COOP WORK TERM ANALYSIS REPORT Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

COOP WORK ANALYSIS REPORT - Term Paper Example ll description of how I managed to accomplish my objectives, what I learned, challenges and how to socially interact with people in a working environment. BTO Inc is a newly formed company. The company comprises six individuals. They include three web developers, one web designer, one server administrator and the manager. The company provides services which allow lawyers to get clients from other lawyers and also enable lawyers to expand their social career network. The company aims at expanding and growing their legal referral network. As one of the major step towards achieving this, BTO Inc is on the process of releasing its website in order for its clients to interact more with the company and also help in improving its service delivery. The website also will assist BTO Inc in marketing it brand and getting out to the outer world in order to get more client and a establish a larger market share. My work in BTO Inc. majorly involved being part of the team which embarked in establishing a web-based platform to serve lawyers. BTO has more than 40 lawyers who are already signed to use its services. The company is co-owned by two UT students. BTO Inc is based in a small office located in downtown area. The company does not have any other departments. The web-based platform would enable registered members to search in the job log to look for available job opportunities posted by other lawyers. The web-based platform can also enable them to view the daily news related to the law. I was involved in providing and updating event information related to law in the web-based platform. I was also involved in developing user-friendly searching system to target registered lawyers. Working with BTO Inc. was to help in better understanding of what really goes on in the real-world especially in the information technology and software development market. Having that in mind, I formulated the following objectives which were to guide me in accomplishing what I wanted to achieve

A market analysis of the McDonalds corporation

A market analysis of the McDonalds corporation McDonalds is a popularly known Market Leader in the Fast food Industry or better known as the Burger Industry. Started in the year 1948, it has managed to emerge triumphant in spite of a number of companies entering the industry. The company has successfully established a popular brand image. In fact the growth of fast food has been named after the organization as McDonaldization. Marketing involves identifying what customers demand and striving towards meeting their demands. Marketing Audit involves analyzing the companys various aspects and evaluating the companys marketing strategy. It involves in bringing out the pitfalls in the organizations functioning. The following pages contain the analysis of McDonalds Corporation. We have researched the various facets of the organization functioning as to how well they have managed to reach customers. There has been an analysis of the industry aspects like the customers, competitors and the suppliers. Also the Macro Environmental analysis along with the SWOT has been performed. We have analyzed the current Marketing techniques. On analyzing the current situation of the company and the market in the fast food industry we have provided some recommendations which might prove to be useful for the organization on its successful implementation. Introduction The statistics figures show that the global fast food market reached a value of $102.7 billion in 2006, growing by 4.8%. Meanwhile, analysts forecast that in 2011, the global fast food market will have a value of $125.4 billion, an increase of 22.2% since 2006 (Fast Food: Global Industry Guide, n. d.). McDonalds is the worlds leading company in the fast food industry. It has more than 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries serving millions people around the global. The companys success was as a result of the policy they follow, known as the Q.S.C. V. (Quality food; Fast, Friendly Service; Restaurant Cleanliness; and a menu that provides Value). The company was first started as a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino by the two brothers Mac and Dick McDonalds in the year 1948. It was later bought by Ray Kroc, who was their franchising agent in 1961 and opened his first McDonalds in Illinois. The companys menu initially consisted of Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, French Fries, Sodas, Milkshakes, milk and coffee, although it has grown considerably since. The company follows a unique business model described as the three legged stool wherein the three legs are the owners/operators, suppliers and Company employees. It is an organization that develops, operates, franchises and services a worldwide system of restaurants that prepare, assemble, package and sell a limited menu of quickly prepared, moderately priced food. McDonalds has pioneered food quality specifications, marketing and training programs, and operational and supply systems, all of which are considered the standards of the industry throughout the world. Marketing Mix Every business organization must develop an effective marketing strategy. The 7 Ps is used to continually evaluate and re evaluate business activities. The seven Ps are product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning, and people. The 7 Ps are used to ensure that the company is on track and achieve maximum results. Product Predominantly sells Hamburgers and cheeseburgers which forms the part of the standard menu worldwide Also sells various types of chicken sandwiches and products, French fries, soft drinks, breakfasts, and desserts. They sell a variety of products during limited promotional time periods. The company tests new products on an ongoing basis. Example: Chicken Nuggets in the year 1983 DIRECTION People Focuses on Friendly and Prompt service which helps them to maintain their reputation Employees have a standard uniform. Statistics of staff composition Restaurant staffRestaurant managementOffice staffFranchisees staff44,000300050025,000They have high recruitment standards, employ local staff and proper training. PATH Process Manufacturing process is transparent and visible to customers. Customers are invited to check the ingredients used in the food. Maintain high quality control standards. Use of innovative ideas and having latest technologies installed. Drive through facility Price Have Specials, two dollar burgers Competitors find it difficult to follow Generally use a value-based approach to pricing, Aim at giving consumers the best value for money Promotions Best methods to maintain high awareness and promote their image Advertising through Billboards, Television, Radio etc. Sponsorships like Ronald House and local Basketball Sales Promotion, Examples: Two dollar burger, Happy Meal Direct Marketing through Birthday and Clubs Publicity Place Placed extensively and easily accessible Have Drive through where customers can pick up food Mc Delivery offers options for home delivery Holds a different place in the consumers mind Fun place for children Physical Evidence Means looking for aspects customer uses to assess a product and evaluate its position High quality standards are maintained Emphasizes on clean and hygienic interiors of its outlets High importance to the appearance of the staff and the service provided. ACTION Current Marketing Strategy McDonalds as a world Market Leader has certain goals which it strives to achieve 100% customer satisfaction, increase its market share and optimize profitability by reducing costs. On analyzing the companys marketing position, the following are a part of the current strategy in order to reach its customers: Healthier foods To handle the change of trend towards healthier food this McDonalds have changed the way the food is prepared. It makes sure that 100% vegetable oil is used, low fat milk is used for milkshakes and the amount of sodium has been cut down. Food Quality and Nutrition The quality and safety of food items are of paramount importance in McDonalds. This is achieved through strict product standards, strict enforcement of operating procedures and work in close relationship with the suppliers. Larger Menus McDonalds aims at achieving the other important expectation from the consumers (want for choice). To this McDonalds reacted by introducing the breakfast menu with a variety of food products. Apart from this they have also introduced a lot of other products. Restaurant Diversity The restaurants in each location are customized and their menus are according to the needs and demands of the customers in the location, the food on the menu would conform to the regional and ethnic tastes. Brand Positioning McDonalds Brand positioning is mainly carried out through sponsorship of events and sports. It sponsors events like Domes community programme and learning experience and Child Safety Week. Industry Analysis Industry analysis of an organization involves the analysis in the following categories: Customer Analysis This refers to buyer force. The buyer has a great deal of selecting power due to the fact that if they are dissatisfied with the food or service they can easily switch or purchase from an alternate product. But it is undeniable that any organization cannot satisfy the needs of all the consumers. Therefore organization divides the market into segments which display similar characteristics or behavior is necessary. McDonalds market segmentation is based on demographic variables Age and Lifestyle. The primary target markets are seniors, adults and teenagers, but the most heavily targeted segment is children. The market segmentation of McDonalds can be visualized as follows: Market Segments Seniors Adults Teenagers Children Customers are those who pay money to acquire an organizations goods or services. For many years McDonalds mostly targeted the young people, however this has changed in this decade; McDonalds has turned towards a more general market. By doing this McDonalds concentrates on the family, targeting a diverse market Competitor Analysis It was said that the Fast Food industry is highly competitive (Data Warehousing Case Study: Fast Food, n. d.). McDonalds major Competitors include that Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, and Panera Bread. Especially, KFC, which offers chicken nuggets and fries on its menu, operates over an 11000 restaurants in more than 80 countries. Fast food, especially fries, hamburger and so on, are thought as garbage-food because of high-calorie. There are high possibilities of healthy substitutes posing a threat to these companies. Of course, McDonalds is concentrating on the health side by introduction of healthy food items in the menu. The following are the findings of the competitive position of McDonalds based on the Porters five forces: Rivalry: This involves how the company differentiates itself from its competitors. In case of McDonalds, as discussed above the major rivals are Burger King, KFC and Wendys. Though McDonalds is the Market Leader currently, with the capacity of the rivals growing the competition seems intense. The rivals are trying to increase their sales by concentrating on the health factors. New Entrants: With so many popular fast food companies in the industry new entrants are not much if a threat when seen globally. McDonalds has an edge over its competitors as it is globally spread. Buyers: With reasonable prices and quick service provided by McDonalds, there is less scope for customers to move to competitors for the products. With the introduction of the wireless facility in the some of the outlets has added to the attraction. Suppliers: Except for the cold drink from Coca Cola, the company does not have a single supplier at a global level. For meat it has its own farm and other raw materials are from local store Substitutes: There are high possibilities of healthy substitutes posing a threat to the company. Though McDonalds is concentrating on the health side by introduction of healthy food items in the menu, it might still be posed with the challenge of substitutes. Supplier Analysis Supplier is an organization that provides resources for other organizations. In McDonalds three legged stool philosophy the third leg is supplier partners. McDonalds has practiced a backward vertical integration, by replacing most of its suppliers. It has done so for two reasons, To reduce costs, and To ensure that its products are of top quality. These supplies include beef and milk to be used in its products, which it gets from its farms. Other suppliers include local grocery stores that supply McDonalds with fresh vegetables. Soft drinks are supplied exclusively by Coca-Cola, which is also its ally. McDonalds supplies also include raw material such as flour, sugar, yeast, etc. . MACRO ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Companies always operate in a larger macro environment of forces and trends that shape opportunities and post threats. These forces represent non-controllable forces, which the company must monitor and respond to. In most cases, we identify macro environmental factors by an acronym, PESTEL. P: Political System of the country. E : Economical Factors S : Social / Cultural factors T : Technological factors E : Ecological factors L : Legal factors POLITICAL FACTORS McDonalds employees and job applicants are selected, trained, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant skills, talents and performance and without reference to race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, marital status or disability. In support of this, McDonalds also has a policy on Sexual and Racial Harassment. All McDonalds restaurants work to standards which meet the highest best practice guidelines for Building and Health and Safety regulations. ENVIRONMENTAL / ECOLOGICAL FACTORS McDonalds is analyzing every aspect of its business in terms of its impact on the environment and is committed to waste minimization with a target of a 50% volume reduction. McDonalds works only in partnership with suppliers with sound environmental practices. It also has a manager responsible for environmental affairs. A revolutionary new static waste compactor is now in 60 restaurants, which reduces waste volumes by an average of 40-50%. McDonalds is committed to using recycled materials wherever possible in its packaging and business in general. Waste oil makes up 10% of a restaurants waste and is recycled via local collectors at regional refineries, into animal feedstock and other by products. In April 1988, McDonalds switched to non-CFC foam packaging which carries the CFC-Free message. McDonalds is playing an active role in global efforts to develop more environmentally friendly refrigerants. SOCIO- CULTURAL FACTORS McDonalds feels that it address public concern regarding nutrition through a combination of stringent product standards, strictly enforced restaurant operating procedures, and close working relationships with suppliers to assure that McDonalds food is safe and of the highest quality. It also discloses nutritional and ingredient information regarding its menu items through in-store posters and brochures distributed upon request. In the early 1990s, international expansion into new cultures and corresponding eating habits resulted in new product introductions in several locations. McDonalds new items generally receive no advertising and little sales promotion during the test period. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS McDonalds corporation has built a whole range of systems such as intranets, wireless applications or innovative kiosk systems, all based on Days Commu ­niquà ©. In their most recent initiative, the company migrated their global internet presence mcdonalds.com to our platform. An important component of McDonalds operational strategy is to anticipate customer traffic patterns and food selection based on a detailed analysis of sales history and trends. Restaurants use this information to prepare menu items in the right quantities and at the right times to have the food ready for customers when they arrive. To ensure freshness, all food not served within 10 minutes must be discarded. ECONOMIC FACTORS During the late 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium, McDonalds found itself in a regression, the first one since its conception in 1955. The Gold Arches werent shining like they once did, however there are in the process of being polished, figuratively speaking. In 2003 McDonalds ranked eighth out of 100 brands in the Global Brand Scoreboard assembled by Interbrand Corporation and Business Week, proving that McDonalds is one of the worlds best known and most valuable brands. However, that wasnt the case during 2001 and 2002. LEGAL FACTORS The legal framework includes that any company in the Food and Beverages industry must not transport commodities that are hazardous to life and property or that are contraband in nature. Example: illegal drugs and unlicensed arms and ammunition. McDonalds serves 100% beef, 100% chicken, and Grade A eggs. McDonalds food comes only from certified suppliers who are audited and inspected on a regular basis. More than 2,000 safety, quality and inspection checks surround McDonalds food as it moves from the farms to our restaurants. McDonalds requires that 72 safety protocols are conducted every single day in McDonalds restaurants. McDonaldss Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats Strong Player Global Existence and Massive Size Strong Brand Marketing Outlets easily accessible Consistency and Fast Service Weak Product Differentiation Slowed Revenue and income growth Mature Industry Strength of competition More health conscious consumers International Expansion Only serving 1% of worlds population Growing dining-out market Strengths McDonald is a strong player in international market with his competitors hardly half the business. Global existence and massive size allows him more diversification in food menu. Exceptionally strong brand recognition and aggressive marketing. A strong real estate selection makes its outlets located in the areas which are easily accessible It has the consistency in his fast food supply and success of its food items Weaknesses Lack of product differentiation. The competitors also brought about the development of similar products. Too many competitors entering the market which reduces the companys ability to increase revenue and also leads to slow income growth. Opportunities More international expansion, as it still required penetrating in many countries especially in Asia, Europe and Latin America covering only 1% of world population There has been an increase in the number of people who dine out, thus paving way for growth Threats Market saturation leaving less scope for expansion and revenue generation. Competitors are quite strong and gaining good market share with new innovations. More people are getting health conscious and switching to different eating habits. Findings and Implications Domination of the industry McDonalds Corporation services the worlds largest chain of fast food outlets and has established as a Market Leaders. It has a market share of around 7.7% in the quick service industry in the United States. It holds a market of 43.1% in the burger segment. But it may need to grow in the non-burger fast food market. Growth As far as domestic market is considered there has the growth has slowed down. The companys revenue grew by 9% to record a $21.6 Billion. The comparable sales of the organization increased to about 5.7% from the year 2005 and the system wide sales increased to 7%. Income from continuing operations per common share was $2.30 with $2.03 in 2005. The following is a five year analysis of the number of McDonalds UK retail outlets and their pre-tax profits: 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 No of restaurants 836 928 1016 1117 1184 Pre-tax profit ( £m) 100.2 82.3 127.9 137.5 141.4 The Growth of Mc Donalds in terms of restaurants can be viewed as below: International Sector McDonalds has expanded to many countries throughout the world. It has opened 744 restaurants in 2006, ending the year with more than 31000 outlets worldwide. The company has clearly demonstrated extensive and impressive growth by expanding into markets across the globe, increasing penetration into the existing markets and stretching its product range to include exciting breakfasts. It is often conceived that McDonalds is approaching the end of its extended growth phase. But with increasing population throughout the world, assuming people consume three meals a day, it serves around 1% meal a share position that provides possibilities for plenty of growth within the industry. Competition is however aggressively snapping at the base of golden arches. A new genre of restaurants seems to have emerged in the market, dubbed as the fast casual. They are offering consumers fresher, healthier and more variety of food in a more inviting ambience. Recommendations Prospects for growth Strategy High Market Share Mature Markets Market leader in one product market Maintaining Market Share Substitutes entering the market Maintaining Dominance in the market Increase of Market size Innovative redefinition of existing markets. Expand into related product market Maintaining good relationship with customers and suppliers. If high prospects for growth then entry into substitute market Buying some of the emerging firms in order to reduce competition through expansion. McDonalds is the company with the highest market share in the Fast food industry. In order to expand and grow further it is necessary for the organization to expand the market itself. This can be done by the introduction of innovative food items in the menu in order to attract all kinds of consumers. Without innovation expanding the market size might prove advantageous to the competitors too. Mature markets can be handled by redefining the existing markets in a way that from redefining new markets are created in order to expand. In order to redefine the market they can introduce jumbo sized burger and sandwiches at reasonable price which is sure to attract more customers from all categories and hence expands the market. Since McDonalds is a Market Leader in the Fast food industry, it can continue with the expansion into other related industries. Like McCafe in the coffee industry, it can expand into another field like having their own drinks produced and manufacturing. In order to maintain its current market share it should continue to maintain good relationship with customers and suppliers by ensuring more quality to its consumers When there is a threat of healthier substitutes entering the market, McDonalds can also enter into the substitute market if it has prospects for growth and it is developing in its early stages which will avoid McDonalds from facing threats. The major substitutes McDonalds have are the healthier ones. In order to face the threat from substitutes, McDonalds can make their menu healthier, they can have a low fat menu items with sandwiches, wraps and burgers that are healthier In order for McDonalds to maintain its market dominance, it can buy small but emerging firms in the industry so that the competitors reduce in number. ANSOFFS PRODUCT EXPANSION GRID PRODUCTS CURRENT NEW M A R K E T S CURRENT Market Penetration Strategies Current Products: Big Mac, Grilled Chicken Foldovers, Beverages, French Fries etc. Current Market: Students, Working Professionals, families. Collaboration with institutes, universities Opening outlets at campuses, easily accessible places, commercial areas Investments on advertisements, vouchers, coupons etc Product Development Strategies Introducing Vegetables food Healthy and Nutritious products, e.g. Brown bread instead of white one. Successful product launches in U.S. included Premium Roast Coffee, the Asian Salad and snack wrap. Combination of continental food with local food at affordable price NEW Market Development Strategies Entering into more developing countries Offering franchise in new market More Advertisement and promotion Inaugural discounts Providing membership cards Buying some emerging firms Diversification Strategies New restaurants offering various cuisines Cake shops, bakery items Improving distribution or delivery service. The Ansoffs Matrix depicts the Market expansion strategy for McDonalds. Conclusion The extensive research of McDonalds Corporation has been pursued. The company being the major player in the fast food industry has a competitive edge over the others within the industry. It has created great popularity amongst its customers especially amongst the kids who are McDonalds key target customers. The company does face a threat of expanding in the mature market and taking over by the competitors which has been highlighted. It has several key strategies which if maintained will continue to stay as the leader in the fast food industry. The key points being its quick and fast service, quality food, easily accessible and fair pricing of the food items. The Health factor towards which the trend is moving is to be considered by the organization which will be added advantage to its growth and expansion.

The Scarlet Letter Essays -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne traces the life of a young woman named Hester Prynne after she receives the shameful punishment of wearing a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her chest. Throughout the novel, the forest outside the Puritan town serves a place for the characters to reveal their true selves away from the stringent Puritan lifestyle. The forest represents contradictory themes, creating a sanctuary for love and freedom, but also cultivating darkness and evil. Not only does the seclusion of the forest from society provide freedom to those who choose to perform evil deeds, but also protection to those searching for clarity and happiness. Hester finds comfort under the forest’s dense, imperfect canopy for it mirrors â€Å"the moral wilderness in which she had so long been wandering† (173). Pearl also connects with nature, and similar to the brook in which she often plays, Pearl â€Å"danced and sparkled and prattled airily along her own course† (176). Pearl and Hester share an intimate conversation about the scarlet letter in the forest and Hester reveals that she â€Å"is doomed...

Epistemology: Logic and Knowledge Essay

What is knowledge? How do we know what we know? Do we really know anything at all? These questions, as well as multiple others that arise when searching for the answers are what epistemology is all about. Various philosophers present their own positions in which they try to provide answers to these questions. From externalism to internalism, empiricism to rationalism, and even skepticism, we are exposed to a wide variety of ways that these thinkers use to find the key to truly objective thinking. It can be said with little to no argument that knowledge implies truth. You can’t know something if it’s false; it just isn’t so. You can start by saying knowledge is true belief, but you need something more to prove your true belief. Philosophers call this something a warrant. Therefore we come to the conclusion that knowledge is warranted true belief. Now, this begs the question: what is warrant? This question leads us to a major division epistemological thinking; externalism and internalism. Internalists believe that a belief is warranted if it stands in the right sort of relation to other beliefs. They say that knowledge is justified true belief. Externalists believe that a belief is warranted if it stands in the right sort of relation to the world. They say that knowledge is true belief arising from a reliable process external to ourselves that connects us with the known (309). Every philosopher’s views fall into one of these two schools of thought. The externalist approach is very dominant in Indian philosophy. The Nyaya philosophers practiced Externalist Realism. According to Nyaya philosophy, knowledge is true belief produced by a source of knowledge, or pramana. There are four sources of knowledge that the Nyaya Sutra, the earliest form of Nyaya work, characterizes. These are perception, inference, analogy, and testimony (310). There are guidelines to determine that our source of knowledge we use to justify a belief is genuine. A perception must be veridical, must not be mediated by language, and must arise from a direct sensory relationship with the object known (310-311). There are three types of inference; inferring the effect from the cause, inferring the cause from  the effect, and inferring a general rule from its instances (311). For example, you see someone light a scented candle, so you infer the room will smell good. If the room smells good, you infer that a scented candle was lighted. From this, you infer that in general, when scented candles are lighted it makes the room smell good. We make inferences from things that we perceive, however, inference does not reduce to perception since it produces knowledge about things we do not immediately perceive (311). Analogy is restricted to the acquisition of vocabulary only because presumably one would learn of new objects through direct perception, reliable inference, or trustworthy testimony (notes class #4 9/4/13). We learn most of what we know from the testimony of others (what they say and write). Their telling us is the cause of us knowing it; we are made to know things by what other people say (311). A source of knowledge justifies both its result and itself; it is self-revealing like a self-illumining lamp. This is how they make a foundation for other knowledge to be justified by. Nagarjuna, a skeptic, rejects projects of epistemology. He believes in the Buddhist message of interdependent origination, which states that everything is interconnected, and emptiness, which states that everything is â€Å"without a reality of its own (314). † He rejects the idea of â€Å"knowledge sources,† because there is no source for the identification of those sources. If you look for one, then what is the source for that source? Nagarjuna calls this endless search for sources an infinite regress. In response to the argument of the sources being self-proving; he argues that something to be proved cannot be a prover. (316-317) For example, if a couple with a daughter has another child, a boy, then that daughter becomes a sister. At the same time, the boy becomes a brother. The girl is becoming a sister because the boy is born, but the boy is becoming a brother because the girl exists, so who produces whom? Gangesha, founder of the New Logic, states that a skeptic’s argument is self-defeating because it employs the very logical patterns that it denounces (317). If it is impossible to know anything as skeptics argue it is, then how can the skeptic know what they are talking about? Skeptics use inference to guide action, so why is not okay for philosophers to use it to support their theories (317)? Gangesha claims that skeptics are hypocrites because they doubt in the seminar room what they accept outside of it (318). They doubt a philosopher’s reasoning for believing that cars on the streets are real, but wouldn’t stand in front of one driving towards them. In Gangesha’s mind, a true skeptic is one who wouldn’t move out of the way of oncoming traffic, wondering whether it’s all a dream. Nargarjuna’s arguments are smart and make sense, but the realist’s argument of the four pramanas is strong enough to not be debunked by him. You have to be able to have a point where you can stop questioning and just trust your senses. If you see something that looks likes orange juice, smells like orange juice, feels like orange juice, and tastes like orange juice, your perception is enough to prove that is indeed orange juice. Gangesha also makes a very good point about the hypocrisy of skepticism because if skeptic’s truly believed that you could not know anything, how would they even know to believe that? It seems that a true skeptic would not be able to live sanely. On the other hand, there are the internalists. There are three traditions of internalism in Western philosophy: rationalism, empiricism, and skepticism. Plato begins the rationalist tradition which sustains that we can are able to attain knowledge independent of experience (604). He argues that our knowledge of the material world exists because of our prior acquaintance with forms (334). Forms are abstract universals that exist independent of us. They make things what they are, and enable us to think about things as they are (599). Knowledge is the subjective possession of an objective truth (notes class #7 9/11/13). Plato states that when we know something, we can reflect on our reasons for believing it and be able to provide an account that proves why we know what we know is true (334). According to the Meno, an account of X must meet at least three conditions. First, it must be applicable to all instances of X (not too narrow). Second, it must not be applicable to things that are not X (not too broad). And third, it must not be circular (not contain in the account itself any mention of that which is to be defined or explained) (335). An example of an account being circular would be defining a friendship as a relationship between two friends. In the Theaetetus, Plato rejects the definition of knowledge as perception as too narrow. He argues that knowledge is justified true belief and there are basic items, like letters, that we can’t justify by anything else, but still know more clearly and directly than anything else. These items are a foundation of knowledge that justify everything else. Plato’s idea of forms seems a little too out there to be legitimate. There is nothing tangible about them which makes them hard to believe in. It’s weird to use something so hard to prove the existences of as a basis of knowledge. Another rationalist is Rene Descartes. Descartes also uses a new strong skeptical argument to show that there is a foundation of certain beliefs on which all other knowledge rests (373). His goal is to stop the infinite regress by finding foundational truths that cannot be doubted. His method was to doubt literally everything possible to see if he could find an unquestionable foundation for knowledge. He believes that illusions and dreaming give us reason to doubt everything we have ever learned from our senses (374). Descartes finally found a secure foundation for knowledge in that you cannot doubt that you exist. There can be no strong skeptical arguments made against â€Å"I think† or â€Å"I am. † If you doubt that you exist, who is doing the doubting (374)? Descartes theory is very interesting. The way he doubts everything to prevent doubt makes it seem almost foolproof. The third rationalist is G. W. Leibniz. Leibniz believes that no matter how many instances there are that confirm a general truth, there are not enough to establish the universal necessity of the same truth (385). Leibniz believes in a foundation of knowledge that justifies everything else. The items in the foundation are known, they are necessary truths and in fact, some are innate to our minds (386). He states that objects of our intellectual ideas are immediate and always present in our understanding (386). The first philosopher of empiricism is Aristotle. Aristotle deals with the separation of the mind and body. He distinguishes sensation which happens through sense organs from thought which seems to be a function of mind, and argues that the mind is separable from the body (notes class #7 9/11/13). He that since everything is a possible object of thought, then that in the soul which is called mind is before it thinks, is not actually any real thing, and this is why it cannot reasonably be regarded as blended with the body (344). Empiricism claims that sense experience is the ultimate starting point for all knowledge. Aristotle states that forms are not constituents of reality like Plato believes, but rather products are the mind and the mind takes on form from experiences (notes class #7 9/11/13). While none of these philosophers ideas can ever be 100% proven, that’s exactly what is interesting about epistemology. It could be studied endlessly. The search for what constitutes knowledge and true belief is a difficult one and these novel ideas are still fascinating to minds of every generation.

Gas Diffusion Essay

OBJECTIVES: Determine the gas diffusion coefficient of acetone using the established Winkelmann’s method KEYWORDS Diffusivity, Gas Diffusion Coefficient, Winkelmann’s method OVERVIEW The knowledge of physical and chemical properties of certain materials is important because very often process engineering deal with the transformation and distribution of these materials in bulk. One such property is diffusivity. Mass transfer by diffusion takes place when there is a concentration gradient of the diffusing component. Naturally, the diffusion in gas phase is much faster than the diffusion in liquid phase due to the small spaces between the molecules that hinder other molecule movement. Other factors that will effect the diffusion are temperature, density, concentration and other external factors. 1. INTRODUCTION This experiment has been designed for students experiment on the technique of determining diffusivity of the vapor of a volatile liquid based on the established Winkelmann’s method. In this method the volatile liquid is allowed to evaporate in a vertical glass tube over the top of which a stream of vapor-free gas is passed. A water bath is provided for maintaining a steady temperature so that there is no eddy current in the vertical tube and mass transfer takes place from the surface by molecular diffusion alone. The rate of evaporation can be followed by the rate of fall of the liquid surface. A traveling microscope is provided for determining, the liquid fall. With the knowledge of the concentration gradient, the diffusivity of  the vapor of the volatile liquid can then be calculated. 2.THEORY When a concentration gradient exists within a fluid consisting of two or more components, there is a tendency for each constituent to flow in such a direction as to reduce the concentration gradient. This is called mass transfer. Mass transfer takes place in either a gas phase or a liquid phase or in both simultaneously. When a liquid is allowed to evaporate in a narrow vertical tube and a steady temperature is maintained, mass transfer takes place from the surface by molecular diffusion alone. This is the technique developed by Winkelmann to determine the diffusivity of the vapor of a volatile liquid. By monitoring the evaporation rate, which is the rate of fall of liquid surface, and with the knowledge of concentration gradient, one may then calculate the diffusivity. The rate of mass transfer is given by: (1) where, D=diffusivity [m2/s] CA=saturation concentration at interface [kmol/m3] L=effective distance of mass transfer [m] CT=total molar concentration [kmol/m3] CBm=logarithmic mean value of CB [kmol/m3] Considering the evaporation of the liquid: (2) where, L=density of liquid [kg/m3] M=molecular weight [kg/kmol] Combining equations 1 and 2 we get, (3) Integrating and putting L = L0 at t = 0: (4) Values of L0 or L will not be measured accurately but accurate values of (L – L0) are available. Thus, rearranging equation 4: or,(5) A plot of t/ against will give a slope s: (6) Diffusivity D can then be calculated from equation 6: 3.START UP AND SHUT- DOWN PROCEDURES 3.1Start-up Procedure Prior to running an experiment, students are advised to perform the following start-up procedure: 1.Fill the water bath with clean (preferably filtered) water to approximately 30 mm from the top. 2.Plug the mains cable to the electrical supply. Be sure that the voltage of the supply is correct to suit the equipment. 3.Switch on the main power on the control panel. 4.Adjust the set-point value on the temperature controller to 50  °C. Warning!!Do not set the temperature controller beyond 70  °C. 5.Switch on the heater. Observe the water temperature heats up to 50  °C and remains constant. 6.Switch on the air pump. Adjust the needle valve so that a steady low velocity of air stream is detected at the end of the flexible tubing. 7.The equipment is now ready for student experiment. b)Priming Procedure for the Capillary Tube Before using the capillary tube in an experiment using acetone, students are advised to clean the inside of the tube. 1.Prepare a weak solution of detergent. 2.Use a Hirschmann pipette to fill the tube with the solution. Tapping the outside of the tube may be necessary if the solution is trapped and does not flow down. 3.Turn the tube upside-down and shake. Empty the tube. 4.Repeat steps 2 to 3 with acetone. 5. The tube is now ready for student experiment. c)Shut-down Procedure After the completion of an experiment, students are advised to shut down the equipment as follows: 1.Switch off the heater and air pump. 2.Adjust the set-point value of the temperature controller to approximately 5 degree below the room temperature. 3.Allow the water to cool down until it is safe to touch. Open the drain valve and empty the water tank. 4.Detach the flexible tubing and clean the capillary tube for next use. (Refer to priming procedure) 5.Switch off the main power. Unplug the main cable if the equipment will not be used for a long period. 4.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 1. Perform the start-up procedure as outlined in section 3. 2.Initially switch off the air pump. 3.Partially fill the capillary tube with acetone to a depth of about 35 mm. 4.Carefully insert the capillary tube through the fitting on top of the water bath cover. Do not over-tighten the fitting. 5.Observe the initial level of acetone through the microscope. Record the level in the table. 6.Connects the flexible tubing from the air pump line to one end of the capillary tube. Switch on the air pump. 7.After 10 minutes, switch off the air pump. Disconnect the flexible tubing and detach the capillary tube from the fitting. Observe and record the level of the acetone. 8. Repeat steps 5 to 6 at 10 minutes intervals. 9. Record the time, acetone level and liquid fall in the table below. 5.0RESULT Time, t (ks) Level of Acetone, L (mm) Liquid Fall (L – L0) (mm) t/(L – L0) (ks/mm) 6.0TUTORIALS 6.1 Plot t/ against. Determine gas diffusivity, D from the obtained slope, s. Attached all of your calculation at the appendix in the experiment report. 6.2 Compare the experimental value with the theoretical value that can be predicted from empirical equations (e.g. modified Maxwell’s equation by Gilliland). 6.3 Discuss the factors that effect the diffusion of acetone from the graph that have been plotted. 6.4 Base on objective of the experiment and the theory in gas diffusion makes a conclusion from your finding. 7.0 SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE General Safety Procedure 1.Always read and understand the manual properly before attempting to operate the equipment. 2.Always wear proper attire during laboratory session. It is highly recommended that eye protection and gloves are used. 3.Be careful when handling hazardous material. Always refer to the material safety data sheet. Avoid inhaling in great amount any hazardous material. 4.Avoid any spillage onto electrical components to prevent electrical shock. 5.Avoid touching hot surfaces (e.g. heater) to prevent skin burn. 6.Always conduct experiment in a properly ventilated room. General Maintenance Procedure 1.Do not operate the equipment if any of the components is found to be faulty. Consult the instructor for assistance. 2.Disconnect the equipment from electrical supply when not in use. 3.Drain the water from the water bath. 4.Clean the water bath thoroughly after use. Values for Calculation: 1. Ï  L = 760.0 kg/m3 2. M = 58.08 kg/kmol 3. Partial pressure P* = 0.8062 atm 4. where for acetone, CB1=0.0377 kmol/m3 CB2=0.00731 kmol/m3 CA=0.0304 kmol/m3 CT=0.0377kmol/m3

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An Age of Prosperity and Conflicts essays The 20's was a decade of prosperity and entertainment as well as conflicts. Historians emphasize how Americans were living a life of wealth, but forget to mention the problems of society. Cultural, economic, racial, social, religious and political conflicts that plagued America remain unnoticeable and silent in its history. Amongst the life of prosperity and entertainment of the 1920's, the Americans suffered a life of unending conflicts. Prosperity of the 1920's affected many Americans improve their lives. Many middle-class citizens improved their standard of living by purchasing new products such as electric irons, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, toasters, fans, and refrigerators. They were now able to purchase these consumer goods because companies began to reward and pay their workers more money. These companies, such as Ford cars, doubled the wages of the workers at the plant in Highland Park, Michigan. Since wages increased, purchasing goods and cars became affordable. The increase in America's wealth shifted the economy because businesses flourished to serve the needs of the consumers. Not only were the consumers prosperous, but so were the business owners. Since Henry Ford offered a 5 dollar wage a day to workers of "thrifty habits," his company earned an estimated $264,000 per day because of the sales so many different companies started to follow Ford's reasoning of increasing wages. Not only did prosperity of Americans bring new consumer goods affordable, it also brought education to children and credit to shoppers. Most people could afford to keep their children in school longer because they were finally prosperous enough to survive without the children's wages. By the end of the decade, 51 percent of all high school age youth were in school. Credit was brought to shoppers because they were starting put money down and paying the balance in installments. Americans bought with credit because they rega...

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Using Multiple Main Classes in Java

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Build International Client Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Ethical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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LEGOs Expectations from Flextronics and Outcome Essay

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Small business and its challenges Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Small business and its challenges - Case Study Example Long term forecasts allows company time to better position itself in the market competitively and at the same time enable it to implement any new approaches. Advance planning will help her reduce expenses, organize her resources, and cope with new trends therefore avoiding unnecessary surprises. With regard to her services, she should be more focused on how to ensure that they are satisfying to her customers hence ensuring a stable operation that can last for long. In every business, slight changes are necessary in order to better meet the needs of the target market. Therefore, it would be of benefit if Mort introduced slight changes or advance versions of her old service, such that she is able to keep up with the new trends. It will ensure that the business future is stable and at the same time keep the legacy of the family. The long term planning will help her know what modifications to make and know when to implement them which will help her business stay afloat regardless of competition, (Morrell, 2001). Capital expenditure is cash spent by an enterprise to obtain or renovate fixed, tangible, non-consumable assets, like buildings and equipment or a new business for a profitable purpose. Since Mort’s business has been there for long, is obvious that the building is worn out and might as well require renovation. She should, therefore, put aside some money that would cater for an overall upgrade. It can involve a little more partitioning of the entire building into a customized way that almost match the current models. Also, she should acquire newer versions of equipment used, such as freezers, in order to better preserve the bodies. Since technology is here to stay and new and advanced ones get introduced very often, it would be advisable if she embraced technologies such as computers. They will assist her in keeping records and vital information in good state and even upgrade her way of keeping tabs on which bodies are

Consider the application of a business model to mental health services Dissertation

Consider the application of a business model to mental health services - Dissertation Example Simply ask What, Where, How, and Why in a business model. Holistic views wellness of the entire body without the intervention of drugs and costly high tech treatments first. It focuses on the self-healing processes, one’s entire body, mind, emotions, and spiritual life. Holistic also incorporates new and old methods of healing to naturally benefit the body. It also addresses a person’s symptoms, but the person as a whole; what is the current situation in the patient’s life, and how it can be managed effectively. Holistic also offers an active role to the patient in his own healing process through mind, body and spirit. Focusing on a natural diet, herbal support when necessary, and exercises that benefit the entire body and mind. Basically, being in tune with your own body, listening to what it is trying to convey to you. Is there pain? If so, there is a need to change the regimen of healing and focus on what will alleviate that pain with a natural whole body eval uation. Focusing on the part of the body that needs repair and maintenance, and giving that area specific attention in relief of the symptoms but with natural remedies. Addressing the question: Is a business model incompatible with the holistic model? One must first answer these questions. What, Where, How, and Why? If you can answer these four questions in regard to mental health services, then you have your answer. Let’s address them. What? What are you offering? Applied to Mental Health, what are you offering your market? You are offering a full package, how to manage symptoms, pain, and illness in a natural holistic way that creates a better life and longevity to your patient. You are offering this without drugs or costly highly technical innovations that can be detrimental to the bodies natural healing processes and symptom detection. Since you are dealing with the entire body processes, you are also offering a reading on the body symptoms. You are offering a solution ta ilored to specific individual needs, and suggested therapies to correct the problem. You are offering a continued maintenance of these therapies, lifestyle assessment, and natural therapies using medicine as a co-agent alternative. You are also offering an alternative to drugs that give low risk and conservative options. You are also offering a solution and end result of restoration, regeneration and transformation. You are emphasizing natural healing through listening to the bodies’ senses. What is the process you offer? Where? Where will your market be? Will you be targeting local individual markets? If so, will you be using referrals? Will you be advertising? Will you be using the Internet? And will social media be another outlet for your market? Where do you want to position yourself in the current market after you decide what you are offering? Where should you position yourself according to the market you want to target? Do you want to position yourself in a clinical atm osphere within a hospital? Do you want to position yourself in a private practice? Or, you may want to position yourself with a group medical practice? Where will you be performing your services? This question applies to where you will position yourself within the market you intend to enter. Do you want to target only one

Microprocessor Based Water Level Controller Communications Essay

Microprocessor Based Water Level Controller Communications Essay A microprocessor incorporates almost all of the functions of a CPU on a single integrated circuit .The first of the microprocessors emerged in the early 1970 since then they are being used for electronic calculators. Computer were for a long period constructed out of small and medium-scale Integrated circuits containing the equivalent of a few to a few hundred transistors. The integration of the whole CPU onto a single chip helped a lot and therefore greatly reduced the cost of processing capacity. Other embedded uses of 4 Bit 8-bit microprocessors, such as printers, various kinds of automation etc, followed rather quickly. Affordable 8-bit microprocessors with 16-bit addressing also led to the first general purpose microcomputers in the mid-70s. From their humble beginnings continued increases in microprocessor capacity have rendered other forms of computers almost completely obsolete with one or more microprocessor as processing element in everything from the smallest embedded systems and handheld devices to the largest mainframes and supercomputers. Since the early 1970, the capacity of microprocessors have increased which suggests that the complexity of an integrated circuit, with respect to minimum component cost, doubles every two years. In the late 1990s, and in the high-performance microprocessor segment, heat generation due to switching losses, static current leakage. What is a Water Level Controller? It ia a Product which makes you tension free. It Avoids wastage of water, microprocessor based water level controller is technically advanced and simple to use, It switches ON when the water in the over tank drops down below level and puts OFF the pump when the water level rises above level. When the sump reaches valve level the system switch OF the pump automatically and switches ON the pump when the water reaches full level, BASIC INTRODUCTION: The circuit described here control the water level inside a tank. There are two different modes of operation.. The first is empty mode and it will take the water out of the tank, the pump will be used to suck the water until the water level drop below the lower level. The second is fill mode. Here the pump will be used to fill the tank, the pump will be activated until the water level reach the upper limit. Here is the schematic diagram of the water level controller circuit: The circuit uses NOR logic gates, only one integrated circuits package and one transistor is needed for the active components, very simple design. The default position of SW1 is empty mode, just switch to other position to make the water level controller works in fill mode operation. The relay can be used to control almost any type of water pump motors. Please be aware that this circuit works only with water or other electrically conductive liquids. MICROPROCESSOR BASED WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER: The water level Controller is a trustworthy circuit. it takes over the task of checking and Controlling the level of the water in the water tanks. The water level is displayed in the LED graph. The cu probes are used to detect the water level, These are inserted into the tank which is to be monitored. This water-level Controller-cum-alarm circuit is configured around the 8 bit Microprocessor 8085, It continuously monitors the overhead water level and display it and it will automatically switch On and off. All the input and output functions are done through the Programmable Peripheral Interface IC 8255. Basic block Diagram: Features very stable. Easily adjusted for operating requirements. Instant reversion to emergency. microprocessor basePID/Fuzzy controller. Principle The Autonics Water Level Modulating controlsystem is a single element Electro-pneumatic control with a pneumatic Positioner and PID/Fuzzysystem, The system comprises a Transmitter, converter module float chamber, a feedline modulating control valve and an electronicmicroprocessor based PID/FUZZY controllers. LEVEL TRANSMITTER Description The Autonic Water Level Modulating control system is a single element Electro-pneumatic control with a positioner and PID auto tuning system. A Level Transmitter with double-float chamber mounted on the boiler shell, fitted with a coil which can be make according to the requirement. A flanged mount fully stainless steel Control valve, fitted with a positioner and pneumatic actuator, which is mounted in the boiler feedline. A microprocessor-based PID/FUZZY Level controller is mounted on the control panel. An electronic Converter module is also mounted on the control panel. Operation A positive change of water level in the boiler alters the level transmitter inductance value of coil causing an imbalance in the system; This signal is transmitted through the electronic control box and connected to PID controller. Then the microprocessor-based PID level controller transmitted an electrical signal to the pneumatic positioner to position and adjusts the position of control valve. A additional low/high water level alarm or burner cut out contact are also provided in the microprocessor-based level controller with the adjustable setting position. Control valve The V control valve has many different inserts for precision throttling control. The inserts are pinned to the END CAPS and are used in conjunction with any of our standard seats. They are designed to change the flow characteristics of the valve and are offered in different shapes to meet a variety of modulating application. For very low C v applications. a specially designed â€Å"Soft† V insert incorporate both the flow element and the ball seal into one component, and maintains continuous contact with the ball. This arrangement provides excellent low end accuracy (EQ%) and repeatability ADVANTAGES OF WATER LEVEL CONTROLLER: Saves electricity Can be used any type of pumps Protection to the pump, LED Indication to monitor the water level in the over had tank and sump Low voltage and High voltage cut off (Working Range: 160v to 260v) Motor control: Direct switching up to 1 HP, through starters for ranges above. Application of water level controller: Residential buildings, Apartments, Hospitals, Educational Institutions, Hostels, Hotels, etc. In maximum homes water is first stored in an underground tank and from there it is pumped up to the tank located at the roof. People normally switch on the pump when their taps go dry and switch off the pump when the tank starts overflowing, which results in the unnecessary wastage and sometimes non-availability of water in the case of emergency which is to be controlled and corrected. The author used a piece of non-metallic conduit pipe (generally used for domestic wiring) slightly longer than the depth of the overhead tank. The common wire C goes up to the end of the pipe through the conduit. The wire for probes L and H goes along with the conduit from the outside and enters the conduit through two small holes bored into it as shown in Fig. 2. Care has to be taken to ensure that probes H and L do not touch wire C directly. Insulation of wires is to be removed from the points shown. The same arrangement can be followed for the underground tank also. To avoid any false triggering due to in terference, a shielded wire may be used. This water level sensor is good or appropriatefor liquids that have a conductivity of equal to or more than 25m Siemens,not only this It is your best choice for a water level switch. The system is economical. The level probe and the evaluation unit can be connected using a long cable. Two point sensors for independent switching and automatic control of pump TECHNICALLY Housing :aluminium, Weather-proof enamel painted suitable for back panel Cable Entries :3 Nos. of  ½ BSP Mains 110 or 230 Volts AC (-15 to + 10%) 50 Hz. Relay Output 50Hz for non-inductive load Power Consumption 5 VA . Fail-Safe Mode High or Low field selectable Response Time 0.5 secs Switching Delay 0.5 to 20 seconds Indication Red LED for Alarm, Green LED for Normal Operating Temp. : -20 ° C to + 60 ° C Weight ~2 Kg.

Educational Psychology :: essays research papers fc

Educational Psychology ? Mr. ? Psychology 16 Oct. 1996 The field of psychology that deals with the ability to solve educational problems and to improve educational situations is the field of educational psychology. Educational psychology is sometimes referred to as an applied field, meaning, one in which the objective is to solve immediate practical problems (James 29). The beginnings of educational psychology were initiated by Aristotle in his formulation of the laws of association. These laws: similarity, contrast, and contiguity, supplemented by frequency, are the beginnings to an experimental science (Piaget 9). As the science began to develop, the educational psychologists did little more than administer mental tests, which started with the Stanford-Binet test (IQ test). Today, the science has been expanded to include counseling students, teachers, administrators, and parents, in an effort to help make the school environment one which is most effective in promoting learning. As an example, if a student in school commits a disciplinary action, instead of being indiscriminately punished, that student would be sent to see the school psychologist to find out the causes of the students misbehavior and deal with them accordingly (Frandsen 92). Though studies of educational surveys, there were nine major factors that increased learning. These nine factors can be placed into three groups: student aptitude, instruction, and psychological environments. Student aptitude includes (1) ability or prior achievement as measured by score on educational test; (2) development as indexed by chronological age or stage of maturation; and (3) motivation or self-concept as shown by personality tests and students' perseverance on learning tasks. Instruction can be thought of as (4) the amount of time students engage in learning and (5) the quality of the instructional experience. Psychological environments include: (6) the "curriculum of the home," (7) the morale of the classroom social group, (8) the peer group outside school, and (9) the amount of leisure-time television viewing. These are the factors that influence academic achievement and behavioral learning (A.A.E. 66). Educational psychology does not only hold true for humans, but also for animals. Ivan Pavlov displayed the principle of association by applying it to the salivary reflex. He trained his dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell alone if previously they had so responded to meat and the bell together. In another case, B. F. Skinner trained pigeons to play a form of table tennis by rewarding the birds with food pellets each time they hit a ball into a designated trough (James 66). This area of psychology is used today to teach specific subjects such as foreign languages, arithmetic and mathematics, reading, writing, spelling, and the sciences. However, teaching of these subject requires a person that

America Must Lower the Drinking Age Essay -- Legal Alcohol Consumption

America Must Lower the Drinking Age The current drinking age in the United States of America is 21. There are some people who agree with the current drinking age even some who think it should be raised. On the other hand, a number of people feel that the current drinking age produces more problems than it prevents (â€Å"Cross Fire†). The United States has unsuccessfully tried prohibition legislation not once, but twice in the past. These laws were eventually done away with due to the inability to enforce and the repercussion towards them that ended up causing even more trials and tribulations (Engs). â€Å"Prohibition demonstrates beyond a doubt that drinking and the problems caused by drinking cannot simply be eliminated from the United States† (Olson). In the present day, the government is still reiterating the same mistakes that they made in past attempts (Engs). Research from the early 1980’s until present-day shows a decrease in per capita consumption instead, there has been an inc rease in other problems involving excessive and negligent drinking amongst college students after the twenty –one year old law in 1987 (Engs). The current drinking age of 21 is not effective and is causing other social problems. (Engs). This calls for us as a nation to change our existing drinking law. The drinking age of twenty-one is a paradox of age eighteen as the age of consent. â€Å"The age of consent is defined to be the age at which the person becomes able to make responsible decisions† (â€Å"Why the US Drinking Age Should Be Lowered to 18†). The government needs to start genuinely treating eighteen year-olds like the adults the U.S. constitution says they are (Barnes). The United States entrusts eighteen year-old citizens with ... ...eb. 2000. The Lycos Network. 3 Oct. 2001 http://www.studentadvantage.lycos.com/lycos/article/0,4638,c5-i53-t0-a23235,00.html Engs, Ruth. Forbidden Fruit. Winter 1999. 3 Oct. 2001 http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/articles/fruit.html Ford, Gene. Expert Opinion. 3 Oct. 2001 http://www.2.postdam.edu/alcoholinfo/ExpertOpinion/LowerDrinkAge.html Harald Net. â€Å"Parents cannot rely on the drinking-age laws.† Herald Net 18 June 2001. 3 Oct. 2001 http://www.heraldnet.com/Stories/01/6/18/13878319.cfm Nichols, Hans. â€Å"Getting Drunk on Rebellion.† Insight 9 Oct. 2001 http://www.insightmag.com/archive/200107174.shtml Olson, Steve. Alcohol in America: Taking Action to Prevent Abuse. 1985. 9 Oct. 2001 http://emedia.netlibrary.com/reader/toc.asp?cu_id=19302 Why the US drinking age should be lowered to 18. 9 Oct. 2001 http://www.web.mit.edu/ecoder/www/drinking.html

Cassegrain Antenna : Report

R. V. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BANGALORE DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING Radiating System :Report on Cassegrain Antenna Under the guidance of: Dr K. ShreeLakshmi Submitted by: Santosh H. R [1RV09TE047] Kishore B [1RV09TE025] Mayank [1RV09TE030] Kirthi K [1RV09TE024]Table of Contents : ContentsPage no. 1)Introduction to Cassegrain antenna. 01 2)Geometry of Cassegrain antenna. 02-03 3)Advantages and Drawback of Cassegrain antenna. 04 4)Applications of Cassegrain antenna . 05-06 5)Conclusion. 07 6)References. 08 Introduction: The two-reflector system invented by Nicholas Cassegrain has been used extensively in optical telescopes, primarily to achieve a long effective focal length with a convenient physical configuration. During the late 1950s, widespread interest developed in the use of this type of system for microwave frequencies.Axially symmetrical dual-reflector antennas (Cassegrain) classical or shaped) are of interest in radio astronomy and in Earth-station antenna t echnology. The design of such systems is often restricted by some mechanical constraints, the type of feed horn used, and the budget of the project (closely related to the size of the reflectors). Taking into account all of the above, various sets of input parameters, representing various solutions, are considered. From these input parameters, the overall geometry of the antenna is derived in closed form. †¢What is a Cassegrain antenna?In telecommunication and radar use, a Cassegrain antenna is an antenna in which the feed radiator is mounted at or near the surface of a concave main reflector and is aimed at a convex subreflector. Both reflectors have a common focal point. Energy from the feed unit (a feed horn mostly) illuminates the secondary reflector, which reflects it back to the main reflector, which then forms the desired forward beam. Cassegrain antenna is a double reflector system which has many interesting features such as high efficiency, low noise temperature perfor mance, and easy accessibility to electronic equipment. 1 Photo: Cassegrain antenna 02 Geometry: The classical Cassegrain geometry, shown in the below fig, employs a parabolic contour for the main dish and a hyperbolic contour for the sub dish. One of the two foci of the hyperbola is the real focal point of the system, and is located at the center of the feed; the other is a virtual feed point which is the real focal point of the system, and is located at the center of the feed; the other is a virtual focal point which is located at the focus of the parabola.As a result, all parts reflected from both surfaces, travel equal distances to a plane in front of the antenna. Fig: Geometry of Cassegrain Antenna Geometrical parameters for selected Cassegrain antenna Type Cassegrain Focal length fm=1. 5meter Aperture size X Dx=2meter Aperture size Y Dy=2meter Magnification M=5 Interfocal length fs=1. m 03 Advantages: 1. Less prone to back scatter than simple parabolic antenna. 2. Much more co mpact for a given f/d ratio. 3. Reduction in spill over and minor lobe radiation. 4. Ability to place the field in a convenient position. 5. Capability of the scanning and broadening of the beam by moving one of the reflector surfaces. Drawback of Cassegrain antenna: Antenna,which whether transmits or receives correct signal or not is our main care and our direction,is an important part in any communication systems.Because of the characteristics of laser different from radio,the antenna system of point-to-point laser communication system must be designed strictly. Newton system,Green system and Cassegrain system are accepted commonly in optical antenna systems as field lens which include refraction system,inflection system and refraction-and-inflection system. In this paper,Cassegrain antenna is discussed. However,the potential problem of sheltering ratio in Cassegrain system leads to a loss of effective power of the optical system so called vignette phenomena.The other is related t o optical aberration,because Cassegrain antenna sacrifices sight field for perfect image. 04 Applications: 1)ASTRO-G/VSOP-2 off-set Cassegrain telescope The VSOP-2 satellite has an offset Cassegrain antenna. The antenna consists of a 9-m mesh-surface paraboloid main reflector, a solid hyperboloid sub-reflector, and three feed horns. The satellite has 8. 0, 22, 43 GHz band receivers. The main reflector is consisting Of 7 hexagonal modules. The radial rib structure is newly adopted for the modules to shape a surface with accuracy of 0. mm-rms. And three band feed horns are juxtaposed at the Cassegrain focus. 05 2)Cassegrain Antenna With Hybrid Beam Steering Scheme for Mobile Satellite Communications. A hybrid antenna (HA) with a modified beam steering method is proposed. This antenna has a Cassegrain structure composed of two reflectors and a feeder. The parabolic-shaped main reflector is designed for high gain, while the subreflector is rotational and flat. The feeder is a phased arr ay with arbitrary shaped aperture and 20 element antennas.The HA is capable of two-dimensional beam steering by means of two operations: rotation of the subreflector and phase control of the feed array. The subreflector is small in size and weight, so it can provide rapid beam scanning. Designed to be loaded in vehicles, the HA and can communicate with satellites on the move by tracking the beam control of the feed array. A prototype of the HA is fabricated with aluminum using a machining center operated by computerized numerical control. The prototype is operated at Ka-band for TX and K-band for RX with gains of 47 dBi and 44. dBi, respectively, at a steering angle of 0 . The two-dimensional beam steering within +/- 2 degrees with respect to 45 elevation is realized by the subreflector and feed array. All radiation patterns in the beam steering zone meet ITU-R s. 465-5 regulations. 06 Conclusion: This report contains the information of what is a Cassegrain Antenna and its design pa rameters. We learnt of how the parabolic reflector and hyperbolic subreflectors are designed based on the geometry of the Cassegrain Antennas. We have shown some of the advantages of this antenna over other antennas and the principle drawback of this antenna.We have shown two major applications of this Antenna which deals with the design of Cassegrain telescope and a beam steering scheme for mobile satellite telecommunications. 07 References: 1. John D. Kraus,†Antennas for All Applications†,Mac-Graw Hill Publications,4th edition. 2. Srinivasan Ashwyn,†Introduction to Cassegrain antenna† 3. Christophe Granet,†Designing Axially Symmetric cassegrain or Dual-reflector Antennas from combinations of prescribed geometric antennas†,IEEEAntennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. , April 1998 4. Young-Bae Jung, Alexander V. Shishlov, Member, IEEE, and Seong-Ook Park, Member, IEEE,† Cassegrain Antenna With Hybrid Beam Steering Scheme for Mobile Sa tellite Communications,† IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 57, NO. 5, MAY 2009 5. K. KIMURA, H. OGAWA,H. UJIHARA,†ASTRO-G/VSOP-2 off-set Cassegrain telescope†, 6. Ravi Subrahmanyan,† Photogrammetric Measurement of the Gravity Deformation in a Cassegrain Antenna†, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. 53, NO. 8, AUGUST 2005 08

Broken Home?

The effects of broken homes on children are traumatic. Broken homes can cause children to question their self-worth, to experience unnecessary grief, guilt and/or confusion. Young children especially, have difficulty understanding the rationalities of their parents' decisions to divorce. All they know is that their parents used to live together and now they don't, used to â€Å"love† each other and now they don't. Children often take responsibility for parents' decisions to divorce.They conclude that they were the cause of the quarrels and ensuing divorce. They question whether or not their parents love them or are mad at them. It is so important for children to have a stable home life. In a broken home it is difficult for children to find a sense of security because experience shows them that what seemed stable and good fell to pieces and left them feeling empty, yet full of questions.Growing up in a broken home may also cause children to have difficulty in future relationshi ps and cause them to struggle with the issue of trust. People who grew up in broken homes and get married are also more likely to end up divorced because their parents didn't provide a healthy model of marriage. They saw parents end disputes with divorce rather than working through them together. They may run from commitment or avoid relationships all together.They may also develop a emotion of fear toward marriage because they do not want to relive the grief they experienced as a child, nor do they want to have children and risk putting them through the same hurtful circumstances. broken home | | a house containing a family that is set apart due to tensions and certain problems. ex: a kid's parents constantly fight and he/she feels lonely, depressed, angry. that is a product of a broken home, who may usually get away from the problems by doing bad things (drugs,drink,etc†¦ ). |

BRAAAP Company Essay

Introduction The Braaap motorcycle brand was established in 2008 by Brad Smith. Brad began with a vision to supply motorbikes which would making motorcycling more fun and accessible for people. The plan from the start was to build a motorcycle that would compete with custom built American race bikes, but be affordable for people that wish to have a go at this sport. It took a lot of visits to different manufacturers before they found one that believed in his vision. Since then it has been onwards and upwards for the Braaap brand, they have their own concept stores in Tasmania and Victoria, and franchise opportunities throughout Australia and the rest of the world. Braaap are also one of the only motorcycle brands on the market to offer a lifetime warranty. Key Characteristics of Braaap products and services The Braaap products have four major features to their products and services, they are: Lifetime warranty option, customisation, flexible finance and built for adults. The lifetime warranty option is available on all their products and bikes. Having this option improves the attractiveness of the product to their customers and gives them piece of mind about repairs and maintenance on aspects of their bikes. Customisation is another feature that Braaap offer to their customers. This means that the customers can choose from a wide range of colours and accessories to personalise their motorbikes to suit their own tastes. This doesn’t impact the performance of the bikes at all, in fact with all the different options available to purchase the customer can change some of the accessories on their bikes as their tastes change. This would actually improve the life of the bike and make certain that customers would perhaps return at a later stage to either upgrade their bikes or their cust omisations. Currently 37% of Braaap customers return at later stages to upgrade to full size bikes. Flexible finance is a big feature that Braaap offer, from $3 per day finance it makes owning a motorcycle very affordable for most people. As the bikes vary in price, Braaap will provide term payment and also a rent to own option. This enables customers to ride now and pay later. Braaap bikes have been spec ifically designed to that adults can ride them. They have the Learn to Ride program,  Lifetime Coaching and Ride Club which enables most adult riders to become proficient in riding the Braaap bike the correct way Review of pricing policy and analyse pricing variables to determine their effect of demand The pricing policy for the Braaap products are based on dealership and manufacture prices, including Braaap overheads, this determines the final price that’s displayed online and instore. These prices encompass all the products within the Braaap brand from clothing, spare parts, motorcyc les etc Prices for the bikes are as follows: Kids 50cc$1,799.00 88cc$1,999,00 125cc$2,399.00 Classic 150cc$2.999.00 Maistro 150cc$3,999.00 Pro 190cc$4,649.00 Road Racer 250cc$3,999.00 Braaap are a reasonably priced brand with the performance of the other major motorbike brands like Yamaha and Honda. Yamaha in comparison with the 250 cc road racer with a similar model sells for around $8,999.00 and Honda is around $4,300.00.This means that they are competitively priced and affordable to the mass market. One problem that could arise is the price of the components, if the cost of these rise this could influence the overall price of the motorbikes. Other factors that could affect this is the strength of of the Australian Dollar and the international market. Analyse the impact and importance of the following elements to market outcomes. a/The promotional methods – Customer Interaction Programs like having permanent ride clubs established to provide safe and fun riding environments for all riders from beginners to the more advanced. They have a ride club with sponsored events and  fundraisers; these provide another alternative for riders of all levels to be involved. They also have email newsletters that people can get regular updates as well as a facebook page (38570 likers) which promotes the safe riding environment and a place for people to interact with others. Using current technology is a huge plus for Braaap as the website is full of information, embedded videos for customers to see and also online stores and information about franchise opportunities, dealership opportunities and staff opportunities. b/Channels of distribution – The channels of distribution are online and instore. They have also introduced a franchise opportunity within Australia and are actively looking at distributors in the international market. The dealership opportunity is very generous with a Cashflow Positive Guarantee which removes cashflow risk. The other benefits are the same as the concept stores with the easy finance option, Braaap website availability plus customisation etc. c/Level of customer service provided_ Braaap have passionate and motivated sales staff that excel in the level of customer service provided. The despatch from their online stores is fast (the plan is to have parts ordered during the week and to the customer by the weekend so they can ride). The Braaap Company has a high expectation with regards to their customer service and they only employ driven people that love the motorcycle industry as much as they do. Braaap also demands a high level of customer service to be provided to their customers from their partners within Australia, NZ and the USA. Identify Braaap’s potential customer base and key pressure points for success in reaching them Braaap’s potential customer base is the 80% of customer’s new to the sport. They are not actively targeting the existing 3% of customers that currently own dirt bikes. The way that Braaap reach their potential clients is via social media, hosting dirt bike events regularly and through their Learn to Ride programs (registration is done on their website). Establish the components of the marketing mix, include information on how  each element of the marketing mix has been used, their significance to each other and their relevance to the customer base.