Cost eficiency of Opaque Network System, Transient Network System and Research Paper

Cost eficiency of Opaque Network System, Transient Network System and Translucent network system of Mesh Optical Network System - Research Paper Example However, service providers require low cost network to optimize profit. This paper analyzes installation cost of opaque networking system, transparent networking and translucent networking systems as types of optical mesh networks. To examine Optical mesh network types and analyze their installation cost effective factor one needs to base observation on the following basic network service providers concern for a core optical mesh. Cheap network elements that will not cost the operator a lot in procuring and installing or that needs less re-engineering. Non-proprietary constrained network utilities, option of buying from different vendors Scalability with low footing expense Service assurance with capacity and redundancy Fault detection and management beyond installation Transparent network This Optical network sends signal from source to destination in form of light path. The optical information is passed through optical switch and routers from the initial generator to final destinat ion. The wavelength doesn’t undergo optic-electric conversion (O/E), client network element like a router will interface by use of long haul optics to communicate with the wavelength division multiplexer, making it to remain in the same wavelength. Meaning the information remains in optical domain (OOO) and there is no optical-electronic-optical (OEO) conversion, only a small switching fabric is needed to interconnect the wavelength division multiplexers and client element nodes. Remaining in optical domain creates a simple node architecture at its intermediate switch nodes since no electronic switching fabrics is needed to access wave division multiplexers (WDM), this saves cost and space. It employs nodes like directionless / colorless Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexers (ROADM) or Optical Cross Connects (OXC). It is also easy to carry out an upgrade of such a network because of insensitivity of data rate change and protocol of light channel. Transparent network ca n also employ another cost effective architecture switch that may include a single large fabric instead of multiple switch matrices of small port counts but this also contributes negatively on lack of flexibility. However it has draw backs. According to Boullet and Ellinas, â€Å"if one is to provide flexibility, such an architecture design would require the use of tunable lasers at the clients and wavelength conversion. Since signal from client remain on the same wavelength when there is no wavelength conversion only a small size switch fabric is needed to interconnect the WDMs and NEs in a node, which translates to switch scalability† (Boullet & Ellinas, p. 5). Inflexibility leads to increased band width and network operational cost. This negates the saving advantage. Transparent networks needs a centralized planning of each link, this is because of disjoint links since no conversion of the wavelength occurs creating a network of n, where n is the number of WDM channels. Th is builds a network for unrestricted routing and redundancy capacity sharing involving only optical but would lead to increased bandwidth and network cost. On regeneration

Evaluating Ethics Of Bernie Madoffs Investment Securities Fraud Accounting Essay

Evaluating Ethics Of Bernie Madoffs Investment Securities Fraud Accounting Essay Every business has an ethical responsibility not only to stakeholders but also to society at large. This responsibility should be in line with stakeholder interest and societys welfare. The government and regulators have a responsibility of ensuring that firms follow these ethical objectives. Failure to do so may lead to losses which will not only affect stakeholders but society at large. The financial fraud which was experienced in Bernie Madoff Investments in the US is a clear example of the losses which may be incurred due to failure to observe ethical responsibility by firms. Bernie Madoff operated his company, Madoff Investments in an unethical way and this led to severe consequences to stakeholders and society at large which incurred losses amounting to billions of dollars. Although he was later arrested and punished for the crimes, his victims have not been able to recover from the financial losses incurred and several developed illnesses associated with stress and depression over the effects of the scandal. This paper will evaluate the Bernie Madoff financial fraud in relation to ethical responsibility of firms. The financial fraud practiced by Bernie Madoff will be analyzed in detail and the effects on stakeholders and society discussed. The ethical responsibility which firms have in relation to their stakeholders and society will also be analyzed in the paper. Finally, the measures which should have been taken by the government and regulators to prevent the Bernie Madoff scandal and other subsequent financial scandals will also be outlined in the paper. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. Introduction Business ethics is an important aspect of any business environment since it ensures that the objectives of firms are achieved in ethically acceptable ways. It also ensures that firms perform their ethical responsibility towards society in order to safeguard its welfare. Businesses are expected to undertake activities in a legal way which conforms to principles such as prudence, honesty, full disclosure, social and environmental responsibility among others. They are also expected to operate in way which is environmentally and socially friendly to the local community and society. Failure to conform to ethical requirements is usually detrimental to various parties involved in the business activities. These include the shareholders, community, government, suppliers or other parties which have a stake in a business. Bernie Madoff is an American investment adviser and stock broker who operated Madoff Investments in an unethically acceptable manner. He used the company as a front to commit a Ponzi scheme which fleeced investors of over $65 billion (Arvedlund, 2009). This has been regarded as the largest Ponzi scheme ever. Madoff grew up in a humble background and he established the Madoff Investments Company with support from the father in law. A few friends and family members also supported Madoff with the operations and growth of the business. Madoff used the returns from investment to support several charitable and political causes which his firm believed in. However, in 1999, there was concern that the profits made by Madoff Investments surpassed the normal profits expected from a firm in such a venture. Markopolos, an expert in investments informed the exchange commission that it was not possible to achieve the level of profits which were achieved by Madoff Investments and it is possible that the firm engaged in fraud. Several investigations were undertaken during the next few years and in 2008, Madoff was unable to pay returns demanded by investors. It was then that he admitted that his investment scheme was a Ponzi scheme and he was later charged in court with fraud. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years and is currently serving his term. This paper will further discuss the Madoff securities scandal with reference to the ethical responsibility which organizations have against stakeholders. Bernie L Madoff investment scandal Madoff undertook financial fraud through misrepresenting the nature of his business to investors and encouraging them to invest in his company. Madoff founded a company, Madoff Investments which dealt with investment of securities and shares. He began operating with a capital of approximately $50,000 but in a decade, this sum had increased to hundreds of millions of dollars (Fred, 2009). Potential investors saw the company as successful and they invested billions of dollars in the business. However, Madoff did not deal entirely with financial investments but he carried out a Ponzi scheme, with the financial investment as the front. He used investments by new shareholders to pay returns to earlier shareholders without really making profit from the capital invested. It is important to understand how Ponzi schemes work in order to explain Madoffs strategies. Ponzi schemes are financed by capital from subsequent investors. For instance, if investor A invested in 2000 and investor B inves ted in 2001, Madoff used the capital invested by investor B to cover for the returns of investor A. Investor Bs returns would subsequently be paid by capital invested by a new investor, C and son on (Fred, 2009). In order to cover for the financial fraud, Madoff used the financial investments as a front for his fraud. He falsified return forms of investors and gave returns according to pre-determined rates in order to avoid raising suspicion. These returns, as explained, were financed by capital from subsequent investors. A computerized program was used to falsify the accounts and ensure that they balanced, to avoid suspicion from financial regulators. However, several people raised suspicion with the huge returns associated with Madoff Investments. It was seen as impossible to earn such high returns from trading in financial securities without engaging in fraud. In 1999, the first suspicions were raised although it took over ten years for the Ponzi scheme to be uncovered. This has been blamed by inefficiency by financial regulators and the US government. Effective investigations would have unearthed the scandal within the first five years of operation. However, as is common with Ponzi schemes, it collapsed. These schemes collapse when returns required by previous investors surpass the investments made by new investors (Beach, 2007). When this happened to Madoff Investments, he confided to his family that the investment firm was a just front for conducting fraud through the Ponzi scheme and it did not in fact exist. One of his sons reported this to the police. This led to his subsequent arrest and he was charged in court. He pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 150 years. His family, including his wife apologized to the public although their roles in the scandal were further investigated and they were cleared. Madoff is currently serving his term. Ethical issues regarding Madoff investments It has been discussed in the introduction stage that businesses are expected to undertake their affairs in ethically acceptable ways which conform to social values. Businesses are expected to conform to principles such as prudence, honesty, full disclosure, social and environmental responsibility among others (Diller et. al., 2006). They are also expected to operate in way which is environmentally and socially friendly to the local community and society at large. Ethics usually dictates the way business undertake their operations and it is determined by organizational objectives, any professional ethics and government regulations when operating within the business environment. Firms usually follow business ethics to meet the needs of stakeholders while safeguarding the welfare of society (Beach, 2007). There are various ethical issues which arose during the Madoff scandal and which are contrary to ethical requirements of businesses. One of these issues is fraud. Businesses are not expected to engage in fraud since it is not only against business interests, but it is also illegal under law. When Madoff and his staff engaged in fraud, they broke the ethical responsibility towards organizational stakeholders and in addition, they committed a crime. This led to his jail sentence of over 100 years. The second ethical issue which arises when analyzing the Madoff case is misrepresentation. Firms are required to follow the ethical responsibility of full disclosure to all organizational stakeholders (Fred, 2009). Misrepresentation is not only a breach of ethical requirements but it is also a crime. Madoff misrepresented the state of his firms finances and a false belief that it was making profits. This is what attracted the thousands of investors to Madoff Investments. Misrepresentation als o enabled Madoff escape detection from financial regulators although there was suspicion on his illegal practices. The third ethical issue which arises from the case study is money laundering. This is the use of a legal source of revenue to hide illegal sources of revenue or revenues which have not been declared or taxed by the government. This is an unethical practice which is a crime and is punishable by many years in jail. Madoff used his investment firm as a front to hide the revenues which were received through the Ponzi scheme. The investment firm was used to portray the business activities are legal and to hide the true sources of revenue. Money laundering is a crime which Madoff was charged with and it contributed to his long jail sentence. How the investment negatively affected stakeholders There are several negative effects which Madoff Investments had on stakeholders. These will be analyzed on the basis of their relationship with the company. Investors Investors are some of the stakeholders who were worst affected by the scandal. The investment lost by investors surpassed $65 billion, which is huge by all standards. The small scale investors were most affected since many were families and households in the middle income status. Families which lost their investments suffered various adverse effects including health problems associated with stress and depression which emanated from the losses (Eamon, 2008). Some investors passed away due to health complications occasioned by the shock of losing their lifetime savings. Others had their lifestyle changing in order to accommodate the losses, some of which arose from borrowed finance used to invest in Madoff Securities. Employees Employees were also heavily affected by the Madoff Securities scandal since most lost employment opportunities. As a result of the inability of the firm to remain liquid, it was closed to ensure that further losses were not experienced by stakeholders (Eamon, 2008). Employees who relied on the firm for their livelihood lost jobs and many were unable to support themselves and their families. Some developed health complications from stress associated with loss of employment while others changed their lifestyle to accommodate their diminished income earning status. Although some employees secured employment in other firms, many suffered huge financial losses as the company was unable to compensate them for the job loss (Eamon, 2008). Creditors Creditors also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities. There was over $100 million which was directly owed to creditors due to provision of outsourced services to Madoff Securities. It is important to note that these creditors were separate from shareholders. Some of the creditors were able to recover money owed while some could not (Eamon, 2008). This led to the closure of some of the firms which provided services and goods to Madoff Securities. Charities There are various charities which suffered as a result of the closure of Madoff Securities. Some of the charities which were affected by closure of the firm include JEHT Foundation, Robert Lappin Foundation and Chais family Foundation. These charities heavily relied on financial support from Madoff Investments and without adequate funds, some were forced to scale down their operations and provide charity services to fewer people. In addition, some of the causes which were supported by Madoff Securities such as lymphoma research also heavily suffered as a result of the liquidation of the firm. Madoff contributed over $4 million annually to support this research and the closure of Madoff Securities affected the funding towards lymphoma research (Eamon, 2008). Local communities The local community also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities from the fraud scandal. Madoff Securities supported various social causes which the communities identified with. The firm contributed generously towards community projects which were geared towards empowering the population. This was achieved through the corporate social responsibility programs. The firm also funded education and training opportunities for needy children in the local community. After the closure of the firm, some of these causes which were supported by Madoff Securities collapsed due to absence of donors who would propagate the work which had been started by Madoff (Fred, 2009). Some of the children who would have been empowered through education also lost an opportunity after the firm was closed. Government Finally the government experienced adverse effects due to the Madoff financial scandal. One of the major effects is the loss of potential tax revenues from the firm. The firm usually paid millions of dollars in annual tax and this source of finance was lost by the government. This affected the development programs and infrastructural developed usually paid for through this tax source. In addition, the government faced adverse publicity especially due to its inability to detect the scandal and act on time even through several red flags had been raised on the issue. It was also suspicious that Madoff supported certain government causes and political parties which may have been construed to explain why he was not arrested immediately after the scandal began. The negative impact the investment had on the economy There is a macro aspect of the scandal which affected the overall American economy. Various costs were incurred by the government and economy at large, which negatively affected growth and development. The cost of the adverse health effects of the victims of the scandal including employees and investors were passed on to the economy. Investors and employees who became ill due to the stress and depression experienced partly increased the healthcare costs to the economy. The loss of manpower due to loss of jobs by employees compounded by losses incurred by investors and creditors was a huge cost to the economy. The government was partly responsible for settling these victims and it also lost revenues from the closure of the Madoff Investment firm. These indirect and direct costs which were passed on to the government reduced the available income for infrastructural and social development in the US. As a result, the economic development and growth levels were affected by the scandal. Th e weight of the funds involved which was over $60 billion, slowed down economic growth levels. Another adverse impact to the economy is a decline in investment. Many investors who had invested in Madoff Securities lost their investments and this made them reluctant to invest in future (Arvedlund, 2009). Other investors who had invested in other companies also pulled out their investments in efforts to avert a crisis similar to the one experienced at Madoff Investments. The market generally adopted a cautionary approach towards investment since the Madoff Scandal discouraged consumers from investment. The decline in investment levels directly affected economic growth. For the economy to grow there has to be high investment levels. The decline in investment due to the scandal reduced the economic growth rate. The government heavily invested in encouraging the market to invest more in securities and shares. How the scandal could have been prevented There are several measures which should have been taken to reduce the likelihood of the fraud scandal. Some of these measures should be implemented in future in order to discourage a similar scandal in the US business environment. Some of these measures will be discussed below; Audits Audits are effective in preventing fraud especially in cases where they are external in nature. Madoff did not carry out regular audits and he falsified documents in order to prevent the detection of the fraud which was being committed. External and internal audits should have been frequently undertaken in order to analyze the accurate financial position of the firm. These audits would have revealed the fraud in a timely manner and prevented further losses to the organizational stakeholders. Managers should undertake frequent audits in order to encourage ethical practices in business and to discourage fraud. Accounting technology Technology is also similarly effective in preventing accounting fraud. Technology should have been used to restrict access to information on Madoff Securities. Passwords, locks and others should have been used to restrict the confidential information and in the event that accounts were tampered with, it would have been clear on who gave authorization to access the records. Technology would also have been used to allow investors to access financial records of Madoff Investments online (Arvedlund, 2009). Access to such information would have revealed any illegal or unethical practices in the firm. Future managers should make use of technology to ensure that business operate in an ethically acceptable manner. Employee motivation Employee motivation is an effective tool in the operations of any firm. Employees have to be motivated if they are to operate in an ethical manner. This is because employees with high motivation levels are proud of firms they work in and are likely to only perform actions with are consistent with organizational goals. Such employees are therefore less likely to engage in fraud or other unethical behavior (Bateman, 2010). If the employees at Madoff Investments had high motivation levels, they would not have collaborated with Madoff in committing fraud and the scandal would have been exposed earlier. Managers should motivate employees by using both non financial and financial rewards in order to boost their performance and increase their loyalty to the firm. Government action on the Madoff Scandal The government took several measures in order to mitigate the damage caused by the financial scandal and as well as discourage further scandals in future. The first action taken was to strengthen financial regulations and investigations into market players in the stock exchange (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). The government passed several regulations which firms were supposed to adhere to in order to ensure that they operated in ethically upright ways. Another step which was taken by the government was to develop legislation to discourage future financial fraud cases. The government developed harsh punishment for firms and people who are involved in financial fraud. This included heavy fines, prison sentences or both. These laws were passed by congress and they have been effective in discouraging fraud. The government also took steps to restitute the victims of the scandal. Various assets, revenues and accounts which were linked to Madoff Investments were frozen and funds consolidated in efforts to pay back investors (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). Small investors received priority when being compensated although larger shareholders also received a share of revenue collected. Creditors were also compensated for the services which they had rendered to Madoff Investments. However, most investors were not fully compensated for the losses incurred due to previous money laundering strategies which Madoff had undertaken. Plea, sentencing, and prison life When Madoff was charged with the offense, he pleaded guilty for the offense. However he was not a cooperative witness and he did not reveal other people he conspired with to commit the financial fraud scandal. The judge had the option to fine him, jail him or apply both forms of sentences. The judge sentences Madoff to 150 years in prison, an equivalent of life imprisonment. How investors should protect themselves from fraud There are different measures which investors should implement in order to ensure they are not victims of fraud. The first step which investors should take is demand regular audits of their firm. Audits should be demanded through their annual AGM meetings and these will encourage the management to operate within ethically acceptable ways. The second step is consulting external experts. Experts particularly those in the financial services industry should explain the projected returns on investments over a period of time. For instance, an expert would have explained to investors in the Madoff Investment scandal that it was impossible to receive such large returns within short time periods and this would have made them suspicious of the operations of the firm. This would have prevented the losses of investment made by shareholders. Finally, investors should pressure the management to make the accounts public especially when there are media reports about an impropriety by the management. In the Madoff scandal, investors were aware of adverse reports on the operations of the firm but they ignored these reports. If they had pressured the management to release financial statements, the fraud would have been exposed earlier and saved the investors billions of dollars. The investors should ensure that they have a timely and accurate view of the financial position of their firm at any one time. Summary and conclusion This paper has discussed the Bernie Madoff financial fraud in relation to ethical responsibility of firms. The financial fraud practiced by Bernie Madoff has been analyzed in detail and the effects on stakeholders and society discussed. Bernie Madoff operated his company, Madoff Investments in an unethical way and this led to severe consequences to stakeholders and society at large which incurred losses amounting to billions of dollars. He used the company as a front to commit a Ponzi scheme which fleeced investors of over $65 billion. This has been regarded as the largest Ponzi scheme ever. However, in 1999, there was concern that the profits made by Madoff Investments surpassed the normal profits expected from a firm in such a venture. Several investigations were undertaken during the next few years and in 2008, Madoff was unable to pay returns demanded by investors. It was then that he admitted that his investment scheme was a Ponzi scheme and he was later charged in court with fr aud. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years and is currently serving his term. There are various ethical issues which arose during the Madoff scandal and which are contrary to ethical requirements of businesses. One of these issues is fraud. Businesses are not expected to engage in fraud since it is not only against business interests, but it is also illegal under law. The second ethical issue which arises when analyzing the Madoff case is misrepresentation. Firms are required to follow the ethical responsibility of full disclosure to all organizational stakeholders. Madoff misrepresented the state of his firms finances and a false belief that it was making profits. The third ethical issue which arises from the case study is money laundering. There are several negative effects which Madoff Investments had on stakeholders. Investors are some of the stakeholders who were worst affected by the scandal. The investment lost by investors surpassed $65 billion, which is huge by all standards. Employees were also heavily affected by the Madoff Securities scandal since most lost employment opportunities. Creditors also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities. There was over $100 million which was directly owed to creditors due to provision of outsourced services to Madoff Securities. There are various charities which suffered as a result of the closure of Madoff Securities. Some of the charities which were affected by closure of the firm include JEHT Foundation, Robert Lappin Foundation and Chais family Foundation. The local community also suffered from the closure of Madoff Securities from the fraud scandal. Madoff Securities supported various social causes which the communities identified with. After the closure of the fi rm, some of these causes which were supported by Madoff Securities collapsed due to absence of donors who would propagate the work which had been started by Madoff. Finally the government experienced adverse effects due to the Madoff financial scandal. One of the major effects is the loss of potential tax revenues from the firm. In addition, the government faced adverse publicity especially due to its inability to detect the scandal and act on time even through several red flags had been raised on the issue. There are several measures which should have been taken to reduce the likelihood of the fraud scandal. Some of these measures should be implemented in future in order to discourage a similar scandal in the US business environment (Wilhelm Joseph, 2010). Audits are effective in preventing fraud especially in cases where they are external in nature. Managers should undertake frequent audits in order to encourage ethical practices in business and to discourage fraud. Technology is also similarly effective in preventing accounting fraud. Technology should have been used to restrict access to information on Madoff Securities. Future managers should make use of technology to ensure that business operate in an ethically acceptable manner. Employee motivation is an effective tool in the operations of any firm. Employees have to be motivated if they are to operate in an ethical manner. Managers should motivate employees by using both non financial and financial rewards in order to boost thei r performance and increase their loyalty to the firm (Bateman, 2010). There are different measures which investors should implement in order to ensure they are not victims of fraud. The first step which investors should take is demand regular audits of their firm. Audits should be demanded through their annual AGM meetings and these will encourage the management to operate within ethically acceptable ways. The second step is consulting external experts. Experts particularly those in the financial services industry should explain the projected returns on investments over a period of time. Finally, investors should pressure the management to make the accounts public especially when there are media reports about an impropriety by the management. They should ensure that they have a timely and accurate view of the financial position of their firm at any one time. This will ensure that firms operate in ethically acceptable principles and discourage unethical practices such as financial fraud.

Chester Himes’ If He Hollers Let Him Go and God’s Little Acre by Erskin

Chester Himes’ If He Hollers Let Him Go and God’s Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell It has long been contested that works of great Literature have certain qualities and that they belong to an exclusive canon of works. Value is placed upon them for a number of reasons, including their reflection of cultural or social movements, the special meaning they possess, and even their use of specific narrative elements. Up until recently, scholars and intellectuals would never dream of examining works of lower caliber with any hopes of discovering value or merit. A new movement within intellectual circles, however, has shifted focus onto so-called low-brow novels like Chester Himes’ If He Hollers Let Him Go and God’s Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell. Surprisingly enough, the works of Himes and Caldwell can be held up to the same tests as more canonical works through their appeal to ideological remnants of Romanticism and the Enlightenment, their use of literary devices to create meaning, and the narratives’ use of these devises to enhance the elements of enjoyment and pleasure in reading. According to the history books, the era of Romanticism and the subsequent Enlightenment have long since past, but their far-reaching effects are still evident in literature written in the 20th century. The importance of human merit and worth rooted in Romantic thought has transcended the bounds of time and manifested itself in the novels of Caldwell and Himes through a preoccupation with what it means to be human. In God’s Little Acre, not only are readers prone to question whether or not the Walden family is subhuman because of their problematic behaviors, but the character of Buck remarks that â€Å"God put us in the bodies of animals and ... ...e insight to life or contain certain meanings that the reader must reconstruct in order to evaluate the text fully. Other novels are considered to be noteworthy because they exist within a specific literary movement, or because they reflect cultural change. However much one might argue that Erskine Caldwell’s God’s Little Acre and Chester Himes’ If He Hollers Let Him Go belong at the bottom of the literary ‘stack,’ they nevertheless employ the same concepts and exhibit the same characteristics that turn many other novels into works of ideal greatness. Works Cited Brooks, Peter. Reading for the Plot: Design & Intention in Narrative. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1984. Erskine, Caldwell. God’s Little Acre. New York, NY: New American Library, Inc., 1933. Himes, Chester. If He Hollers Let Him Go. New York, NY: New American Library, Inc., 1945.

Project: South African Aluminum Essay

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

Animal Shelters

Animal Shelters For The Win! Did you know that there are about 4 to 6 thousand animal shelters in the United States? Also did you know that there are between 8 to 12 million animals in those animal shelters? Unfortunately each year between 4 to 6 million of those animals are euthanized due to not being able to find a home. That’s almost half of the animals that enter a shelter yearly! But what If I told you that you can make change for those animals, if you can take euthanization completely off the table and that you’d be doing something good for you at the same time.You would do it right? Well then you should go adopt a pet at your local shelter. Not only will you be helping the animals but you would also benefit greatly from this. You would help save lives and also gain a new best friend. Studies have shown that more animals are euthanized than adopted at an animal shelter! So it is time for people to step up and make a difference in the world! It’s not like th e workers at an animal shelter want the animals to be euthanized, but they have no choice because many new animals come in everyday to the animal shelters all throughout the United States.I am going to convince all of you guys to adopt an animal at a local animal shelter and not at a pet store. Buying an animal at a pet store may seem like a good option, but in reality there is a better option! That option is adopting an animal at an animal shelter! Do you know what Puppy Mills are? How about Commercial Kennels? Well this is important to know because many of the animals from those pet stores are from these Puppy Mills and large commercial kennels. Puppy Mills are dog breeding facilities that put profits ahead of the welfare of dogs. Those breeders do not care about filth, disease, socialization, and overcrowding.They don't care about inbreeding or genetic defects either. They don't care about who in the world buy the puppies and also they do not care about wearing out the breeding m oms. They just care about making money. Yes I said it. Money, money, and more money. It’s a sad truth but it's the truth. On the other hand, the animals at an animal shelter are well cared for and are not forcefully bred. The people there actually care for the animals and help treat the animals who were once abused, left behind, and not cared for. Many of those working at an animal shelter usually do not get paid much or do not get paid at all.Most volunteer their time to help the animals in desperate need! They do it because they have a passion for animals. They do not care about the money, they care about the animals health, well being, and most importantly, helping the animals find a new home. There is a myth that animal shelters do not have purebred animals but that is completely untrue! That is just a rumor. If you just take time to go to your local animal shelter, I know that you can find a purebred animal. Of course it would be harder to find purebred animals, but it i s definitely not impossible.Another reason why I think adopting is a better option is that not only is there a variety of animals there, but it is also much more affordable. Did you really think that buying a pet at a pet store was cheaper? Well you are wrong! Adoption fees at an animal shelter are much lower than buying from a pet store. Adoption fees can vary by location and animal shelters, but the prices can range from being free to 250 dollars. Comparing to the prices at a pet store, many animals like dogs and cats are being sold for almost triple the price! Some are even sold for 1000 dollars! That is really expensive!This shows how the animal shelters put the animals before the money. Imagine yourself in a world, where there were no animal shelters. Only those puppy mills and large commercial kennels. Life would suck right? The population of animals would decrease tremendously and also there would be so many more animals with illnesses, diseases, and defects. Also the animals would have to continue to live life sad and suffer in pain, the rest of their life. Now, Imagine the world where everyone only adopted animals at a shelter! The world would be so much happier for the animals and the people!There would no longer be any more of those Puppy mills or large commercial kennels and there would be no more of those heartless people who forcefully breed animals for money. Life would be so much better and if the animals could talk, I know they would say something like this†¦ â€Å"I love you,† and â€Å"Thank you for saving my life. † So the next time you want to have a new pet, just remember and think back about how adopting at an animal shelter is a better option than buying from a pet store. Think about how the animals from a pet store come from puppy mills and commercial kennels.Think about how poorly the animals are treated, and how this results in the animals having serious illnesses, diseases, and genetic defects. There is a simple s olution to this problem. All you have to do is adopt from an animal shelter and not buy from a pet store! Don't forget that those people from those puppy mills and commercial kennels just breed for quantity not quality. Not persuasive enough? Be Quiet! Then you better read my persuasive speech paper again. Haha I’m just kidding. But seriously adopt your new best friend from your local shelter!

Internal External Validity of Experimental Research Essays

Internal External Validity of Experimental Research Essays Internal External Validity of Experimental Research Paper Internal External Validity of Experimental Research Paper History Effect When events occur between the pretest post-test that could affect participants in such a way as to impact the dependent variable; e.g. stress, natural disasters, news events, illness, etc. Strategy: Use a control groups that is unable to be exposed to such an unplanned for event; i.e. track those who dont receive any treatment/alteration of independent variable. Maturation Effect EWhen changes are seen in subjects b/c of the time that has elapsed since the study began may not necessarily be due to program effects; i.e. over time participants may have become wiser, stronger, more experienced therefore not affected by indep. variable; most commonly seen in children. Strategy: Establish a control group. This would account for any developmental changes as both groups would experience such, so further changes could most likely be due to indep. variable. Testing Effect By being pretested, participants may learn how to do better on the test or post test, whenever they take the test again, that is supposed to measure the indep. variable. Strategy: Use a control group that does not receive pre-testing, but only administration of the indep. variable, and post-test, then compare the results. Instrumentation Effect When the instrument is inaccurate or procedures are not standardized the correlation or causation of a phenomena can be misrepresented. Strategy: Use well-designed instruments that have been pilot tested and reviewed by advisors, colleagues, and other researchers who have performed similar studies. Selection Bias When individuals are selected in a non random manner and participants separated into different groups w/in the experiment (experimental vs. control) they may have difference before even starting the study, instead of differences being dues to effects of the indep. variable. Four Strategies: 1. Dont use intact groups (such as Dr. Rosss freshman psychology class at XXX University) 2. Recruit volunteersthen randomly assign to groups, rather than letting volunteers self-select. 3. Matching subjects on selected characteristics.. then randomly assigning them to groups 5. Pretesting groups on measures of the dependent variable to make sure there are no pretreatment differences between groups Selection Maturation Effect Combination of selection bias w/ maturation; When using intact groups that vary in their maturation level. Strategy: Pretesting or Prescreening groups to rule out differences in maturity levels with each intact group Statistical Regression When participants are selected on the basis of their extremely high or low scores Strategy: Use a random sample representing the full range of the dep. variable being measured rather than the entire intact group and placing them into high low scores Statistical Regression When participants are selected on the basis of their extremely high or low scores Strategy: Use a random sample representing the full range of the dep. variable being measured rather than the entire intact group and placing them into high low scores Mortality/Attrition Effect Losing participants over the course of the study dues to death, illness, or relocation, or drop outs (least motivated individuals, etc). Strategy: 1. Oversampling, and large N#s is one way to overcome small group size. 2. Use incentives to encourage participant to stay in the study. 3. Obtaining good demographic info about study participants at the beginning and then determining how much group makeup has changed at the end will help account for mortality Hawthorne Effect When participants attitude(s) toward being involved in the study affect the way they behave; i.e. when a study group receives special attention over the control group, any noted differences in dep. variable may simply be a result of the attention given, not the effect of the indep. variable. Strategy: Provide the control group with some type of special treatment that is comparable to the experimental group but wold not have a direct impact on the dep. variable. 2. Keep participants from knowing that they are taking part in a study or being observed (however, due to IRB, this is difficult nowadays) Placebo Effect When participant expectations of what the indep. variable will do, affect the dep. variable. Strategies: 1. Use a control group (e.g. blind or double-blind study) 2. Give participants the same info. whether or not they are in the control or experimental group (give them as little info as possible to reduce any expectations, therefore similar small expectations any differences between groups are more likely from the RX effects than placebo effects. Diffusion of Treatment When the Rx being applied to one group pills over or contaminates another group Strategy: Use a separate intact group for the control group that is similar to but away from/unable to be influenced by the experimental group Location Effect When there are differences in the locations where interventions take place Strategy: Make the locations equitable / same for all participants Implementation Effect When the individual(s) responsible for implementing the indep. variable inadvertently introduce inequality or bias into the study. (e.g. researcher favors one group or another) Strategy: 1. Ensure the knowledge levels, understanding of the program personality traits, and presentation skills are equitable. (i.e. make sure all research assistants are equally trained and competent and follow a standardize protocol for implementation. 2. Have all researchers involved present to/interact with all groups. 3. Have someone other than the program developer present the program. (e.g. a. the person presenting should not have a vested interest in one group or the other; b. have a neutral observer watch the presenter with specific instructions to look for ways in which the two groups are being treated differently) Selection Treatment Interaction When the ability of a researcher to generalize the results of the study beyond the groups involved is compromised in some manner. Strategy; Use a random sample, no intact groups. Train the same presenters to employ the study across multiple groups involving a diverse study population. (external validity) Setting Treatment Interaction The extent to which the environmental conditions or setting under which an experimental study is conducted can be duplicated in other settings. Strategy: Attempt to use similar or relatively universal environmental settings. History Treatment Interaction When the researcher tries to generalize findings to past and future situations. ( most studies are time-sensitve until repeated. Strategy: Make participation in the study as convenient as possible.

Free Essays on Conventional Air Defense

TODAY'S conventional air defense requires both air-to-air and surface-to-air weapon systems. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) typifies this with a balance of 300 air defense-capable fighters and 1,100 surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers in West Germany and the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).1 Similarly, Britain's crucial air defense battle in the 1982 Falklands conflict demonstrated a balanced dependence on fighters and SAMs, with 31 Argentine aircraft destroyed by Harriers and 28 shot down by ship- and shore-based missiles.2 Fusing SAMs and fighters into an effective air defense team is a major challenge in a land theater when they are owned and operated by separate services, with the Air Force flying the fighter aircraft and the Army shooting the missiles. This joint air defense responsibility requires joint training that can meld both. systems into a coordinated, mutually supporting team. This training requirement is currently unfulfilled. Army and Air Force air defenders are training hard, but they are too often training separately for this joint mission. There must be integrated practice if our air defenders are to be successful. To build a case for the need for increased joint air defense training, we need to address the following areas: Current Army and Air Force air defense training. Risks of not training jointly. Benefits of joint training. Some possible fixes. Consider the analogy of a football team whose backfield and line always practice separately, never putting it all together before the first game. Although both team elements may consider themselves individually proficient, the team would certainly suffer significant execution problems when the backfield and the line played together for the first time. Hard scrimmaging as a whole team is vital to a team's preparation. Unfortunately, our air defense team, consisting of an Army front line and an Air Force backfie... Free Essays on Conventional Air Defense Free Essays on Conventional Air Defense TODAY'S conventional air defense requires both air-to-air and surface-to-air weapon systems. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) typifies this with a balance of 300 air defense-capable fighters and 1,100 surface-to-air missile (SAM) launchers in West Germany and the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).1 Similarly, Britain's crucial air defense battle in the 1982 Falklands conflict demonstrated a balanced dependence on fighters and SAMs, with 31 Argentine aircraft destroyed by Harriers and 28 shot down by ship- and shore-based missiles.2 Fusing SAMs and fighters into an effective air defense team is a major challenge in a land theater when they are owned and operated by separate services, with the Air Force flying the fighter aircraft and the Army shooting the missiles. This joint air defense responsibility requires joint training that can meld both. systems into a coordinated, mutually supporting team. This training requirement is currently unfulfilled. Army and Air Force air defenders are training hard, but they are too often training separately for this joint mission. There must be integrated practice if our air defenders are to be successful. To build a case for the need for increased joint air defense training, we need to address the following areas: Current Army and Air Force air defense training. Risks of not training jointly. Benefits of joint training. Some possible fixes. Consider the analogy of a football team whose backfield and line always practice separately, never putting it all together before the first game. Although both team elements may consider themselves individually proficient, the team would certainly suffer significant execution problems when the backfield and the line played together for the first time. Hard scrimmaging as a whole team is vital to a team's preparation. Unfortunately, our air defense team, consisting of an Army front line and an Air Force backfie...

The Function of the Diencephalon Section of the Brain

The Function of the Diencephalon Section of the Brain The diencephalon and the telencephalon (cerebrum) comprise the two major divisions of your prosencephalon or forebrain. If you were to look at a brain, with the skull removed, you would not be able to see the diencephalon, it is mostly hidden from view. It is a small part of the brain nested  under and between the two  cerebral hemispheres, just above the start of the  midbrains brain stem. Despite being small in size, the diencephalon plays a number of critical roles in healthy brain and bodily function within the central nervous system. Function The diencephalon relays sensory information between  brain  regions and controls many autonomic functions of the  peripheral nervous system. It connects structures of the  endocrine system  with the nervous system and works with the  limbic system  structures to generate and manage emotions and memories.   Several structures of the diencephalon work together and with other body parts  to affect the following bodily functions: Directing sense impulses throughout the bodyAutonomic function controlEndocrine function controlMotor function controlHomeostasisHearing, vision, smell, and tasteTouch perception Structures of the Diencephalon The main structures of the diencephalon include the hypothalamus, thalamus, epithalamus (along with the  pineal gland), and subthalamus. Also located within the diencephalon is the third ventricle, one of the four brain ventricles or cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Each part has its own role to play. Thalamus The thalamus assists in sensory perception, regulation of motor functions, and control of sleep and wake cycles. The brain has two thalamus sections. The thalamus acts as a relay station for almost all sensory information (with the exception of smell). Before the sensory information reaches your brains cortex, it stops at the thalamus first. The sensory information travels to the area (or nuclei) that specialize in dealing with that sensory information and then that information passes to the cortex for further processing. The thalamus processes information it receives from the cortex as well. It passes that information on to other parts of the brain and plays a big role in sleep and consciousness.   Hypothalamus The hypothalamus is small, about the size of an almond, and serves as the control center for many autonomic functions through the release of  hormones. This part of the brain is also responsible for maintaining homeostasis, which is your bodys attempt to maintain normal balance, for example, body temperature and blood pressure. The hypothalamus receives a steady stream of information about these types of factors. When the hypothalamus recognizes an unanticipated imbalance, it enacts a mechanism to rectify that disparity. As the main area that regulates hormone secretion and the control of hormone release from the  pituitary gland, the hypothalamus has widespread effects on the body and behavior.   Epithalamus Located in the rear or bottom area of the diencephalon that includes the pineal gland,  the epithalamus aids in sense of smell and helps to regulate sleep and wake cycles. The pineal gland is an endocrine gland that secretes the hormone melatonin, which is thought to play an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythms responsible for sleep and wake cycles. Subthalamus A portion of the subthalamus is made of tissues from the midbrain. This area is densely interconnected with the basal ganglia structures that are part of the cerebrum, which assists in motor control. Other Divisions of the Brain There are three divisions  of the brain. The diencephalon along with the cerebral cortex and brain lobes make up the forebrain. The other two parts are the midbrain and hindbrain. The midbrain  is where the brain stem starts and connects the forebrain to the hindbrain. The brain stem travels all the way through the hindbrain. The hindbrain regulates autonomic functions and coordinates most bodily movement.

Realism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Realism - Essay Example Various heated arguments have developed on realism and many scholars have come out their own construed versions of the perceived realism. Kenneth Waltz argues that all of the various explanations for the causes of war can be easily filtered into three images: that of man, the state and the international system. Applying Waltz’s logic to the realist camp, distinct categories of explanations can be readily identified. For example, traditional realism, with its emphasis on individuals, explains international phenomena and state behaviour from the point of view that human nature is intrinsically evil. Structural realism on the other hand throws out this assumption, and conducts an analysis based on the objective nature of the international structure, a system-level analysis. From the perspective of units of analysis, the different casual stories told by realist thinkers can be divided into three distinct categories: human nature realism, state-centric realism and system-centric realism2. Human nature realism, also known as biological realism, 3Donelly emphasizes man's biological abilities and intrinsically evil nature. Most classical realists (including the many modern political philosophers who have contributed to the development of realist thought), including especially Machiavelli, Herbert Butterfield, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Hans Morgenthau fall into this category. Morgenthau's theory is the best example of human nature realism in international relations. In â€Å"Politics among Nations†, Morgenthau. presents a systematic discussion of the basic principles of realism. The first of these principles consists of an assumption regarding the role of human nature in politics: politics 'is governed by the objective laws that have their root in human nature.' In Morgenthau's view, 'political man is a selfish animal, and all human behaviour tends towards the control of others.' As a result, battles over power are rooted in human nature and as such are central to politics.4 State-centric realism looks for explanations for international relations phenomena and state behaviour from the vantage point of individual states (including national attributes, national interests and domestic politics). It is generally thought that realism does not concern domestic aspects of politics, or that consideration of such domestic issues represents a step away from realism's core concerns. Griffiths. M (1999) this type of view though represents an obvious misunderstanding of realism. The neo-classical realism argues more explicitly that individual states should be integrated into the theories of foreign policy. Scholars working to these ends have attempted to establish a connection between the state and system-levels of analysis, and have emphasized the role of domestic factors in explaining how state behaviour leads to outcomes at the system level. From the writings of the mainstream neo-classical realists, states are still treated as the determining factors in the analysis of foreign policy and state behaviour, thus these theories are considered to be 'second image' theories.

Personal computer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal computer - Research Paper Example The new product is also very different from all those that made a mark over humanity’s technological life. The Google Glass is different because it is no doubt an attempt to bridge the gap between human and machine. The Google Glass is not a new product as it does not advances the existing computational capacity but it rather decreases the size and adjusts the processing speed in order to design the glasses which can house a computer (Hodson, 2013). The idea is so innovative that it overwhelmed everyone despite the presentation of medical professionals who argued that the new device may hurt the human eyes (Anne, 2013). The technological intervention caused other relevant parties to adjust their offerings in order to cope with the change, the new product is supposed to bring in the international arena of technology. The software developers are already busy in conceptualizing and developing new products that can be used on the new platform. The Google Glass is defined as a wearable computer device with optical head-mounted display. The device was announced in the terminal months of 2012 and ever since, it is the most celebrated and waited for device throughout the world. The company has decided to consider India as the testing grounds for the new product and its prototypes and prescription lenses are already retailing in US against the handsome opening price of $1500 (Gaul, 2014). The price is only expected to rise when the device will be launched in the full-fledge manner. The vast scale offering of the product is consistently been delayed as company wants to take no unnecessary risks with operationality of the device which can turn the industry upside down upon meeting the expected success. Nothing definitive can be said or established about the geographical location in which the Google Glass will be finally offered. The marketing gurus are of the view that

Published Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Published Financial Statements - Essay Example As the study stresses published financial statements are used by millions of people who depend on them for vital information. This information is, in most instances, on the financial health of the business concern in question. Tracy classifies these users as investors and financial analysts, vendors, or creditors, and the management. These users are the ones who make it necessary for financial statements to be published. Financial statements are published for the following reasons; To avail information and data concerning the company’s financial position and performance. This information includes the cash flow and profitability position of the company. This information allows financial analysts to assess the financial position and performance of the company and trends in the performance To avail information to outside investors who comprise people or organizations that may be interested in buying the company’s stocks or lend it money. Lenders need information about the company’s stability and cash flow. Publication of financial statements avails them with this information. To avail information concerning the likelihood of the firm to have enough cash to pay its debts in the immediate future. This information is needed by vendors and creditors in view of the fact that they advance funds to the company in form services and products. To avail information concerning the failures and successes in each of the many facets of running a business to the management. The management makes use of this information to identify relative strengths and weaknesses in operations and to find the areas to put effort to correct problems and enhance performance.

Decision Making Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Decision Making Case Study - Research Paper Example The first step is to create a question that has no judgment in it. according to Rundall et al. (2007), the question must be to the point and not too broad or narrow. In this case, the question that may be appropriate is, "Which programs that we have now are most used by our patients?" This question would get to the heart of the problem. When program managers need to cut services they sometimes cut across the board instead of looking at the changes that can be made without interrupting services. In this step, the manager gathers information from a variety of sources. This means they are not only paying attention to their department, but they are gaining knowledge form the people who are using services as well as suppliers, colleagues, and anyone else who has a stake in the organization. This should also include the board members. According to Gudes, Kendall, Yigitcanlar, Pathak and Baum (2010), involving major stakeholders and users of services in decision making insures that information comes from diverse sources and encourages strong collaboration between those interested in the organization. Also, this collaboration insures that change is an ongoing process instead of a series of one shot deals. In a clinical setting, having several people to give information allows for an understanding of the full picture, which is very important when services must be cut. I found that the websites in this section were very good for funding information on a global level. They provided current research that could be used to compare and contrast specific information to see the bigger picture for Medicaid and situations in a clinical setting. Rundall et al. (2007) suggest that in this step, the organization must take a deeper look at the evidence and make sure that it is "accurate, applicable, actionable and accessible" (p. 336). This is an important step because after step 2, there will be a wealth of information

Comparing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Comparing - Essay Example The rules therefore appeared restrictive to the older population leading to protests. Freedom that college students experienced, including interactions outside campuses that strengthened comradeship bonds, also motivated students into protests. College administrators were also strict in implementing rules, in punishments, and this led to protests in reaction (Conlin 275). In addition, ethnic based concerns, especially in the United States, such as discrimination, and governments’ arbitrary decisions over students, such as involvement in national services caused the protests (Kennedy & Null 1). The ten points were significant in defining the change that the black community desired in the United States and beyond. The points followed the war for equality that shifted from civil rights to black power that the Black Panther Party championed. Achieving objective of the ten points would identify a revolution, a factor that also identifies significance of the demand. There would be a change to autonomy among blacks, eradicated unemployment, and abolition of slavery, access to education, and exemption from military service. Other desired changes were abolition of police brutality, freedom for black convicts, and jury composition of black juries for black cases. Success in realization of the points, even if not immediate, also establishes the significance because the points offered a blueprint for change. Adherents of the Black Panther Party platform would make such demands because of the oppressions that Blacks experienced in the American society. Factors such as slavery, unemplo yment that meant poverty and poor quality of health, and discriminatory treatments in various places are examples of the experiences that would motivate the adherents into the demands (Pinkney 103, 104). Significance of students’ power in the movement and factors into the protests were some of the major themes in the article. The author notes continued expansion

Applied Research Technologies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applied Research Technologies - Case Study Example The company is also known for its entrepreneurial spirit and the same can be gauged from the fact that the company currently owns 60 different business units, many of which are acquired in last 2-3 decades. Decentralized decision making is their strength to bring solution to the issues and speed up jobs across all business units. The company’s innovative strength can be assumed from the fact that almost 30% of the company’s revenue from each business division comes from the products that has been developed in the last 4 years. The company constantly strives to find new business opportunities and inspires business units heads and others to come up with fresh business ideas and proposals that can maintain its leading position and competitive edge in the market. To continue with the spirit of innovation, the company taps talent globally without any restriction or regional bias and accordingly, the company opens India Technical Center (ITC) under the auspices of the corpora te R&D group of the company. While working as a general manager at the Filtration Unit of the company, Vyas is in the process of developing a prototype mini water-oxidation product with an aim to exploit the product commercially that can purify waste water. Previously, over the past three years, two such attempts have been unsuccessful in developing the product. So far, the Filtration unit has only one profitable line of business and it has failed to bring new products in market in keeping with the company’s image of innovativeness. In a way, the Filtration Unit is quite vulnerable and so is the position of Vyas, if he fails to launch a new product successfully in the market third time. Vyas is quick to realize this and that is why he has formed a team full of entrepreneur-minded individuals. Though ITC technologists develop a promising product that is approved by Wagner, its first generation version is rejected for its foul odor and the second version of the product is rejec ted for its high power consumption. Without getting perturbed from these failures, Vyas harps on the true entrepreneurial spirit of the company taking clue from the CEO David Hall’s entrepreneurial concept that states: â€Å"I expect all our managers, and particularly those on the front line, to create, promote, and back promising ideas. But we understand that when you go for the big leap, you won't always clear the bar. So there is no shame in failure when you are stretching for big objectives. Around here we routinely celebrate what we call "worthy attempts"—even when they are unsuccessful† (Bartlett & Beckham, 2010). Though Vyas has been managing the global challenges quite well yet it appears that Vyas has missed something in the beginning – on deciding about some essential minimum requirement pertaining to the features of the product under development while giving a brief to the ITC technologists. Had the required features of the product been streaml ined earlier then the valuable time spent on developing two versions of the product would have been conserved. Any new product needs to be made available at not only affordable cost but also it should have minimal operating and maintenance cost (minimal fuel consumption, power etc.) maintaining ease of operation for the users. It is true that all this will depend upon what kind of customers or which segment of the market is going to be catered; however, the fact remains that clear guidelines were not given by Vyas to the technologists on required features of the product that eventually resulted into the failure of two products and loss of resources. As front-line manager, Vyas has been effective in managing people as he forms a team full of en

Comparing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Comparing - Essay Example The rules therefore appeared restrictive to the older population leading to protests. Freedom that college students experienced, including interactions outside campuses that strengthened comradeship bonds, also motivated students into protests. College administrators were also strict in implementing rules, in punishments, and this led to protests in reaction (Conlin 275). In addition, ethnic based concerns, especially in the United States, such as discrimination, and governments’ arbitrary decisions over students, such as involvement in national services caused the protests (Kennedy & Null 1). The ten points were significant in defining the change that the black community desired in the United States and beyond. The points followed the war for equality that shifted from civil rights to black power that the Black Panther Party championed. Achieving objective of the ten points would identify a revolution, a factor that also identifies significance of the demand. There would be a change to autonomy among blacks, eradicated unemployment, and abolition of slavery, access to education, and exemption from military service. Other desired changes were abolition of police brutality, freedom for black convicts, and jury composition of black juries for black cases. Success in realization of the points, even if not immediate, also establishes the significance because the points offered a blueprint for change. Adherents of the Black Panther Party platform would make such demands because of the oppressions that Blacks experienced in the American society. Factors such as slavery, unemplo yment that meant poverty and poor quality of health, and discriminatory treatments in various places are examples of the experiences that would motivate the adherents into the demands (Pinkney 103, 104). Significance of students’ power in the movement and factors into the protests were some of the major themes in the article. The author notes continued expansion

Plato's advise to President-Elect Obama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plato's advise to President-Elect Obama - Essay Example A difficult, if not impossible, task awaits you to start clean when you take office. So much has gone wrong, and the consequences of previous rulers’ actions will follow you throughout your time in office. But take my advice, the genuine ruler â€Å"will take society and human character as his canvas, and begin by scraping it clean. . . . [H]e will not consent to take in hand either an individual or a state or to draft laws, until he is given a clean surface to work on or has cleansed it himself† (p. 209). You can’t hope to fix anything if failed policies and actions can’t be scraped away to make room for better governing. Weigh carefully in your mind, when you’re asked to make decisions, the worth of a specific action, over and above what it means to those who petition you. Don’t be afraid to end policies that weren’t set up with the people’s best interest in mind in the first place. Keep the greater good of the whole populatio n in mind, rather than the complaining voices of lobbyists and congressmen. Philosophically weigh the consequences of the war and the nation’s economic policies, and make decisions from a clean slate if those previous policies aren’t working. The man who held office before you seemed to me drunk with power. I believe â€Å"access to power must be confined to men who are not in love with it† (p. 235). If you fall in love with being leader of what’s been called the greatest nation on earth, you’ll forget why you were elected to this office in the first place: to serve the people. Make your life good and wise first, and then you’ll be happy and be able to rule the nation philosophically and not through power. â€Å"All goes wrong when, starved for lack of anything good in their own lives, men turn to public affairs hoping to snatch from thence the happiness they hunger for† (p. 235). Men and women who rule the nation must be philosophers

Marital harmony Essay Example for Free

Marital harmony Essay The Taming of the Shrew is a play written by Shakespeare in Elizabethan times to examine many complex ideas, including those of social roles and marital harmony. These two in particular relate to the character of Kate, and the way her circumstances change and the way she reacts creates the main interest of the play. At the beginning of the play, we meet Katherina, also known as Kate, as a fiery, wilful, aggressive and apathetic young woman of the Italian town of Padua. We learn she is known for these undesirable traits, and laughed at by the men and women of Padua alike, and a common target of hurtful ridicule. All the strain of this is merely worsened by the apparent perfection of her sister, Bianca. As much as Katherina is rebellious, shrewish and undesired, Bianca is her opposite and has many suitors. Bianca fits the Renaissance female ideal in her unassuming, graceful, intelligent and mild nature. The light in her father, Baptistas eye, and the hearts desire of so many, Bianca is a source of much jealousy and insecurity for Kate. Katherina is clearly intelligent and independent, and so refuses to play her social role as the maiden daughter. Instead, she would always insult and degrade all men she came across, and fiercely deter all suitors, much to the anguish of her father, determined to have her wed. Kate detests societys expectations of her, like how she should obey her father and show grace and courtesy to all her suitors. However she must also see that she must eventually conform to a role, and given the inflexibility of her current one, the best hope is to get married. The unhappiness and conflict of desires would only exasperate her poor temper, and this can only alienate her further. Petruchio, an eccentric, boastful, astute and quick-witted gentleman from Verona on the quest to wive and thrive in Verona, has set his mind on marriage to Katherina, with only her enormous dowry in mind. He meets with her, and engages in a barrage of insults. Here he proves himself to be Kates intellectual equal, as he quashes every insult laid unto him. She is her usual shrewish self to him, but he resists and tells her he will marry her with or without her consent. Baptista then tells her that Petruchio has claimed he will marry her the next Sunday, and Kate makes no objection, so the wedding goes ahead.

Essay --

I am very happy for writing you this letter and I will do my best to be as informative as I can. As it is said that the child is the mirror of the family, first I would like to tell you a little about my family. My family consists of four members: Father, Mother, Brother and me. My family is really precious for me. We harmonize our life in honesty and peace; always share our problems with each other for best solutions. My family is important for me and is the main meaning of my life, the reason for my heartbeats. My father is an engineer. He is my best friend and a big part of my life. He is the head of our family, his advice and opinion is very important in any decisions we take. He never dominates or forces opinions on us. My mother is a teacher. She is a real beauty. She is sensitive, caring, feminine and gentle. With her everything is in apple-pie order at home and our lives. She is good at cooking, knitting, embroidering. My brother is fifteen and is in his tenth year at school. He is very strong, but meanwhile very gentle, handsome, and independent. Sometimes he opposes my attempts to help him in anything. He has a great drive for his ideas and interests. I am 18 and I am a sophomore at VSTTI, Foreign Languages Department majoring in French and English. My love for English appeared some years ago. I am also patient and love children very much that is why I have chosen the profession of the English teacher. I am a plump middle-sized girl with black long and curly hair, big brown eyes and a small nose. I have got plenty of hobbies: reading, collecting photos of famous people, cooking, knitting, cultivating various plants, chatting with my foreign pen-friends via internet, learning languages and writing poems. I h... ...pplication System on 2/25/2014 2:46 PM. Page 9. share our interests not only within our room, but also outside using the help of each other, and we will become temporary representatives of our country for each other. And yes, I know that it might be difficult for me to live in a different country with a foreign roommate; however I am sure you will be next to me if I need any help. With this letter I gave you small bit of information about myself but I will enlarge my letter describing myself later if I manage to be selected as a finalist. I like to leave presents or things that will remind others about me, so please accept this small poem that I wrote especially for you: For the man who is always around, I will prepare reliable ground. Even in the awful darkness of fear you will be given a hand, As there is someone who will whisper â€Å"I am your friend†!!!

Should the Govt Interfere in an Economy of A Country :: Essays Papers

Should the Govt Interfere in an Economy of A Country Have you ever been on a baseball team? Or any other kind of organization? Then you must know that you need to work and cooperate with a number of other people in order to be successful. More importantly though, there is a coach, an instructor, a boss. This head honcho organizes all aspects of your team and keeps order. The head of your organization tells what you are going to learn, how to use and acquire the talent, and they will inform you what the target of your new skill is. Without a coach there is chaos and misunderstandings on the baseball field. Only the best players on the team will get to play and many feelings of being inferior compared to the rest of the team arise. This is an example of the contrasts of the market economy and the centrally planned economy. Countries are established very much like baseball teams, which is the reason why I chose to use the analogy above. The economy of a country affects everyone living in it and the type of economy changes your values, you r hopes, and especially your reality. I feel that total government control has many more advantages than a market economy and controlled economy gives a country a connected feeling. My first reason promoting total government interference is that the govt. supports handicapped and people with physical disabilities. I attended a speaker in our school's conference and she told us a great deal about the mentally ill. Many of them live in a free market system and they are homeless because they are unable to get jobs to support themselves. Competition is much too great in the market economy. In the controlled system, the mentally ill would get the same benefits as any other working person. Because of this, the mentally ill are able to eat, to be clothed, to have a roof over their heads, and basically survive. The government and the work force meet their basic needs.Secondly, in a controlled economy there is little supply and demand. The government controls everything and does not allow th e prices to rise and dip as extremely as $11.00/barrel of oil to $29.00/barrel of oil. This makes a controlled economy much more steady and secure. Sudden drops and hikes are virtually unknown to a centrally planned economy and the economy benefits from that.

Defining Honor

If I were to ask half a dozen people at random to tell me what they meant by the word â€Å"honor,† I think that I would probably receive very different answers. One of the reasons for this is that it often means different things in the minds of different people. For instance, we say that it was a great honor for Jim Smith to be elected captain of the football team; and then, on the other hand, we talk about a code of honor, — or the laws of honor. What does Jim Smith’s being captain of the eleven have to do with the laws of honor? What we mean, in the case of Jim, is that his election as captain shows that the other boys have confidence in his play, and therefore this position gives him a local reputation as a comparatively good player and leader. Now many people in the world have only this idea of honor; and, when they speak of holding their honor sacred above all else, they mean keeping their reputation good in the eyes of men. For this reason, they value any office or reward that adds to their reputation; and the more their reputation grows and the more distinction they earn, the more honorable they feels themselves to be. This was the idea of honor existing among the ancient heathen people before the Christian era. You know that, after the fall of the great Roman Empire, there was a period of about a thousand years, when the light of civilization went out in Europe, and the darkness of ignorance and barbarism took its place. During these dark days, there was much going on that was not better and sometimes even worse from a moral point of view than in the days of the Roman Empire; but, when the minds of men began to wake up again, their standards really had advanced further than the old heathen standards of life. A seed Christian principle had been germinating for all these years and finally blossomed out in the Age of Chivalry. This, as you know, was an assertion first of all that the notion that â€Å"Might makes Right† is false, although it had been almost universally believed to be true, in practice, before the coming of Christ. The orders of knighthood which arose in various parts of Europe were composed of men who made it their business to bring order out of confusion, — to kill the wild beasts that interfered with flocks and herds and made farming difficult, — to overpower and abolish the highwaymen and robbers who made traveling unsafe, — and to protect women and children in respect and security. These men bound themselves by solemn vows to keep certain laws which were necessary for carrying out their work, and their obligation or sense of responsibility to keep these laws they called their â€Å"Honor. † Hence a new conception of honor came into being, and their code of honor was the law according to which their conduct was judged among themselves. This is, of course, a very different idea of honor from that which consists of thinking that distinction before men is better worth having than anything else, and which therefore puts reputation above character. Anybody who compares these two ideas of honor can see that the one is only a counterfeit imitation of the other, and that there is not necessary connection between them at all; for a man may have character without reputation, and he may have reputation without character, for reputation may be either true or false; and, when true, it is in many cases because of the character underlying it. But many fine reputations of all sorts are the result of clever self-advertising, and this practice is one of the most destructive and degrading to character and true manliness. This is so because, when we seek reputation for its own sake, we are yielding to the temptation of vanity; and vanity is a weakness and disease of the soul. Everybody has temptations to overcome, and it is everybody’s business to know and work against his weaknesses; but, when our chief ambition in life fosters our weakness, and we deceive ourselves by giving the name of â€Å"honor† to that which weakens us, we can hardly expect to grow stronger as the years go by. The old knights had the right idea of honor, and there have been a great variety of orders of chivalry in different countries, such as those mentioned in the Boy Scout Manual; and the main idea in all of them was to hold up a standard of public service which would raise men above the habits and customs of selfish brutes and merely worldly men. There is another great distinction between these two conceptions of honor: when we think of our reputation as our honor we require spectators, for our reputation is what we are in the minds of other men; but the honor of character, which is our sacred obligation to keep the law of our code and to do our duty in God’s sight, is just as binding upon us when we are all alone, and therefore it must control our most private acts and secret thoughts. A little newsboy boarded a crowded car the other night with a very large bundle of papers, and the conductor, with coarse good-nature, tried to favor him by declining to take his fare, although of course he could not do this without cheating the railway. The boy looked at him with indignation and could not believe that he was the conductor. He went all through the car hunting for the real conductor to whom he could pay his fair. This little boy was richer than if he had had millions in bank in place of this high-minded feeling of honorable independence and of determination to fulfil all his obligations; and, if he remains true to this principle in all the phases of his life, he will accomplish far more than if he amassed millions, or became President of the United States. He will add to the joy and dignity of many other lives as well as his own; for, sooner or later, every human being finds out that without this loyalty to honor life cannot be happy, is — indeed, not worth living. But we must be careful to remember that, although this is such an important and central truth, we cannot expect every one to know about it; and therefore we cannot expect them to act accordingly. In this, as in all other such matters, we must be on our guard against feeling superior to those who have not had our advantages. Next to keeping our own obligations of honor is the duty of protecting the honor of all those with whom we have contact; — and especially of the weak and ignorant. The weak must be protected by whatever means is necessary and appropriate, and the ignorant may be taught if we go about it quietly and in a friendly spirit, without â€Å"laying down the law. † Of course, it is the duty of patrol leaders to see that all their boys understand as thoroughly as possible the nature of the obligations which they have taken upon themselves. It is also the duty of scouts to hand along whatever helpful knowledge they have to other scouts within reach of their friendship. But this holds good not only for boy scouts and their officers but for all men; and it cannot be done unless, in the first place, we ourselves try to practice what we teach and then teach it with a humble appreciation of the beauty or use of the subject, and without any vanity or conceit. There is no merit, but only privilege, — so great that it is difficult to estimate, — in teaching and being taught to understand and live by the deep and tested truths of life; and the more we learn, from obeying them, the more humbly grateful we shall be.

Global Projects Management Essay

1 (a). Clearly, human beings have been involved in the management and organization of big projects for quite some long time. This has recently become a common feature of the modern, globalize generation. This has significantly led to the temporality of the originally permanent organizational structures lending them disposable. This has also led to the emergence of the novel forms of linkages between people, nationalities and organizations. However, these projects usually encounter problems which greatly contribute to time and cost overruns as well the decline in quality. The main question is how the cultural differences as well as the institutional differences affect this process of global projects and their outcomes. Human beings interact in a social environment which is made of formal and informal values, norms, rules, codes of conduct, laws and regulations. There are also different policies and polities together with a variety of organizations. These are usually termed as culture and institution. The main aim of these is to reduce ambiguity and uncertainty in behaviors of human beings such as decision making and interaction. In large global projects, there are many factors that affect them in one way or another. These include client related, management related, and project context factors. The cultural and institutional differences are the basis for all these factors. Therefore, it clearly seen that the cultural and institutional differences have an impact and observable implications on the global projects. This will depend on the situation where the particular project is found. For instant, in an Information and Technology industry, a project to come up with a more sophisticated technology can be affected by the presence of poor management whose basis is the cultural differences.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b). The Bullwhip Effect refers to a phenomenon that is observable in forecast-ridden channels used in distribution. It is also known as Whiplash Effect or Forrester Effect. This is mainly in place since the demand of the customers is not always stable. Therefore, there is need for a business to forecast the demand so that it can perfectly balance its inventory and the other resources. These forecasts are usually based on statistics reason as to why they are never perfect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For instant, if the demand is high, there will be a significant increase in orders made that will mean that the business should increase its inventory. When the demand falls, the participants will increase their orders hence the business will need to reduce their inventory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This can also be caused by the behavioral and operational factors. The behavioral causes include the misuse of the main stock policies, the misinterpretation of the entire feedback and time delays, the panic order reactions that are caused by the demands that are not met and the perceived risk of the player’s main rationality. The operational causes are those that depend on demand processing such as the errors due to forecast and the adjustment of the inventory depending on the demand observation. The variation due to lead time, order synchronization, promotion and forward buying as well anticipation of knowledge all form part of the operational causes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The implication of this to the retail industry is that they should be aware of the demands of their customers so that they do not overstock or under stock. Therefore, this concept enables them to predict the direction of the demand to avoid making losses or not meeting the demands of the customers which will inconvenience them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c). Accurate forecasting is necessary in any industry so that the industry is able to produce to meet the demands of the buyers. For instant, in the travel industry, the management should look at the right time when people are traveling towards a certain direction. For instant, in the morning, most people are headed for jobs in town. Therefore, there should be availability of enough vehicles that will transport all the workers to their destinations. However, in the evening, the reverse is true. The workers want to report home from work thus these  Ã‚   vehicles should also be in plenty to transport them back home. In this way, the travel industry follows the directional flow of the people hence is in a position to meet their demands. At this time, the fare prices go up since people are many hence the demand for transportation is high. During the holiday season, people travel from towns to rural areas. At this time, the vehicles offering services to these people are many and the prices are high as well since the demand for the services is high. At this time, fare from rural areas to town is low since majorities are going against the current. When the schools open, majorities are traveling back to towns so that they can report to their jobs hence the demand for transport to town at this time is high. This means that the prices must also be raised and more vehicles put in the on road to meet these demand. This is however made possible by forecasting of the demands of the people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   d). Inventory control is defined as the process that minimizes the total cost of inventory. It has three major factors that are taken into consideration. These include the cost of holding the cost, the cost of placing an order and the cost of shortage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) is defined as the model that determines the optimal quantity to be ordered in order to minimize the total variable costs that are necessary to order and hold an inventory. Under this, the assumptions taken are that the annual demands for the product or service are known and are always constant. There is no consideration that is taken with regard to the lead time, the receipt of all the orders takes place once the order is made, the quantity discounts are not worked on as part of the model and the cost of ordering is taken to be constant. The Economic Production Quantity (EPQ) is defined as the optimal quantity that is to be produced in order to improve the inventory. It is based on a trade-off between the inventory and the set up of the production costs. Here, the trade-off examination   assumes   that the demand for the items that are in the inventory is continuous and at a constant rate, productions that are made to improve the inventory are at regular intervals, the production of products is continuous as well as at a constant rate during a production rerun and the production cost is always fixed. This model is similar to the EOQ model. The difference is in the time that is required to change the inventory. In the EOQ, replenishment is instantaneous, while the EPQ model assumes gradual replenishment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A collaborative planning system has many features that are distinct to enhance its success. For instant, the automotive production industry has its objectives that bind it to the performance of its duties in order to meet these goals. This company has intense connection of all production-related functions into an integrated computerized production system. This will make the performance successful.   A collaborative planning system has a competent network that will ensure that all the workers are in a position to access the data that the need in order to perform their duties. For instant, the automotive industry is developing a web based collaborative surrounding that will facilitate the design and the production together with planning systems. A collaborative planning process also requires a collaborative working system, information sharing without discrimination and exchange of ideas among the people in the different locations. In this form of system, each production process is defined in terms of products, processes involved, resources used and their general relationship. In the automotive industry therefore, the environment is made of four modules. These include: Digital mock-up that supports the entire product digital mock-up process. Has a process planning module that is essential in the provision of time estimation and the full analysis of working procedures. It also has a layout planning module that is responsible for designing the correct layout of the production lines. It has a work place layout which is the major system for workplace design the ergonomic consideration.   A collaborative planning system has room for the employees and the entire community to hive contributions to what they want to perform. For instant, they can use questionnaires or interviews in order to get the feeling of the individuals concerning the particular question at hand should be   given a chance and the ideals of the people be taken into consideration. This system should also be a multidimensional system that is capable of handling many issues at once. For instant, in the automotive industry, the system should be able to produce more than one type of a product at singe time at the same time be in a position to control that other related operations. This is made possible through the use of a sophisticated information technology as well as the maximum use of advanced tools and equipment and skills. 3). Lean production refers to the process of   producing goods using less resources as compared to the traditional mass production. That is, there is less waste, less human effort, less manufacturing space, less investments in the tools to be used, fewer inventories and less time required to develop a new product. For many, lean is the entire set of tools that are important in that they assist in the identification as well as the steady elimination of wastes. These tools also improve the quality of the product that is to be produced at the same time ensures there is a significant production time and cost reduction. Lean Manufacturing has numerous tools that are important in solving the problem of waste elimination. This is made up of the continuous process improvement as well as mistake-proofing which are an indication that this it taking the same approach to the other improvement methodologies. The second approach to Lean Manufacturing focuses upon the improvement of the flow of work in the system. The techniques that have been chosen to improve the flow include the pull production and leveling production. This however, is different from the methodologies which greatly accounts for its unpopularity. The distinction between the two approaches is the prime approach that is used to achieve the set goals and regulations. Smooth flow implementation exposes the quality problems that existed before leading to reduction in waste in a natural manner.   Therefore, this approach is advantageous since it takes a system-wide perspective naturally. On the other hand, the waste focus has its main perspective which is sometimes assumed wrongly. Lean has competing principles that are closely connected whose main goals are to reduce the costs of production through the elimination of wastes. These principles include the pull process, waste minimization, perfect first-time quality, continuous improvement, the flexibility. It also includes the process of building and maintaining a long term relationship with its suppliers, load leveling process and the production flow as well as the visual control. The process of lean implementation is therefore focused on getting the correct things, at the correct time, to the right place, in the preferred quantity in order to achieve a perfect level of work flow while minimizing the waste as well as being flexible and easily  Ã‚   changed. The concepts of flexibility and ability to change are basically required to enhance production leveling. However, they have their analogues in other processes. They are not open ended hence not expensive capability requirements. They therefore have to be understood, appreciated and embraced by the employees involved in the product building process. The cultural and managerial features of Lean are more important than the actual tools or methodologies of the process of production itself. There are numerous examples of Lean tool implementation that do not have known benefit which are often blamed on the entire understanding of Lean in the organization which is weak. Lean’s main aim is to make the work simple enough to understand, to do and to manage in the shortest time possible. Most of the basic goals of lean manufacturing are common sense and that avoiding unnecessary costs is more profitable that increasing sales. In a manufacturing industry, if the recourses are kept constant and productions costs cut down, then the industry will definitely make very high profits. This will only be possible are the management and the workers involved do their duties satisfactorily and the management ensures that the entire processes are in time.    References. Jalan, K. S. Chaudhuri, (1999). An EOQ Model for Deteriorating Items in a Declining Market with SFI Policy, The Korean J. Comput. & Appl. Math No. 2. 437-450. C. Giri, K. S. Chaudhuri, Deterministic Models of Perishable Inventory with Stock Dependent Demand Rate and non-linear Holding Cost, European Journal of Operational Research 105 (1998), 467-474. Vahidian, H. R. Tareghian, (1999). Production Planning in Fuzzy Environment. The Korean J. Comput. & Appl. Math. No. 2, 315-330. M. Lee, J. S. Yao, Economic Production quantity for fuzzy demand quantity and fuzzy production quantity, European Journal of Operational Research 109 (1998), 203-211 De, A. Goswami, A replenishment policy for items with finite production rate and fuzzy deterioration rate, Opsearch 38 (2001), No. 4, 419-430.