drank the diluted coffee. However, it has been scientifically proven that coffee, no matter what concentration, will ultimately have an effect on ones heart rate.  [4]  The discrepancy between the data I collected and the already proven science allowed me to learn two things. Firstly, the reason I was not getting the desired results was because any liquid ingested within the body needs about 10-15 minutes to be absorbed by the respective organs hence why the heart rate had not increased. Finally, I was also able to create a new scientif ic method hence demonstrating the new knowledge I acquired through the disagreement of my initial data and previous scientific knowledge. Despite these situations, having demonstrated that disagreement plays a strong role in the formation of knowledge in the natural sciences, this does not hold true for all circumstances. Take, for instance, Global Warming. For the past years, there has been an on-going debate about the causes of Global Warming and whether or not it is man-made. The small percentage of scientists who believe that man-made actions are not the sole cause for this epidemic have used logic to appeal to those who disagree. Their points include that there is measurement technology bias, meaning that improvements in our ability to accurately count or measure a phenomenon is mistaken for a real underlying change in the frequency of the phenomenon. This means that we cannot categorize weather patterns as normal or abnormal since we only have a short history of measurements to support these claims and finally climate is an extremely complex system with many variables changing simultaneously. Even with an appeal to logic, the majority of scientists still disagree with this theory. Therefore, this illustrates that although there was disagreement amongst the views of scientists, it was not useful in creating accepted knowledge as the majority refuted over these claims.  [5]   Similar to the natural sciences, disagreement plays an equally significant role in making new knowledge in the human sciences. Psychology, for example, is divided into many subfields like biological, cognitive and social psychology due disagreements on how to best explain human behaviour. Nevertheless, having these different explanations provides us with more of an understanding of the factors that influence behaviour and consequently aid the pursuit of knowledge regarding human behaviour.  [6]   Furthermore, in the human science of Economics, dispute in the explanation of how economies function led to the formation of two schools of economic thought, namely Keynesian economics and Laissez-faire economics. Keynesian economics holds the belief that in order for an economy to flourish and function, it is necessary that there be a combination of involvement from the government and the private sector. On the other hand, free-market economists believe in the hands off policy where there is no government intervention.  [7]   These two ways of economic thought have allowed me, as an HL Economics student, to gain an understanding of economic concepts. For instance, I realize that although a laissez-faire economy may be beneficial in that it allows an economy to naturally reach equilibrium without interference, an economy with government intervention will ensure that the economy is stabilized with no hyperinflation and a relatively high employment rate thus, making Keynesian economics the more suitable economic choice. Hence, this shows that due to the disagreement between economists on the explanation of how economies function, I was able to create new knowledge as by analysing the pros and cons of each school of thought, I came to the decision that Keynesian economics is the more logical economic choice.  [8]   Although disagreement in the human sciences has illustrated to be useful in the generation of knowledge, there are also times where it has not. For example, in 1996, Mark Rosenweig conducted an experiment on rats to see the effects of enriched environments on rats brains. Despite there being disagreement on the ethical considerations of the use of rats in the experiment, it was conducted anyways. The results from this experiment showed that rats exposed to enriched environments had greater dendritic connections, meaning a greater formation of knowledge compared to the rats that were put in dim cages with no toys or enriching activities. However, despite showing that enriched environments could benefit knowledge acquisition, this experiment was conducted on rats. Therefore, it was not useful in that it could not be applied to humans as the physiology of humans and rats are completely different. Furthermore, this shows that while there was disagreement against the use of rats in Rosenw eigs experiment, it did not create useful knowledge, as the results from the actual experiment were hard to relate to the brains of humans.  [9]   Disagreement has aided the pursuit of knowledge in the natural and human sciences; however, many disagreements are based on ways of knowing like sense perception, reason, language and emotion. For example, even though Einstein and Bohr were able to perceive the data of the double slit experiment in the same way their interpretation of this perception was different due to fundamentally different assumptions regarding quantum physics. Consequently their explanations of the double slit experiment findings were different, even to the point that the terminology they used was different. At times the debate between the two physicists got quite emotional. Einsteins view that God does not play dice annoyed Bohr to the point that he finally responded to Einstein asking him not to tell God what to do. Consequently, disagreements within areas of knowledge are often rooted in differences in ways of knowing.  [10]   While writing this essay I have become increasingly aware of the fallibility and limitations of human knowledge. Even theories that seem most unshakable are changed due to new discoveries. Sometimes these changes result paradigm shifts within an area of knowledge. Subsequently, to ensure progress in knowledge, one should, as a knower, remain both open minded and critical. By entertaining ideas that may initially seem impossible to accept, it is possible to push the limits of ones understanding. Consequently, without disagreement in science, or any area of knowledge, progress would not be possible.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Impacts of Computer Technology on Law Enforcement :: Cause Effect Computers Essays

Impacts of Computer Technology on Law Enforcement Computers have had large impacts, in both negative and positive ways, on law enforcement related professions.With the introduction of the laptop, many vehicles were equipped to carry them in the dash.With these in place, officers can run warrant checks or find other necessary information about you and the vehicle when they pull you over and perform a search.But those same laptops, not the ones used in the cars, and other PCs have also led to a new form of crime that has been rather difficult for police agencies to investigate—cyber crime. So as in many areas, the computer has been a great work tool, but at the same time hinders some of the activities of the police. The use of computers in law enforcement has, in many cases, been a great idea.Officers can use the computer to store information, analyze particular objects found at crime scenes, and help in collecting information about criminals as well as victims.Some departments have begun to invest in automated fingerprint identification systems and a national program of mug shots for wanted fugitives.A department can also use computer related technology to set up surveillance of telephones, cars, street intersections, and other areas of interest around their jurisdiction (Osterburg and Ward 611-620). Investigators can also use the computer to their advantage.There are programs out now that helps sketch artists make composites of a criminal’s face.Some of these programs contain many thousands of different styles of noses, foreheads, eyes, lips, and other various facial features (Osterburg and Ward 199-201). The future of computer and its related technology is going to be playing a huge role in future areas of law enforcement.Some forms of virtue reality and simulators have and are being developed to help in training officers for certain incidents.These simulated experiences will be used to help rookie officer notice and â€Å"feel† the situation around them when they come upon a scene.It will make they use their knowledge along with the officers around them to determine the best course of action, instead of relying on the technology of the computer/machine like some kinds of simulators do (Forsythe 1-4). Some of the areas of law enforcement that people don’t really think about a computer being used are in the squad cars, manufacturing of ammo and weapons, and even computer technology to develop such things as stun guns (these things are sweet—50,000 volts of ass-kicking power).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

An Essay on Chan -- essays research papers

An Essay Answering Questions From the Assigned Text by Faure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This essay will attempt to answer questions coming from the Bernard Faure text assigned in class. The questions are as follows: How does Hu Shih’s approach to Chan differ from D.T. Suzuki’s? Why was the scholarship of the Japanese on Zen not objective? What does Faure mean by the teleological fallacy? What does he mean by the two alternative approaches he suggests: structural analysis and hermeneutics?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does Hu Shih’s approach to Chan differ form D.T. Suzuki’s? To answer this we must first recognize that Hu Shih emphasizes the historicism of Chan, meaning he places great importance on the historical aspect, while Suzuki aligns himself with the metaphysics aspect. Suzuki states that there are two kinds of people who can talk about Zen: The first(Suzuki), which is one who has a firm grasp on the concepts and greatly understands Zen, the other(Hu Shih), someone who is utterly unable to grab the concepts. Suzuki states that Hu Shih may know Zen historically, but that he does not actually know Zen. Suzuki says about Hu Shih that â€Å"it is not a historians business not talk about Zen.† Hu argues that ‘a historic approach to Zen cannot be reduced to the circumstances of its emergence and how it â€Å"transmits its situation of departure into a means to understand itself and others.’† Since Hu Shih is from the academic world , his approach to Zen is more factual, while ...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The World Bank and The IMF: Twins or Rivals? Essay -- Economy Economic

The World Bank and The IMF: Twins or Rivals? Both institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, were established more than fifty years ago; and the foundations of both were expected to play roles in stabilizing the frustrated global economy and aiding post-war European countries as well as other developing countries for economic progress. In the first three decades, both institutions had their own respective functions and extensively engaged in different economic and financial activities. In general, the World Bank primarily concentrated on making long term loans to finance infrastructural projects in developing countries, as the IMF mainly provided economic consultation as well as short-term loans to both developed and developing countries (Driscoll). However, the distinctive differences started disappearing since the beginning of 1970s, as both began to involve in more and more similar economic activities. As such, these overlapping activities blurred the functions between the two institutions, in which ca se a restructuring reform might be required to avoid potential conflicts. Although both organizations were not identical twins as they were born in the first place, the relationship between them was very close. According to the World Bank’s article of agreement, â€Å"in order for a country to be able to become a member of the Bank, it must be a member of the Fund† (Polak 1). There are two reasons behind this rule: First, it can prevent free ridership that could possibly enables members of one organization to misuse their rights in the world monetary market. Second, it is widely believed that a good lending of the World Bank heavily depended on a country’s stable monetary market, which can be secured by... ...hirty years. Today, although they are facing certain critiques for some of their inconsistent policies that are not accepted by some economists, both are striving for a common goal to achieve the establishment of the stability in the world economy as well as the entire global economic wealth. Works Cited Driscoll, David. D. â€Å"The IMF and The World Bank: How Do They Differ?† Aug. 1996. 23 Nov. 2002. Moffitt, Michael. The World’s Money. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995. Naim, Moises. â€Å"Fad and Fashions in Economic Reforms: Washington Consensus or Washington Confusion?† 26 Oct. 1999. 20 Nov. 2002. Polak, Jacques J. The World Bank and The IMF: A Changing Relationship. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institution, 1994.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Pleasures of Eating Essay

In â€Å"The Pleasures of Eating† Wendell Berry wants the reader to recognize that eating is a cultural act. He believes we are eaters not consumers and that we should have more knowledge about the food we eat. Berry wants the reader to questions where the food is coming from, what condition is it produced in and what chemicals may it contains. He has found that the food industries blind us to what we are consuming and the effect it has on us. At last Berry believes that we must eat responsibly to live free. Berry first begins with eating as an agricultural act. We think of food as an agricultural product rather than think of ourselves participating in the agriculture. Berry sees us believing we are just consumers, as we buy what we want within our limits and what â€Å"they,† the industrial food companies, want us to buy. With this we ignore the most certain critical questions, â€Å"how fresh is it? How pure or clean is it? How pure or clean is it? How free of dangerous chemicals? How far was it transported? And what did transportation add to the cost? † (Berry 231). Berry recognizes that we are naive to believe that the food we buy is produced on an agriculture farm when we have no knowledge of what kind of far or where it is located. We only know of one process, when it appears on the grocery shelf. Industrial food companies blind us with product commercialization. â€Å"This sort of consumption may be said to be on of the chief goals of industrial production† (Berry 231). Industrial food companies have persuaded us to prefer the consumption of food that is already prepared. They have eliminated the agricultural work giving you the connivence of growing, delivering and cooking it all you for. If industrial food companies could find a way to gain profit from pre-chewing your food and feeding it to you they would do it. â€Å"When food in the minds of eaters, is no longer associated with farming and with the land, then the eaters are suffering a kind of cultural amnesia that is misleading and dangerous. † What Berry means by this is we give up knowing the history of our food and hand over all control and freedom. Like any politics it involves our freedom. By giving someone else the control we, â€Å"neglect to understand that we cannot be free unless our food is free† (Berry 232). Our food wars a much make up as actors (Berry 232). Berry expresses that the food industry wants little to do with our health but more to do with volume and price of their product. As scales increase, diversity declines when this happens so does health. From there the dependence on drugs and chemicals becomes necessary. Food advertising leads up to believe that what we eat is good, tasty, healthy and guaranteed to give us a long life (Berry 233). Industrialism is a trap. Berry believes how to escape this trap is to recognize the food problem as a whole and how eating is inescapable. In order to participate in the agricultural act you must; participate in food productions, prepare your own food, learn your foods origin, cut the middle man when you buy, learn about industrial food companies, good farming and gardening and learn from observation and experience. Berry takes pleasure in eating meat from non-suffering non-farm raised animals. As well as, fruits and vegetables that lived a plentiful life. He believes eating should be an extensive pleasure and the more we participate in agriculture and gain knowledge the more we live, â€Å"free from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we can not comprehend† (233). Although Berry made very good points on the importance of a healthy lifestyle he uses excessive amounts of emphasis on knowing what you are eating all the time. I believe if you set limits on the amount of industrialized food you consume, you will still be able to live a healthy and fulfilling life. â€Å"The consumer, that is to say, must be kept from discovering that, in the food industry-as in any other industry-the overriding concerns are not quality and health, but volume and price† (Berry 233) This direct quote was very strong and caught my attention. This made me realize that industrial food companies can be compared to any kind of business as their chief objective is increasing profit. There are, however, certain ways to get around the conventional food industry. It is possible to avoid the trap because after all â€Å"the trap is the ideal of industrialism† (Berry 233). Even though I agree with this certain point, I feel as if there might be a more effective approach that Berry could have taken when describing this so called â€Å"trap. † The way that Berry expresses his views makes it seem as if food industries are out to get you. The description of their goal to make consumers fall into a trap is on the extreme side. Wendell Berry seems to be very into the details of farming and how our meals are processed, but as someone who has been given a very fortunate life style, it is hard for me to relate. When I read I find myself to be having contradictory thoughts as this whole time I have disagreed with most things Berry said; with that being said, the main point of his article is that people take for granted their meals and have no idea the process farmers go through to make our lives the happy ones we live. So yes, Wendell Berry is right in saying people, like myself, should know more about the process and food we absorb each and every day. He does a great job of bringing in his arguments with the tone of his article and repetition of ideas. When he makes a point, he wants to â€Å"hammer it home. † Therefore, I have to applause him for his writing as he is a convincing writer with a strong knowledge base. His position on the food industry and the roles that consumers need to play in order to eat pleasurably is grand but some of his views were too extreme to persuade me.

Marketing Strategy and Economic Changes Essay

Marketing Strategy and Economic Changes Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many organizations and business entities have developed and expanded their operations across the world as a result of the great developments which have been experienced in various economies across the world. One of the major issues that have contributed to the growth of organization is their strategies in marketing their products and services so that the consumers are aware of what they are offering. Marketing strategies when implemented properly often bring good returns to a company in terms of increased market share, increased sales as well as increase in the profitability(Larson, 2011).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Failure of a company to have effective marketing strategy can result in failure and collapse of the business since the company is not able to promote its products and influence the purchasing behaviour of the consumers (Parker, 2011). It is important that an organization should formulate a marketing strategy that will enable it realize its objectives and goals in the short and long run. However, there are changes in the economy which may affect the marketing strategies which an organization applies for its products so that it can be able to stay in the market. Economic issues such recession and depression in the economy may force a company or an organization to change the strategies and adopt new ones that will not affect the company negatively. Nike Inc is a multinational organization that deals in sportswear in terms of clothes as well as shoes for all groups of people(Nike: The Future Of Marketing, 2012). Nike Inc   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nike Inc is a worldwide known brand of sportswear designer, manufacturer as well as distributor and seller across the world. The company is known to produce one of the top quality brands of products that are used across different sports in the world. The company has been in the forefront in ensuring that its marketing strategies are effective and capture the market as well as help it stay on top of the competition(Zakrevskaya, &Mastracci, 2013). The marketing strategies which the company has been using include brand promotion and commercials with the endorsement of famous celebrities in the sports field. The company uses successful sports professionals, college teams as well as celebrities who they sponsor using their products(Nike: The Future Of Marketing, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the successful sports professional such as Michael Jordan are seen by consumers to use the products of the company, there are high chances that the consumers will be influenced to purchase the products since someone that is successful has recommended them and also makes use of them(Larson, 2011). This marketing strategy of using celebrities and successful sports persons builds the notion in consumers that they too can have the same experience as the sports persons that use the same products and also show their association with the persons of their choice. The company has also made use of marketing segmentation as part of its marketing strategy. Nike Inc has majority of the sportsmen as its consumers (Nike: The Future Of Marketing, 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, changes in the global economy can have negative impacts and influence the marketing strategies of the company. As mentioned earlier, economic factors such as the occurrence of recession, as well as depression are some of the economic factors which can influence and impact the marketing strategies of the company(DATAMONITOR: NIKE, Inc., 2012). The impacts of the economic changes can be analysed in terms of the effect on the competitive advantage of the company, targeting, market segmentation as well as positioning in addition to branding of products. Impacts of Economic Changes Competitive Advantage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic recession and depression are the major economic changes that can greatly affect the marketing strategies that Nike Inc applies. During the economic recession and depression, it means that there is less supply of cash and that people do not have enough to sustain their normal purchasingbehaviour(Zakrevskaya, &Mastracci, 2013). The products that Nike Inc offers to the consumers, especially the sportsmen are often of high price. Recession and depression will mean that the company will have to look for new marketing strategies which can still help sustain its profitability. Sponsoring of the sportsmen is the primary marketing strategy which the company has used for many years and has been seen to be effective (OnurTaÅŸ, &CunedioÄŸlu, 2014).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, during recession and depression, Nike Inc will be forced to forgo some of the sponsorships since it will not be able to sustain the sponsorships which are often free to the athletes in return for the athletes wearing the brands of the company(DATAMONITOR: NIKE, Inc., 2012). The company would want to reduce its costs in sponsoring during the recessions and depression since many people at this time do not have enough funds to spare which they can spend on high-end products such as those of Nike. Companies that produce substitute products which are cheaper will have an added advantage compared to Nike (Groucutt, Forsyth, &Leadley, 2004). Consumers would want to purchase less of the high-end products hence accusing Nike Inc to lose its competitive advantage to the competitors that offer cheaper products. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nike Inc is a well-known brand and often uses marketing segmentation as a way of promoting is products. The market segment that the company has engaged in is the sportsmen segment in the market (DATAMONITOR: NIKE, Inc., 2012). The primary target has been athletes and people that engage in sporting activities across the world from different age groups. This means that the company relies heavily on sports to promote and sell its products. Therefore, when there is economic recession and depression, the company may want to adapt a new market segment, that of those that are not involved in sports(OnurTaÅŸ, &CunedioÄŸlu, 2014). However, the marketing segmentation and targeting of the non-sporting groups will mean that the company has to adjust the pricing of its products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, the targeting strategy of the company will be affected negatively since it will need to change from just sponsorship of the sportsmen but also to check on diversity of its products. Under positioning in the market, Nike Inc has been able to position itself strategically across the globe in many countries(Zakrevskaya, &Mastracci, 2013). The company operates in different countries hence has a global presence which is good for the company. The economic recession and depression will not have a major impact on the positioning of the company as it already has a global presence. However, it may have to look at other markets that are developing where the market may not be greatly affected by the changes in the global economy(MacEwan, & Miller, 2011). Branding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other aspect of marketing strategy that may be affected by the negative economic changes in the global economy is branding. Nike Inc has been observed to have a strong brand that commands a huge market share as compared to other competitors(Lee, & Ha, 2012). The branding of the company’s product will not be affected since the company has a fully established brand that is well known and has a great market share in sports. Impact on Consumer Behaviour   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Changes in the global economy, especially issues such as recession and depression in the economy will have an impact on the consumer behaviour and how they make their purchasing decisions; especially regarding the products of Nike Inc(MacEwan, & Miller, 2011). Consumers depend on their income to purchase products and when the global economy faces issue such as recession and depression, their income is likely to be affected. Therefore, the consumers in this case will shy away from high-end products since they are expensive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the law of demand, when the price of an item is high, there are chances that the demand may decline. Income is a determinant factor hence the purchasing behaviour of the consumers will change with consumers seeking for more urgent needs such as food and clothing and other needs instead of spending their money on sportswear (Zakrevskaya, &Mastracci, 2013). Therefore, Nike will be forced to seek alternative marketing strategy which will still appeal to the consumers such as offering of discounts and providing affordable products. Consumers during recession and depression will often seek for substitute products that can still function the same way as the primary product hence they will opt to purchase other types of clothing that can still perform the functions of Nike products. Growth Opportunities   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The global economy is constantly experiencing growth which continues to create opportunities for many companies in the world, Nike Inc included, to grow and expand on their business. Nike Inc has potential for growth in various areas based on the technological developments which have continued to increase innovation and creativity (MacEwan, & Miller, 2011). Furthermore, the many policies in various countries on business have been changed to open up borders for international trade in various countries across the world which means an increase in the potential market for the products of the company. The growth opportunities that the company has include the growing global market for footwear as well as the growing opportunity in online retail. Global footwear market   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Over the recent years, there has been tremendous growth that has been experienced in the global market on footwear which provides Nike with an excellent opportunity to grow its business (NIKE, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). The company has a strong brand portfolio as well as strong marketing strategies which if properly managed will enhance the business. As mentioned, there has been a lot of reduction in trade barriers in many countries across the world through trade treaties which have opened up new markets especially bin developing countries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The global market for footwear has grown over the years and in the year 2012; the revenue generated amounted to about $256.6 billion. The European markets as well as the Asian markets have also experienced growth over the years which provide a great opportunity for the growth of the company (Lee, & Ha, 2012). The global footwear market is poised to grow a lot and hence Nike should take up the opportunity since there is a growing demand among consumers for footwear products that are comfortable. Online Retail   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The other growth opportunity that Nike Inc has is online retailing. Over the years, there has been a growing trend among consumers to make purchases online as a result of the technological as well as the development of the internet(NIKE, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 2014). Consumers over the recent past have been seen to prefer online purchasing which they consider to be affordable, efficient as well as convenient. Therefore, Nike Inc, through its website and creation of an online store for its products, can growth in the future (Larson, 2011). References DATAMONITOR: NIKE, Inc. (2012). NIKE, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 1-10. Groucutt, J., Forsyth, P., &Leadley, P. (2004).Marketing: Essential principles, new realities. London [u.a.: Kogan Page. Larson, D. (2011). Global Brand Management — Nike’s Global Brand.ISM Journal OfInternational Business, 1(3), 1-14. Lee, K., & Ha, I. â€Å".(2012). Exploring the Impacts of Key Economic Indicators and Economic Recessions in the Restaurant Industry.Journal Of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 21(3), 330-343 MacEwan, A., & Miller, J. A. (2011).Economic collapse, economic change: Getting to the roots of the crisis. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe. NIKE, Inc. SWOT Analysis. (2014). NIKE, Inc. SWOT Analysis, 1-8. Nike: The Future Of Marketing. (2012). Marketing (00253650), 28. OnurTaÅŸ, B. K., &CunedioÄŸlu, H. E. (2014). HOW CAN RECESSIONS BE BROUGHT TO AN END? EFFECTS OF MACROECONOMIC POLICY ACTIONS ON DURATIONS OF RECESSIONS.Journal Of Applied Economics, 17(1), 179-198. Parker, J. A. (2011).On Measuring the Effects of Fiscal Policy in Recessions.Journal OfEconomic Literature, 49(3), 703-718. Zakrevskaya, O., &Mastracci, S. (2013). Differential Effects of the Great Recession by Household Type.Challenge (05775132), 56(6), 87-114. Source document

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883) Essay

In the Prologue section of Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra’, he spoke of a thirty-year-old man named Zarathustra who goes into the wilderness where he stays for ten years taking pleasure in his solitude.   When he decides to be in contact with the people again and ‘go under’, Zarathustra starts to share what he has learned over the past ten years.   He tells about a Superman, saying that man is born to be between a beast and a Superman. Man should be able to overcome this state, yet the road is very dangerous.   He preaches that man should utterly focus on this life and not the life after death.   He should hold in contempt things like happiness, reason, virtue, justice, or pity.   As man is becoming more and more tame and domesticated, then the last man on earth will all be alike like a herd of animals.   They shall be afraid of danger and peril, which will lead to self-destruction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Zarathustra Prologue, Nietzsche speaks about a crisis that is being shared by the existing humanity—the crisis of being contented with comfort alone; being as comfortable and contented as to resist the utilization of strong, positive goals in one’s existence.   Each section of ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra’ carries with it essential points to consider, especially the Prologue section and Parts 1-3.   What are these essential points?   How do they all blend together to come up with the whole thought or proclamation of Nietzsche?   In the end, we shall come up with the answers to these questions, together with the essential points that create Nietzsche’s preaching of nihilism.   In this world of materialism and nihilism (as Nietzsche declared), is God really dead? Main Body The Crisis of Existing Humanity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Prologue section of ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra,’ Nietzsche speaks about a crisis that lingers in all of humanity today.   Zarathustra speaks that saints are too proud and love only God and not men, as stated in the lines: â€Å"Now I love God: men, I do not love.   Man is a thing too imperfect for me.   Love to man would be fatal to me† (Nietzsche 21).   He also stated that acts of charity should go after acts of beseech: â€Å"If, however, thou wilt give unto them, give them no more than an alms, and let them also beg for it† (Nietzsche 21).   This points out that acts of charity are done for the sake of pride and self-worthiness.   When Zarathustra speaks that â€Å"God is dead† (Nietzsche 22), he meant that God does not exist in this world anymore, even on people whom we think should have made God more alive. Secondly, Zarathustra speaks that people have made a shame of themselves: â€Å"Ye have made your way from the worm to man, and much within you is still worm.   Once were ye apes, and even yet man is more of an ape than any of the apes† (Nietzsche 22).   He preaches that the way to go is to be the Superman, which Zarathustra speaks as â€Å"the meaning of the earth† (Nietzsche 22) and the â€Å"herald of the lightning, †¦ a heavy drop out of the cloud† (Nietzsche 25). People are in crisis because much of life is centered on life after death and not on the present life on earth.   Happiness, reason, virtue, justice, and pity appear to be useless and should not be centered on, since self-satisfaction of men is being slaughtered, while men cry to heaven for answers to satisfaction, which should only be found on earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thirdly, Zarathustra speaks that â€Å"Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Superman—a rope over an abyss† (Nietzsche 24).   There is crisis and peril in trying to go through the rope—the present state of man that should be defeated and prevailed over.   Man has succeeded in transforming itself from a beast to a man, yet there is another significant task for a man—to transform itself from a man to a Superman.   However, the people do not yet understand: â€Å"There they stand †¦ there they laugh: they understand me not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nietzsche 25). For this, Zarathustra starts to speak of the ‘last man’ because people are becoming too content and comfortable with their lives they do not see the need to have strong, positive goals anymore.   Zarathustra proclaims that, if this will not change, time will come when the trees and the soil will bear no trees; when man will not see a reason to long for and dream; and when man will no longer be capable of giving birth to a star (Nietzsche 26). This inability of the last man to create something that is beyond himself would make the earth smaller and smaller, and the last man becoming weaker and weaker†¦ becoming lazier as days go by.   If man is to surpass the crisis that is in the midst, then he should surpass the rope of being a man and learn how to become a Superman. The Principal Parts of the Last Man’s Soul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Zarathustra, man is not made up of body and soul; rather, that he is composed only of the body that, on the other hand, is made up of the spirit and the ego, which common people call the ‘soul’ (Nietzsche 40-41).   Zarathustra preaches that the ego is—not said—but done (Nietzsche 41).   It is the ego that gives a sense of feeling, while it is the spirit, conversely, that discerns what is to be done considering the ego.    These two, the spirit and the ego, continuously attach to one another over one’s existence: â€Å"What the sense feeleth, what the spirit discerneth, hath never its end in itself† (Nietzsche 41).   Behind the senses of the ego and the spirit is the Self (or the body), which â€Å"seeketh with the eyes of the senses, it hearkeneth also with the ears of the spirit† (Nietzsche 41); yet it appears that the Self is the master of the senses of ego and spirit, as reflected in the following lines: The Self saith unto the ego: Feel pain!   And thereupon it suffereth, and thinketh how it may put an end thereto—and for that very purpose it is meant to think.   The Self saith unto the ego: Feel pleasure!   Thereupon it rejoiceth, and thinketh how it may ofttimes rejoice—and for that very purpose it is meant to think. (41)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In relation to the crisis, this ordering of the principle parts of the last man’s soul leads one to think that the Self is really in the soul, which is not true, according to Zarathustra (since there is no soul).   The Self is in the body, and for those who say that Self is in the soul, they are called ‘despisers of the body’ who despise because of their esteem (Nietzsche 41).   Through the body, there is spirit; and through the spirit, there is worth and will.   The Self, however, should be made to do what it desires most—to be that which is beyond itself†¦ to be a Superman on earth!   To be a Superman needs a special kind of selfishness—the healthy and holy type of selfishness that â€Å"constrain[s] all things to flow towards you and into you, so that they shall flow back again out of your fountain as the gifts of your love† (Nietzsche 76). In this selfishness there is no lust or craving but true virtue that elevates the body and enraptures the spirit (Nietzsche 76).   This new virtue brings power and knowledge through what he calls the ‘Will to Power’.   This is what drives the powerful into wanting obedience and change.   Zarathustra calls it â€Å"the unexhausted, procreating life-will† (Nietzsche 108), and together with worth and will, this is also what the last man lacks nowadays.   People are unaware of the healthy and holy selfishness, which is why he cannot create beyond himself. The Way to Redemption   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Zarathustra, as a teacher, tries to correct the conflicting understanding of these notions by doing the following: first, by finding his own disciples and teaching them before sending them on their own to find their Will to Power and virtue, which should both be overflowing in order for them to preach or share it with others; and second, by preaching to the most uncommon men (i.e., hunchback, the cripples, the blind men) who live apart from the rest of the people. However, because man has turned his back against the Will to Power, Zarathustra claims that there is suffering on earth as penalty for the negligence: â€Å"Everything perisheth, therefore everything deserveth to perish† (Nietzsche 132).   Yet the past is past.   Even the Will to Power has no power to bring back time; thus, there is suffering.   But there is what is called ‘courage’ that slays giddiness, suffering, and death (Nietzsche 143).   As stated, â€Å"Courage, however, is the best slayer, courage which attacketh† (Nietzsche 143).   By possessing courage, man is on his way to redemption to find his Will to Power and his virtue, for the Self to find its worth and will in the spirit.   At that moment, he will have the power to create beyond himself—a being that even death, giddiness, and suffering is unable to tear down. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"[T]ruth is always on the side of the more difficult.† –Friedrich Nietzsche in his letter to his sister, 1865 (Nietzsche&Kaufmann 29)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra,’ he speaks about a crisis that is being shared by the existing humanity.   There is crisis because of the following essential points: first, the non-existence of God in this world; second, the centering on life after death; third, the suffering of self-satisfaction; fourth, the longing for contentment and comfort; fifth, the lack of strong, positive goals and courage; sixth and last, having a smaller world with weaker men.   With the Self as the master of the ego and the spirit, a man should not despise his body because of esteem, especially that it is the body that builds the spirit, which then builds both worth and will. Without the body, there is no spirit, worth, will, and the ego.   To be a Superman is to be selfish enough to gain in knowledge and in power, yet how can all be possible without virtue and Will to Power?   To have Will to Power in a changing and suffering world, however, there is a drastic need for courage.   This is the way to the redemption of mankind†¦ to have the courage in wiping away suffering and pain, which has been inflicted on mankind as penalty for its negligence.   Despite the past being irrevocable, man will no longer fall to self-destruction, as he has learned to go well beyond himself. Works Cited Nietzsche, Friedrich.   Thus Spake Zarathustra.   Translated by Thomas Common.   University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University, 1999. Nietzsche, Friedrich, and Walter Kaufmann.   The Portable Nietzsche.   New York, NY: Penguin Group, Inc., 1977.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Ontela Picdeck Harvard Case Essay

Ontela designed a revolutionary product which allows wireless subscribers to seamlessly transfer data from the consumer’s wireless phone and send it to an email inbox, PC, or website. This allows consumers to use their wireless device more frequently, which generates more revenue for the industry in mobile phone services. Joe Levy, Ontela’s director of carrier marketing, assisted with PicDeck’s segmentation in determining the appropriate target audience. Below you will find an analysis on PicDeck’s choices regarding customer segmentation and evaluation on their data; supporting that research proves their target audience are primarily middle-aged married women and men. SWOT Analysis Issues Short-term †¢Best way to determine the right target audience †¢Making PicDeck more conceptually-friendly so consumers can better understand it user-friendly functions Long-term †¢How could Ontela balance the needs of the subscribers with the carrier’s goals of decreasing churn and increasing ARPU? †¢What is the next big idea to keep company ahead of the game (please help rephrase) Problem Statement: For future growth, the industry will need to continue being creative and innovative in seeking out added services such as data and wireless Internet use to increase yearly revenue; how can Ontela and their counterparts target the right consumers which will utilize both without compromising ARPU? Case Response: Section A 1. Based on the three customer personas, which customer segment should Ontela target? a.Ontela’s objective was to increase the use of wireless carrier service and increase average revenue per user (ARPU). In order to do this the organization conducted a segmentation research to select the right Personas, which will determine how to allocate their resources and time for consumers who use their cell phones and cameras the most. Based on this criteria Sarah, the parent should be considered as the primary target. It is important to consider that women control or influence the purchase of 80% of all consumer goods, including such items as stock for investments, personal computers, and others (2011, Boone). This will automatically include Regina, the teen into the equation, which will automatically boost both revenue and data usage. According with some cell phones statistics from the Defakto Company: †¢55% of mobile social networks usage that is female. †¢42% more likely working moms are than average cellular users to download content to their cell phones †¢42% of women post photos on Facebook (2010, Vermon) Therefore, for this specific scenario, the target should be a female from age 15 to 45 years old, which are the ages for the generations that have lived through the technological changes. In order to narrow more of the target audience, a psychographic segmentation will be necessary. The organization would need to know the typical values and lifestyle of the women who use cell phones cameras, for this purpose we can use tools as VAL which classify consumer by psychological characteristics. 2. Create a positioning statement for your chosen persona and identify the key themes that should be emphasized in the messaging for the PicDeck service to this segment. a.Positioning statement for PicDeck: For the wireless subscribers who want to transfer picture to their computers, email inbox, and mobile devices, the PicDeck provides the most effective way to download and manage pictures. Unlike the currently complex and limited methods we have today, the PicDeck allows the transfer of pictures to any pre-designated destination without the need to press any extra buttons. 3. What are the risks of using qualitative personas to select target customer segments? a.The customer personas and the goal of the organization should be aligned with one another to ensure the company’s cohesiveness and allow them to determine their target customer. The use of personas is useful in marketing to understand the customer behavior, so the personas should represent attributes of the target audience that we want to reach. In using qualitative personas we are assuming that the people represented have similar expectations and goals, and we are not considering important issues as culture and race; and that’s when it becomes risky for the business. This can cause the company to lose revenue because a product of this caliber is universal and therefore the company has no need lock themselves to a certain type of customer when all types of customers can utilize the product. Section B 4. Which segment(s) would you recommend as a target for PicDeck? Explain the logic behind your choice. a.Using demographic segmentation has been a useful tool in determining which customers to target in promoting their product. According to exhibit 4 in section B the strongest response in the surveys came from middle aged married consumers and/or male wireless subscribers. There is additional statistical research supporting this data from the customer personas; which a middle-age married woman with a teenager has the need for this produce and the purchasing power to attain it. In addition, Exhibit 2 consistently illustrates that the middle age consumer wants a device that is easier to transfer photos to their PCs, email, or social website. By continuing using demographic segmentation they can place more focus on income, education, and occupations within middle aged married consumers and males; which this may address Mr. Levy’s concerns regarding the increasing and/or maintaining ARPUs. 5. Develop a positioning statement for your selected target customer(s) the key benefits of the PicDeck service and how the service is differentiated from alternative that customers might consider. a.For the up-to-date Mom and professional savvy male who is looking for timeless convenience the PicDeck Mobile provides fast and clear pictures of your loved ones or Power Point to your boss. Unlike archaic digital cameras the PicDeck can seamlessly send that memory or great idea before you can say cheese. In conclusion Ontela’s Picdeck was definitely on the right path. Looking at today’s society people are using this product every day. Whether it’s a person taking pictures with their smartphone, and instantly sending it to their Facebook page or a fellow student snapping a shot of the groups contact sheet and sending the document via email to the group members; everyone values the product for its convenience and accessibility. It has now become the â€Å"norm† function of a phone. Therefore, Levy’s positioning strategy to ensure the solvency of his company; in addition, addressing carriers’ goals seems as a success with the continuing growth of this industry.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Manufactoring case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Manufactoring - Case Study Example This part is also required to be stronger. Moreover, the extreme humidity may also damage the same by the formation of rust throughout the metallic body of the tool. However, there also some of the punch tools that are made up of plastic, especially the lever (Paper Pro Inc., â€Å"Home.†). The product generally stays in the normal room temperature and humidity. However, with the extreme humidity it might rust its surface. It generally stays in the hands of users therefore the presence of moisture in the hands might also form rust. Moreover, it is also observed in the table or shelf of an office or an educational institute or in the living room (Davis 1-58). The parts that are more vulnerable to be damaged after the execution of physical pressure are the punches and the lever. These parts are directly connected to the body of the punch machine and with the holes of the same. It is also connected with the part of the instrument, where the pressure is exerted (Davis 1-58). The inside dimensions of the lever and punch are very important aspect for a punch machine to be effective. The proper dimension of the lever for the satisfaction of the customer can be achieved by exerting less pressure for making paper holes. Moreover, the proper dimension of the punches is also important as leads to the formation of the holes at the specific dimension in papers (Davis 1-58). There are also certain non-dimensional attributes that are required to be considered. These include proper smoothness and color throughout the body of the tool. The body of the tool is also required to be designed as per the segments of the customers. If the tool is used in the corporate offices, it is desirable to have a corporate look. Further, if the tool is used by a young boy or a girl, it is required to be designed accordingly (Davis 1-58). The material that is used in the punches and in the lever is generally of steel. Steel is one of the strongest alloys of the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Sciavo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sciavo - Case Study Example Later in the year 1990, Mrs. Shiavo was diagnosed with a â€Å"Persistent Vegetative State† (PVS). Her husband Mr. Schiavo accepted that her condition was very critical, and her recovery was remote since all healthcare means had failed to revive her. He decided to work on what he assumed his wife would wish. He said my wife would not have chosen to continue being kept on an artificial life-supporting machine. Mrs. Shiavo’s parents strongly opposed her husband’s stand and subsequently one of the most popular ethical dilemmas unfolded (Perry,Churchill and Kirshner, 2005). This case spurred controversy in the legal, medical, ethical, political and social domains. The case threatened to loosen the long-standing legal and ethical positions, which enabled individuals to control medical interventions executed on them. After so many petitions, hearings and numerous appeals, the Florida Supreme Court sanctioned the feeding tube to be removed on 31 of March 2005 in spite of opposition from President George Bush and the Congress but she died on 31 of March 2005. Terri’s case resonated with other cases that obviously influenced the Supreme Court’s decision to have the feeding tube removed, which included, the case of â€Å"Karen Quinlan Ann in 1976,† â€Å"Paul Brophy in 1986,† and â€Å"Nancy Cruzan in 1990† in which the patients who didn’t have written advance directives. In all these cases, the courts viewed the freedom and privacy interest of the patients as supreme and thus, the judge argued that she would not hav e wished to continue living under life-prolonging measures all her life hence sanctioned the that the feeding tube be remove from her (Perry, Churchill and Kirshner, 2005) A number of legal considerations were put into perspective in the determination of this case. Firstly, she had not made any healthcare directive other than private conversations with her

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Health and Women as Healers in the African American Culture Research Paper

Health and Women as Healers in the African American Culture - Research Paper Example African Americans have a long health tradition and practices of health that shape what they do to care for themselves today. According to Becker, Rahima, and Edwina (par. 9), the traditional medicine of African Americans can be traced back past enslavement in America to their native cultures in Africa. Fundamental facets of the African American culture are key self-care strategy development. There is a basic self-care approach that builds on extensive values and practices. These practices and values comprise of social support, spirituality and traditional medicine. Each of these practices of culture is vital in shaping the understanding of an individual of self-care. Together, they form the foundation for the activities of self-care that are cultured further so as to manage illnesses. Nonetheless, when the cultural approach to self-care was applied to particular health concerns, the establishment of additional self-care strategies was impacted by access to health care. Health care accessibility made a difference in how individuals managed their illnesses Healing has a long alliance with faith, spirit, family support and altered consciousness state. Women have traditionally been healers in the society in all cultures, as healing has been viewed as the natural duty of wives and mothers. Healing has also been regarded as a natural display of the feminine principle. Healing is the return toward the integrity natural state and individual wholeness. Healers facilitate the process of healing. The woman healer learns or inherits skills and abilities of healing from family, apprenticeships or spirits. The woman healer can holistically observe the intricate nature of the illness. Then, she treats the mind, body and spirit with stress in the spirit and practice prevention of disease. Moreover, their clients trust them. These women have a distinct connection to the spirit world that empowers them to heal. Additionally, they are wise to

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

(GC Instrument Experiment) Determination of Ethanol Concentration in Lab Report

(GC Instrument Experiment) Determination of Ethanol Concentration in Biological Fluids using Gas Chromatography - Lab Report Example The BAC level in all 50 states of the US is set by law at 0.08% w/v a value, which is much higher in comparison to other countries. Other countries have BAC limits of 0.03% w/v or even less (International Center for Alcohol Policies). The use of gas-liquid chromatography in the modern science has eliminated the complex nature of the matrix affecting the analysis of ethanol in blood previously (Jones and Pounder 12). The sample size employed in gas-liquid chromatography is also small hence making the method convenient for analysis of small samples. In gas chromatography, the gaseous mobile phase, which is referred to as the carrier gas, conveys the analyte in the column (Harris 528). Mostly, inert gas such as helium and nitrogen are used as mobile phase while non-polar liquids such as polyethylene glycol can be used as stationary liquid phase (Harris 528). Separation is founded on the dispersal of the analytes between the mobile and stationary phases. The analyte concentration in the gas phase affects its elution since high analyte concentration means more time is spent in the mobile phase as well as the stationary phase (Colin 19). Short analysis time and high precision make it a method of choice. A comparison between flame ionization detectors (FID) and electron capture detectors (ECD) shows that FIDs are highly sensitive to almost all organic compounds, have a wide linear response range that surpasses 107, have low maintenance requirements and are less expensive to acquire and operate compared to ECDs (Harris 543). Five ethanol standards were prepared in a 20 mL gas-tight vial by mixing ca. 0.5% w/w ethanol and ca. 0.5% w/w of tert-butanol in water. The table below summarizes the preparation. tert-Butanol was used as the internal standard. A Shimadzu 14A GC with a flame ionization detector was used. Polyethylene glycol was used as the stationary phase, and the column temperature

Monday, September 9, 2019

Discuss the pros and cons of floating against fixed exchange rate Essay

Discuss the pros and cons of floating against fixed exchange rate regime using the Mundell-Fleming and the Dornbusch models - Essay Example With increased supply of money, people will transform that non interest-bearing asset, money into interest bearing assets, bonds. Therefore, the demand for bonds will rise. That will lead to an increase in bond price. (Obstfeld and Rogoff, 1984) Due to the inverse relationship between bond price and market rate of interest, the market rate of interest will fall. This fall in market rate of interest will be followed by a huge capital outflow. Now, same amount of domestic money will run after less amount of foreign currency resulting in domestic currency depreciation. To maintain the domestic currency at a fixed level, the central bank will have to sell its foreign currency reserve in exchange of domestic money. This phenomenon will lead to a contraction in money supply and it will continue till the market rate of interest rises to its initial level, that is, till the initial expansionary monetary policy gets fully crowded out. (Obstfeld, 2000) From the above, it is clear that the monetary policy will be fully ineffective under fixed exchange rate regime. Now, if the government chooses a fiscal expansion through a rise in government expenditure, then income rises. With a rise in income, transaction demand for money increases. With a rise in transaction demand for money, people will sell bonds in order to meet that increased transaction demand. So, bond supply will rise, bond price will fall and market rate of interest will rise. With the increase in market rate of interest a huge capital inflow will occur, resulting in a currency appreciation. In order to maintain the fixed exchange rate the central bank will purchase that extra supply of foreign exchange. It will result in an increase in money supply, increasing the demand for bond, which will eventually lower the initial rise in interest rate to its initial level. However income will be higher than the initial level. So fiscal policy will

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Target comapny Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Target comapny - Research Paper Example This when compared to other competitors of Target Corp, shows that the company has performed good considering the intense competition within the retail industry from the likes of giants like Walmart. Walmart reported a profit of $15,355 million in 2011, Costco reported $1,462 million in 2011 while Best Buy Co reported 1,277 million in year ending 2011. Target Corporation tends to operate efficiently within the retail industry. The company, like many of its adversaries, values its inventory on the basis of Retail Inventory Method. Under this method, the inventory is measured and reported at the Last in First Out (LIFO) method whereby a cost-to-retail ratio is applied to inventory grouping’s ending value. The inventory is further reported at the lower of the LIFO cost or the market value. Target Corporation has gradually increased its revenue with the years passing by. The reported revenue in 2011 was 69,865 million – which was 3.5% more than the previous year revenue. The year 2011 also showed Target Corporation reporting its highest EBIT and Net earnings in the last five years, $5,322 million & $2,929 million

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Investigating the effects of mutation on active site amino acids of Lab Report

Investigating the effects of mutation on active site amino acids of beta-lactamase - Lab Report Example Using these two techniques it is possible to synthesize a protein that will bind any desired target. As recent studies suggest, it is possible to add random peptide sequences into loops of ?-lactamase subsequently establishing the catalytic properties of the produced ?-lactamase derivatives. The same authors highlighted the fact that there is no correlation between tolerance to insertion and tolerance to mutagenesis. A turn between two ?-strands next to the active site was found to be inactive in random mutagenesis but demonstrated the opposite in insertions. The present work consists of three elements. Initially it is creating a construct (cloning a mutated gene into an expression vector) ?-lactamase a. using traditional cloning methods (overlapping PCR for mutagenesis, digestion, ligation). Then move on to Protein- Prep- expressing and isolating mutated ?-lactamase a, transformation of construct into competent cells b and protein purification by GFC and IEC before, finally, move on to investigating the effects of mutation on the functionality of ?-lactamase a. Activity assay of mutants compared to those of the WT enzyme A Procedure Week 1: PCR- Primer Design/PCR Mutagenesis Two sterile 0.2 ml PCR tubes were loaded with 5 Â µL PFU buffer, 3 Â µL dNSO, 2.5 Â µL template, 0.5 Â µL PFU, 26.5 Â µL H2O each. Also, one tube was loaded with 5 Â µL Reverse Primer and 5 Â µL Forward Primer Mutant while the other was loaded with 5 Â µL Forward Primer and 5 Â µL Reverse Primer Mutant. 23 cycles of PCR were used to generate the required amount of the DNA sequence of interest. Denaturation, annealing, and elongation represent one cycle of PCR. The first minute of DNA generation was conducted at 950C the second at 500C. The temperature for the following three minutes was raised to 720C with subsequent 10 minutes of elongation at 720C before finally cooling down to 40C affording the crude product. Week 2: PCR Fragment Purification and Restriction Digest A. The crude product produced on the previous stage was loaded into the wells of 0.4 % agarose gel, the first run was conducted. All bends were cut and 330 Â µL QG buffer was added. The mixture was heat till the gel dissolved completely after that transferred to the column and span for 2 minutes. 500 Â µL QG buffer was added and spinning was continued for extra three minutes. 30 Â µL EB buffer was added to dissolve DNA and spinning was continued for 2 minutes. In this way DNA was pulled through. B. To generate the required amount of DNA PCR was conducted. Each of the two sterile 0.2 ml PCR tubes were loaded with 5 Â µL PFU buffer, 5 Â µL Forward Primers, 5 Â µL Reverse Primers, 2.5 Â µLdNTP, 0.5 Â µL pfu, Â µL H2O. Also, one tube was additionally loaded with 5 Â µL AB DNA (Forward mutant) while the other 5 Â µL CD DNA (reverse mutant). On the next day the first tube was loaded with DNA 30 Â µL, Eco R1 buffer 4 Â µL, Eco R1 - 1 Â µL, Hind III- 1 Â µL, H2O- 4 Â µL and the second w ith 4 Â µL vector, Eco R1 buffer 4 Â µL, Eco R1- 1 Â µL, Hind III- 1 Â µL, H2O- 4 Â µL. Both tubes were left at 370C overnight. Week 3: Restriction Fragment Purification/Ligation/Agar Plate Preparation The gel run was initiated following purification of the previously generated DNA samples. DNA concentration was measured and was found to be 5 Â µL into 500 Â µL. The following ligation was conducted. The ratio PCR/Vector was 3/1 Week 4: DNA Transformation/