Gender Role and Highest Public Office Essay

â€Å"Today there is no field where the women have not shown their worth. From holding highest public office in bureaucracy to holding highest political position, the women have shouldered all kinds of responsibilities with grand success. A lot of change has taken place, in their position in this man dominated society. With this gradual transition from household life to working women the sufferings of women have increased manifold. † During ancient days women have been adored and worshipped as goddesses. Our country itself is called ‘Mother Land’ in utter contrast to the fatherland of the West. In ancient period, several women occupied distinguished positions in society and played very important role. Maitreyi, Lilawati, Gargi, Katyayani, are some of the unforgettable names which can neither wither nor become absolute. The women have been adored since time immemorial as virtues incarnates. Saraswati is called the ‘Goddess of learning’; Parvati, the Goddess of Chastity; Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth; Durga Kali, the goddess of Power and Energy. Manu, the great scholar said â€Å"Where women are worshipped there the deities are pleased†. The women were the centre and foundation of the social and cultural life of the family. Home was the women’s sphere of activity. ‘Men make houses and women make homes’ is the traditional belief. The duties of woman were just contained to bring up the children, and caring every family member with her loving and amiable, characteristics which she naturally owes. It was the traditional faith that man is for thy field and woman for the home. With the political emancipation of India, the women of free India ushered into a new role. Today the women enjoy equality of status, equality of opportunity with men. She became financially independent and economically sound, she became the major decision maker, and she became the policy maker in various new fields. She ventured into outer field, but the traditional views about her role as home maker, about! Her so called sacred duties of Mother, Sister, Wife, are still kept on demanding on her the women are divided between her official work and home duties. Her duties start from early in the morning with many responsibilities on her shoulder before going to office, like preparing breakfast, lunch, getting kids ready for school etc. During office hours she has to work equally or say more sincerely than her male counterparts. She has to fulfill her duties at home even after office homes. Her pathetic position, working at home as well as at office, is not admired, even by her husband or mother-in-law or father-in-law. The support and cooperation if extended by her husband in household; work is at his sole desertion. Husband is free to take excuses of over burdened work pressure of official exigencies, but wife is expected to be found fresh and amiable all the time. The men consider the household work as sole responsibility of the women. He considers working at home below his dignity and if he does something it is done as per his wish and convenience. The working atmosphere in the offices, particularly, for the women is also not so congenial. Most of the male counterpart treat the woman an easy scope goat for fulfilling their sexual desires. The incident of intentional touching, double meaning dialogues, unwarranted comments, piercing in her private affairs are some of the common examples which create lot of irritation and make the women unnecessarily defensive. The incidents of one sider sexual advancement by the boss, staring at her body parts, alluring her with quick promotion in return, are generally to be faced by a working woman. With women entering into new fields, she become more vulnerable to the dangers like eve-teasing, sexual advancement, transfers, etc. The women can only explain to have frights and hardships experienced by her while working in office. In the present male dominated, patriarchal society, people find it difficult to accept the women as independent personality. In addition to these hardships, the women are bound to play the traditional role of child bearing and child rearing. She can’t desist from her role as a mother and as a wife. So while performing these natural roles, sometimes she had to be out of office for a long period which causes adverse effects on her career, though not openly but in reality. One more peculiar problem, a woman faces while keeping the children with her, in case when her husband is transferred out of town,  ·and she is unable to shift being a working woman, as the children prefer to stay with mother. Now she has to play the role of both the parents and her duties are tribled. The problems of a career women are endless and peculiar and differ from place to place, office to office, and person to person. In this fast changing world, particularly the role being accepted and played by the women, the analysis is but necessary to find a suitable balance in order to save the career women from their ever increasing hardships. It has become irrelevant to talk that traditional role played by the women, was a better course. The woman has her own personality, more confident, financially ndependent, accepting any kind of challenge, can no longer remain under the illogical dominance of man, but at the same time she suffers a lot mentally and physically divided between home and office. The situation demands effective measures to protect the working women in her official environment from the lust and greed of male bosses and colleagues. There is an urgent need to make new amendments to provide extra legal teeth to IPC Section 292 (Sale of obscene books), Section 293 (Sale of obscene objects to young), and Section 294 (obscene acts and songs) and to the indecent representation of women (prohibition) Act 1986 and other laws. Educational serials and programme must be launched to educate the society through audio and visual media, so that the women could feel safe in her office and live peacefully with dignity. Unless man’s attitude towards woman changes any kind of law, however, strict and stringent may be, cannot change the conditions of working women in our society. Our society had been a male dominated society; the changes are gradually being digested. With necessity of time absences of joint families the financial independence of women are making the male absorb the change slowly but gradually. The actions initiated by the government against the eve-teasing, sexual harassment of working women, have also brought a lot off avourable change in the life of working women. In spite of all the hardships being faced by the working women, it must be noted that women have fought a great battle and are still fighting at their own against the fright and hardships faced by them and got remarkable success in every field of life.

Heritage Listed Sites- Should It Be Open to Public or Kept Private Essay

Did you know that there are 962 properties listed as heritage sites in the world? As we aware the Kakadu National Park, Uluru, Shark Bay and Great Barrier Reef in Australia are also listed as world heritage sites. However, there are currently 38 properties listed in danger because of various reasons; unable to support with technical, scientific expertise in some areas or â€Å"pollution, uncontrolled urbanization, unchecked tourism† (Amanpour, 2012) in many cases. UNESCO (2013) states that the Tourism impacted on the sites greatly since â€Å"the world heritage properties are among the most popular and heavily promoted tourist destinations in many countries. The dramatic current and projected growth of international and domestic travel represents both challenges and opportunities for World Heritage Sites and surrounding populations. Poorly managed tourism at a site can pose major threats to heritage in all of its forms and degrade the quality of the visitor experience†. For instance, The Great Barrier Reef was declared as a world heritage area in 1981, there have been more than two million people visited the reef each year and generated more than â€Å"$AU2 billion in tourism dollar, making tourism a major earner for the north-eastern Australian economy† and also gave negative impact that damaged fragile corals by reef walking, polluted in the water with human activities not only fuels from boats but associated with †run -off sweat and suntan lotion† affected on the reef environment (Australia Government, 2007). There is a question arose for the heritage listed sites whether it should be open to public or kept private in order to protect and conserve them. It is a controversial topic on the public access to the heritage listed sites; some people may say that the sites should be kept in private in order to protect the area, or some say it should be open to public so it will bring the great benefit to economy. W hile tourism can provide a way to educate the public on the importance of the reef, the constant flow of people over a few select areas of the Great Barrier Reef region can also pose some problems†. A director of Centre of Future Studies believes that â€Å"There is a conflict between environmental concerns and commercial interests† in terms of heritage listed sites (SMH, 2006).It will be discussed the potential benefits and damages for both cases and solutions that can compromise the benefit and the issues. World Heritage Listed Site refers to â€Å"a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) as of special cultural or physical significance.† as per Wikipedia (2013). There are 190 states parties ratified The World Heritage Convention, as of September 2012, to help these countries with heritage listed sites in terms of maintaining and conserving the sites ( UNESCO, 2013). By all means that a place listed as world heritage site, the place will be supported by UNESCO in relation with protecting and maintaining the sites with well structured plan. W hat is it that makes the sites so important; many countries have formed as ‘rescue team’ to protect the heritage sites? There are a number of reasons as the following: It is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage is both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage (UNESCO, 2013). In addition, the heritage listed sites reflects the way the past lived, thoughts or even the changes geographically over the time in the area which is a great source for researches and studies, the sites also involve the culture of the society. The World Bank defines â€Å"culture as the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterize a society or social group. It includes not only arts and letters, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of the human being, value systems, traditions, and beliefs† (cited on Endresen, p 5). Janet Stephenson, of Dunedin, who is New Zealand historic places trust representative states the importance of the heritage listed sites as â€Å"this is something you don’t get in a museum and †¦ each of these places has heritage role† (cited on Allan, D. The South Times, p19). Also, Australian Government states the importance of heritage listed sites for education, it is important to â€Å"inspire students to explore our unique world heritage listed places and develop an appreciation of heritage values. An understanding of heritage place in Australia and their significance in the world will encourage young people to appreciate and help preserve them for future generation† (Environment Government, 2011). As mentioned earlier, it leaves a big question on how to protect the heritage listed sites, should it be open to public or kept private? There are number of reasons it should open to public. First of all, it can bring great benefits monetarily to local and country as whole, according to Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia, it increases wealth of local community, in which the heritage listed site is located, and enable to promote the areas to domestic and international visitors. Harriott states the marine tourism industry is a major contributor to the Australian economy, with an estimated direct value in excess of $1 billion (Wachenfeld et al, 1998 cited 2002, p12). For example, Australian icons such as Uluru , The Great Barrier Reef, and The Tasmanian Wilderness attracted a great number of visitations for both nationally and internationally which was result of heavily featuring in Tourism promotion since the sites listed as world heritage (Shark Bay, 2009). By the booming in Tourism, the area needed more facilities to accommodate the visitors with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and entertainments which created employment opportunity. Producer groups such as construction firms, skilled tradespeople and unskilled workers benefited from extra work created in the heritage sector; also increased local and government income from worker’s tax (Abelson, 2000). Another example –Zhan-gjia-jie National Park, is China’s first national park and also well-known for the ‘Avatar’ Hollywood movie. For this reason, tourism has boomed in the region resulted in generating economic wealth, creation of jobs and development opportunities for local residents. â€Å"Zhan -gjia-jie receives up to 40,000 tourists a day during its high season† (UNWTO, 2011). Secondly, the positive economic impact gained through the profit in Tourism can lead to positive impact on Heritage sites- providing fund for site preservation and management: â€Å"In 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) provided a $1.7 million grant to help preserve prehistoric cave paintings at 260 sites within the Capivara Park, a W orld Heritage Site in north-eastern Brazil. The grant included funding to improve roads in order to stimulate tourism as a source of income for local residents, thereby improving economic conditions and helping to reduce activities that were destroying the sites† (cited on Andresen, 1999, p8). Thirdly, â€Å"Visitors to World Heritage sites can learn about natural, cultural and historical characteristics† (Alberta, 2012) . Having a real experience of the heritage listed sites by touching, looking and feeling the existence of the property will be definitely different from learning by photos and story -telling. In spite of the benefits aforementioned, promoting Tourism can negatively impact on the sites itself and the environment due to constructions, pollution and over urbanization. The site will need to accommodate the tourists in hospitality needs; hotels, restaurants and bars, and with other activities to explore that sites, it cannot avoid having a development in the area. There are examples of heritage sites damaged from Tourism such as Angkor Wat which is a temple complex in Cambodia, and the Inca fortress of Machu Picchu in Peru are often cited as places of world-historical importance where a vast influx of tourists may be causing serious damage (The economist, 2012). Also, some researchers clearly demonstrate that The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral system in Queensland (Wikipedia, 2012), is being damaged (GBRMPA, 2009 cited on Great barrier reef foundation, 2009) and â€Å"lost half of its coral in the past 27years† ( Holland, 2012) by human activities such as fishing, mining, farming and unsorting rubbishes, University of Michigan also states that â€Å"the human based pollution caused such harm to our reefs needs to be stopped or reduced significantly if we wish to save this fragile ecosystem† . In addition there might be unwanted cultural changes, and â€Å"Demonstration Effect† (Endresen, 1999, p8) that comes from exposure to western culture and lifestyle due to tourism, sometimes is blamed for spoiling local culture. According to Endresen (1997, p7) unmanaged tourism can result â€Å"cheapening of culture and traditions; alienation and loss of cultural identity† in the heritage sites. Victoria Falls is the most relevant example in terms of the damages on the heritage listed sites from open to public, led to a various conservation challenges related to urban development, tourism pressure; invasive species; poaching; Water pollution and abstraction; and, institutional challenges (African World Heritage Fund , 2012) which may take up to years to get it recovered. It is critical to get those sites (not only Victoria Falls, but the other 37 sites as mentioned earlier) restored and preserved with our attention and care. On the other hand, if it is being kept private it will enable to reserve the area more efficiently as there isn’t access allowed for public so it can prevent from getting polluted and over-urbanized in the area. Also that helps to preserve damaged areas and get it re-stored as there will not be any restrictions to undergo the repair work. â€Å"The royal tombs, which are registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites, have not allowed public access for the reason of preservation. After going through maintenance and installing several convenience facilities, the tombs ar e now ready to welcome visitors† (visit Korea, 2012). W hat about the potential economic growth in their community or the country by developing the heritage site? The development will attract more tourists who like to visit the heritage sites and trigger increase of GDP through the economic activities made between tourists and locals which will lead to the development of the country as a whole. Various economists state â€Å"the development of tourism has usually been considered a positive contribution to economic growth† (Lim, 1997; Oh, 2005 cited on Chanchrat, 2011, p2). Since it is kept private, there will be forgone cost from not allowing the public access to the site and various parties will lose their potential benefit; the property owner loses in admission fees, local community loses in the benefit from involving active economy in the site area, and the government loses tax income from the sellers and buyers of the economic activity. According to UNICCO it is challengeable to â€Å"manage the future growth of the industry so as to minimise its negative impacts on the environment and host communities whilst maximising the benefits it brings in terms of jobs, wealth and support for local culture and industry, and protection of the built and natural environment† (1999, p21 cited on Endresen, 1999, p2), just like it challenges to keep the heritage sites protected so as to get economic benefit from being open to public. It is obvious that we need to conserve the listed sites at its best by keeping it private but it is, also, impeccable for people at present to get explored of what the ancestors inherited for us, and learn from it to make better future which will be inherited to future generation for our children. It can be protected while the heritage sites being open to public via a number of ways as below: First of all, the industry and the organisation should encourage the public awareness in regards to the importance of the heritage listed sites and the ways that we ca n contribute to protect them. By promoting education for the heritage sites with placing conservation materials at visitor centre will enable to increase public awareness in terms of the importance of those sites. â€Å"Build capacity for cultural management and protection of world heritage cultural asset† â€Å"Promote public awareness of the social value of world heritage sites and the importance of natural resources† (MDGIF, 2012) . For instance there can be TV commercial and donation program promoted by UNESCO just like UNICEF charity program we often see on TV and on airlines that will enable people to aware its importance and for them to practice the good manner when they visit those sites. Also by giving wrist band or badge to people who contributed donation, in recognition of their contribution which will increase the public awareness and helps for the fund needed to support the heritage listed sites. And also managing Heritage listed sites should be well -planned. â€Å"By promoting publicity- developed plan that identifies appropriate levels and types of use and necessary with building environmental awareness, conserving local ecosystem that will result in generating the income and employment for the local communities† (Alberta, 2012) Secondly, Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Tourism should be encouraged.â€Å"You can expect tourist numbers, visitor numbers to grow. And the high level of visitation should not damage the value of the site. So you should have a plan for sustainable tourism in the sites, for all the components† (Bali Daily, 2012). Responsible Tourism refers to tourism that â€Å"makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultur al heritage embracing diversity† and it believes â€Å"individuals, organizations and businesses are asked to take responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions† (Wikipedia, 2012). UNESCO states if tourism is undertaken responsibly, â€Å"it can be a driver for the preservation and conservation of cultural and natural heritage and a vehicle for sustainable development† Sustainable Tourism is â€Å"tourism attempting to make as low impact on the environment and local culture as possible, while helping to generate future employment for local people†¦ ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves † (Wikipedia, 2013). It also helps â€Å"to meet the needs of the present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future† (World Tourism Organization cited on Pedersen, 2002, p20). Sustainable tourism relies on the development and emphasizes the delivery of quality visitor experiences within not damaging any of the property values or cultural values. According to UNESCO (2013) it requires effective, cooperative commitment and coordination between site management and all relevant public agencies and private enterprises in order to achieve the sustainable and responsible tourism development and visitor management. For example, International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH &RA) and International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI) have helped in raising the public awareness in terms of environmental issues and provided practical advice with Action Pack to assist hotels, and other various industry association have also supported with codes and guidelines that can promote ‘Responsible Tourism’ (Endresen, 1999, p10). Thirdly, establish regulations. Government should establish appropriate regulations and tools to monitor and assess the heritage listed sites consistently in order to maintain them. Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act), Governments may require their departments and agencies to have regard for heritage considerations in asset management decisions: Organizations that have control of her itage assets also have a second service obligation. While they use assets in delivering their primary service, they are also responsible for the stewardship of the assets and protection of their significance for future generations †¦ The management of heritage assets should be viewed as an essential part of the management of the assets, rather than another problem and cost impost. Sustainable management of heritage values should be treated by an agency as part of its core business -GAMC, 2003, p13 cited on management of public historic heritage places, 2006, p193). In conclusion, tourism can impact on the heritage listed sites heavily either it damages heritage sites with unmanaged plans, conversely it makes a great contribution on conserving the sites as well as enabling the tradition to be alive from the profits made. It is impeccable that organization; manage any activities in relation to tour operation (travel agencies, airline s and government), should take into accounts in order to conserve the areas in relation to promoting public awareness of environmental issues. The business should be encouraged to design trip-packages that embrace nature resources and culture s. For example, star watch tour; photography tour; camping on the sites; refurbish local old buildings for accommodation; using solar powers and recycling water, composing and sorting the rubbish, to minimize the potential damage to the sites. It can be a good idea to promote rewarding system that allows entry for only certain organizations that practice the sustainability touri sm, to the heritage sites and offer them a cheaper rate of loan for future business. Reference Abelson, P. 2000. Valuing the Public Benefits of Heritage Listing of Commercial Buildings, Available: http://www.appliedeconomics.com.au/pubs/reports/heritage.htm (accessed 13 Jan 2013). African World Heritage Fund. World Heritage Sites and Sustainable Tourism: Situational Analysis: Victoria falls world heritage site, Report 2, Available: http://awhf.net/documents/Tourism%20 -%20Report%202%20%20Victoria%20Falls%20World%20Heritage%20Site.pdf (accessed 13 Jan 2013). Alberta. 2012. World heritage sites in Alberta, Available: http://www.albertaparks.ca/albertaparksca/management -land-use/nationalinternational-programs/world-heritage-sites-in-alberta.aspx (accessed 14 Jan 2013). Allan, D. 2000. Importance of heritage emphasised by experts. The Southland Times, 8 December, p.19. Fairfax, New Zealand. Amanpour, C. 2012. Conflict, natural disasters, tourism threaten UNESCO world heritage sites, Yahoo!News, 18 October, Available: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/around-the-world-abc-news/conflict-natural-disasterstourism-threaten-unesco-world-heritage-051557031.html (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Australian Government- Productivity commission. 2006. Conservation of Australia’s Historic Heritage Places, 21 July, Available: http://pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/heritage/docs/finalreport (accessed 17 Jan 2013). Australian Government. 2007. Great Barrier Reef, 30 December, Available: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/great-barrier-reef (accessed 15 Jan 2013). 10 Australian Government: Department of sustainability, environment, water, population and communities. 2011. Australia’s world heritage, Available: http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/about/world/index.html (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Chanchrat, S. 2011. Thai Tourism and Economic Development: The Current State of Research, Available: http://kasetsartjournal.ku.ac.th/kuj_files/2011/A1110061100224677.pdf (accessed 17 Jan 2013). Endresen, K. 1999. Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Heritage: A review of development assistance and its potential to promote sustainability, Available: http://www.nwhf.no/files/File/culture_fulltext.pdf (accessed 15 Jan 2013). Erviani, N.K. 2012. UNESCO urges responsible tourism be imposed. Bali Daily, 26 September, Available: http://www.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2012-09-26/unescourges-responsible-tourism-be-imposed.html (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Graham, A.H. 2011. World’s most endangered sites, Travel+Leisure, October, p6, Available: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-most-endangered-sites/7 (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 2009. The reef and climate change, Available: http://www.barrierreef.org/Research/WhyResearch/TheReefandclimatechange.aspx (accessed 19 Jan 2013). Harriott, V.J. 2002. Marine tourism impacts and their management o n the Great Barrier Reef, Available: http://crcreef.jcu.edu.au/publications/techreport/pdf/Harriott46.pdf (accessed 19 Jan 2013). Holland, M. 2012. Half the Great Barrier reef gone in under 30 years, says AIMS study, Herald Sun, 2 October, Available: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/half-the-great-barrier-reef-gone-inunder-30-years-says-aims-study/story-fncynkc6-1226486114293 (accessed 20 Jan 2013). 11 MDGIF online. 2012. Egypt: The Dahshur world heritage site mobilization for cultural heritage for community development, Available: http://www.mdgfund.org/content/dahshurworldheritagesitemobilizationculturalheritag ecommunitydevelopment (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Pedersen, A. 2002. World Heritage Manuals: Managing tourism at world heritage sties: a practical manual for world heritage site managers , UNESCO World Heritage Centre, France. Red Apple Education. 2013. Tourism, Available: http://www.skwirk.com.au/p-c_s4_u-464_t-1263_c-4814/tourism/qld/// (accessed 19 Jan 2013). Sydney Morning Herald. 2006. Great Barrier Reef on the danger list, 23 September, Available: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/great-barrier-reef-on-the-dangerlist/2006/09/22/1158431904450.html (accessed 15 Jan 2013). The benefits of World Heritage listing. 2009. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia, Available: http://www.sharkbay.org/what_is_world_heritage.aspx (accessed 11 Jan 2013). The Economist. 2012. ‘Living Treasure’, 12 July, Available: http://www.economist.com/node/21558560 (accessed 15 Jan 2013). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2013. World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme, Available: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tourism (accessed 11 Jan 2013). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2013. World Heritage, Available: http://whc.unesco.org/en/about (accessed 11Jan 2013). University of Michigan. Human impact on Great Barrier Reef, Available: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/gc2sec7labgroup3/pollution (accessed 19 Jan 2013) Visit Korea. 2012. Closed Royal Tombs to Open to the Public, Available: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1773440 (accessed 18 Jan 2013). 12 Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia. 2012. Responsible Tourism, Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_Tourism (accessed 17 Jan 2013). Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia. 2013. World Heritage Site, Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Sites (accessed 11 Jan 2013). Wisegeek. 2013. What is world heritage site? Available: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-world-heritage-site.htm (accessed 15 Jan 2013). W orld Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). 2011. UNWTO and China open third observatory for sustainable tourism development , 19 July, Available: http://www2.unwto.org/en/press-release/2011-07-19/unwto-and-china-open-thirdo

A Little History Essay

In a government sponsored website one can find the following information regarding the ancestry of most Taiwanese: Archaeologists have found evidence of prehistoric human habitation in Taiwan that dates back 12,000 to 15,000 years, and suggests that the earliest ancestors of Taiwan’s present inhabitants came from at least two places: southern China and Austronesia. Early settlers from southern China settled in northern and central Taiwan†¦ (see Taiwan website). Aside from its proximity to China this historical trivia provides an explanation why Taiwan is very similar to China. This also explains the influence of Chinese culture that is so evident in the whole of Taiwan culture. Food is the closest thing to culture and since Taiwan is closely related to Mainland China in terms of culture, there is also a significant similarity in the way food is prepared. This is a factor to consider for any expatriate coming in to work. If the expatriate is used to eating Chinese food then there is no problem adjusting to the culinary preference of the Taiwanese people. The Economy In the CIA World Factbook a bright outlook is seen with regards to business opportunities, â€Å"Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities [†¦] Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world’s third largest [†¦] China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan’s largest export market† (see CIA). The last statement in the above-mentioned information, the one about China becoming the number export market for this nation speaks volumes about the economic potential of Taiwan. This also tells of its strategic position. Moreover, judging from this business relationship in spite of the shaky political relationship with the People’s Republic of China hints at Taiwan’s seriousness to overcome any obstacle to become a serious economic player in the region, in Asia and the world in general. Conclusion Looking at Taiwan and South Korea there is not much difference. This means that if I am forced to go to either one then I will be able to survive, thrive, and most probably succeed. Yet, since I have a choice in this matter, then I will choose Taiwan over South Korea. The following reasons supports my decision. Culture As mentioned earlier my family originally came from China. This means that I was raised in a family that practices or even cherishes values similar to those in China. Now, since Taiwan is considered part of China then it also implies that both countries share similar cultural traits. The same could not be said of South Korea whose culture is very different from the Chinese of mainland China. Having similar culture could also mean that it will take me a shorter amount of time to learn the do’s and dont’s of the Taiwanese culture. This translates to efficiency and promotion up the corporate ladder. This also means less mistakes and an increase in customer satisfaction. It also enable me to contribute in terms of giving inputs on how to improve servcie since I fully understand what the Taiwanes customers are actually saying and not merely interpreting their words into English and assuming that translated words are the actual intent of their communication. Food The closest thing to culture is food. In this aspect Taiwanese cuisine is similar to those in the mainland. This means that less trouble for me nutrition wise. Many have said that the most difficult part in crossing over other culture is not the different clothes and not even the language barrier. What is most difficult according to many is learning to stomach the exotic foods available in a particular locale.

The Impact of IT systems on the work of managers in 5 star hotels in Essay

The Impact of IT systems on the work of managers in 5 star hotels in California - Essay Example People have become more active in tourism. Hospitable industry has been doing very well. Things like 9/11 attacks do affect the rates, but then that is also on temporary basis. People have started resuming their touring activities. The responsibilities also rise on the shoulders of managers. These are just a few tasks that manager have to do when in hotel management. Illustrated below are the general tasks found in the managers of California based hotels. The above mentioned tasks are just a few jobs that are under taken by the management. Now lets see how technology has helped these managers in improving their tasks. One advantage that technology has given is that where 5 people used to be required to do a certain task, now even one person can takeover aoo those tasks with the help of technological softwares implemented. POS Systems are being used efficiently in the hotels of California. Lynne Brakeman (2006) says POS are used for taking guest orders, collecting and analyzing financial transaction information, and providing data security and accountability. Credit card skimming, handwriting recognition, consumer preference for debit cards and contactless payment devices are some of the main issues influencing the evolution POS technology in the hospitality industry. Online Reservation Systems act as management tool to handle booking, customer support, and property information and transformation arrangement. These management tools allow the managers to keep the record of customers and send newsletters or ecards. The customers can easily ask about their queries to the management staff and do not actually need to visit the premises. Management tools Pacific Plaza Hotels in California use management tools to perform the following operational tasks. (Examples of few management tools are discussed below) Prepare, implement and monitor: Business plan Purchasing and inventory controls Accounting systems, including reporting Accounts receivable and payable Forecasts, budgets and monthly variance Capital improvement schedules Recruiting, training, supervising and controlling property management and staff Establish preventative maintenance programs Property visits by corporate executives Computerized Card keys Computer Card Keys are another form of technology. They are an alternative to physical keys. Management of California hotels used to face problems like keys being duplicated. These actions resulted in stealing of objects from the rooms. Computerized Card Keys have made things a

Torts and personal injury law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Torts and personal injury law - Essay Example Any party is allowed to move in for summary judgment. The judge may also decide his own to initiate a summary judgment. This not like the partial motion where to discuss information pertaining the affidavits or the interrogative answering of question but instead the court usually carry oral arguments where the court will considered all the evidence that are admissible at the trial under the rules of evidence to support the motion that will be presented in the court. The purpose of summary judgment is to avoid unnecessary trial that involve party. The family should have established two facts before prevailing a motion for summary judgment. One there must be no genuine issue of material fact and two the other party must be entitled to judgment as matter of law. Where the procedural device used during litigation should expeditiously disposed of a case without trial  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   QSN 3.Briefly state the facts of this case, using the information found in the case in LexisNex is. (5 points)FACTSThere was no genuine issues of material loss that warranted for the since the only incidence was Evelyn burning on her right leg by the coffee when she tested if it to see if it was hot. Cristopher was also burned and treated for with secondary degree burns. It was Nedel who sued the owner of the Burgher King on behalf of Cristopher for the claim that the coffee served was defectively made without prior warning of it being hot to an extend it can burn. The owner of the Burgher King went for the summary judgment to avoid unnecessary trial.

The Great War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Great War - Essay Example It was also the very effective British propaganda that developed public support in US for the allied forces (Carlisle, 2007-, p.194). Meanwhile, the telegram sent by the foreign minister of Germany, Arthur Zimmerman, to German minister in Mexico, indicating that there is a possibility of Germany engaging in a war with the US got leaked by the British and this information naturally provoked the US (Carlisle, 2007, p.194). Many US ships being destroyed by the submarine warfare of the Germans by this time was another reason why public and political pressure mounted on the US government to be a party in the war (Carlisle, 2007, p.194). Yet another reason for the US entering the war was the close financial connection between the US and the Britain (Keene, 2006 p.8). America had given â€Å"huge loans† to Britain and other allied forces and thus big money was at stake (Keene, 2006, p.5). Britain and France reacted to the American decision by asking for replenishment with fresh American fighters of their war-wearied troups in the war front (Keene, \2006, p.11). But the US did not concede to this demand of splittin g the American forces and merging them with the British and French troupes (Keene, 2006,

Content Area Teaching Assignment Research Paper - 1

Content Area Teaching Assignment - Research Paper Example However, this paper aims at stressing the flaws in the education system and teaching practices which contribute to the loss of interest amongst the students. The paper will focus on at least three web lessons, which would then be taken as a reference to explain how the teaching practices can be improved and the students’ motivation increased. One of the most important topics of study in world history is the relations between the superpowers – the relations marked by the cold war; this is an essential course for almost all students enrolled for elementary education level courses. For this reason, a lesson designed for students from Grade 9-12 will be taken as a reference; it has been published by the Oregon Public Broadcasting1. Apparently, the chapter has been designed in a very appealing yet credible manner for the students to become aware of the origins and major concepts relevant to the cold war. The chapter has been effectively divided into headings and subheadings to enhance the interest of the students in the content. The chapter opens with the narration describing how the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which began what is termed as the cold war era. The chapter also in the latter sections stresses the military and strategic dimensions of the motives behind the bombings, and explains how this event was the beginning of the cold war. Moreover, the chapter explains the policy of containment followed by the US in response to the policy of expansionism being pursued by the Soviet Union. It also stresses important dates where several events took place, explains how the concept of iron curtain was introduced and was a sole reason behind the origins of war. Moreover, this chapter sheds light on some of the reports which are crucial in this context. Though this is a well quoted and a well explained chapter, some of the students may find in monotonous and rather boring if not taught

Apple Strategy (1984-2004) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Apple Strategy (1984-2004) - Essay Example It employs about 14,800 people. Apple experienced good success during the late 1980s but testing times during the 90s. John Sculley, previously the CEO joined Apple in 1983. Sculley had the valuable experience of the 'Cola-War' between Coke and Pepsi. He was full of marketing ideas and wanted to implement them in Apple as well. Steven Jobs, more of technology oriented initially found this approach little weird, but later gave Sculley a free hand. Realizing the importance of strategic alliance, Apple had a tie up with IBM in 1991 to target the areas where Apple lacked the developmental skills but owing to cultural and other differences the alliance did not last long. Sculley did an introspection and identified some key areas where more professionalism was required in the approach of Apple. For example discipline, work schedule and cost management were the areas put on notice. As part of marketing strategy, Apple also reduced the prices of existing products. But somehow this resulted in losses for Apple. In the meantime Sculley also propagated the 'Newton' series of notebooks, but somehow this series did not have many takers in the market, which resulted in further financial losses. Sculley was then replace with Michael Spindler in 1993 who lasted only three years making way for Gil Amelio, who came out with the Macintosh product range for designers and artists. From here onward Apple brought out radical changes in the marketi ng strategies as well. Amelio also realized that the 'free for all' culture where anybody was free to defy anybody in the company, is causing losses to the company. He believed in more conventional strategy where project managers are supposed to sincerely implement the strategies devised by the strategists, whatever the outcome. Apple thrived on its core competency of 'making the technology easy to use'. Amelio decided to make fullest use of this core competency in areas other than the PC segment. Apple started working on 'Copeland' the new operating system. IT experts started predicting that with the Copeland -1996 will prove to be an advance version of Windows-95. But declining sales and falling profits did not allow the launch of Copeland on time. However Apple acquired another software company NeXT with Steven Jobs back in saddle. NeXT too did not find wide acceptability in the market. This resulted in another round of introspection in Apple hierarchy. Executives from NeXT took over majority of the management portfolios. Workforce was drastically reduced, which paved the way for exit of Amelio. This, coupled with declining sales, gave rise to intense speculation in the industry about the future course of action that Apple will be taking. In August 1997 Steve Jobs announced a strategic tie-up with its lon g time rival Microsoft. Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple and the agreement stated that, 'Microsoft would develop and distribute office applications fro the Apple Macintosh while Apple would bundle Microsoft's Internet Explorer in future Mac products.' This provided a new lease of life for Apple, while for Microsoft it was a strategic move to lower the level of competition in the industry. As a result of this tie up Apple became profitable again in 1998. Now the challenging task for Jobs was to widen the market for Mac, because so far Mac was popular amongst

Master of Science Strategic Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Master of Science Strategic Marketing - Essay Example pa from North Carolina University considers that ‘a business model is the methods of doing business by which a company can sustain itself, that is, generate revenue. The business model spells out how a company makes money by specifying where it is positioned in the value chain’ (Rappa, 2005). But the fast changing socio-economic dynamics have created a fiercely competitive business environment, necessitating changes in the role and techniques of traditional marketing to encompass broader parameters of business performance. Thus, an effective marketing strategy becomes intrinsic to the management strategy that significantly impacts the overall business performance outcome. Levitt argued that the marketing takes into account the preferences of the customers and thereby builds a solid customer loyalty that result in sustainable customer base that has potential for growth because it continues to satisfy the changing requirements of their needs (Levitt, 1960). While the traditional role of marketing was confined to selling the products which meet the demands of the people, the fast changing paradigms of business have necessitated drastic shift in the approach to traditional marketing strategy. Wilson and Gilligan (2003) have argued that market has become more complex and highly competitive in the contemporary environment of fast advancing technology and rapid globalization. They further assert that ‘marketing is increasingly being conceptualized as an organizational philosophy or ‘an approach to doing business’ (Wilson and Gilligan, 2003, p4). The increasingly changing pattern of society and the influence of technology need to be addres sed in the wider application of social imperatives and included in all spheres of public and private business strategy. McDonald is an exemplary example of using new age market strategy that has shown profit even in the recessive economy! It has become important to introduce effective strategic goals and managerial controls

Special education _ Deaf_2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Special education _ Deaf_2 - Essay Example Many languages use compounding as a way of forming new words. ASL also uses compounding during formation of new words. A familiar means of creating new words is that of deriving nouns from verbs. In English language, nouns are formed from verbs by adding suffix or changing the stress on a word (example enjoy and enjoyment). In ASL language, changing the movement patterns associated to a verb can lead to formation of nouns. Therefore, forming nouns from verbs, show a similarity between ASL language and English language (Karen, 2002 page 15 lines 9 – 14). In English language, sounds that are used in constructing words are meaningless by themselves, which are similar to the signs used in ASL linguistic. With regard to phonological separation, observation is: in both English speech and sign, there exist inventory of phonological components available as the corner stone of word formation, whether multimorphemic or monomorphemic , but merely in sign is series of such components reserved completely for use in multimorphenic, obtained words, as well as inflected words (Ronnie, 1983 page 135 line 252-257). Signs used in ASL linguistics are constructed from components that are meaningless by themselves and can be combined to form morphemes and words. There are three phonological categories in sign language; hand shape, location and movement that are used to differentiate words with similar signs. Among the major issues which has intrigued linguists is a question of what impact the modality of production/perception has on grammar of language. If at all grammar is viewed as entailing various components, in which modules would modality impacts be observed (Ronnie, 1983 page 226 lines 64-66). In English Language, the word bat and pat differ on the initial sound but have no inherent meaning by their own. Therefore, the pattern of linguistic form is similar in both ASL linguistic and English language (Karen, 2002 page 23 lines 9 – 17). Despite English language and ASL

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 91

Assignment Example In the opinion of court â€Å"pain and suffering† and â€Å"mental suffering† are core elements of damage. In that regard, they lead to personal injury as well as malicious prosecution cases. Therefore, failure of the insurer to owner the insurance contract caused the plaintiff to suffer emotionally due to the that she was in dare need money to support her family, thus inviting the â€Å"compromise† of her claim. The issue is whether the plaintiff who is the beneficiary of the estate. That is insurance policy cover of her deceased husband suffered any loss after as a result of denial compensation by the insurer on her bide thereof. The court also adopted objective standard to measure the severe emotional distress suffered by plaintiff due to the variation of mental consequences suffered by individuals in justification of their decision. This case is governed by Illinois law as abases in determining the matter at hand in recover the damages suffered by plaintiff due to a sever distress. There are also some cases of this similar which have been handle by the supreme court of Illinois, it now become prudent to make such presumption based on references thereto. The information in paragraph 8 has been organized in way that produce a clear picture in elaborating the issue and facts that would substantiate the matter alleged. The connector; â€Å"as to the reason that† has been used to transition from one element of other parts of the paragraph to another. The California court case of Siliznoff, Crisci, and Fletcher, are very precedence in determining the alleged act of insurer in law of tort. In these cases the judgment was affirmed by the supreme court of California where a damage of $25,000 was paid in compensation of mental suffering caused by insurance company in their refusal to owner the settlement within the limit of the liability policy. The objective of procuring the insurance

The Extraction of Aluminium Essay Example for Free

The Extraction of Aluminium Essay The metal aluminium is a very important to many of the worlds industries how ever it requires a special process called electrolysis to extract it form other metals which is commonly found with. As i mentioned aluminium is an extremely useful metal and has many uses which we depend on in our daily lifes which are any thing from packaging to being used in transportation. This means that we have to to be able to extract aluminium, as it is extremely rare to find aluminium as a free metal. In fact, it is know to combine with over 270 other metals. Extraction is a major problem for aluminium and there is no ideal solution. However there are many not so perfect solutions that are currently being practiced today. In this essay I will look into some of the limitations and benefits of the current extraction techniques. I will also look at some of the economic and environmental effects the extraction of aluminium has. When aluminium is extracted from the other metals it must go through processes called electrolysis. Aluminium is not an easy metal to extract from other metals it is found in nature with, therefore it takes a lot of electricity to extract aluminium. Because it is such an energy consuming processe researchers have found ways to cut down the energy usage by adding different compounds to the aluminium. The most common way to do this is to add molton cryolite to the molton aluminium. With adding molton cryolite to the molton aluminium alone it effectively lowers the temperature needed extract from 2000à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C to 950à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, that is more than a 50% decrease in the required temperature 2. However due to the fact that the oxygen reacts with the carbon positive electrodes this can cause an inconvenience. When oxygen (O) reacts with carbon (C) it forms carbon dioxide (CO2). When the carbon dioxide forms it eats away the positive electrode over time. As the positive electrodes are eaten away they must be replaced on a frequent and regular basis, this is a negatieve inconvenience that further adds to the cost of producing aluminum which is already high form the large amount of energy that is needed 3. In the remainder of this essay I will look at the aluminium electrolysis plant located in Reydarfjordur, Iceland. I will look at some of the environmental and economic consequences of this plant run by Alcoa. When a new plant or factory is created it can either be good or a bad thing and have both positive and negative effects on the economy and the environnent. With this plant in Reydarfjordur it has a great effect on the economy as it brings many new jobs to this not yet developed region of Iceland. In order to build this plant it requires around 1800 temporary jobs. After the plant is in a running and stable condition it will require about 450 people on a daily basis as well as another 300 jobs that will be indirectly created 1. As jobs in the eastern Iceland or Reydarfjordur area have been steadily decreasing over time this will hopefully boost the employment rate and provide jobs for many. When extracting aluminium there is no environmentally friendly solution however many new plants, including the Alcoa plant in Reydarfjordur have much lower emissions than others that are older or less environmentally friendly. The new plan for the Alcoa plant in Reydarfjordur has significantly lower emission rates than other Alcoa plants which are all within local standards. Alcoa claims they are a large supporter of sustainable development and for this plant alone they have over 60 experts looking in to and implementing ways to preserve our environment. This new factory meets and exceeds all European Union and Icelandic emissions requirements, this is the first step to creating a sustainable plant. In fact, a recent study regarding this factory shows Alcoa factory located in Iceland had 35% lover CO2 emissions than other leading aluminum plants. As well as having lower CO2 emissions they also boast 40% less PFC emissions and a 80% lower nitrogen oxide emissions 1. Bibliography: 1. Alcoa. Acoa. 2 Feb. 2008 http://www.alcoa.com/iceland/en/info_page/reydarfjordur.asp. 2. Various. Alumiumum. Wikipedia. 1 Feb. 2008. 2 Feb. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium. 3. Extraction of AL. BBC. 2 Feb. 2008 http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/chemistry/usefulproductsrocks/electrolysisrev3.shtml.

Vegetable Oils Determining Degree Of Unsaturation And Viscosity Biology Essay

Vegetable Oils Determining Degree Of Unsaturation And Viscosity Biology Essay Oil is an integral part of everyones life. Life without oil is not possible, especially in cooking. But there is a limit to which how much oil can be used for the purpose of cooking. The health factors have to be considered. There are different types of oil that are used for cooking and eating purposes. But how many of them are actually safe for health? How many of them do not cause any health problems like high cholesterol etc which in turn leads to diseases like heart attacks? This topic is definitely worthy for investigation because a lot can be found out by determining the iodine number of different oils. For example, the degree of unsaturation is the main thing that can be found out by performing the experiment of Iodine Value. From the degree of unsaturation, we can determine the boiling points of the oils and their effect on the human body. Though my experiment is only for four oils, namely, mustard oil, olive oil, coconut oil and canola oil, there is great scope for investigation even in these oils. The main purpose of this investigation is to establish the relationship between the degree of unsaturation in the oil and the viscosity of the oil Vegetable or Cooking oil is used on an everyday basis. Vegetable oil is purified fat of plant origin which is liquid at room temperature.There are many different kinds of vegetable oils, some of them are: Olive oil, Sunflower oil, Soybean oil, Sesame oil, Coconut oil, Peanut oil, Corn oil etc. Fats and oils are esters of triglycerols and fatty acids. When an oil is unsaturated, it means that the fatty acids consist of a long chain hydrocarbon that have carbon-carbon double bonds. The degree of unsaturation can be determined by finding out the amount of mass that is used to overcome the carbon-carbon double bonds.The amount of iodine that reacts is used to find the iodine number of the oil and this is used to indicate the degree of unsaturation in the oil. The higher the iodine number the greater the unsaturation. Unsaturated oils are less stable than saturated oils. They keep less well than the saturated oils. This is because the carbon carbon double bond in the unsaturated oils react with the oxygen in the air. This may lead to discolouration to the surface of the oil, decrease in the nutrient oil and they also lead to rancidity. They are more prone to hydrogenation and to hydrolysis. Oils are very important to our body, they provide energy because they contain proportionately less oxygen than carbohydrates and they release more energy when they are oxidised.They also provide the structural components of the cell membrane. They also help in the production of steroid hormones like progesterone and testosterone. Unsaturated oils are very harmful to health. They damage the immune system, cause hormonal imbalances and many other problems. They pose a major health risk. Unsaturated oils get rancid when exposed to air; that is called oxidation, Free radicals are produced in the process. This process is accelerated at higher temperatures. The free radicals produced in this method react with parts of cells, such as molecules of DNA and protein and may become attached to those molecules, causing abnormalities of structure and function. The greater the degree of unsaturation of the oil, the better it is for the body. This is because, as mentioned above, the greater the degree of unsaturation the lower the melting point. The average body temperature of the human body is around 98.8.F. Any oil below this temperature is extremely good for the body. This is because the oil wont linger in the stomach for a very long time, because if it stays in the stomach for a very long time, then it can make the body sick. Also, oils below this temperature helps in dissolving the fat that is already present in the body instead of further accumulating the amount of fat in the body. These oils do not clog up the arteries and they do not become hostile plaques. If the oil has less degree of unsaturation or is saturated, then it has a higher melting point, this is because the Vander Waal forces are stronger when compared to the oils that have a greater degree of unsaturation. This would require more energy to overcome the intermolecular forces causing a higher melting point. Now, since the oil will have to burn at a higher temperature, the body temperature has to rise to above the average body temperature to that specific temperature. If it does not reach to that particular temperature for the oil to burn, it can cause indigestion and clogged arteries. They help raise a persons high density lipoproteins (HDL). HDL carries cholesterol from the blood back to the liver. The liver then breaks down the cholesterol so that it can be eliminated from the body. This helps the excess cholesterol from being deposited in the arteries. Word Count: 572 EXPERIMENT A- DETERMINING THE IODINE VALUE OF THE OILS Design 2.1.1 Aim: Finding the iodine number to determine the degree of unsaturation of various different vegetable oils Iodine Number: it is the measure of the degree of the unsaturation in oils and fats. It is expressed in terms of centigrams of iodine absorbed per gram of sample( percentage by weight of iodine absorbed) 2.1.2 Apparatus: Iodine Flasks, 250 ml Micro Beaker, I ml Burette, 50 ml Beakers, 250 ml 2.1.3 Chemicals Required: De ionized Water Carbon Tetrachloride Iodine monochloride(Wijs solution) Potassium Iodide solution Starch Solution Aqueous Thiosulphate standard solution 2.1.4 Oils required: Olive Oil Mustard Oil Coconut Oil Canola Oil 2.1.5 Procedure: One 250 ml iodine flask was labeled BLANK and the other iodine flask was labeled SAMPLE A sample of oil was collected in a 50 ml beaker of known weight and was weighed in an analytical weighing balance in order to obtain the weight of the oil to 4 decimal places Subsequently, 20 ml of Carbon Tetrachloride was added to the beaker, stirred and this solution was transferred to an Iodine Flask. 5 ml of Wijs Solution was transferred to the iodine flask using a microbeaker The Iodine flask was covered with an airtight lid and was kept away in the dark for 45 minutes After 45 minutes, 10 ml of Potassium Iodide solution was poured into the lid of the Iodine Flask The lid was slowly raised allowing a minimum air gap to prevent any iodine vapours formed as a result of the previous reactions, thus allowing the Potassium Iodide to drip slowly into the iodine flask 100 ml of water was added to the flask in a similar way and stirred so that the excess iodine was dissolved The solution was then titrated with Na2 ­S2O3 solution and when it turned to a straw color, approximately 5ml of starch solution was added which made the solution turn into a blue-black solution The titration was resumed drop by drop until the solution turned colorless. The volume of Na2 ­S2O3 was noted( both in the beginning of the titration and at the end of the titration) The above procedure was carried out without the oil to obtain the BLANK value The experiment was repeated thrice with the same oil The same procedure was carried out with another sample of oil Calculations Formula for the calculation for the Iodine Value of any oil Where: B Volume of Na2 ­S2O3 required for the BLANK sample S Volume of Na2 ­S2O3 required by the SAMPLE sample S Normality of the Thiosulphate Solution (N) W Mass of the oil taken (g) 2.2 DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION OLIVE OIL Initial Volume (ml) ±0.05 ml Final Volume (ml) ±0.05 ml Reading 1 0 13.9 Reading 2 0 14.3 Reading 3 0 14.1 Volume of the BLANK sample = 28.6 ml Mass of the oil = 0.2407 gm MUSTARD OIL Initial Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Final Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Reading 1 0 9.4 Reading 2 0 9.1 Reading 3 0 8.9 Volume of the BLANK sample = 28.6 ml Mass of the oil: 0.2527 gm COCONUT OIL Initial Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Final Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Reading 1 0 26.5 Reading 2 0 27.3 Reading 3 0 26.8 Volume of the BLANK sample = 28.6 ml Mass of the oil: 0.2808 gm CANOLA OIL Initial Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Final Volume (ml)  ±0.05 ml Reading 1 0 6.0 Reading 2 0 5.2 Reading 3 0 5.5 Volume of the BLANKsample = 28.6 ml Mass of the oil = 0.2771 gm 2.3 DATA PROCESSING OLIVE OIL Average Values Initial Volume= = 0 ml Final Volume = = 14.1 ml Calculation of the Iodine Value =78.98 MUSTARD OIL Average Values Initial Volume = = 0ml Final Volume = = 9.1 Calculation of the Iodine Value: = 101.2 COCONUT OIL Average Values Initial Volume = = 0ml Final Volume = = 26.9ml Calculation of the Iodine Value: = 9.937 CANOLA OIL Average Values Initial Volume = = 0ml Final Volume = = 5.6ml Calculation of the Iodine Value: = 108.8 Error Propagation Blank Value= 28.6 ml Error in the BLANK:  ±0.05 ml OLIVE OIL: Value of the SAMPLE: 14.1ml Error in SAMPLE :  ±0.05 ml (BLANIK-SAMPLE) = (28.6-14.1) = 14.5 ml Error in (BLANK- SAMPLE) =  ±(0.05+0.05)=  ±0.1 ml Percentage error in (BLANK SAMPLE) = 0.69% Percentage error in mass = 0.02% Therefore % error in Iodine Value: 0.02+0.69 = 0.71 % Value of Iodine Number = 78.98 Error in Iodine Number =  ±0.56 Iodine Number of Olive Oil = 78.98 ±0.56 MUSTARD OIL Value of the SAMPLE: 9.1ml Error in SAMPLE :  ±0.05 ml (BLANK-SAMPLE) = (28.6-9.1) = 19.5 ml Error in (BLANK- SAMPLE) =  ±(0.05+0.05)=  ±0.1 ml Percentage error in (BLANK SAMPLE) = 0.51% Percentage error in mass = 0.02% Therefore % error in Iodine Value: 0.02+0.51 = 0.53 % Value of Iodine Number = 101.2 Error in Iodine Number =  ±0.54 Iodine Number of Mustard Oil = 101.2 ±0.54 COCONUT OIL Value of the SAMPLE: 26.9 Error in SAMPLE :  ±0.05 ml (Blank-Sample) = (28.6-26.9) = 1.7 ml Error in (Blank- Sample) =  ±(0.05+0.05)=  ±0.1 ml Percentage error in (Blank Sample) = 5.8% Percentage error in mass = 0.02% Therefore % error in Iodine Value: 0.02+5.8 = 5.82 % Value of Iodine Number = 9.937 Error in Iodine Number =  ±0.59 Iodine Number of Olive Oil = 9.937 ±0.59 CANOLA OIL Value of the SAMPLE: 5.6ml Error in SAMPLE :  ±0.05 ml (Blank-Sample) = (28.6-5.6) = 23 ml Error in (Blank- Sample) =  ±(0.05+0.05)=  ±0.1 ml Percentage error in (Blank Sample) = 0.43% Percentage error in mass = 0.02% Therefore % error in Iodine Value: 0.02+0.43 = 0.45 % Value of Iodine Number = 108.8 Error in Iodine Number =  ±0.49 Iodine Number of Olive Oil = 108.8 ±0.49 EXPERIMENT B- DETERMINING -THE VISCOSITY OF THE VEGETABLE OILS 3.1 Design 3.1.1 Hypothesis: To determine the viscosity of the following oils: Olive Oil Canola Oil Mustard Oil Coconut oil 3.1.2 Apparatus required: Viscometer 25ml density bottle Weighing balance Pipette 3.1.3 Chemicals Required: Olive Oil- 25 ml Mustard Oil- 25 ml Canola Oil- 25 ml Coconut oil- 25ml Distilled water- 25 ml 3.2 Procedure: Part A: Determination of the Density The oils were added up to the brim of a 25 ml density bottle of a known weight. The bottle was covered using a lid. And the excess oil was dipped off from the side of the lids. The density bottle was then cleaned. The bottle and the oil together were weighed in order to get the mass of the oil that is going to be used in the process of the experiment With the help of this calculated weight and a predetermined volume of 25 ml , the density of the oil could be calculated. The above process was carried out for all the oils and the water as well Part B: Determination of time taken in order to flow down a viscometer A Viscometer consists of a U-Tube with 2 reservoirs. 100 ml of the oil was added to the opening as indicated The oil was then pipetted up on the other side until the lower meniscus reached the level marked as A. It was held at this point by using a finger which covered the opening. As soon as the finger was released the oil flowed down and the at the same time a timer was started. The oil flowed through the reservoir and as soon as the lower meniscus reached the level marked at B, the timer was stopped and the time was noted. The above procedure was carried out for all the other oils and was carried out for water as well With the help of the above data, the viscosity of the oil , relative to the viscosity of the water could be calculated. 3.3 Data Collection and Processing Density of the Samples: Name of Sample Mass of 25ml gravity bottle( ± 0.00005 g) Mass of 25 ml density bottle + sample ( ± 0.00005g) Mass of the Sample ( ±0.0005 g) Density of the sample( Mass of the sample/25) Olive Oil 17.2358 g 40.2675 23.0317 0.9213 Canola Oil 17.2358 g 40.2872 23.0514 0.9221 Mustard Oil 17.2358 g 40.0860 22.8502 0.9140 Coconut Oil 17.2358 g 40.2733 23.0375 0.9215 Water 17.2358 g 42.3569 25.1211 1.0048 Time Taken Name of the Sample Time Taken( ± 0.5 sec) Olive Oil 8659 Canola Oil 6144 Mustard Oil 7628 Coconut Oil 9952 Water 151 Calculations Formula for the calculation of the relative velocity Ã…Å  1 = D1 ÃÆ'- t1 Ã…Å  2 D2 ÃÆ'- t2 Where, Where: Ã…Å  1 = Viscosity of Oil Ã…Å  2 = Viscosity of water Clearly, Ã…Å  1 = Relative Viscosity of Oil with respect to water Ã…Å  2 D1 = Density of oil D2 = Density of water t1 = Time required for the oil to flow between 2 marked points on the viscometer t2 = Time required for water to flow between 2 marked points on the viscometer 3.4 CALCULATIONS From the above observations we can find the viscosity of the oils. Olive Oil = [0.9213  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (8659  ± 0.5) = 52.27  ± 0.2 - [1.0048  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (151  ± 0.5) Canola Oil = [0.9221  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (6144  ± 0.5) = 37.33  ± 0.2 [1.0048  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (151  ± 0.5) Mustard Oil = [0.9140  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (7628  ± 0.5) = 45.95  ± 0.2 [1.0048  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (151  ± 0.5) Coconut Oil = [0.9215  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (9952  ± 0.5) = 60.44  ± 0.2 - [1.0048  ± (2 ÃÆ'- 10-6)] ÃÆ'- (151  ± 0.5) ANALYSIS From the above graphs, we see that there is an inverse relationship shared between the degree of unsaturation and the value of the viscosity Unsaturated oils are those that have carbon carbon double bonds because it lacks hydrogen atoms. Poly unsaturated oils are those that contain more than one carbon double bond. They are also called the polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs and sometimes, they are also known as Essential fatty acids The degree of unsaturation can be found out by finding out the amount of mass that is used to overcome the carbon-carbon double bonds.The amount of iodine that reacts is used to find the iodine number of the oil and this is used to indicate the degree of unsaturation in the oil. A carbon double bond consists of one à Ã†â€™ bond and one à Ã¢â€š ¬ bond. à Ã†â€™ bonds are formed by the end on interaction of the electrons in a s-orbital. When they react they produce a bond in which the electron density is at its greatest on the internuclear axis ( imaginary line joining the nuclei) and is symmetric about it. à Ã¢â€š ¬ bond is formed by the side on interaction of the electrons of the p-orbitals at right angles to the internuclear axis. This bond has low electron density on the inter nuclear axis . The electron density for this type of bond is at the highest on the sides opposite to the internuclear axis. The presence of the double bond in the hydrocarbon chain makes the short. And hence there is greater number of electrons causing greater amount of repulsive forces. This is called the Bayers strain. The more the number of double bonds the greater the strain and shorter the length of the hydrocarbon. These types of hydrocarbon chain undergo addition reactions faster when compared to those that are longer with less number of double bonds. When they undergo addition reaction they get relived of the stress and the strain causing the length of the hydrocarbon to expand. Hence, the greater mass of Iodine use, the greater the number of carbon double bonds and greater the Iodine number and greater the degree of unsaturation. Therefore, greater the iodine number greater the degree of unsaturation The carbon in the double bond is sp2 hybridized. Hence the shape is trigonal planar and the molecule comes into one plane. Therefore, the molecules in a double bonded carbon are spaced out. When the carbon bond is saturated, that is, having only single bonds, the bonds are sp3 hybridized. The shape therefore is tetrahedral and hence molecules become spread in two planes. As a result, the molecules become more tightly packed, thus becoming denser. Therefore, lesser the amount of double bonds, the more tightly it will be packed when it becomes saturated and hence it will become more denser. This brings out a relationship between the iodine value, the degree of unsaturation and the viscosity. Greater the iodine value, greater the degree of unsaturation and lower the value of the viscosity. Greater the degree of unsaturation, lower the melting point. This is because in unsaturated oils there are carbon-carbon double bonds. The presence of these double bonds makes the hydrocarbon chain less straight. This weakens the strength of the Van Der Waals forces because there is less contact between the chains. Therefore, greater the degree of unsaturation, lower the melting point. Also, unsaturated oils are less stable than those that are saturated. Therefore, greater the degree of unsaturation, the less stable it is. CONCLUSION From the above experiment and analysis, we observe various number of things. Greater the Iodine value of the oil, greater the degree of unsaturation and lower the viscosity. Using this analysis, we can say that Canola Oil has the highest iodine value, that is, and the least Viscosity value, that is . This means that Canola Oil is the safest to cook and use because it provides a lot of health benefits when compared to the sample of the other oils. Mustard oil, which has an iodine value of and Viscosity value of is the comes second in the four oils that have been used for the experiment. Olive oil, that has an iodine value of and a viscosity value of is not recommended to use because out of the four oils that are were used for the experiment this falls under the third category. Coconut oil is very hazardous for the health because its iodine value is and the viscosity value is. It is recommended not to use coconut oil for cooking purposes. Sources of Error Error might have occurred when transferring the oil from one beaker to another. This might have lead to minor errors occurring in the process of the experiment The analytical balance did measure the mass of the oil to an accuracy of four significant figures, but there were few disturbance like noise and the shaking of the table around the analytical balance that made the digit in the balance to waver between one number to another. There might be some ICl (Iodine Monochloride) left behind when it was transferred from the beaker to the Iodine Flask. After the one hour in the dark, KI was to be added to the iodine flask by opening the lid slowly and making the KI to drip slowly into the flask. During this short period where the lid of the flask was opened, there might have been chances where the iodine vapors could have escaped from the reaction in the Iodine Flask causing errors in the experiment. During the process of titration, there are chances that there was excess amount of Sodium Thiosulphate was added for the color to turn colorless. This might have caused the wrong reading being taken which in turn can lead to the wrong calculation that can increase the difference between the original Iodine value and experimentally calculated Iodine Value While measuring the amount of starch solutions, Wijs solution etc, to be added in the process of the experiment, there are chances of parallax errors that could have caused errors in the process of the experiment There are chances that the apparatus had some tiny unwanted particles that might have been mixed with the other chemicals causing errors in the experiment While measuring the volume of the sodium thiosulphate used for the experiment from the burette, there are chances that there was a tiny difference between the reading that was recorded and the actual reading. The solution f Potassium Iodide was prepared in the lab by diluting the KI powder into water. Therefore, there might have been an error in the diluting the Potassium Iodide like for example, adding extra Potassium Iodide powder or adding extra amount of water. In some of the apparatus, there were readings that were not very clear. This might have caused errors in the experiment. For the experiment to determine the Viscosity of the oils, the experiment had to be carried out in similar atmospheric conditions. There could have been variations in the chemistry lab hence leading to errors in the experiment. Evaluation: To reduce the weighing error, the sample should be weighed repeatedly. This will reduce the random errors caused because of the weighing. This will also give an accurate mass that will reduce the errors in the experiment. While transferring chemicals, care should be taken so as to avoid the chemicals from spilling Repeated measurements could have been conducted while measuring the BLANK value and the SAMPLE value. This would have reduced the random as well as systematic errors that are caused by incorrect readings and unclear readings in the apparatus. The apparatus used in the lab for the process of experimentation should be of good quality so as to minimize the errors and increase the accuracy in the experiment.

How does breastfeeding affect a babys physical development

How does breastfeeding affect a babys physical development Breastfeeding is deemed by many, as being the most important nourishment for a child. Breastfeeding provides a better and more balanced form of nutrition for the babies. Breast milk contains the accurate amount and quality of nutrients that perfectly lay within the babys primary dietary needs (Canadian Paediatric Society). To protect, promote, and keep the practice of breastfeeding alive the following research question is going to be looked at in depth throughout the report; how does breastfeeding affects and aids a babys physical development? There are countless physical benefits of breastfeeding for a baby. However the main focus of this report will be looking at the link to digestion, obesity, and dental health of the child. Breast milk is the best food for babies, the reason being is, it provides the exact combination of fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and enzymes required at various stages of growth of the new born (Kristen Burgess). Along with these features the most important part is that it is easily digestible for an infant (Leena Palande, 2010). A babys digestive system is immature and cow milk and other proteins found in formulas are heavy on the digestive system. Breast milk posses as a less load on the infants digestive system since a babys less developed digestive system requires highly absorbable nutrients. Human proteins are also more digestible as compared to the cow or other proteins that are found in the formula. Breast milk assists in proper maturity of the babys gastrointestinal tract; the stomach and the intestine as a functional unit (Jon Ahrendsen). Breast milk includes a particular protein called immunoglobulin, which operates like a defensive sealant in the digestive tract. Breas t milk also possesses a unique substance known as epidermal growth factor (EGF). It encourages the development of the cells lining in the babys intestines in addition to other surface cells, for instance the cells of the skin. These are some of the qualities of the breast milk which aid to develop the babys digestive track in a health and a strong way. Secondly, studies have found out that there is a reduced risk of being obese, among the breastfed children. Its best results were observed amongst teenagers, which show that the obesity-reducing effect of  breastfeeding  expands numerous years into a childs life. One more research revealed that the threat of becoming overweight was decreased by four percent for every month of  breastfeeding. This influence stables past nine months of  breastfeeding. The protecting benefit of  breastfeeding  is possibly caused through a number of factors. Firstly, infant formula includes approximately twice the amount of protein per serving as breast milk. This surplus quantity of protein might motivate insulin discharge in an unhealthy way. Secondly, the biological reaction to breast milk is different from that of formula. When nourishing a baby, the mothers milk encourages the babys liver to discharge a protein that aids to normalize metabolism (Breastfeeding Medicine). Feeding formula a s an alternative to breast milk, multiplies the babys concentrations of insulin in a persons blood, delays the insulin reaction, and even childhood is linked to the adverse concentrations of leptin, a hormone that slows down the hunger and restrains the body fat. Other than that premature introduction of solids (before 6 months) to the babies might also increase the danger of childhood obesity. Lastly breastfeeding also has one of its significant impacts on the dental health of the baby. Studies have found out that breast milk contains high levels of protecting chemicals and manufactures comparatively little acid in the mouth. Amongst breastfed children, the longer the period of nursing the lower risk of malocclusion; an undesirable relative positioning of the upper and lower teeth when the jaw is closed. Breast-fed kids have an enhanced overall dental health. Ones Breastfed have comparatively well-built teeth which are in good shape as well. They hardly ever require orthodontic work; the region of dentistry worried about the avoidance and correction of irregularities of the teeth, for example braces. In general children who are breastfed possess better dental health than those of formula-fed children (Target Woman). The main reason behind this benefit is the nutrients included in the breast-milk as well as the exceptional sucking action requisite by the breastfeeding. This benefit has a very long term effect on the baby. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of tooth decay. There are fewer chances of cavities  among the breastfed infants. One of the finest treatments for childrens tooth decay requires the mother to continue breastfeeding, at the same time enhancing her diet (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry). As the babies jaw muscles are energetically exercising while suckling, their steady pulling promotes the development of well-built jaws in addition to straight, healthy teeth.  Suckling at the breast is great for a babys tooth and jaw growth (Leslie Burby). All of the above facts clearly prove that breastfed infants are to a benefit when it comes to having healthy teeth. These were some of the thousands of significant influences of breastfeeding on a baby. It is very clear through the reports and studies that have been carried out throughout the world that breastfeeding does play an extremely important role; in the development of the digestive system, in reducing the risk of obesity and in providing a better dental health to the baby. Almost all of these affects do stay into a childs life for a long period of time. These qualities are incredibly essential for a babys successful development. Although physical development of a child is such an extremely important topic, but still there is not a huge study done on this topic in particular. As the above research has been done through numerous different web sites, peer reviewed articles and books. It is highly suggested that there should be a much more firmed research done, from the perspective of the physical effects of breastfeeding on the child. In specific, as there are so many benefits of breastfeedi ng on the child, why not the government banned formula for the mothers who chose not to breastfeed their children. Work sited Davis, J N,  Weigensberg, M J,  Shaibi, G Q,  Crespo, N E,  Kelly, L A,  Lane, C J,  Ã‚  Goran, M I  (April 2007).  Influence of breastfeeding on obesity and type 2 diabetes risk factors in Latino youth with a family history of type 2 diabetes.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Diabetes Care. Canadian Paediatric Society , PS. (n.d.).  breastfeeding. Retrieved fromhttp://www.cps.ca/caringforkids/pregnancybabies/Breastfeeding Jon Ahrendsen, JA. (n.d.).  advantages of breastfeeding. Retrieved from http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_more Target Woman, TW. (n.d.).  Benefits of breastfeeding. Retrieved from http://www.targetwoman.com/articles/benefits-breastfeeding.html Kristen Burgess, KB. (n.d.).  Why breastfeed my baby?. Retrieved from http://www.naturalbirthandbabycare.com/why-breastfeed.html Leena Palande, LP. (2010, nov 18).  Advantages of breastfeeding. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-of-breastfeeding.htm American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, AAPD. (n.d.).  Breast milk andcavities.Retrievedfromhttp://www.curetoothdecay.com/Baby_Bottle_Tooth_Decay/breast_milk_cavities.htm Leslie Burby, LB. (n.d.).  101 reasons to breastfeed. Retrieved from http://www.asnatureintended.info/breastfeeding.html Evenhouse, E.,  Ã‚  Reilly, S.  (Dec 2005).  Improved estimates of the benefits of breastfeeding using sibling comparisons to reduce selection bias.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health Services Research.   Breastfeeding Medicine (May 2010). Early childhood: breastfeeding, solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation, an excerpt from the white house task force on childhood obesity: report to the president.  

Mobile Phones Essay -- Technology

In their relatively short period of widespread use since their introduction in 1978 (Agar, 2003), handheld mobile telephones have had a significant impact across the globe on a social and economic level, however the long term impact of their use is difficult to predict. Despite this, mobile use in Australia has rapidly grown to rate of almost 130 phones per 100 people (MNO Directory, 2011), one of the highest in the world. Increasingly, consumers are purchasing smart phones, which have the same capabilities as computers in terms of internet access and processing power (Macmillan, 2007). These modern â€Å"smart phones† also allow for advanced features, such as mobile high-speed access to the internet and social media, and the ability to create, consume and share multi media all from the one device. This always on connectivity has, however, raised concerns regarding the outcomes of constant exposure to mobile phone radiation, but despite the potential risks, Australians continu e to use mobile telephones and their various features more than ever before. The use of social networking applications, such as Facebook and Twitter, on mobile devices has been rapidly rising, and it has been estimated that there are 925 million users of mobile social networking worldwide in 2012 (Meyers, 2008). With modern smart phones being able to access the internet in almost the same way as a desktop computer, the mobile phone has changed from a communication device, to something that constantly connects people with not only other people, but provides a constant source of new information and media. While current research suggests that use of the internet use can strengthen social contact, community engagement and attachment (Ellison, 2007), certain exper... ...ederal Communications Commission"FAQS - Wireless Phones". n.d.. http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/faqs-wireless-phones#evidence (accessed 14/05/2012). Garnell, C. "Apps: the future of tech or a passing fad?". April 2011. http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/apps-the-future-of-tech-or-a-passing-fad--941212 (accessed 14/05/2012). MacMillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. 2ed. Macmillan, 2007. Macrae, F. "Mobile phones CAN increase cancer risk: Shock finding by major study". The Daily Mail, 2011. Meyers, J. US Mobile Social Networking and the Millennial Generation. Scottsdale: InStat, 2008. MNO Directory"Australia Mobile Market Q1 2008 - Q1 2011, PDF Report". 2011. http://mnodirectory.com/Australia.htm (accessed 15/05/2012). Sigman, A. "Decline In Face-to-Face Contact Linked to Biological Changes in Humans". Biologist, 2009, 2.

The Things they carried Portfolio :: essays research papers

Am Literature  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tarriq Hansrajh 06/07/05  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4th Entry #1: In my pockets: Cell phone – 5oz Keys – 2oz Wallet – 3oz In my backpack: Spanish book – 5lbs Trig book – 9lbs 4 1 inch binders – 12lbs USHAP notebook – 1lb Other misc. items – 1.5lbs Total Weight: 29lbs 10oz This estimate does not surprise me at all because when I think about all the work that we have to do I remember all the textbooks that we have to carry around. In addition sometimes I come home with my back aching, but that’s usually only when I carry my USHAP notebook with me as well Am Literature  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tarriq Hansrajh 06/07/05  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4th Entry #2: â€Å"Rat† Kiley was born Bob Kiley on April 7 1939 in Albany, New York to Marie and Charlie Kiley. At age 11 Bob was given the nickname â€Å"Rat† by one of his friends when they were walking home from school one day when apparently Bob fell into a large open dumpster and when he emerged he had a few strings of spaghetti sticking out of the back of his pants. The nickname stuck with him all the way to his adulthood. Rat graduated from Creekside High School in 1957. He did not want to attend college right away but wanted to work in one of the factories in his home town to earn some money to pay for college. Even then his co-workers called him â€Å"Rat†. Two years later he had managed to save ten thousand dollar to put toward his college tuition but unfortunately he was drafted just like the rest of the men his age who were not attending college. When he was in Vietnam Rat encountered many terrible situations and was faced with severe heart ache when his best fri end Curt Lemon is killed by a landmine. Rat was devastated by this terrible event and felt an extreme sense of loneliness especially when he wrote a letter to Curt’s sister and she never responded. Rat fought through the rest of the war seeing too many tragedies that are too horrible to mention here and when he returned to his family in 1973, two years before the war ended they found his behavior very strange. They found that he was not the same person that he was before and eventually the found that he had gone completely insane. Rat would mumble things to himself and would scream as if he saw his friend Curt being killed right in front of him.

Boston matrix analysis for BHP Billiton Group

Abstract The paper provides an analysis of BHP Billiton Group based on the Boston matrix. It is indicated that this matrix is a solid marketing tool to determine the financial performance of organisations. It focuses on companies’ market share and market growth. As a result of the implementation of the Boston matrix analysis to BHP Billiton Group, it is concluded that the company is at the position of a cash cow on the matrix. This finding has significant practical implications, and thus recommendations to use certain strategies are provided. Introduction The Boston Matrix represents a marketing tool, which is commonly used to conduct product portfolio analysis and management. This instrument was introduced by the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s (Stern and Deimler, 2006). The Boston Matrix mainly focuses on the dimensions of market share and market growth, as these aspects are considered important to identify the areas in which companies need to utilise resources in order to optimise their profit generation capacity (Kotler, 2006). The matrix indicates a focus on a product management perspective as an integral part of the analytical process. Market share refers to the percentage of the total market, which is attained by organisations. This value can be measured by considering the percentage of revenue or unit volume. It is usually assumed that a high market share suggests significant financial benefits to a company. Market growth relates to the attractive parameters identified in a particular market (Schermerhorn, 2013). Businesses are usually grouped into four major categories: dogs, cash cows, question marks and stars. Dogs are companies that encounter the challenges of low market share and low market growth, while cash cows tend to have a high market share in low growing markets (Kotler, 2006). Question marks have a low market share in high growing markets. Stars represent the ideal situation for organisations because they tend to have a high market share in a rapidly growing industry (Stern and Deimler, 2006). These elements are reported by Stern and Deimler (2006) to generate sufficient cash and extensive opportunities for development. By applying the Boston matrix analysis to the performance of BHP Billiton Groups, it appears that specific information and trends from the company’s segments should be considered. The iron ore segment of the organisation has been following a star strategy by focusing sales in Australia due to its intention to decrease production costs, which would help the corporation obtain a bigger share of the market. This may happen even though growth in Chinese steel output significantly decreases (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). BHP Billiton Groups has a high market share in the Chinese location but low growth, which reflected in the price drops. This in turn decreased the revenues from the company’s associated segments. According to this dimension, the corporation has been following a cash cow strategy. The iron ore segment of the organisation is facing persistent challenges related to the decline of iron price, workers strike as well as strengthening Australian dollar (BHP Billiton Lt d., 2013). The copper segment is also affected by copper prices. As a result, the organisation has been following a question mark strategy by indicating a low market share in China due to the overall decline in copper revenues. Yet, the strategy of the company is to maintain a high market growth because of its positive production outlook in the respective segment. Similarly, the coal segment is negatively affected by low coal prices and rising cost. However, the corporation’s coals continue to be recognised as the most highly valued, supporting strong long-term margins, implying that BHP Billiton Groups has been following a star strategy in the Chinese and Australian locations (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). Future supply growth in the coal segment indicates that it is predominantly Australian, which directly sets the organisation at the position of a star on the Boston matrix. The fact that the outlook for the petroleum segment looks good is important to predict that the company may return to its position as a star on the Boston matrix. One of the expectations in this context is that total shale production is most likely to rise in the future (Stern and Deimler, 2006). In terms of the company’s geographical locations, it seems that geographic factors limit competition for the organisation. The company operates in more than 100 geographical locations across the world. The company’s market share is high due to its diversified portfolio of services. Moreover, its market growth is relatively high (Grant, 2013). Therefore, BHP Billion is pursuing a star marketing strategy considering the mentioned aspects. With regards to the company’s aluminium segment, it can be argued that BHP Billiton is pursuing a star marketing strategy, considering its both high market share and high market growth. For instance, the corporation’s total aluminium production for the fiscal year of 2013 is approximately 1.2 Mt (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). This means that the company’s market share is extremely high in this segment, which along with its high market growth in markets of Western Europe and Asia makes the corporation in a winning star position on the Boston matrix. The manganese segment of the company shows its adoption of a star strategy because approximately 80% of its production is sold directly in countries, such as China, India and South Korea (Grant, 2013). This aspect implies that BHP Billiton has both high market share in the mentioned markets and high market growth. It can be argued that BHP Billiton Group’s share prices were relatively low in 2012. This aspect prompted the company to follow a question mark strategy because despite its low market share, the provision of various natural resources took place in a high growing market (Schemerhorn, 2013). However, at the end of 2012, the corporation gradually started expanding its share prices by representing an adequate price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. This means that the group has focused on following a star strategy in its main segments. Yet, it is challenging to estimate the market price for each product due to the extensive diversity of the company’s products (Grant, 2013). Another challenge associated with the quantification of returns is the categorisation of returns in different currencies. As previously indicated, BHP Billiton Group placed importance on location when it comes to making investments. In the United States, the corporation has been extensively concerned to adhere to a star strategy on the Boston matrix by distributing crude petroleum (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). It is essential to note that the company relies on its current strength of occupying a leading position in global commodities prices that are related to the health of the international economy. This suggests the potential of the corporation to predominantly follow a star strategy, which would guarantee it a better position compared to other organisations operating in the same industry sector (Grant, 2013). Nonetheless, the company is unable to predict currency assessments, which may lead to the adoption of a cash cow or a question mark strategy according to the Boston matrix. It has been indicated that certain flaws in the global economy negatively affect the performance of the corporation in the sen se of decreasing its market share in certain segments. For instance, such flaws may lead to a reduced demand for commodities, which may directly reflect in lower prices and reduced profitability of the company. The diverse portfolio of assets provided by BHP Billiton Group has assumed a solid market position of the company in its major segments. It is important to note that the corporation occupies a leading position in the trade of uranium in Australia after Olympic Dam Mine as well as of other natural assets, such as silver and copper (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). This places the company at a quite favourable position regarding its trade activities and thus it is more likely to adopt a star strategy in its home country. The fact that the corporation is a leading producer of nickel globally is indicative of the high market share it has in different segments and in different locations across the world (Stern and Deimler, 2006). As a result of the application of the Boston matrix analysis to the performance of BHP Billiton Group, it can be suggested that the company has the potential to make a substantial impact on the global delivery of natural assets. Its position as a star in most of its seg ments and in most locations shows solid management and leadership practices present at the organisation. It is important to note that the major purpose of the Boston matrix analysis is to help BHP Billiton Group decide which of its business units should be kept as well as in which areas it can invest further (Grant, 2013). There are different strategies to be applied considering that the organisation is in the position of a cash cow on the Boston matrix. One of these strategies is to hold in order to maintain its sales or market share (Schermerhorn, 2013). Another strategy that can be utilised is to defend its position regardless of the challenges the company faces with regards to its market share and projected market growth (Kotler, 2006). BHP Billiton Group can also implement a strategy, which is identified as ‘milk’, implying that the company is expected to use the cash it generated in the fiscal year to return to its position as a star on the matrix from the period of 2011 to 2012 (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2013). The fact that the company is at the position of a cash cow means that its profitability ratios have significantly declined. For instance, the organisation’s net profit margin, operating profit margin, ROE and ROA deteriorated in the period from 2011 to 2012 and from 2012 to 2013. It can be suggested that the company should seriously rethink its position in the market so as to try its best to restore its star position from the past (Schermerhorn, 2013). The application of the Boston matrix analysis to BHP Billiton Group’s performance yields significant conclusions about the company’s challenges and opportunities that can be addressed. Conclusion This paper has provided an analysis of BHP Billiton Group’s financial performance based on the Boston matrix. It has been indicated that the organisation is currently at the position of a cash cow on the matrix considering its high market share and low growing market (Kotler, 2006). Certain strategies have been provided so that the organisation can implement them in order to improve its position and return to the status of a star, which represents an ideal combination of a high market share and fast growing market (Grant, 2013). References BHP Billiton Ltd. (2013). Stock Analysis on Net [online]. Available at: http://www.stock-analysis-on.net/NYSE/Company/BHP-Billiton-Ltd/Financial-Statement/Income-Statement [Accessed: 14 August 2014]. Grant, R. M. (2013). Contemporary Strategy Analysis. New York: Wiley. Kotler, P. (2006). Marketing Management. New York: Pearson Education. Schermerhorn, J. R. (2013). Exploring Management. New York: Wiley. Stern, C. W. and Deimler, M. S. (2006). The Boston Consulting Group on Strategy: Classic Concepts and New Perspectives. New York: Wiley.