Space Constraints Will Not Allow For A Complete Overview...

Space constraints will not allow for a complete overview of the vast literature on northern aid policies towards Africa in general. As such, this literature is heavily focused on trends in aid quality and quantity, as it relates to the Cameroonian question (Lumsdaine 1993Í ¾ Therien 2000Í ¾ OECD annual Development Cooperation reports). There is also a strong emphasis on the evolution of aid policy in the wake of particular events e.g. the end of the Cold war (Cumming 2001Í ¾ Lancaster 1999), 9/11(Macrae 2005Í ¾ Howell 2010), the Arab Spring (Frot 2012Í ¾ Independent Commission for Aid Impact Report 2013) or particular development strategies such as structural adjustment (Wilson 1993Í ¾ Wuyts 1995) or good governance as it relates to the disbursement of aid (Crawford 1996Í ¾ Epstein 2008). More specifically, Van Dijk (2009) underlines the increasing activities of the Chinese in Africa. Zahariadis et al. (2000) highlight the limited involvement of America on the African continen t, in particular in East Africa. Those studies, when taken together, link directly to the hypothesis of the thesis which focuses on France’s post independence behaviour, and the way in which it contrasts with the aid behaviour or its global peers. French policy makers make decisions and policy that dictate the way in which aid is disbursed, should result in change in instruments used, and the aid tends seen on the ground. However, literature indicates that it often fails to follow the logical, or indicate, pattern.Show MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesJean H. Quataert 116 5 The Impact of the Two World Wars in a Century of Violence †¢ John H. Morrow Jr. 161 6 Locating the United States in Twentieth-Century World History †¢ Carl J. 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Who Is A Leader - 1840 Words

Who is a leader? Some may say a father, a husband, a brother, a friend, or even a mentor can all be leaders. Well for the first 30 years of Steve Job’s life, many of those closest to him would say he was none of the above. In fact it was this time in his life that mattered the most. Since the beginning of birth, every event that occurs leads up for a reason and it’s what you do with those events that help shape the leader you are to become. In Steve Jobs case the outcome of events in his life is what made him such a task-orientated leader. Steve Jobs was feared by many and envied by few, yet at the end of his days he was loved by all. Jobs wasn’t always so gifted and talented and certainly had to work hard for his work. Jobs was adopted as a baby to a lower middle class couple and actually didn’t care about school. It was in fourth grade that his teacher had to bribe him in order for him to get the grades to sufficiently pass. He used this incentive as motivation to not only pass the fourth grade but to even skip the fifth grade and move on straight through middle school. After being fed up with being bullied for being the smart kid, Jobs moved to Los Altos. There he began his love for electronics which only further increased after meeting what would be his lifelong friend Steve Wozniak. From the very beginning Jobs had a taste for money and while he would one day choose to make but only $1 a year for being CEO of Apple he knew he could make it big with Wozniak. This isShow MoreRelatedWho Is A Leader?892 Words   |  4 Pagesorder to be a leader one must have all the answers; however leadership is more about asking questions than it is about giving answers. The truth is that no person will ever have all the answers in every situation. It is through the process of skilled, intellectual inquiry that leaders are able to guide their teams to success. Inquiry is essential to leadership and should be utilized to foster growth in self, others, and the field in which the leader is involved. The role of a leader can be extremelyRead MoreWho Is The Leader?969 Words   |  4 PagesWe are all called to be Leaders. At some point in your life you will play the leadership role. Some of you do it everyday and don’t realize it. What is a leader, any who has influence over someone. Let’s look at some synonyms for leader are: head,supervisor, overseer,conductor. To prove my point that we are all called to be leaders; I have listed some action words for leader: adapted, advocated, aided, answered, arranged, assessed, assisted, cared for,clarified, coached, collaboratedRead MoreWho Is The Leader?1631 Words   |  7 PagesWho is the Leader? James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th President of the United States held office from 1977-1981 and lost his reelection bid due to what was perceived by many as incompetency in his decision making and self induced alienation from potential followers. Carter however, exemplifies the personification of true humanity toward his fellow man in his efforts to eradicate the Guinea Worm and bring women’s rights as the new face for the civil rights movement. Three decades past his presidencyRead MoreWho is a Leader?1332 Words   |  5 Pages Leader is an important person who is responsible in an organization. A leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal. â€Å"Culture isn’t simply one aspect of the game, it is the game and once you enter a successful culture, you feel it immediately† (Laurie Hillis, Ma). The quotation are form an article that give the view about the possibilities for a leader to influence people, creating culture an d eliminate culture. Culture is group or organizational-level ofRead MoreWho Is A Good Leader?1241 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership- I believe that a good leader has other strong types of leaders around them. If a leader is to be successful they must first keep good hardworking, and trustworthy people around them. With that being said I see myself a mixture of Tao and Covey forms of leadership. These styles are very complementary of each other, both favoring community based leadership. The two parts of Tao leadership I think I want to embody better are appearing foolish and warrior, healer and Tao. For Covey the twoRead MoreWho Is A Peer Leader?1362 Words   |  6 Pagesthink a peer leader does? What kind of qualities should a peer leader have? A peer leader should provide support, encouragement, and information to incoming ninth graders because they have their own experiences to use a guided framework. 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Think manager-Think Male in the 1970’s Virginia Schein can be the one of the appropriateRead MoreWho Is The Leader Of The Propaganda?1567 Words   |  7 Pagespopularity, there is another reason that he is chosen to be the leader of the propaganda. â€Å"Momotaro is the embodiment of Japanese heroic courage and succeeds in overcoming a seemingly superior enemy, who, in an analogy to the fairy tale, is a devil.† Momotaro is a young boy who is born through supernatural means and yet is accepted into being a symbolic hero for the nation. He is untouched by outside forces, said to be a à ¢â‚¬Å"pure Japanese hero†, who faces against â€Å"foreign demons† , which can easily representRead MoreWho Is The Dysfunctional Leader?945 Words   |  4 Pagesrequires others, and that implies they don’t need to be â€Å"direct reports†, (Kruse, 2013). Some leaders are great leaders, they care about the organizations they work for, they also care about the people they manage and their future. Other leaders are just put in positions or situations that they are simply not qualified for. There is also one dangerous type of leaders called dysfunctional leaders. Dysfunctional leaders can be gifted with charm and determination, but when something goes wrong, their self-confidentRead MoreWho Is A Servant Leader?2606 Words   |  11 PagesHow do you rate as a servant leader? Discuss commitment to others as shown by access, communication, and support. A person who is a servant leader is someone who is committed to the people. I would consider myself a servant leader due to my strong commitment to people, whether it is to coworkers, customers, management, and even people outside of the work place. This can be shown through access, communication, and support. In a fast paced world where everyone is head deep into their computers

Why Are Computer Games free essay sample

Computer Games are Just a waste of time and energy. The precedent statement suggest that computer games are wasteful and depletes vast amounts of energy. I beg to differ. Games are not a waste of time, but a time waster if youre stricken with boredom. As well as the cure for monotony, many gamers make money by playing games. Games dont waste your energy, It will Improve and test you physically and/or mentally. It may as well educate you with many life lessons. First of all, a waste of time. I wage that many of the public may agree, but what do they do when they are bored, on a train or bus or even at work?They would pull out their phone and play Angry Birds, or sit back on there office chair and play League of Legends. A waste of time would be getting a metal detector, scanning the backyard for gold, and thinking you found something. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Are Computer Games or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After that, you would dig for hours on end, until you come to realization that you found a metal bowl. Now that is a waste of time. Many may argue, but at least having a 100% chance of achieving something in a game would be more exciting then having a 10 % chance to find gold or the missing link. However, by saying that your just virtually achieving pixels may sound wasteful, and low many to propose.But, there are many people who are willing to pay fortunes for these pixels. For example, take games like Team Fortress 2 and Counter Strike:Global Offensive have weapons or weapon skins that they can sell on the community market. Some items range from 1 cent to 1000 dollars. You can also earn money by streaming yourself playing games on websites such as Twitch or even start a Youth channel which will allow you to gain money depending on your views and what ads play on your videos. Games are not waste of time. But establishing this will lead some to counter with ButIt will take up your energy. Valid point, but not flawless. Games can improve many of our aspects. Games like Cysts or Us test our reaction time and thought process. Statecraft improves your strategy. Guns of Cirrus Improves your teamwork. There are many examples of games helping you. To conclude the crux of my argument, Computer games and games overall are not a waste of time or energy, due to the reasons stated above. Many, will argue, many will say that It will Interfere with your school life, you turn dumb. I reply with Benjamin Franklin, need I say more.

Whose Life Is It Anyway

Introduction In the United States, genetic information is generally defined as personal property. Different states, however, use different wordings to imply the same meaning as far as defining genetic information is concerned. In Colorado, genetic information is regarded as the unique property of an individual (Patel, Roger Haux, 2001).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Whose Life Is It Anyway? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Florida, the results of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are the exclusive property of an individual. Louisiana provides that an insured’s genetic information is the property of the individual while in Oregon, an individual’s genetic information and DNA sample are the property of the individual except in circumstances where the sample or information is used in anonymous research. According to Thompson and Chadwick (1999), genetic information is considered to be exclusively p ersonal and will enable scientists to identify each human being as genetically unique. It also provides a means to predict to some degree an individual’s future life especially in terms of physical and mental well being. Genetic information often reveals predictors of undesirable sicknesses such as cancer and other conditions that lead to mental illness (Thompson Chadwick, 1999). Access to Personal Genetic Information Due to concerns about the ways in which certain uses of personal genetic information can lead to various kinds of harm to persons, efforts have been made to come up with genetic specific laws (Tavani, 2006). In the United States, various laws exist to protect individuals against having their genetic information used in ways that can adversely affect their lives. The affected individuals may fail to secure employment or they may be denied access to medical insurance. According to Tavani (2006), a total of 41 states in the United States had enacted legislation on genetic discrimination by the year 2006 and 31 others had enacted legislation on genetic discrimination at the work place. Tavani (2006) identified two theories that are associated with informational privacy; the control theory and the restricted access theory. Under the control theory, an individual has privacy if and only if he or she has control over personal information. The restricted access theory states that one has privacy when access to information about him or her is limited or restricted in certain contexts. The control theory recognizes the fact that it is up to an individual to decide who should have access to his or her personal information. An individual can also choose to deny others access to his or her personal information. Restricted access theory on the other hand recognizes the importance of setting up contexts or zones of privacy (Tavani, 2006).Advertising Looking for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OF F Learn More According to Speaker, Lindee and Hanson (1993), the human genome project poses serious ethical, legal and social problems. Questions such as how information about genetic conditions which can be diagnosed, but not treated, will be handled and about who should have access to genetic information about individuals are of great concern to stake holders (Speaker, Lindee Hanson, 1993). Research has indicated that many institutions could use new genetic information to exercise control over individuals. Schools, health insurers and the criminal justice system have a stake in predicting and controlling behavior and knowledge of the genetic characteristics of individuals. Based on the genetic information, vulnerable people could be excluded from insurance coverage or students may be put in different academic categories. Some scientists involved in the genome project have suggested that the advantage of a complete genetic map is that it will permit the analysis of the in heritance of traits such as intelligence, personality and mental illness (Speaker, Lindee Hanson, 1993). Obviously, personal genetic information is personal property and belongs to individuals. However, genetic data may be accessed by different people who by law are allowed to handle such information. These include doctors, insurers, scientists, employers and government agencies. Using Personal Genetic Information According to Speaker, Lindee and Hanson (1993), the fact that genetic information will be used seems indisputable. However, how it will be used remains debatable. It is thus critical to have the issue of ethical implications to the use of genetic information dealt with as fast as possible. As explained earlier, genetic information may be used by different institutions or people and for varying reasons. Scientists will use the information to determine the characteristics of individuals and predict their future behavior, schools may use genetic information to figure out how to categorize students based on their intelligence level and insurers will use it to check whether or not an individual should be insured (Speaker, Lindee Hanson, 1993). Relationship between Personal Genetic Information, Individuals and Society Many people are afraid that genetic information may be used by institutions against them. Insurers for example, may end up using genetic data to give medical cover selectively. Children at school may also be discriminated on the basis of genetic information (Speaker, Lindee Hanson, 1993).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Whose Life Is It Anyway? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When information about people’s genetic information is let out into the public domain, the society may start creating categories that could have devastating effects on people. Based on personal genetic information, people may be singled out and treated very unfairly by others. Accordi ng to Jeffords (1998), researchers are particularly concerned that the fear of being discriminated will prevent individuals from participating in research studies or taking advantage of new genetic technologies to improve their medical care. Although scientific research guarantees higher quality of medical care in the future, Jeffords notes that it is only the federal legislation that can assure the public that whatever information is gathered about them is safe (Jeffords, 1998). According to Sateesh (2008), genetic discrimination may be experienced at the work place. He also cites concerns that insurers will use genetic information to deny, limit or cancel insurance policies while employers will use genetic information against existing workers or to screen potential employees. Given that DNA samples can be held indefinitely, there is the added threat that the samples will be used for purposes other than those for which they were collected (Sateesh, 2008). While in power, US Preside nt Bill Clinton signed an executive order prohibiting every federal department and agency from using genetic information in any hiring or promotion action. The order prohibits federal employers from requiring genetic tests as a condition of being hired or using genetic information to classify employees in a manner that deprives them of future opportunities. The order also provides strong privacy protections to any genetic information used for medical treatment and research (Sateesh, 2008). Effect of Genetic Information on Members of Minority Communities Researchers have argued that it is not possible for one to foresee all culturally specific risks that a minority group may face. This may be linked to the fact that minority community members’ perceptions of these risks may have been heightened by their historical experiences of being economically and politically disadvantaged with respect to the majority in the society (Sateesh, 2008). The differences in power and privileges between researchers and socially defined populations that lack significant economic and political resources may affect the ability of the latter to fully conceptualize and negotiate the conditions for research participation, and to take effective action on any subsequent concerns about sample misuse and adverse interpretations of genetic findings (Sateesh, 2008). Because of differences in economic power, researchers may be discouraged from using genetic tests and samples from minority communities. For this reason, community involvement and consultation are very critical during the planning stage of any genetic research. According to Trull (2002), genetic counseling in ethnic minority communities often requires the assistance of a knowledgeable member of the same community.Advertising Looking for term paper on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Any efforts from a stranger to penetrate the community may meet serious opposition and from the community members. The confidence of the minority community members can only be guaranteed when one of their own is involved. Part of the time set apart for the research must therefore be used wisely to try and win support from the community. Failure to do this will lead to poor response and a waste of time and resources (Trull, 2002). Murphy and Lappà © (1994) noted that no question is more pressing from the viewpoint of ethnic and racial minorities than understanding the ways in which new genetic knowledge will shape their self understanding and social standing. Concerns raised include whether the knowledge generated by the genome project should be used to identify, classify or label racial or ethnic groups or to establish the boundaries of their membership. When screening programs are undertaken for different groups of people, there are worries as to whether or not traditional, cultur al and political definitions of race should prevail. Minority groups seek to know if the information generated by the genome project will be used to draw new, more precise boundaries regarding membership in existing groups or if individuals who have tried to break their ties with ethnic or racial groups will be forced to confront their biological ancestry and lineage in ways that go against their own self perception and the lives they have built with others (Murphy Lappà ©, 1994). This is particularly important in places where homelands are established based on political considerations or the beliefs of social scientists about minority ethnic identities (Gorenburg, 2003). Conclusion Genetic information has tremendous social power (Speaker, Lindee Hanson, 1993). The wide variety of laws and sources of laws, present a challenge to administer and follow the applicable law or laws. However, protection of genetic information is a major concern for the public and must be handled carefu lly (Patel, Roger Haux, 2001). Rapid advances in genetic research and the emerging applications to medical practice have increased public awareness and public concerns about people that should have access to this information and how it will be used. Even with medical records privacy and confidentiality laws available in some places, possible loss of one’s genetic privacy can greatly influence an individual’s decision to undergo genetic testing. In the year 2001, researchers discovered that about 86% of people surveyed in the United States were concerned that insurers and employers might use genetic information against them (Patel, Roger Haux, 2001). It is quite unfair to allow genetic information to be used to cause harm to an individual (Paola, Walker Nixon, 2009). As a result, those involved with the maintenance and protection of genetic information face a daunting task of ensuring that they provide the protections allowed by their state laws and the Federal gover nment regulations. References Gorenburg, D. P. (2003). Minority ethnic mobilization in the Russian Federation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Jeffords, J. M. (1998). Genetic Information and Health Care: Hearing before the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, U.S. Senate. Darby, PA: DIANE Publishing. Murphy, T. F. Lappà ©, M. (1994). Justice and the Human Genome Project. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Paola, F. A., Walker, R. Nixon, L. L. (2009). Medical Ethics and Humanities. Burlington, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Patel, V. H., Roger, R. Haux, R. (2001). MEDINFO: proceedings of the 10th World Conference on Medical Informatics, Part 2. Amsterdam: IOS Press. Sateesh, M. K. (2008). Bioethics and Biosafety. New Delhi: I. K. International Pvt Ltd Speaker, S. L., Lindee, M. S. Hanson, E. (1993). A guide to the Human Genome Project: technologies, people, and institutions. Philadelphia, PA: Chemical Heritage Foundation. Tavani, H. T. (2006). Ethics, com puting, and genomics. Burlington, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Thompson, A. K. Chadwick, R. F. (1999). Genetic information: Acquisition, Access, and Control. New York: Springer. Trull, A. K. (2002). Biomarkers of Disease: An Evidence-Based Approach. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. This term paper on Whose Life Is It Anyway? was written and submitted by user Salvador Y. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Walker Percy essays

Walker Percy essays When a tourist first comes to USA, there are many places that he is told to visit. He can go to see Statue of Liberty, Empire State building, Mountain Rushmore, Grand Canyon. These places are all interesting, informative and fun places to visit. But can the tourist really experience everything at these locations? Walker Percy in his essay, The Loss of the Creature discusses how through preconceptions and the surrender of our sovereignty, humans lose the ability to experience life, and its elements, in fresh and innovative ways. Percy begins his essay with an example of the visitor who always wanted to visit Grand Canyon and his experience by the ideas and thoughts of what it should be when he was there. The second part of his essay he discusses the differences between learning with and without the surprise of the discovery at the educational system. Humans have lost the surprise of discovery because of the preconceptions they bring to experience. Percy states, The highest point, the term of the sightseers satisfaction, is not the sovereign discovery of the thing before him; it is rather the measuring up of the thing to the preformed symbolic complex. When we are experiencing something instead of perceiving it based on its own merits, we try to see what we have already learned about that place or subject. He offers many ways to go about retrieving the loss. Percy says, It may be recovered by leaving the beaten track(566). He suggests to choose the road less traveled by. He also wants us to make a track of our own and choose our own direction. Percy recommends recovery through national disaster or a break down of symbolic machinery(567). Through a national disaster something that used to be no longer exists. That which has stood through the years becomes more powerful when destroyed. Best example for this is World Trade Center maybe after September 11 ...

10 Words That Include the Element -Cept

10 Words That Include the Element -Cept 10 Words That Include the Element â€Å"-Cept† 10 Words That Include the Element â€Å"-Cept† By Mark Nichol Words in which the element -cept appears have one thing in common: They have something to do with taking, literally or figuratively. Here are ten such words in noun form and their definitions, as well as common terms nouns, verbs, and adjectives based on them, along with meanings for the additional terms. 1. Acceptance: the act or state of agreeing or approving (related words are accept, meaning â€Å"to hold or take,† and acceptable, meaning â€Å"satisfactory†) 2. Conception: the process of producing an idea or thought or a new life, or the act of beginning, forming, or originating (related words are conceive, meaning â€Å"to bring into being,† concept, meaning â€Å"idea,† conceptual, meaning â€Å"relating to ideas,† conceptualize, meaning â€Å"to produce an idea,† misconception, meaning â€Å"misunderstanding,† and preconception, meaning â€Å"a prejudice or premature opinion†) 3. Deception: the act or an instance of being tricked (related words are deceit, synonymous with deception but also meaning â€Å"the quality of being tricky† the latter meaning is also applicable to deceitfulness deceitful, meaning â€Å"tricky,† deceive, meaning â€Å"to trick,† and deceptive, meaning â€Å"misleading†) 4. Exception: exclusion, or something that is excluded, or an objection (related words are exceptional, meaning â€Å"rare,† â€Å"superior,† or â€Å"not within the norm,† exceptionalism, meaning â€Å"an attitude or situation of superiority,† and exceptionable, meaning â€Å"objectionable†) 5. Inception: the beginning or commencement of something 6. Interception: interference that results in the taking of something intended for someone else (a related word is intercept, â€Å"to interrupt, to gain possession†) 7. Perception: appreciation or observation, or the ability to comprehend or sense (related words are perceive, meaning â€Å"to understand or become aware,† perceptiveness and perceptivity, meaning â€Å"the quality of being able to become aware,† and imperceptible, meaning â€Å"unable to be seen or understood,† as well as apperception, meaning â€Å"self-consciousness† or â€Å"perception† and especially referring to understanding based on previous experience 8. Precept: a command, order, or principle (a related word is preceptor, meaning â€Å"principal† or â€Å"teacher†) 9. Reception: acquisition or admission, whether what is received is intangible, like attention or a response, or an object; reception also denotes an event at which someone is given attention (related words are receive, meaning â€Å"to acquire, to accept from,† receptive, meaning â€Å"amenable to acquiring or accepting,† receptionist, meaning â€Å"someone who greets clients,† and recipient, meaning â€Å"one who acquires,† as well as receptacle, meaning â€Å"a container for acquiring or placing†) 10. Susceptibility: ability to submit to, or lack of resistance to, something, or responsivity or impressionability (a related word is susceptible) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should KnowConnotations of 35 Words for Funny People1,462 Basic Plot Types

DS proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

DS proposal - Dissertation Example However, some situations have led to lack of the information getting to the target due to lack on internet connection in different places on the earth which are difficult to contain. The proposal targets to be an alternative to the flawy systems of data transmission that have caused delays, loss and less efficiency of the data getting to the target at the right time. In some cases, people have failed to access the digital data that is sent through a VOIP system and therefore, the data they sent remain irrelevant because it does not get the immediate attention from the target receiver. This creates a necessity to come up with system that will ease the transmission of data across the system and ensure that the target receive can get it quickly and be in a position to respond to it to rescue the life of patients. The purpose of the proposal is to develop a system that will help people to transmit data from one point to another and ensure that it will be accessed by the target population at the earliest opportunity by developing a signal system that will help people to receive the information immediately it is sent. To accomplish the requirement of this, the proposal will develop a model that will demonstrate the workability of a signal that will inform the receiver of the data they expect to get immediately they receive. The model will include an system of electronic device that will transmit an electromagnetic waves to the devices they use or mobile devices connected to configured to receive the signal. Project Outline: Assessment of the technology of used in communication I will carry out out a careful analysis of the existing systems in the medical care communication and point out the various areas that have weaknesses which cause them to be inefficient in communication. Seeking the approval to carry out the project from relevant authorities At this level I will visit the ministry of health and elaborate the different challenges they get to communicate and pres ent the project proposal about how the inefficiencies can be reduced and therefore, I will seek their approval to develop a system of communicating effectively. Seeking for funds To accomplish the goals for the project, financial resources will be required to procure the different materials that are required in the implementation and to cater for transport and to pay for some labour at different stages of the implementation. I will look for a sponsor to fund the things that I will require to be able to easily achieve the project. Assembling At this stage, I will assemble different pieces of the system to come up with software, install it in the model devices and configure the devices to ensure transmission of the information is attained. Presentation and demonstration After assembling, I will seek a chance to demonstrate the workability of the system to my supervisor and have his feedback about the system and I will note his recommendations. Improvement of the system After presentat ion to the different groups, I will note their recommendation on the ways to increase effectiveness of the system and

Organisational Transformation in Practice Essay

Organisational Transformation in Practice - Essay Example My role in this acquisition and change process has provided immense learning experience in terms of organisational change process and people’s psychology. A patchwork of this experience combined with learning from the module will be elaborated in this discussion. Literature findings will be confined to organisational change and its psychological implications on employees. Attempt will be made to provide a few probable and implementable suggestions for situations that did not conform to the need, as identified in literature. Background of the company: Armen Technologies (AT) is a multinational company that provides information technology enabled business services in four regions of the world including Europe, North Africa and South East Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, AT has more than 5000 employees. Its business volume and spread were enriched when AT acquired the IT Company VTL Solutions. This acquisition process resulted in overall growth of AT, but after much struggle. Cont ext: At the outset, this acquisition process was absolutely strategic and involved many negotiations during long period. From HR perspective, this acquisition seemed extremely lengthy and complex process. The acquisition process that began with various types of negotiations followed into aligning the acquired company’s businesses, clients, customers and employees with the acquiring company’s systems. One of the most significant parts of this acquisition was reinstating the confidence of both companies’ employees at all locations. This task required a strategically planned approach and to be executed by highly experienced personnel. While the general transformation process during and after the acquisition itself was complex and multidimensional event, transformation with respect to processes and systems in the human resources perspective was equally challenging. On a broader note, the HR aspect involved activities such as integration and alignment and corporate c ommunication along with assistance in implementation of change strategies. Corresponding literature findings: Mergers and acquisitions act as change agents in corporate restructuring (DePamphillis, 2011; p.4). Organisational changes that follow mergers and acquisitions are usually uneven and face numerous obstacles. According to Marks and Mirvis (2010), the fervor of success after acquisition usually infuses equally faster in the acquired company but in a retrospective manner, usually in the form of patronizing attitudes of its employees. To add further, unilateral integration of organisational systems and policies leads to greater turbulence in the acquired company. Culture-fit is a core ingredient of organisational sustenance post acquisition (DiGeorgio, 2002). Studies related to organisational change and mergers and acquisitions provide vast and diverse views that are mostly practically implementable and have been successfully implemented in many situations. For instance, various change implementation models that have been proposed include McKinsey’s 7-S framework, Kotter’s (1996) eight-step model, Lewin’s 3-phase model of change ADKAR model etc (Hiatt & Creasey, 2003; Cameron & Green, 2004). All these models provide comprehensive and systematic methods to implement change. Several other models are suggested to diagnose change, such as, Kurt Lewin’s force field analysis model (Cameron & Green, 2

Hewlett-Packard Case Study Essay Example for Free

Hewlett-Packard Case Study Essay Carly Fiorina was hired in Hewlett-Packard as Chairwoman, CEO and President of Hewlett-Packard in 1999 but before that, she earned recognition being one of the most powerful women in America.   Her career in H-P was a combination of ups and down leaving the company with a lot more controversy. Carly Fiorina’s performance at HP caught the attentions of the people in America and the world. Was CEO Carly Fiorina an example of internal or external succession at H-P and why? Carly Fiorina’s appointment in Hewlett-Packard is an example of external succession because she was not a former H-P employee or member of the board; her expertise and renowned popularity made the H-P Board to hire her service.   Specifically, her achievements at Lucent and ATT impressed the executives of H-P, which at that time was at a point of â€Å"downslide† (Boldman Deal, p. 111), who thought that Fiorina could bring â€Å"drastic action and new leadership to shake things up† (ibid). Describe the changes made at Hewlett-Packard under CEO Fiorina. Carly Fiorina obviously was really smart and an innovator as evident in her achievements in her former companies.   However, her true ability was tested in Hewlett-Packard that left her torn-apart caused by the consequences of the massive scale she imposed on H-P.   She succeeded in some ways and failed in some aspects. Nevertheless, Fiorina made three changes in HP in her six-year term that greatly affected the HP culture according to Craig (2008).   First, she redirected the spending of the company from â€Å"nurturing employees to financial performance† (Craig) that resulted to growth in earnings and revenues during her term.   Secondly, she changed the reward system given to employees from profit-sharing to an incentive program.   The last change she made was restructuring the whole company by merging similar units to one resulting to having only four units from the original 84 units.   Reduction of smaller independent businesses of HP resulted to job losses of many employees but improved the communication and internal transaction of the company. Likewise, the merging of Hewlett-Packard and Compaq caused Fiorina’s strategy brought more negative consequences than positive ones.   Though she got what she expected, but the fact that people were hurt by her aggressive action they all retaliated against her.   Unbelievably, only during her term that HP experienced so many job losses and employee apprehensions. These changes damaged the company as employee dissatisfaction grew further until 2005 and the stock reduced by half while its competitors such as Dell and IBM continued soaring high. What is your opinion of what ultimately happened to her at HP, as illustrated by the second article? Fiorina lost her credibility at HP which was contrary to her previous achievements she made prior to her appointment at HP.   I think she was overwhelmed by the shining glory of her achievements during that time that she promoted herself rather than the company’s future.   She failed to understand what the company really needed; instead she went on her way without fully analyzing what correct actions to take. Basically, she relied to herself totally that she never noticed the cultural forces that raged against her.   She lost her focus as many turned into opposition to her plans; in the first place, she never got to the heart of the problem of HP that she misunderstood many of the remarks and words of expectation she received at the time she was appointed at HP. How would you describe the most recent succession that occurred at H-P? External succession with Fiorina was the first attempt made by the company and I think that experience gave them a great lesson to ponder on because the succession brought chaos to the company, which was opposite to what they expected.   HP was quite stable though some downslides occurred already when Fiorina was hired in 1999.   Fiorina was appointed as chairwoman in order to enhance further its competitiveness in the market but her leadership style did not meet the expected changes that she promised to them. In the first place, HP became irrational by associating the success of Fiorina at ATT and Lucent to Hewlett-Packard.   It failed to see competent and able leaders within the company who could replace the parting person.   Getting the right person for a very sensitive position must be done with care. Monk and Wagner suggested that in line with succession, it is important that a company create a succession plan that â€Å"incorporates every level of the organization† (2008, p. 174). The succession plan will guide the company in cases like Fiorina. Conclusion In the case of Carly Fiorina in HP, it is appropriate to assume that succession must be according to the plan and besides the company must set a ruling regarding succession.   Fiorina could be the right person in HP but the lack of clear vision and orientation of the culture and expectation of the company; she developed her own approaches that only harmed the people in the company.

are expeaectation about childs development related to different cultures? :: essays research papers

Parental expectations of their children's development can be influenced bymany factors. factors like media, family beliefs, personal experience. Expectations come from several sources- from parents, teachers, family, peers and ourselves. All these factors relate to social and culture beliefs. Piaget stressed the importance of the environment in children's learningm seeing children as active builders of their own knowledge. The social constructive perspective on child development places main emphasis on the importance of the social environment on child development. Lev Vygotsky's findings showed that children had a great deal to learn from each other through interaction and communication. Unlike piaget, Vygotsky thought that childrem's ability should not be judged only on what they can do alone, but on what they are capable of with help. So the child may be provided with a more challenging and stimulating environment. Constructivist propose that children have qualitatively distinct w ays of thinking, feeling and behaving at different stages of development. Whiting and Edwards ( 1992) discuss the importance of cultural values and their influence on what is perceived as appropriate social behaviour.Hess et al.(1980) carried out cross-culturalstudy into the expectations of American and Japanese mothers about their children's development. He design a developmental expectation procedure to study mother's expectations. The study produced some interesting dara into the cultural differences in the two group's expectations.It showed that the Japanese mother's expectations for early achievement fell into categories of compliance, independence and emotional maturity. In contrast the American mothers expected social skills and verbal assertiveness to be ascertained at a younger age. Whiting and Edwards (1992) discussed the importance of cultural values and their influence on what is seen as an appropriate social behaviour. they explain different expectations of children's development in various cultures and why different cultures expect different things of their children. For example in a more complex society literacy would seen as the most important skills to learn. Whereas in a simple society it is likely that children will learn the physical world. It can be said that cultural needs of society strongly influence parent's expectations of their own children's development.

Intro to Marketing Essay

It is important that McDonalds Corporation makes sure that any of their widely attractive and competitive marketing activities are produced within the constraints of the law. Consumer protection involves defending consumers by giving them a way to get reparations for damage cause because of faulty products. Therefore, McDonalds should keep up with changes in the law and landmark rulings to make sure any marketing in which they are developing won’t be illegal. Sales of Goods Act 1979 This act requires traders to sell goods whether that is written, verbal or graphical descriptions, they should be correctly and accurately described as well as being a satisfactory quality. This means that the condition of the product should include how long it lasts and being fit for purpose is key. This directly affects marketing activity as it means that any marketing should describe the product as accurately and truthful information. the product must be able to be used for purpose and if not, the customer is entitled to a full refund or exchange as a result of their concerns. If it is stated, it has to be guaranteed and false information given when advertising can be illegal. For example, McDonalds is one of the biggest fast food industries known globally. The products that they sell cannot be falsely advertised stating they are very healthy as by law, the amount of calories, fat, carbohydrates and sugar are all ingredients must be state on the packaging. It must be shown to potential customers exactly what products they sell and the quality must meet the standards as they are advertised. If not, this could lead to fines and imprisonment. Also, if a customer has a dispute of a member of McDonalds about the calories of a burger, the customer would then be informed exactly how many calories are in a burger as they are stated on every bit of packaging for exactly what is in the burger. Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 This act entitles all customers to fair treatment and honesty from businesses they deal with. This relatively recent piece of legislation should not have affected most businesses, but was targeted at organisations that do not always treat their customers well. Under this act, businesses cannot use aggressive sale tactics, or use dishonest promotional campaigns such as false advertising. For example, if McDonalds advertised their burgers on sale and they weren’t, this would result in mislead customers and giving false impressions to their target audiences which could possibly affect their reputation. EBay is a good example of this act. If an item is bought from a seller that is not as described or to an unsatisfactory quality, the buyer in entitled to a refund. If the seller fights their corner and claims that the buyer’s comments are untrue, the buyer can then open a case in the resolution centre in order to resolve this problem. Under the buyer protection policy, eBay has the right to fight the corner of the buyer so that the right solution is made. Consumer Credit Acts 1974 and 2006 This act protects consumer’s rights when they buy goods on credit or companies lending money to consumers. Traders who offend this law must have an OFT (Office of Fair Trading) licence and any complaints that arise with the customer regarding the organisation is dealt with by the FOS (Financial Ombudsman Service). For example, if you buy an Apple Mac computer, when this good has been paid for using a form of credit whether it be a credit card or credit agreement arranged by the trader, you may have an equal liability claim against the credit firm providing the contracted amount is over  £100 but no more than  £30,000. Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 Distance selling is any form of selling where there is no face to face communications between the customer and seller. the regulations require the business to provide clear information so customers can make more informed decisions regarding their purchases. An example of this regulation would be EBay. The business will give the consumer information such as goods they are selling, clear description, condition, location, payment options, delivery arrangements and returns policy. Data Protection Act 1998 This act means that any information stored by marketers must only be used for the stated purpose, must be accurately up to date and obtained fairly as well as lawfully. The act focuses on all businesses holding any confidential customer information on a database. As well as this, it should be no longer kept more than it is needed for a processed in line with your rights. It must be kept up to date as if someone passes away, you should not call asking for them. Also, if your information is protected from unauthorised use, it cannot be passed on to other companies without permission. The information which is stored is available for your inspection and correction upon request. It should also be protected from transfer to an area outside of the EEA (European Economic Area) unless adequate. McDonalds only gather personal information when voluntary submitted on their website to give feedback and they have online prize promotions. Sometimes, they change their private policies but only if a pressure group acts against them which is brought to the organisations attention. Trade Descriptions Act 1968 The act was introduced in order to protect consumers when purchasing products and services. It stipulates numerous different regulations that traders must adhere when carrying out their marketing activities. Sellers therefore must not mislead customers in any way as well as making descriptive yet accurate. This act not only refers to written descriptions but includes discussions, interactive exchanges and written documents. For example, within this act the trader must not indicate that a price is lower than it actually is as this is giving customers false information and misguiding them. McDonalds could not advertise that the price of a meal is  £3.00 is it is more than that because people will get the wrong idea and be displeased by the service and description of their products being false. Code of Advertising Practise and Advertising Standards Authority Marketing activities for a organisation are policed by the independent ASA. It is an industry body rather than a legal framework, and it promotes and maintains the UK code of advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing. The rules are to keep within the legal framework, protect customers from misleading claims, create an even footing for advertising. Principals for this include regulations such as the advertising a business produces should be in lines with the following rules: should be legal, decent, honest, truthful and have a sense of responsibility. Their advertising should not also be misleading or offensive. For example, McDonalds should not create slogans or include graphical advertising methods offending certain animal welfare groups or vegetarians as this is disregarded and taken seriously as well as being odious which they could potential lose customers because of. Ethical consideration A pressure group is an organised group that seeks to influence government policy or to protect a particular cause of interest. They don’t fight elections but may promote specific issues and may have more political objectives to aim for whilst enduring their campaign. they are undergone quietly on issues which most citizens wouldn’t full understand or recognise. For example, policies such as a medical association wanting to persuade the government to close down tobacco companies would affect their business and would also result in many convenience stores that would sell cigarettes. For example, in May 2011, more than 500 health professionals signed a petition to ask the makers of happy meals to stop marketing junk food to children so this had an impact on McDonalds in order to fulfil the needs to protesters so now healthier options such as fruit bags and fruit juices were introduced as a substitute to these ‘junk’ foods. Another example includes the animal rights pressure group; PETA launched a global campaign again McDonalds regarding animal rights issues and have created a billboard campaign disregarding McDonald’s non guilty claims which tried to make the fast-food giants listen to their views against animal welfare and rights. Consumerism is the organised efforts by individuals, groups and governments to help protect consumers from policies and practises that infringe the rights of consumers to fair business practises. It identifies the rights for consumers to be safe, to be informed, to choose and be heard. The Office of Fair Trading plays an active role in implement consumer legislation and to take action against traders who are seen as ‘unfair’. The packaging is an example of this as McDonalds used to use boxes that weren’t biodegradable but now they are being more environmentally friendly by using plastic boxes that won’t wear away and the resource is cheaper and will last longer. Advertising is mean to attract customers in but sometimes comments made can be acted upon and made subjective if the viewers don’t like what they see or hear. The language chosen for advertising needs to be accessible to the audience and put in a way that everyone can understand to widen the market of the product or service. The Advertising Standards Authority have acknowledged and acted upon the key areas which are when adverts refer to sex, involve strong language, religions and belief are fought against and also offensive grounds such as prejudgement or racism. In McDonalds case, critical issues that arose as a result of their advertising were there was claims that the organisation ‘exploits children’ with its advertising; the company was blamed for misleading children by using attractive advertisement as the use of fun character Ronald McDonald to encourage young people and attracting them to kid’s meals. Bibliography John Bevan, H. C.-S. (2010). BTEC Level 3 National Business, Book 1. Harlow, Essex, GBR : Pearson Education. http://www.tradedescriptionsact.co.uk/content/trade-descriptions-act-1968-28. html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/2443603.stm http://www.asa.org.uk/ http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/ http://www.scribd.com/doc/46508929/P2-Limitations-and-Constraints http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/474136.stm http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576329610340358394.html

Pressure Management on a Supercritical Airfoil

Pressure Management on a supercritical aerofoil in transonic flow Abstract-At transonic speeds an aerofoil will have flow accelerate onwards from the leading edge to sonic speeds and produce a shockwave over the surface of its body. One factor that determines the shockwave location is the flow speed. However, the shape of an aerofoil also has an influence. The experiment conducted compared Mach flow over a supercritical aerofoil (flattened upper surface) and a naca0012 aerofoil (symmetrical).Despite discrepancies, the experiment confirmed the aerodynamic performance of a supercritical aerofoil being superior to a conventional aerofoil. A comparison of the graphical distributions demonstrates the more even pressure distribution on a supercritical aerofoil and a longer delay in shockwave formation. All of which, reflects the theory. Table of Contents Introduction3 Apparatus3 Induction Wind Tunnel with Transonic Test Section3 Mercury Manometer4 Procedure4 Theory and Equations5 Results6 Discussion10 Theory of Transonic Flight10 Relating the Theory to the Experiment11Effectiveness of Supercritical aerofoils†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Limitations and Improvements12 Appendix13 References14 Introduction For any object travelling through a fluid such as air, a pressure distribution over all of its surface exists which helps generate the necessary lift. Lift is an aerodynamic force which is perpendicular to the direction of the aerofoil. Transonic speeds result in the formation of shockwaves over the top surface of the aerofoil. This is due to accelerated flow over the surface region. We say this region is approximately between 0. 8-0. . Since the flow must accelerate and then will lose velocity following the shockwave the aerofoil will have a subsonic and sonic region. For the majority of commercial airlines this is not a desired region to cruise at given the instantaneous pressure distribution which passengers would otherwise experience. Particularly, the formation of shock induced boundary layer separation. Supercritical aerofoils are more efficient designed for higher Mach speeds and drag reduction. They are distinct from conventional aerofoils by their flattened upper surface and asymmetrical design.The main advantage of this type of aerofoil is the development of shockwaves further away then traditional aerofoils and thus greatly reducing the shock induced boundary layer separation. In order to truly understand the effectiveness of a supercritical aerofoil an experiment gathering supercritical aerofoil performance and raw data of a naca0012 aerofoil will be extensively analysed and compared. Following the calculation and procedureit will be assessed whether a supercritical aerofoil is more effective. ApparatusA wind tunnel with a transonic test section was used in this experiment to study transonic flow around an aerofoil. The test section consists of liners which, after the initial contraction, are nominally parallel apart from a slight divergence to compensate for growth of the boundary layers on the wall. In order to reduce interference and blockage at transonic speeds, the top and bottom liners are ventilated by longitudinal slots backed by plenum chambers. The working section has a height and width of 178mm and 89mm respectively. The stagnation pressure, p0? in the tunnel is close to atmospheric pressure, and therefore it can be taken to be equal to the settling-chamber pressure as the errors are only small. To minimise the disturbance due to the model itself, the reference stagnation pressure, p? , is taken from a pressure tapping in the floor of the working-section, well upstream of the model. The nominal ‘free-stream’ Mach number, M? , in the tunnel can be calculated from the ratio p? /p0?. The Mach number in the tunnel can be controlled by varying the pressure of the injected air, pj. The maximum Mach number that the tunnel can achieve is about 0. 8 Mercury Manometer A multi-tube manometer with mercury was used to measure the pressure at stagnation, the aerofoil tappings and atmosphere. The manometer is equipped with a locking mechanism which allows the mercury levels to be ‘frozen’ so that readings can be taken once the flow has been stopped. Also, the angle of the manometer can be adjusted. For this experiment, it was set to 45 degrees (Motellebi, F. ,2012). Procedure Before conducting the experiment, the barometric pressure, Pat, was recorded, in inches of mercury and the atmospheric temperature, in degrees Celsius, was also recorded.For a range of  values of Pj from 10 – 110 lb/in2, in intervals of 20lb/in2, Pj was then recorded along with the manometer readings corresponding to stagnation pressure (I0? ), the reference static pressure (I? ), airfoil pressure tappings (In, n=1 to 8 and 3a ) and the atmospheric pressure (Iat), all in inches of mercury (Motellebi, F. ,2012). Results- Raw data in appendix x/c Figure 1b Cp against x/c at M= 0. 85 Figure 1a -Cp against x/c at M=0. 85 The experimental data was converted to absolute pressure values using Equation x ( units are inches of mercury).For a given value of the pressure injector (Pinjector) we can find the value of the Mach number using Equation y. Also Equation Z calculates Cp( or pressure coefficents) which reflect the measurements of the surface of the aerofoil. These results are displayed in figure x. This was done for both the supercritical aerofoil and the NACCA 0012 aerofoil. What follows is a comparison and analysis of the data. ( Figure 2b Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 8 Figure 2a -Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 81 x/c x/c Figure 3b- -Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 72 Figure 3a –Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 3 Figure 4b –Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 61 Figure 4a –Cp against x/ c at Mach speed 0. 61 Figure 5a- -Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 45 Figure 5b- -Cp against x/c at Mach speed 0. 44 Note that for both supercritical and naca0012 aerofoils the supercritical cases ( where M is equal to 0. 77, 0. 83 and 0. 840) the approximate value of x/c % where the shock occurs over the aerofoil is shown in red line. For the point below where Cp and the Cpcritical and hence the drop in Cp is greatest gives the location of where the shockwave occurs on the surface of the aerofoil. Cp and Cp* vs M? naca0012 aerofoil) Cp and Cp* vs M? (supercritical aerofoil) It is worth noting that for both the supercritical and Naca0012 aerofoil the results are somewhat similar. That is the critical Mach numbers for both are around 0. 72. Therefore the Minimum Mach number for a local shockwaves on both the supercritical and conventional aerofoil can be assumed to be the same. It is worth noting that Mach number 0. 41 for the supercritical aerofoil does not produce a shockwave, where as the Naca0012 aerofoil does. Mach number| Supercritical Aerofoil Approx position of shock| naca0012 Approx position of shock| 0. 5| -| -| 0. 61| -| -| 0. 72-0. 73| -| 0. 25x/c%| 0. 85-0. 86| 0. 70x/c%| 0. 40x/c%| Basic transonic theory An aerofoil or any object for that matter travelling through a medium (air) at low Mach numbers ( typically between 0. 30-0. 40) has flow is subsonic and can be considered incompressible. This means that any change in pressure or density is significant. The speed of sound (a) is dependent on the altitude of the aerofoil/object and the Mach number M is the ratio of velocity: M=va , a=? RT ?is a specific heat ratio, T is thel absolute temperature and R is the gas constant.The combination of these two equations above leads to: M=v? RT Sound is essentially a series of consecutive weak pressure waves emitted from a given source. These waves travel at the local speed of sound. If we assume the aerofoil is travelling towards the source, the source can noti ce the disturbances beforehand giving enough time for flow to adjust around the object. When the source begins to approach near the speed of sound, pressure waves move closer together in front of the object, therefore inadequate information from the source/disturbance is propagated upstream and the flow will not be able to react in time.The pressure waves merge together to produce a shockwave in front of the object. The flow encountering the shockwave will experience changes in temperature, static pressure and gas density as well as a lower Mach number. The transonic region is special because although flight speed is below sonic speed as the information is propagated upstream on the surface of the aerofoil the flow accelerated to the speed of sound. Thus forming a shockwave over the aerofoil. The position of this shockwave depends on the initial entry speed to the aerofoil.Therefore what we have in the transonic region is an aerofoil which has sonic speeds early upstream and subsoni c speed towards the end of the aerofoil or downstream. This means it is complicated to accurately analyse transonic flow over an aerofoil as a different set of equations must be used on the leading edge, upper surface and trailing edge. The critical upstream Mach number is the minimum value of a given Mach number for which a shockwave will be produced on the surface of an aerofoil. In other words, supersonic flow.Below this threshold a shockwave will not appear. Drag or the aerodynamic force in the transonic region again depends on the speed of the object travelling. At subsonic speeds the main component of drag are Skin friction, pressure drag and lift induced drag. At sonic speeds (approaching or exceeding) there is the addition of wave drag. The drag increases dramatically, and as a result a higher thrust is needed to sustain acceleration. Also, at this point the shockwave will interact with the boundary layer, thus causing it to separate upstream of the shock.Figure 6Demonstrati on of transonic flight-(Scott, J. , 2000) The aerofoils The two aerofoils Naca0012 and Supercritical aerofoil are different in design and purpose. The Naca0012 is a basic symmetrical aerofoil used primarily for rudder and elevator movements. Aerodynamic performance is not taken into consideration and is thus reflected by the simple aerodynamic design. It is worth noting that there are better aerofoils. The Supercritical aerofoil is a performance aerofoil designed for higher Mach speeds and drag reduction.They are distinct from conventional aerofoils by their flattened upper surface and asymmetrical design. The main advantage of this type of aerofoil is the development of shockwaves further away then traditional aerofoils and thus greatly reducing the shock induced boundary layer separation. Relating the Theory to the Experiment The critical Mach number for both the supercritical aerofoil and NACA0012 aerofoil was found to be in the region of 0,72. There is a difference to the neares t 10th but for all intents and purposes we can assume they are the same.This indicates that the minimum Mach number for a shockwave to be produced on the surface of the aerofoils is equal and not influenced via the shape. The pressure distributions of the supercritical aerofoil ( especially at Higher Mach) in comparison to the Naca0012 are more evenly distributed. The experiment confirms the theory that the supercritical aerofoil in comparison ro a conventional aerofoil generates more lift due to an even distribution of pressure over the upper surface. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Supercritical_airfoil) Effectiveness of Supercritical aerofoils.At a Mach number of 0. 45 both aerofoils do not display a shockwave. This is evident from the fact the Cp and Cp* graphs do not intersect at all. We already know this because the critical Mach number is 0. 72 for both. This indicates that either a shockwave was not produced (unlikely), or that the shockwave was produced beyond the trailing edge This means we cannot assess the effectiveness of the supercritical aerofoil at Mach speeds 0,45 and 0. 61. The supercritical Mach numbers show varying results. When the experiment took place at Mach ) 0. 72-0. 3 ( the critical Mach number) the supercritical aerofoil did not produce a shockwave ( Cp and Cp* do not intersect) whereas the naca0012 aerofoil did. The lack of a shockwave formation indicates either the critical Mach number for the supercritical aerofoil is higher then the conventional aerofoil experimental accuracy is lacking. At the supercritical mach numbers ( 0. 81-0. 86) in both the naca0012 aerofoil and the supercritical aerofoil Cp and Cp* intersect. The large drop in pressure coefficient is evidence of the formation of a shockwave.However, the pressure drop in the supercritical aerofoil is occurring at a pressure tapping further downstream. This confirms the theory that a shockwave is produced further downstream in a supercritical aerofoil This seems to confirm the theory that a supercritical aerofoils design does allow for development of shockwaves further away then traditional aerofoils and thus greater reduction in the shock induced boundary layer separation. In regards to the amount of drag (aerodynamic force) acting on the aerofoils it is worth noting that the pressure distribution at 0. 5 Mach for the supercritical aerofoil is more evenly distributed and ‘flatter’ then the naca0012 aerofoil. There is no indication of a large instantaneous increase in drag taking over. This would therefore confirm the theory that a supercritical aerofoil is effective in greatly reducing the shock induced boundary layer separation. Notes for limitations The experiment is a success since results obtained confirm the capabilities of supercritical aerofoils and their advantages over conventional aerofoils. However, there are a few discrepancies which regarding experimental error and the different aerofoils.First of all the mach numbers teste d at 0. 72 and 0. 73 created an inaccurate experiment. Normally, this would not be a problem. However, since the critical mach numbers for both aerofoil’s were in the vicinity of 0. 72 it was expected this was the minimum threshold for a shockwave to be produced over the aerofoil. A shockwave was not produced for the supercritical aerofoil despite the critical mach number value. Therefore, we can conclude that at this speed there are too many inaccuracies to understand what is really going on.We also did not really see a difference in performance at subsonic flow. Granted, the supercritical aerofoil was primarily designed for supercritical mach speed. No useful information was obtained from here. The fact the pressure tappings have different coordinates means that each aerofoil is showing the pressure distribution at a different set of coordinates. This of course, is not as accurate if the aerofoils had the same pressure tappings. For instance, the naca0012 has a pressure tap ping at 6. 5% of the aerofoil section and the last ends 75% the rest is unaccounted for.Since the supercritical aerofoil has different pressure tappings it means both aerofoils have different areas which are unaccounted for. This means it is not certain whether or not the graphs are a reliable source of information, yet alone to compare. A digital meter should also be connected that displays the pressure in the two tappings so the aerofoil can be appropriately adjusted to bring it to zero incidence. This digital meter can also be used to display the value of the mercury levels for other pressure tappings, reducing any human errors.In order to increase the accuracy of the pressure distribution over the aerofoil surface, more pressure tappings can be made on the aerofoil. These will improve the pressure coefficient graphs by allowing more points to be plotted, in turn, yielding better information for the position of the shockwave in the supercritical cases and also the critical Mach n umber for a shock to occur. References 1) http://www. southampton. ac. uk/~jps7/Aircraft%20Design%20Resources/aerodynamics/supercritical%20aerofoils. pdf 2) http://www. nasa. gov/centers/dryden/pdf/89232main_TF-2004-13-DFRC. pdf 3)

Joy

Joy JoyThroughout our journeys, we can expect the road of life to be paved with many experiences of both joys and sorrows drawn in. The joy that life brings creates a wonderful encounter with the world and all it's people. Joy is described as an especially intense period of happiness that results with contentment, pleasure, and delight. Although our life is a so-called "rollercoaster ride," and is filled with so many different dispositions or vibes, our joyful moments are the ones to be treasured and remembered forever. These moments are the ones that render a person to feel at the summit or highest point of the world and in humankind, but since life has so many different adventures and never occurs in the same fashion all the time, other temperaments are considered as well. Joy is a source or perhaps an object that grounds a feeling of enjoyment, cheerfulness, or satisfaction.Jeff Woloson in Thailand. The birds atop Jeff's he..."Their only child was their pride and joy."Joy can be illus trated by the passion or emotion that is energized by the gaining or anticipation of good. Joyful thoughts and manners are the pleasurable feelings or emotions caused by success, good fortune, and fondness, or by a normal prospect of possessing what we love or desire. Joy is gladness and indulgence as well as an exhilaration of a person's spirits.Many people have distinct sources that cause them happiness or joy as for it differs and fluctuates from person to person. Learning to live in the present moment is a part of the path to joy. As Shakespeare said, "Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing." Another great aspect of this quote that demonstrates the world's values (joys) and a real explanation of joy comes from a quote by Cesare Pavese, "The only joy...

What Being a Lame Duck Means in Politics

What Being a Lame Duck Means in Politics A lame duck politician is an elected official who is not seeking re-election. The term is often used to describe U.S. presidents in their second and final terms in the White House. The use of lame duck is often considered derogatory because it refers to an elected officials loss of power and inability to effect change. U.S. presidents are bound by the Constitution to two terms in the White House under the 22nd Amendment. So they automatically become lame ducks the minute their take their oaths of office for the second time. Most of the time lame duck presidents become mired in cursed second terms. Few have notched successes as lame ducks. Members are Congress are not bound by statutory term limits, but the minute they announce their intention to retire they, too, earn lame duck status. And while there are obvious downsides to being a lame duck, there are also some positive aspects to not being bound to the often-fickle whims of the electorate. Origins of the Phrase Lame Duck The phrase lame duck was originally used to describe bankrupt businessmen. Ebenezer Cobham Brewers A Dictionary of Phrase and Fable described a lame duck as â€Å"a stock-jobber or dealer who will not, or cannot, pay his losses and has to waddle out of the alley like a lame duck. By the 1800s the phrase connoted politically bankrupt or broken down elected officials. Calvin Coolidge is said to be the first American president to be called a lame duck, during his second term. The term is also used to described political patronage, as in lame duck appointments, or those made by an outgoing politician in his final days in office to reward friends and supporters. The term was also popularized during the debate over when the president was to be sworn into office. The 20th Amendment, which stipulates that the incoming president and vice president take their oaths of office on Jan. 20 after the election instead of waiting until March as they previously did, was called the lame duck amendment because it prevented the still-in-session Congress from acting behind the back of the incoming commander-in-chief. Lame Ducks Are Ineffective and Mischievous One common rap against elected officials who are on their way out of office is that no one takes them seriously. Its true that lame ducks see the power they once enjoyed in office great diminished whether its by an election loss, the approach of a term limit or the decision to retire. Wrote  Michael J. Korzi in  Presidential Term Limits in American History: Power, Principles, and Politics: The lame duck theory suggests that the closer a president comes to the end of a second term - if he or she is barred from seeking re-election - the less relevant the president is to the Washington scene and especially the congressional players who are critical to the passage of many presidential priorities. The lame-duck effect on the presidency is different than the lame-duck sessions of Congress, which occur  in even numbered years when the House and Senate reconvene after the elections - even those lawmakers who lost their bids for another term.   It is true that lame ducks and lame-duck sessions held under the cover of night and without public scrutiny have resulted in some rather undesirable consequences: pay raises, enhanced perks and more lavish benefits for members of Congress, for example. They also have provided an opportunity to pass unpopular legislation not mentioned during the campaign, since blame can then be passed on the non-returning members, wrote  Robert E. Dewhirst and John David Rausch in the  Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. Lame Ducks Have Nothing to Lose   Elected officials in their final terms in office have the luxury of being bold and being able to address serious issues by adopting often controversial policies. As Ohio University economics professor  Richard Vedder told  The Post  of Athens about lame-duckery: â€Å"It’s kind of like having terminal cancer. If you know your time is up and you only have two months to live, maybe you’ll behave a little different in the last 90 days.† Candidates who dont have to face the wrath of voters for unpopular decisions are often more willing to deal with important or controversial issues without fear of angering blocs of constituents. That means some lame duck politicians can be freer and more productive in their final days in office. President Barack Obama, for example, surprised many political observers when he announced in December 2014 that the United States would work toward  restoring  diplomatic relations with the communist nation  of Cuba. At the beginning of his second term, Obama angered gun-rights advocates when he  announced  23 executive actions designed to address gun violence in the United States  after several mass shootings occurred during his first term.  The most significant proposals called for universal background checks on anyone trying to buy a gun, restoring a ban on military-style assault weapons, and cracking down on straw purchases. Though Obama was not successful in having these measures passed, his moves did spark a national dialogue on the issues.

Marketing Assignment 2 BENG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Assignment 2 BENG - Essay Example does it offer sufficient growth rate to warrant investment, and how strong the company vis-Ã  -vis its competitors in the industry i.e. how much market share it command in the industry. Estelami2 stated that BCG matrix can also be employed under product elimination decisions (55-56). Thus using this model, the company can plot all of the its businesses or products in the matrix and identify the best strategies for businesses (product) in various categories. Thus, the model gives clear guidance to a company as to how it should go about its investment decisions. The concept of product life cycle is based on the concept of human life cycle. According to Kotler & Keller (2007)3 products passes through various stages of their lives. At each stage the position of the product in the market is different and thus it have to respond accordingly. To help that marketers can use various strategies suggested for the various stages. Drive Thru – This is in the growth stage marked by recent surge in the number of drive thrus that are witnessed. There life cycle will stretched, given the busy life styles; people would love to have them. Cart and Kiosks - It have been the earliest form of coffee shops, though earlier mostly managed by unorganized nondescript market players. Then the sophisticated organized players taked it up and have introducing a lot of innovative features in to it. So I would say the organized players resuscitated this product form. Currently the product will in maturity stage given the kind of competition we see. Growth stage - Marked by the entry of competition, the stage witness a segmented approach to marketing and separate marketing mix to various segments. The firm may go for skimming by lowering the price; the product will have new features and improved versions; the advertising would shift from product awareness to preference building. Maturity Stage – This stage witness heavy price discounts and trade promotion.

3 Ways to Get Better Ideas from Your Diverse Team Article

3 Ways to Get Better Ideas from Your Diverse Team - Article Example The information contained in the article is clearly related to business communication. Communication has been acknowledged as a crucial factor in the work setting. The process is relevant in terms of ensuring that messages sent are accurately understood, as intended. The effective communication process is deemed important in facilitating the achievement of explicitly defined goals. From the information relayed in the article, it was evident that despite theories on effective communication and managing a diverse workforce, contemporary organizations still meet challenges in soliciting inputs, ideas, comments from members of a team. As disclosed, due to diversity in cultural orientations, some team members allegedly hesitate to be open in expressing their ideas due to personal values, traditional beliefs, or fear of rejection. Therefore, it is highly commendable that Hyun recommended leaders to encourage the free flow of ideas, and set rules to address and manage potential conflicts or misunderstanding. One therefore agrees and hereby affirm that to ensure effective communication from a team of diverse members, leaders must be able to clearly establish policies and procedures that promote a conducive environment of open communication, trust, support, empowerment, and rewards based on positive values and philosophies.

A critical evaluation of central government urban regeneration Essay - 1

A critical evaluation of central government urban regeneration policies since the 1980s in Docklands, London - Essay Example The shift in the political scenario shall also not be advantageous, the future cabinet is expected to comprising of representatives from suburbs and South East, and therefore these representatives shall not share "same commitment to high levels of regeneration funding, particularly if economic circumstances demand a squeeze on public spending" (Cross, 1993). It is important that realistic approach shall be adopted to ensure optimum utilization of the available opportunities. It is important to initially settle the objectives into list of practical and non-practical items. It is evident that the current government "cannot guarantee to regenerate every town and every city in Britain that has fallen behind". Every location has its strategic and economic significance, and two cities at different locations shall never share similar significance, this is natural phenomenon and has contributed towards mass migration of the dwellers in the past. Britain has to face the truth that the locatio ns, which previously exhibited potential for investment in 19th century, are insignificant in the current economic and strategic setup. The general consensus among the legislatives exists that "port cities had an advantage in an era when exporting manufactured goods by sea was a vital source of prosperity; today the sea is a barrier to their potential for expansion and they are cut off from the main road transport routes" (Cross, 1993).

Full Strategic Analysis Of Caribou Coffee Company Inc Marketing Essay

Full Strategic Analysis Of Caribou Coffee Company Inc Marketing Essay Caribou coffee Incl commonly known as CBOU.O is a company specializing in retail of teas, coffee bakery goods and other related products. Since it inception in 1992, the firm operates in various reportable divisions which include: commercial, retail and franchise businesses. Retail segment comprise of about 400 of the total coffee establishment and focuses on the local market. These key stores are based in Minnesota and over 20 other store in major states where CBOU.O operates. Commercial segment focuses on mass merchandisers while the franchise business which comprises of about 19% of the total coffee houses targets the international market. Caribou Incl operates in international and local markets as well with a bout 510 coffeehouses (Perry 2003, p. 46). Additionally, the firm supplies its products to diverse clientele groups such as grocery stores, hotels, airlines, mass merchandisers, entertainment venues, offices and colleges among other clients. Caribou management main goal is d irected towards providing high quality coffee blends and other related products to its clients. Key to their attractive strategy, CBOU.O has well designed outlets which resemble ski lodges and even Alaskan cabins, which offer the firms a range of coffee blends, or even specialty teas, coffee drinks and baked goods. In order to expand on its distribution chain CBOU.O sells both brewing supplies and whole bean coffee (Hall 2005, p. 76). In addition the firm has over 100 franchised outlets which are mostly founded in the greater Middle East part as well as South Korea. As per 2008 fiscal report, 60% of the Caribou Coffee firm is owned by Arcapita, a Bahrain-based investment faction. CBOU.O has recorded positive growth in history of gourmet coffee industry amid competition from Kraft Foods Inc., Starbucks Corporation, Proctor Gamble and Nestle Inc. 1.10 Company Analysis CBOU.O is not immune to industry macro as well as micro factors influencing business performance levels. The wider business environment has created both opportunity and challenges to CBOU.Os performance in coffee industry. The volume of coffeehouse chains has increased in the recent past with the new entrants in the renowned specialty product category. For instance, the external environment in the industry has been hit by high competition with greater impacts felt the period between fiscal 1998 and 2003 (Hoskisson Hitt 2008, p. 96). The industry has also presented a new wave of demographics shift where young adults easily indentify with coffee products. With greater cultural influence in the foreign markets, decaffeinated coffee has easily being marketed in defined global market niche. Similarly, in coffee industry market trends have also forced leading firms to leverage their brand names into various categories in an attempt to grow greater sales. 1.11 PESTEL Analysis Social factors Social trends has impacted CBOU.Os marketing, RD activities, rebranding procedure, market entry strategies, employees motivation and the firms business units performances. CBOU.O has been influenced by various factors including changing demographics, family changes, consumer expectations and various cultural changes (Perry 2003, p. 89). The firm has witnessed a shift in consumer habits in various markets where brand switching has been popularized by the existence of a variety of specialty products offered by similar players in the market. Due to the perceived change in consumer expectations CBOU.O has been constantly extending their product-line to include various coffee versions in the market. For instance, decaffeinated coffee has been an entrant in various market niches as a deliberate effort to avert brand switch to other alternative beverages. This has been mainly instigated by cultural preferences. Similarly, the changing demographics in both global as well as local market have influenced CBOU.O business activities. For example, between fiscal 2003 and 2006, adults aged between 18 and 24 who took coffee daily doubled in percentage and crossed over 30 % mark as per the NCAs (i.e. National Coffee Association) data (Perry 2003, p. 193). The young adult drinking behavior/habits has and will continue influencing Caribou Coffee consumption since this age bracket constitute the long-life coffee drinkers as they enter early adulthood. The youngsters demographics are vital to CBOU.O since they are likely to favor coffee to other familiar soft drinks in future. Political forces Government policy in terms of degree of economic intervention has greatly influenced CBOU.O in the greater Minnesota region. Various stakeholders such as regulators and politicians impacts any industry in terms of workforce safety issues, firms subsidies, quality infrastructure and business supports. For example, Caribou has been continually influenced by various policies linked to NCA. Like other firms, Caribou has enjoyed government intervention during various difficulty economic seasons as well as on labor issue intervention. Trade barriers, among other government policies has influenced entry procedures across the 20 states stores. For instance, favorable trade policies have assisted the firm to expand and perhaps source for quality coffee (Grant 2005, p. 94). Economic factors Inflation, economic growth issues, interest rates and taxation changes has affected Caribou Coffee Company in terms of product performance, business profitability, production costs and firms overheads. For instance, in fiscal 2007/2008 the firm reported increase in production costs brought about by increase in related costs such as higher wage demands due to economic difficulties experienced globally. More positive in the trend in economic growth witnessed in early 2000 that saw CBOU.O report increase in demand for various coffee products. In addition, in fiscal 2006 Lower interest made more viable for investors such as Arcapita to invest in about 60% CBOU.O since the costs associated with borrowing was too low. Finally, economic difficulties witnessed in late 2000 saw CBOU.O resulting into franchise arrangement for synergy reasons. Technological factors Technology has helped CBOU.O to remain ahead in business communication, production and innovation. For example, technology has boosted the firms move in online marketing and related business activities in CBOU.Os official website. Computer aided systems has assisted the firm in quality control and production regulations as a deliberate move in reducing related production costs. Online marketing as well as trading information supported by the firms website has put CBOU.O ahead of competition. Legal Forces CBOU.O has been influenced by the various consumer laws protecting clients against unfair pricing practices and any misleading beverage description. Under the Caribou management practices, employment laws have affected the business approach in areas such as redundancy, minimum wage, working hours and dismissal issues. Environmental factors Factors such as national weather and the perceived global climate change influence consumer patterns (Porter 1998, p.72). Changes in temperature, especially during winters increase the likelihood of coffee consumption and high profitability during this spell. CBOU.O has in the past recorded greater sales during winters than the case with summer performance. Currently, the global environmental issues as well as the growing desire on corporate responsibility on the nature have influenced business opportunities in the new markets. Such environmental trends have influenced Caribous demand patterns and the global opportunities (Perry 2003, p. 103). 1.12 Porters Five Forces Rivalry Rivalry intensity has been greatly increased by low switching costs where consumers can easily switch from particular specialty coffee product, thus making it hard to capture greater market proportion. The ever growing number of specialty coffee products has intensified rivalry. Recent development in terms of consumer habits in coffee industry has resulted into struggle for available market share. Similarly, industry shakeout influences rivalry witnessed in various industries (Porter 1998, p. 43). High level of products differentiation has resulted into greater rivalry forcing CBOU.O to extend its product-line. The firm currently offers whole bean coffee and specialty teas, as a differentiated approach in competing in the market. Threats of substitutes Coffee products offered by other players such as Proctor Gamble or even Starbucks Corporation at a competing price offer a threat to CBOU.O specialty coffee products, thus making it hard for the firm to raise prices for profitability reasons. Health concerns have influenced the consumption levels of specialty coffee as a substitute to other highly priced soft beverages. For example, Starbucks Power Frappuccino has been a big threat to Caribous due to its price espresso-based beverages. Buyer Power The firms buyers have contributed to the Caribous performance by determining the firms profitability levels. The buyers have the ability to influence the business performance by affecting the business ability in offering quality specialty coffee. Similarly, the buyers power has influenced Caribous business strategy where the management has been concentrating in offering all-time coffee products to the consumers in anticipation. Supplier power Coffee suppliers has been very influential on Caribous production ability where shortfall in coffee supplies to the coffeehouses is closely associated with declined ability of the firm to acquire the supplies as per the price offered. The suppliers are potentially able to exert influence on the firm since much of the raw materials as well as related supplies are sourced at a price which directly affects the resulting business profitability (Porter 1998, p. 116). Barriers to entry The possibility that the number of new entrants in the industry may increase poses a threat to Caribous competitiveness .Caribous has been constantly employing strategies such as franchise arrangement as a key measure to avert possible entry in the market. In possible situations Caribous has been employing entry-deterring pricing as a key strategy in preventing possible entrants in the industry. As a strategy to remain more competitive, Caribou enjoys the benefits associated with their production capacity (i.e. proprietary knowledge) in manufacture of various specialty coffee products (Daniel Lamb 2008, p. 125). Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) CBOU.O considers LCA in order to indentify areas area for vital improvements in environment, marketing as well as in support of how the coffeehouses products are environmental friendly. All coffee products have some noticeable impacts on our environmental and therefore CBOU.O uses LCA to manage issues such as pollution, in order to reduce environmental harm. In CBOU.O the LCA starts with raw material sourcing where quality coffee as the prime raw materials are bought from indentified suppliers. In the Manufacturing phase, CBOU.O ensures clear procedures are used in order to minimize unnecessary pollution from. The packaging phase in the LCA is highly considered in order to reflect the marketing philosophy of Caribou firm by including the business logo or even the company brand name. The firm marketing is extensively done and thus places Caribou ahead of other players in product communication in all the three business units. In the use, maintenance and reuse phase, Caribou considers c lear policies on Coffee mugs or related packaging are used in order to reduce unnecessary costs associated with environmental impacts. Finally, in the recycle phase, Caribou uses clear policies that ensure that various packages are reused for intended purposes (Grant 2005, p. 278). SWOT: Opportunities and Threats Some of the opportunities in the Caribou operations that give the firm segment a competitive advantage includes venture into international market and developing business arrangement such as franchise. The franchise arrangement has helped most Caribou to maintain a competitive edge despite the unfavorable market forces brought about by hard-economic environment (Grimm 2006, p 233). Developing of Decaffeinated coffee has been one of the strongest opportunities well utilized by CBOU.O in the recent past. Similarly, CBOU.O faces greater threat from stiff competition witnessed from major competitors. Similarly, upcoming considerations by governments to tax the coffee industry poses as a key threat for most firms. Phase II Generic strategies Caribou firm has developed various generic strategies in order counteract the analyzed Porters forces at business unit level, corporate level as well as functional level. For competitive advantage reasons, Caribou has indentified various products namely; focus, differentiated product and the cost leadership coffee products at business unit level. The firms business units which entails the retail chains, commercial segment and the franchise segment has placed products such as whole bean coffee and the specialty tea on the costs leadership level. Additionally, Caribou has been constantly included differentiated products such as espresso-based beverages in order to counteract the rivalry evidenced in early 2000s. Caribou has used the commercial segment as the sole focus in selling various products to hotels, entertainment venues, grocery stores, airlines or even to the offices in the major regional chains (Perry 2003, p. 136). Market segmentation Initially, adults were associated with Coffee drinking until the recent witnessed shifts in the consumer behaviors brought about by the Generation X and Y. The changes associated with this generations has forced to Caribou to redesign its product line in order to attract the growing number of young adults who have indicated interest in the firms coffee products. For example, Caribou resulted in single-serving system in mid 2000 in order to ensure that target consumer are able to access superior coffee at designated pods in hotels, entertainment venues or even in major stores in Minnesota (Perry 2003, p. 113). Baby boomers who normally switch to healthier coffee products forced Caribou to introduce decaffeinated coffee in the stores. This transition was enabled by the firms aided technological processes which usually improves decaffeinated coffee flavors to suit the various generations considerations. Core competencies and Generic Value Chain Core competencies help Caribou in retaining its competitive nature by ensuring that the bond between various units is strengthened thus offering coherent portfolio. Caribou core competency level is premised on the provision to access variety of product in either retail markets or even at franchise level (Hoskisson Hitt 2008, p. 97). Caribou has been using procedures as well as practices in manufacturing which are basically hard to imitate in production of products such as specialty teas or even other branded merchandise. The firm has also exhibited strong capacity in RD where deliberate efforts has been made in strengthening the firms ability to understand and cater for upping interest in Coffee industry markets. As a core competency strategy, CBOU.O has ensured shared costs in business units in order to remain ever profitable. For instance, the firm increases the franchised business units under shared costs between the retail stores and the commercial business segment. CBOU.O value chain entails inbound logistics, outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales processes, and the operations activities. For example, CBOU.O ensures that inbound activities such as Coffee sourcing, warehousing and division logistics are clearly conducted. Caribou operation activities are normally aligned to the defined production formulas and processes during product preparation. The marketing and sales undertaking in the firm has been enhanced by greater innovations in meeting the ever changing demographic needs. Finally, the outbound activities has bee made possibly by the wider distribution scope done under retail stores, franchise segment or commercial units. Ansolffs Matrix and Porters Diamond Caribou market penetration procedures are used in securing market dominance, in restructuring markets, increase Coffee usage among consumers and in raising market share of core products in various chains. Caribou has enhanced its market development procedures by ensuring that the business able to effectively locate new geographical location for new stores, or new distribution channels or pricing strategies in order to enhance market growth on products such as baked goods. Product diversification has been used to modify various branded merchandise offered by the firm (Grant 2005, p. 423). Caribou has been diversifying its products in various segments by use of rebranding procedures. Porters diamond model has been employed by CBUO.O to enhance competitiveness by strengthening firms strategy, structure and effectively handling rivalry issues. The firms culture, lean structure and operation motivation boosts the firms competitive advantage. When handling demand conditions, Caribous RD ensures that local demand needs/capacity is satisfied by quality specialty coffee products prior to meeting other states demand. This gives local stores competitive advantage. Caribou create its factor conditions by having skilled workforce and improved technology in order to remain competitive. Similarly, factor combination during manufacturing has boosted Caribous performance as well. Under supporting and related industry considerations, Caribou operates in global chains under commercial and retail stores in order to support the franchise unit. Caribou uses the business units to organize and supplement innovation in the structure value. Financial Analysis Current ratio for CBOU.O eagle Incl is noted to be decreasing from a figure of 0.88in fiscal 2007 to lows of 0.72in 2008.This trend is alarming as it indicates decrease in ability of CBOU.O to cover its short-term debts using the available current assets. Gross-profit is increasing from lows of 47.0% in 2007 to 51.36 in 2008. The trend is positive as it indicates CBUO.O move in earnings increase. Return-on-assets ratio shows Caribous earnings in relation to all the economic resources owned by the company (Peterson Fabozzi, p. 146). Return-on equity is decreasing from fiscal 2007 ratio calculations. The trend is negative. The trend on Return-on-equity portrayed from 2007 to fiscal 2008 is negative indicating a decrease in returns for the ordinary and /or common stock-holders. Phase III: Recommendations CBOU.O should consider seeking global opportunities in order to counteract stiff competition and perhaps increase in profitability. In situations where Franchise fails in foreign market, CBOU.O should result into Mergers or acquisitions in order to enjoy currency benefits associated with global market thus averting economic effects on performance. To avert rivalry, CBOU.O ought to continuously improve on existing product chains and enhance brand extension procedures. CBOU.O ought to increase their investment in current assets to boost the companys financial position. A company should cover its short-term obligations at least twice from their investment in current assets. CBOU.O should increase the efficiency in the use of economic resources at their disposal to enhance the firm long-term profitability. Similarly, CBOU.O should also increase efficiency in the use of assets. Finally, more investment should be carried out in total assets to effectively cover the firms debts. Appendices A: Caribou Coffee Company Important Trend Analysis Ratios Ratio type 2008 2007 Current Ratio=(Current assets/current liabilities 28,450,000/32,260,000 = 0.88 26,620,000/36,820,000= 0.72 Gross-profit ratio=(Gross -profit/sale)*100 (119,460,000/253,900,000)* 100= 47.0% (131,910,000/256,830,000)* 100=51.36% Return-on- assets=(net-profit before interest/total assets)*100 (15,460,000/89,570,000)* 100= (17.26)% (30,400,000/111,840,000)*100= (27.18)% Return-on-equity=(Net income/equity)*100 (16,280,000/43,940,000)= (37.0)% (30,500,00/59,290,000)* 100=(51.44)%