Facility location strategies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Facility location strategies - Case Study Example Facility location in a central place does not mean it should be located centrally literally. It means locating it in a place, which gives access to all the customers with minimum costs. Sometimes located a facility in a single area with many customers may lock out other customers due to resulting distance that will arise. However, remember the objective of locating a facility is to serve all the customers. The process of finding the ideal place to locate a facility can be tricky. However, a number of methods have been used and they have proved successful. These methods include weighted load-distance method, centre of gravity, linear programming, weighted scores and break-even analysis (Suresh, 2009). This report will focus on using the weighted average method to locate the best place to put up a European facility for a US automobile company. The report took a number of location factors, which include location, geography, transportation, proximity to customers and the relative costs of supplying the goods to these destinations. In addition, these locations were ranked on a scale of 0 – 1 based on the said factors, depending on relative importance. After ranking, each location was then scored on a scale of 0 – 100 and this also depended on how important the location was depending on the factors listed.

Analyzation of the Kings Speech Essay Example for Free

Analyzation of the Kings Speech Essay Anatole Francis wrote, â€Å" To accomplish great things, one must not only act but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.† In the film The King’s Speech, King George VI did not believe that speech therapy could help him. He was so traumatized after trying to articulate clearly in front thousands of people. The audience frowned with disdain and sympathy for him. The minute one experiences embarrassment, he or she will never want to experience it again. The King tried many techniques one can think of, But because of his short fuse and temper, he was not too successful. His supportive wife Elizabeth, seeks a speech therapist named Lionel Logue, who was the key to his success and accomplishments with overcoming his speech impediment. Even though the speech therapist didn’t have a degree, his intense therapeutic lessons did the King well, which proves that no one has to have a degree in order to help someone overcome a challenging obstacle. Overcoming a challenge doesn’t happen instantly or automatically. It is the outcome of an intention and conscious efforts to doing things that scare a person. Pageantry involves frequent public speaking and impromptu questions. On one eventful night of the Miss Sophomore Sweetheart 2009-2010 pageant, there was a contestant who was truly awesome the whole night until the question and answer segment. She stepped out in a gorgeous turquoise cocktail dress and cinderella glass heels. She stood in front of the mic awaiting her question. The contestant was so nervous that her knees began to tremble. The only thing she could do was smile and listen. The master of ceremonies finally began asking the question. As the contestant began to answer the question, she stared right into the audience as they were whispering and giggling. She then stopped in her tracks and started to stumble. Her heart felt a deep pounding because of the embarrassing moment. She then got lost in her answer and terribly confused. To end that embarrassing moment, she just said â€Å"Thank you!† She quickly walked off the stage in disappointment knowing that her chance of the crown was gone. After that, she never wanted to do another show again. Later in the year 2010, she decided that she would like to vie for the prestigious title of Virgin Islands Carnival Queen. But she had one problem and that was the impromptu segment of question and answer. In the film The King’s Speech, there were many techniques used to improve his stuttering. This includes diaphragmatic breathing, shadowing, masking and pacing techniques. Also, when they would have little conversations, when he stuttered, Mr. Logue would tell him to sing it in a song. He also used tongue twisters to exercise his tongue. These techniques were also applied in the lessons for the contestant who stumbled on her words. Her chaperone, Mrs. Kenya Frett Rowe, like Mr. Logue, also doesnt have a degree, but, also like him, she did a great job. Taking smaller breaths with the diaphragm, helped the contestant to relax and to speak more fluently. When relaxing the breathing, the entire body will be relaxed, and this would make the body more comfortable than tense and nervous. This was exactly what the contestant needed. She was also taught to pace herself while answering the question. Slowing down and pacing helps tremendously in preventing stuttering and stumbling. Every other day, Mrs. Rowe and the contestant would work on her issue of answering impromptu questions and giving speeches for the show. The day of any interview or introductory performance, they would go to the place where the event was being held and practice. This was a big help for the contestant because it allowed her to feel comfortable on the day of the event. The night of the Virgin Islands Carnival Queen show was one of the biggest moments of her life. It was time to answer the impromptu question. She stepped out onto the stage with confidence, but deep inside, she was very nervous. As she stood in front of the mic, she thought of all the techniques she was taught. After they asked the question she took a deep breathe and began to answer. After she said â€Å"thank you†, she couldn’t believe that she done it. She was in shock and full of excitement at the same time. She was so relieved that it was over. Her chaperone was very proud. As a result of overcoming challenging obstacles, one grows as a person and expands the possibilities that surrounds their life. Stuttering is due to a combination of factors, including genetic and environmental. In order to overcome challenging obstacles, one must have support and someone who believes in them. Mrs. Rowe believed in her contestant just like Mr. Logue believed in the King. He believed that he was a strong and powerful individual whom with time can overcome any obstacle with good help and support. Even though Mr. Logue did not have a degree, he was still a great therapist. This shows that one does not have to be taught in an academic environment to help someone overcome challenging obstacles. Being experienced is just as good as having a degree.

The Invention Of The Revolver History Essay

The Invention Of The Revolver History Essay Revolvers are repeating firearms that consist of a cylinder containing multiple chambers, with at least one barrel for firing. The name revolver comes from the short-form of its original name, revolving gun. As its name suggests, the revolver is uniquely designed such that the chambers of a revolver revolve around an axis. 2. The Invention of the Revolver The first inventor of the revolver was Elisha Haydon Collier. Collier invented the flintlock revolver, which was a single-action, self-priming weapon with automatic release of gunpowder into the pan when the gun hammer was cocked. Patented in 1818, the flintlock revolvers single barrel allowed greater accuracy and faster reloading time (Shaver, 2004 ). Today, the revolvers that we are familiar with are an adaptation of Colliers revolver. One of the most significant pioneers in revolver technology was Samuel Colt. There are many variations as to how Colt first came up with the idea for his revolver, ranging from an eureka moment while shooting whales, to stealing Colliers idea in India (Hosley, 1996 ). Colt patented the percussion cap revolver in December 1835, which enabled muzzle-loading firearms to fire reliably regardless of weather. This was an improvement from Colliers flintlock revolver, which was prone to misfire in wet weather. The shooter would load the chambers of the cylinder with gunpowder and a projectile, and put in place several percussion caps. While this loading procedure might be tedious, it allowed the shooter to have rounds fully prepared ahead of time (Harris, 2011 ). Bullet cartridges were soon introduced in revolvers in the 1870s, replacing gunpowder and caps. The cartridges are a combination of a projectile (the bullet), a propellant (gunpowder) and a primer (the explosive cap), all contained within a metal casing. 3. Evolution of Revolvers 3.1 Type of innovation 3.1.1 Product Innovation The first revolvers invented by Collier were a product innovation. The patent was bought by John Evans and Son of London. It manufactured about 10,000 revolvers to sell mainly to the British forces in India and they are embodied as its outputs (Flemming, 2012). 3.1.2 Incremental Innovation Before the revolvers were invented, other types of handguns such as the single shot and multi barreled pistols existed. Revolvers improved on these handguns and hence were an incremental innovation. Firstly in the past, guns were mostly limited to a single shot except the pepper box however it was heavy and difficult to load since it had multiple barrels for each bullet. The revolver has the capability to deliver multiple loads to a single handgun barrel in quick succession (Delman ,2010). Revolvers are also different in terms of having lower chances of malfunction and thus provide greater reliability. Rounds which fail to fire can usually be cleared by merely pulling the trigger which will cycle the cylinder and place the next available round in a firing position (Riverwalker, 2009). Several malfunctions are however common in pistols that require more complex methods to clear them. Revolvers also have a sturdier design due partly to their heavier construction which allows them to shoot more powerful rounds (Riverwalker, 2009). 3.1.3 Component Innovation The revolver is a component innovation since its major change in handgun design is in creating a rotating cylinder which would come into alignment with a single barrel to fire successive bullets (Harris,2010). Collier combined this with a flintlock mechanism to create the first revolver. 3.1.3 Competence Enhancing vs Competence Destroying Originally, Colliers flintlock revolver was competence enhancing for John Evans and Son of London. However the revolver had several problems and by the 1840s, Colts Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company had adapted the revolvers based on the percussion cap system and mass produced them. This was competence destroying for Colliers company while competence enhancing for Colts (Delman, 2010). 3.2 Mechanics of the Revolver Over the years, the revolver has been constantly evolving and many different variations of the revolver have been invented. Despite this, the fundamental design of the revolver still remains the same, with several firing chambers arranged in a circle in a cylindrical block. This differs from other repeating firearms that use a single firing chamber with a different mechanism to load and extract cartridges. In modern revolvers, there is a spring-loaded hammer located at one end of the cylinder, in line with the barrel (Fig. 1). By cocking the hammer back, a new cartridge is lined up between the hammer and the barrel. To release the bullet, a pull of the trigger would result in the spring throwing the hammer forward so it hits the primer at the back of the bullet. The primer explodes, igniting the propellant and driving the bullet down the barrel. Macintosh HD:Users:helpdesk:Desktop:Screen Shot 2013-03-02 at 1.21.04 AM.png Figure 1 The inside of the barrel is lined with spiralling grooves, which increases the stability of the bullet by spinning it. A longer barrel not only improves stability, but also increases the speed of the bullet. 3.2.1 Actions (Mechanism) Single-Action Mechanism Single-action revolvers are revolvers that require the user to cock the weapon manually. The act of pulling back the cock rotates the cylinder and the user can then pull the trigger to fire it. Colts original revolver design involved a ratchet and pawl mechanism to hold the cylinders in place. Double-Action Mechanism Most revolvers today are double-action revolvers that perform two functions: cocking, and then firing the gun. Robert Adams, a British gunsmith, invented double-action revolvers in 1851. In this mechanism, pulling the trigger halfway automatically rotates the cylinder and releases the cocked hammer. Pulling back the trigger even more releases the cocked hammer. This would allow the user to fire the double-action revolver in one trigger pull. 3.3 How it has evolved 4. Uses Applications 4.1 Self Defence In the US where private gun ownership is legalized, a third of all gun sales can be attributed to handguns, including revolvers (Harris, 2013). Many Americans choose the revolver as a self-defense weapon due to its ease of use, maintenance and general reliability. To fire a revolver, a novice gun owner merely needs to aim and pull the trigger for double action revolvers or cock the hammer and then pull the trigger for single action revolvers. Their simplicity in design allows an average person to shoot safely and competently without much training. They are also relatively more affordable and sustainable due to the ability to withstand neglect (Riverwalker, 2009). 4.2 Combat Military The revolver was first adopted in combat by the Texas Rangers against the hostile native Indians who outnumbered them in Texas (Brown, 2013). Later on it was introduced into the U.S army in 1846 when the Mexican War began as Capt. Samuel H. Walker collaborated with Colt to design a novel and more powerful revolver (Colt Defense LLC, 2013). Throughout US military history up till 1985, revolvers had been the standard firearm, to arm the soldiers on battlefields such as during the Civil War, World War I and II. Although later on they were replaced by higher ammunition and faster reloading semi-automatic pistols, today they continued to be employed largely by guards, Navy Shore Patrol, and intelligence and counterintelligence operatives (Olive-Drab, 2013). 4.3 Sporting Hunting Handgun hunting has become a popular sport and most hunters use revolvers since they provide the reliability needed to hunt all types of big game (Hampton, 2013). Hunting with revolvers is more challenging and hones a hunters skills since the guns have comparatively shorter sight radius and less powerful ammunition. Hunters must also stalk closer to the prey to kill it humanely and this gives it greater chance of escaping from the hunters. A significant amount of practice is required to develop accuracy and marksmanship in revolver hunting (Wilson, 2010). 4.4 Law Enforcement Since the 1870s American police forces have relied on revolvers to arrest criminals and protect civilians. The most popular revolver used in law enforcement history was the Colt Official Police invented in 1927 which sold up to 400,000 units by 1970 (Scarlata, 2011). It was the top choice across numerous American police departments for one third of a century. Although production of this model has ceased today, other types of revolvers still play a significant role as back up and off duty firearms among American police officers. 5. Impacts of the Revolver 5.1 Military As an important tool for the military, the revolver has transformed major warfare in history and especially assisted in westward expansion. In the American Civil War in 1860, revolvers were one of the new and powerful weapons that forced armies to change their battle techniques. The Lemat and Colt revolvers were the most common firearms used. For example, Samuel Colt alone produced 200,000 of his guns for the Union and Confederate troops (Elbehri, 2010). These guns were more accurate and required less time to reload since they could fire multiple shots at one time. Combat at the time occurred at short distances and cavalrymen had to charge into formations of the enemy and use firearms and sabers to disrupt them and spread panic. At close ranges, revolvers were very powerful and handy especially while the cavalrymen were in saddles. This allowed armies to attack enemies more easily and aggressively. After the war, the US military adopted the Single Action Army revolver as the standard firearm and they aided the front troops to fight in the Indian war, Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War (military factory, 2011). In World War I, although the Americans had started switching to semi-automatic pistols, the M1917 revolvers continued to play a key role in filling the urgent need for guns. The British-made Webley revolvers also served as the standard sidearm for British soldiers in the war (Lewis, 2012). This sudden popularity in the armies was due to the revolvers small size which allowed airmen and tank operators to be armed under their space constrained environments (Duffey, 2009). Additionally, given its sturdy design and dependability, it was ideally suited to muddy and adverse conditions of trench warfare (Lewis, 2012). In World War II, the British and American troops continued using .38 calibre revolvers until finally afterwards, semi-automatic pistols replaced the revolvers in most militaries worldwide. 5.2 Societal Impacts Due to the strong gun culture that exists in U.S., this report will only be studying the societal impacts that revolvers have caused in U.S. Among the developed countries in the world today, U.S. has the highest number of gun owners. About 9 in 10 Americans own more than 270 million guns (Alpers, Philip and Wilson, 2013). That is 5% of the worlds population owning 35-50% of the worlds civilian-owned firearms, of which around 30% are revolvers (Stray, 2013). Sadly, the U.S. is also well known for clinching the highest number of gun homicides. The points below illustrated how the gun industry has severely impacted the society. Homicides Gun-rights advocates might be right when they argue that there might not be a connection between level gun ownership and homicide. However, numerous surveys and studies have concluded that there is an association between the number of homicides and gun ownership in developed countries. A study by Hemenway found that U.S. firearm homicide rates were 19.5 times higher than other developed countries (Kenny, 2013). Accidental Deaths In addition, unintentional firearm deaths in the U.S. were more than five times higher than in the other countries. Among these 23 countries, the U.S. accounted for 80 percent of all firearm deaths; 87 percent of all children under 15 killed by firearms were American children. Homes with guns are 12 times more likely to have household members or guests killed or injured by the weapon than by an intruder (Kenny, 2013). Self Defense and Reassurance of Safety However, the revolver  Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey suggest that a gun is used in self-defense  about 60,000 to 120,000 times each year. Several other surveys confirm this estimate. Facilitating Crimes each year about a million violent crimes involve guns This means guns are used to commit a crime about 10 times as often as they are used for self-defense. 5.3 Government 5.3.1 Laws Policy Making The Federal legislation enacted the Gun Control Act in 1968 that defines who was not allowed to possess a gun and barred anyone under 21 years old from buying handgun. However, they guarantee the right to gun ownership by law. There are restrictions though. The   National Firearms Act of 1934  restricts civilians from owning automatic weapons, short-barrelled shotguns, hand grenades, and other powerful arms without appropriate registration. People are free to carry guns both openly or hidden, outside, with the exception of federal facilities where guns are prohibited. The buyer of firearm is not obliged to allow official background checks before taking possession of guns. However, the  Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act  of 1993 requires licensed gun dealers to perform background checks. Each state may have different jurisdiction, but overall, in the United States, if you do not have a criminal record and have not been adjudicated as mentally incompetent, you can buy guns. 5.4 Economic Impacts Over the years, the U.S. gun industry has been profiting by illegally trafficking firearms into Mexico. However, these firearms were used to arm drug cartels and thus, caused the deaths of thousands of civilians. Nearly 90 percent of weapons seized in Mexico are trafficked from the U.S. The market is extremely strong, especially because of the high demand and lack of strict control in the sale of weapons in U.S. Furthermore, in 2005, the Congress granted gun dealers blanket immunity from civil damages resulting from the misuse. Thus, the tyranny of the drug cartels and mafia reigns on (Kenny, 2013). The gun industry has faced its own share of ups and downs throughout the history but to date, it is still going strong. In 2012, the industry is expected to earn $11.7 billion in sale and $993 million in profit, according to analysts at IBIS World.(Brad, 2012) In 2011, about half of the six million guns manufactured in the United States were pistols and revolvers. Thats up from just one-third in 2001,  according to a report  from First Research.  Rifles now account for 35 percent of the market, with shotguns and other guns making up the rest. U.S. firearms manufacturers will export some $4.4 billion worth of guns and ammunition to other countries this year. The biggest customers are Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, who accounted for nearly 40 percent of exports in 2012 (its mainly law enforcement and military agencies doing the buying, as private gun ownership is heavily regulated in those nations). IBIS World expects exports to keep surging in the coming years, with ammunition and ordnance being an especially popular item overseas. The economic impact of the firearms industry is up 66 percent since the beginning of the Great Recession, providing an unexpected shot in the arm for the economy, according to a new study. The  National Shooting Sports Foundation  says the economic impact of firearm sales a figure that includes jobs. taxes and sales hit $31 billion in 2011, up from $19 billion in 2008. Jobs in the firearms business jumped 30 percent from 2008 to 2011, when the industry employed 98,750. The industry paid $2.5 billion in federal taxes in 2011, up 66 percent in three years. Ours is an industry with a rich history and heritage that remains vital and important to the American economy today,  NSSF  Senior Vice President  Lawrence G. Keane  said in a statement. To millions of Americans our industrys products represent liberty, security and recreation. Some in the industry attribute the jump in sales to fears the  Obama administration  will tighten gun control laws in a possible second term. Theres a concern that in the second term the  Obama administration  would lead an attempt to restrict gun ownership,  Mr. Keane  said. That concern, known in the industry as the Obama factor, has led many gun owners to purchase now in hopes of avoiding more restrictions and regulations later. (Devaney 2012)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Essay -- creativity, liveliness of m

Grappling with "Creative Block" My mind is at times a broken record devoid of nuance. But when I walk outside into the morning sunlight today, the air tastes like smoke. That minute difference jostles my mind. In that moment, I, no longer preoccupied with internal tensions, savor the spirited atmosphere of people hurrying about, the underlying brick road and overlying partly cloudy sky. I hurry to preserve these thoughts, as I feel the inspiration already evaporating from my grasp. Dong! Dong! Dong! The gong reverberates to rhythmic drum beats. The majestic lions' eyes slowly open, and their ears and feet twitch languidly. Da-da dum. Da-da dum. Da-da dum... Da, Da da, Da dum, Da Dum, DA DUM! Inside each lion, two dancers spring to life and explode with power and energy. In the background, instrumentalists conduct drums, cymbals, and a gong into an unstoppable, steady rhythm that elicit the lions' liveliness. Da, Da, Dum. Da, Da da, Dum. The lion heads sweep down toward the floor in a circular motion and punctuate the air with its presence, warding away evil spirits. Acrobatic martial arts moves, such as "towers" that involve one dancer lifted on top of another, elicit excited gasps from the audience. Lions then prowl among audience members in "low walk," their noses muzzling surprised faces and eyes blinking ferociously. To summon good luck and fortune, lion dancers shower the audience with lettuce at the end of the performance. Even as the lions run across the stage in "high walk" and crumble into sleepiness once more, the energy of the performance still lingers in the air—as lion dance has done since its inception approximately 1,500 years ago (Hulsbosch 112). April 5, 2014. 10:00 AM. I and two fellow Columbia Lion Dance ... ... Kaufman, Scott Barry. "The Real Neuroscience of Creativity." Scientific American. Scientific American, 19 Aug 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. . Khatchadourian, Raffi. "Onward and Upward with the Arts in the Picture: An Artist's Global Experiment to Help People be Seen." New Yorker. 28 Nov 2011: 58-63. Web. 29 Mar. 2014. Montaigne, Michel De. Translated by J. M. Cohen. Essays. London, England. Penguin Books. 1958. Print. Taylor, Diana. "'You Are Here': H.I.J.O.S. and the DNA of Performance." The Archive and the Repertoire: Performing Cultural Memory in the Americas. Durham: Duke University Press, 2003. 161-189. Print.

Case Application Fast-Forwarding Blockbuster Answers Essay

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the consumer preferences of international brands over local items. This research is design to find out the buying behavior of young consumers. This paper examines consumer preferences and attributes of decision making in segment of respondent in Vehari, Pakistan. A number of factors affect the consumer purchase decisions. The results suggests, that group of consumer prefer the attributes like, Quality, Price, Social Status, Design of products. It also suggests the preferences for foreign products over local products. The research was conducted in Vehari and the sample selected 65. The data collected for research was through a questionnaire and was conducted in CIIT Vehari Campus since the target audience was largely the youth. Key Words: Preferences of international brands, Quality of products, Price of products, Social status, Design of the products. INTRODUCTION: This research is proposed to the consumer preference of international brands over local production. The biggest factor that changes the consumer purchasing decision is quality when they prefer international brands over local brands. Consumers are more information about other culture, lifestyle and brand. On the other hand electronic sources are available to access international brand information in seconds. In last few years increasing of globalization had made intensely impact on market and also on consumer choice. Through globalization companies have advantage to participate in international market and approach to new consumer markets. The main purpose of this study is to find the factors that are influencing consumer’s living in Vehari and their choices of purchasing international brands over local brands. The main objective of this study is to learn about how country of origin effect and change the choices and willingness of the consumer. This research will investigate the purchasing behavior of Vehari consumers towards international brands over local products. Country of origin of any product tells the reputation of the specific country. It also shows the national characteristics, economics, political background, social system, tradition and history of any particular region. In short country of origin is overall perception of the consumer about particular country. It is necessary to establish parameters to measure the consumer attitude toward consumer preference on international brands rather local brands. However, for some products and services â€Å"the tastes and preferences of consumers in different nations are beginning to converge on some global norms† (Holt, 2002). Consumers seem to value and admire global brands and regard such brands as a status symbol, from a consumer perspective brands may vary (Ismail, Masood, & Tawab, 2012). The preference of brand depends on best alternatives among availability (Tversky & Shafir, 1992). One goal of consumer is accurate selection results in value satisfaction (Bettman, Luce, & Payne, 1998) it is not just depends on judgment of any single attribute of a product (Elliot & Cameron, 1994). In other context, scholars argue that local cultures are yet very powerful force shaping consumers preferences and but some identify a tendency in consumers â€Å"hybridize† (Holton, 2000), â€Å"glocalize† (Ritzer, 2003) or â€Å"creolized† as a way to combine global and local cultural forces have impact. International and global brands can be defined as the multi market approach in consumer markets (Johansson & Ronkainen, 2005) while local brands defined as the local manufacturing’s approach to consumer markets. Today is ages of globalization so business are become international and cross national that why customers mostly recommended and preferred the international brands due to their top quality, user friendly and customer oriented products (Netemeyer, 1991). Purpose of the Study The main purpose of our study is to find the factors that are influencing consumer’s choices of youth of purchasing international brands over local brands in Vehari, Pakistan. There are many factors which influence consumer decision. Such as quality of products, price of products, social status, design of products. The study is also designed to find out the buying behavior of young consumers, attitudes towards international brands and local items and preference for international brands. LITERATURE REVIEW: Hornsby (2010) was saying that the purchasing process of consumer mostly depends on the attributes and features of the product. In many situations consumers search alternatives of the products and these alternatives and substitutes are foreign made so consumer decide that he or she use foreign products and these products can fulfill their needs and wants. In foods items there are few attributes which affecting the purchasing decision of the consumer, like appearance and price of the food. If foods items are fresh and their appearance is nice so consumer easily influence and want to purchase these food items. On the other hand price is another factor which influences the perception of the consumers. Price of the product made either good or bad impact on consumer. If product is expensive but its attributes and features is quite different rather than other product and also fulfill the demand of the consumer than consumer will be satisfy by that product and purchase it again and again. He also described that some consumers are very conscious about the manufacturing of the product. Made in image deep and strong impact on consumer purchase decision. If any product which is foreign made that easily influence the consumer rather the domestic product, that’s why now a day’s labeling or made in Japan, made in U.S.A and made in U.K is liked by consumer and prefer over the local manufacturing because foreign products have high quality, new technology and very durable and reliable. Past studies and survey are mostly based on above three attributes (price, appearance and county of origin). These are key features of the any product which affect the consumer choice and willingness. In different survey participants highly ranked these three attributes about their purchasing decision and shopping habits. Al-Mamun & Mahmud (2011) were saying that consumer behavior can be easily influenced by the factor of country of origin because in domestic and international markets foreign products are dominated by their high quality and new technology. This is true facts that every consumer evaluates domestic and foreign products through quality and features of the product. Previous research shows that such characteristics as quality, durability, appearance, prestige, safety, price, availability and risk affect consumer evaluation of product quality and has a significant impact on consumer’s purchase preferences. Shah and Khattak (2011) said that consumer preference is directly relate to the economic growth of the country of origin. The concept of good quality is the sign of economic development that is the reason consumers of developing country prefer more foreign products rather the local brands because good quality is the sign of developed countries. Because consumer not compromise on quality the consumer may pay for local product which are of high quality rather foreign products ignoring prices. It is an empirically improved that if a foreign brand with its original producer become weaker with the passage of time as the brand started to be produced locally. In developing countries like Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia foreign brands are not prefer only because of quality but are preferred for status quo, ego. It is also proved that education, life style also in favor of imported products. Merino & Gonzales (2008) said that many organizations have changed their strategy by knowing trends of globalization which focus on global brands rather multi marketing approach. Global brands have not one line definition, but previous studies define as multi market reach of products that are perceived as a same brand worldwide by customer. However brand is a communication of information, a consumer perceived to identify it. Communication stimulates active knowledge of the brand presence, relevance, performance, advantages and bonding (Consumer feel the brand is only one that offer key advantages). Previous research proved that understanding the differential advantage, which global brands may have on loyalty drivers in context of Latin American markets. The consumer recognizes advantage of global brand by differentiation and enhanced quality, in other hand local brands are perceived by customer in term of fair price and popularity. That is why Brazilian seem to be more open to global brands rather than Mexican and Argentinean customers prefer local brands. Ismail, Masood & Tawab (2012) said that the most important factors that influence a consumer’s final decision are the price and quality of the product. Because the consumers usually relate the price of the product with its quality, a brand priced too costly is generally perceived as a high quality product. Similarly, a product priced too low affordable by many but perceived quality is low. Globalization also contributes to enable worldwide organization in one single market. Other factors which influence on the consumer preference include; consumer ethnocentrism, country of origin, social status, price relativity with the competing brands and family and friends. Study exposed that the quality of the product has more impact on purchase decision of the customer to buy global brands. In practice, our people, especially the females were found to be extremely prone to the global brands to meet current fashion and trends. Status symbol is also a factor influencing on customers to buy imported products. Ho, Teik, Ing, Phing & Peng said that customers influence to buy global brands in search of status and perceived quality. While globalization is the success factor of many large organizations, local companies can also obtain competitive advantage through profound understanding globalization. Global brands are more likely to be preferred by consumers as they have the ability to associate status, wealth and prestige with the self-identity of a consumer and further enhance social standings in a social class. Perceived quality is the subjective judgment of consumers towards a product or brand superiority and distinction. The most influential factor among social motives for consumer shopping and purchasing decision is the enveloping desire for social status. Malaysian customers overall perceived quality of Toyota automobiles were found to have significantly higher perceived quality and status than Perodua automobiles. Theoretical Framework: The dependent variable â€Å"preferences of international brands† can be explained by four independent variables; (1) quality of the products (2) price of the products (3) social status (4) design of the products. Consumers of developing countries wants to purchase the products of developed countries because they thing the products of developed countries has high quality. Consumes relate the price of product with its quality, they thing that the product of low price has the low quality and a product which has a high price has a high quality. Products of developed countries are measured as indication of high social status. Consumers are also prefers the design of the products if the design of the product is good than consumer purchases it regularly. Schematic Diagram for the Theoretical Framework Variables Independent variables: âž ¢ Quality of the products âž ¢ Price of the products âž ¢ Social status âž ¢ Design of the products Dependent variable: âž ¢ Preference of international brands Hypotheses H1: There is a positive relationship between consumer purchasing attitude and quality of the products. If the quality of a product is high than the attitude of consumer toward a product is positive and if the quality of a product is low than the consumer response is negative to purchase the product. H2: There is a negative relationship between price of the product and consumer purchasing attitude. If the price of product is high than the consumer attitude towards a product is negative and if the price of the product is low than the consumer attitude towards a product is positive. H3: Consumers prefer the international brands because it adds to the social status of consumers. Consumers will prefer the products manufactured by a foreign owned company because it adds to the social status of consumers. H4: Design of products has also positive relationship with consumer behavior. The design of a product made impact on consumer purchasing design. If the design of a product is good then customer purchases it frequently. Research Methodology: Data Collection This research is conducted through regression analysis. In this research it is needed to understand the consumer perception of international brands over local items. The tool of our research is questionnaires; this is primary research because this is firsthand knowledge or information. The research is conducting on why consumers prefer the international brands over local items of Vehari, Pakistan. The data has been collected through questionnaires and each questionnaire contains nineteen (19) statements and the questionnaire have distributed in CIIT Vehari Campus. The sample for this research included 65 consumers. Simple random sampling is used for this research for data collection. Results and Analysis: Table # 01: |Model Summary | |Model |R |R Square |Adjusted R Square |Std. Error of the | | | | | |Estimate | |1 |.527a |.278 |.230 |.90372 | |a. Predictors: (Constant), design, social status, quality, price | From model summary of regression analysis it is evaluated that all independent variables (quality, price, social status & design) affect dependent variable (preferences of international brands) 52.7% as mentioned in table 1. Table # 02: |ANOVAs | |Model |Sum of Squares|Df | |b. Dependent Variable: preferences of international brands | | | The results of this research are more significant. Data used in this research providing accurate results as shown as .001 in ANOVA (table 2). Table # 03: | | |Coefficients | |Model |Unstandardized Coefficients |Standardized |t |Sig. | | | |Coefficients | | | | |B |Std. Error | Finally regression analyses describe the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables. It also describes their relation structure, whether they have positive relation or negative. Regression analyses show that quality, social status and design have positive relation with preferences of international brand, with the increase in one unit of all there become positive change of .662, .120 and .100 occur respectively in dependent variable. The quality have positive relation with consumer preferences because the consumer perceived that the international brand have more quality rather than local items. The social status has positive relation with consumer’s preferences of international brands because consumers perceived that they increase their social status in society through the use of international brands. The price of products has also positive relation with consumer’s preferences because consumers perceived that the design of international brands is better than local items. On the other hand price has negative relationship with dependent variable, with the increase in one unit of price there become -.275 changes occur in preferences of international brand. The price of products has negative relation with consumer’s preferences because consumers are not preferred the international brand if it has same price as local item. Recommendations and Suggestions Our local brands have not so good quality, their design is not well and there is no much variety in our domestic products that’s why our customer goes to purchase the international brand so frequently. Local companies charge more price because government of Pakistan charge value added tax and other type of taxes from domestic companies so companies increase their prices that’s why customer mostly purchase international brands due to their good quality, designs and lot of variety. Conclusion: This research is an important contribution consumer’s preferences literature. This research concluded that consumers of Vehari, Pakistan have a stronger and positive image about the international products. The feel a personal pride when have the international products. References: Bettman, J., Luce, M., & Payne, J. (1998). Constructive Consumer Choice Processes. Journal of Consumer Research , 187-217 Elliott, G. R., & Cameron, R. C. (1994). Customer Perception of Product Quality and the Country-of-Orign Effect. Journal of International Marketing , 49-62 Holton, Robert (2000), Globalization’s cultural consequences, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 570 (4), 140–152 Hornsby, D. G. (2010) â€Å"Attributes Affecting Consumer Choice† Ismail, Z., Masood, S. & Tawab, M. Z (2012). Factors affecting consumer preference of international brands over local products. International conference on science and humanity, 2(31), 54-59 Johansson, Johny K., Ilkka A. Ronkainen (2005), â€Å"The esteem of Global Brands†, Journal of Brand Management, 12 (5), 339-354 Khattak, N. M & Shah, A. T. (2011). Consumer’s attitudes towards non-local products. International conference on business and economic research, 321-332 Mahmud, P. & Al-Mamun, H. M (2011). The role of country of origin effect in the assessment of a market offering. The cost and management, 35-40 Merino, M. & Gonzalez, S. (2008). Global or local? Consumers perception of global brands in Latin America. Latin America advances in consumer research 16-21 Netemeyer, R.G., Durvasula, S. and Lichtenstein, D.R. (1991), â€Å"A cross-national assessment of the reliability and validity of the CETSCALE†, Journal of Marketing Research, Volume 28, pp. 320-7 Ritzer, George (2003), â€Å"Rethinking globalization: Glocalization/ grobalization and something/nothing†, Sociological Theory, 21 (3), 193–209 Tversky, A., & Shafir, E. (1992). Choice under Conflict: The Dynamics of Deferred Decision. Psychological Science , 358-361

Mengele Annotated Bibliography

This book goes into extreme detail describing every facet of the Nazi regime's various medical experiments, policies and atrocities with the intention of giving the reader an understanding of the past such that it should not repeat itself- as the author suggests it may in today's atmospheres of modern genocide and â€Å"ethnic cleansing.† Lifton draws comparisons particularly to potentially similar situations in Serbia, Rwanda and Cambodia, and draws parallels to the political and societal evolutions that took place in Germany, eventually developing a â€Å"genocidal mentality† that resulted in the systematic killing of (and medical experimentation on) millions of innocent victims. It smoothly describes the growth and development of the overall Nazi medical ideology, beginning with the definition of â€Å"life unworthy of life.† Lifton explains the process by which mentally and physically disabled children and adults came to be regarded as detriments to society that needed to be killed- both for their own good and for the betterment of mankind. This twisted view resulted in a state-sanctioned euthanasia program, wherein German doctors were first compelled to break their Hippocratic Oath- the professional promise to do no harm that is as old as medicine itself. From its beginnings, Lifton further describes the progression of Nazi killings under the guise of science- culminating in the work of Dr. Josef Mengele in the concentration camp Auschwitz. Unlike many studies of Mengele's work, Lifton does not focus simply on the horrors he perpetrated during his time at the camp. Rather, he attempts to explain how the â€Å"camp culture† within Auschwitz and the increasingly brutal practices of the Nazi system resulted in the atmosphere which allowed such horrible atrocities to occur. Koren, Y. (2005). Mengele and the Family of Dwarfs: Yehuda Koren Tells One Family's Remarkable Story of Surviving Auschwitz. History Today, 55, 32-33. This article examines another group of Mengele's victims, Jews suffering the genetic disease of dwarfism. Specifically, an entire family, all of whom somehow managed to survive not only his experiments but the deadly atmosphere of Auschwitz itself. Koren provides first-person accounts via interviews of some members of the Ovitz family, a unique clan from Romania that arrived at Auschwitz in 1944. The family of twelve included seven dwarfs and was the largest recorded dwarf family in the world and before their transport to Auschwitz had spent years touring in a traveling exhibition that promoted them as the â€Å"Lilliput Troupe.† Mengele was extremely interested in genetic abnormalities, and as such targeted dwarfs and other unusual individuals for experimentation. Experiments conducted on the family included extensive drawing of blood, high doses of radiation, removal of blood marrow samples, teeth pulled and the women received mysterious injections into their wombs. Despite all of this horrid treatment, Mengele seemed to have a strange fondness for the family and often treated them to special meals and other privileges, so that he could use them as a source of entertainment for other SS officers. This makes their case extremely unique amongst all of his victims. So, while he avoided killing them, he did so for entirely selfish reasons. The case involving this particular family offers interesting insight into Mengele's personality. Freyhofer, H. (2004). The Nuremberg Medical Trial: The Holocaust and the Origin of the Nuremberg Medical Code. New York: Peter Lang Publishing. This book examines and explains the Medical or â€Å"Doctors† trial of Nuremberg, by recounting everything that led up to the trial, and the wide-ranging effects it had. Particular care is paid to analyzing the breaches in ethics by members of the medical community that chose to take part in the Nazi euthanasia programs and subsequent medical experimentation on prisoners. These doctors, when charged with war crimes in the face of overwhelming evidence of what went on during the course of the war in hospitals and concentration camps, attempted to prove that the experiments they carried out were justifiable in the name of science. Though Josef Mengele was on the run and in hiding at the time of the Trial and didn’t face justice alongside his fellow perpetrators, Freyhofer goes into extensive detail analyzing Mengele's methods and potential   motivations, as well as the ethical implications of Mengele's work. Instead of focusing on the nature of the experiments performed by Mengele and other Nazi doctors, this text seeks to examine the larger picture of medical responsibility. Freyhofer explains the nature of the Hippocratic oath and why it failed to endure the pressures brought upon it by Nazi ideology. Coupled with this is a study of how the doctors charged in the trial, many of them highly respected in their fields before the war, could have so thoroughly warped their ethical viewpoints. The most significant contribution of this work is the explanation of the Nuremberg Medical Code that resulted from the trial, in which the courts set a legal international standard for medical experimentation. As a result of this landmark decision, doctors could never again claim to have performed experimentation on unwilling subjects for the good of science. Riordan, C. (1997). The Sins of the Children: Peter Schneider, Allan Massie and the Legacy of Auschwitz. Journal of European Studies, 27, 161-180. This article examines the repercussions that Nazi war crimes have had on the descendants of both the perpetrators and the victims. Countless sources recount the stories of Holocaust survivors and the stories of their children, but few examine the effects the war had on the equally innocent children of many top Nazis. These children grew up with the heart-breaking weight of their fathers crimes, which in turn generated a degree of self-loathing. One particular figure of interest in this article is Rolf Mengele, the son of Dr. Josef Mengele. Mengele, having disappeared after the war into hiding in Brazil, lived out the rest of his days in relative peace and quiet, never meeting retribution for his terrible crimes. Six years after the death of his father, Rolf finally came forward and recounted his story of what it was like to have to live in obscurity under constant fear of discovery, and coping with the knowledge that his father never regretted any of his barbaric doings. The primary purpose behind analyzing the stories of the children of Nazi war criminals is to determine where historians draw the line between understanding and acceptance. To accomplish this, Riordan references two fictionalized accounts of these father-son relationships in order to gain insight into how the children of war criminals deal with the knowledge of their fathers' actions, and what action (or lack thereof) they take to attempt to atone for those crimes. Why, for example, did Rolf Mengele never turn his father in to the authorities? The motives are varied, and in the end it's up to the individual to weigh perceived loyalty to family, or loyalty to justice. Hinton, AL. (2002). Annihilating Difference: The Anthropology of Genocide. Berkeley: University of California Press. This book seeks to examine the larger picture of genocide and what drives humanity to single out and persecute specific groups of people within society. By studying various cases where genocide has occurred, such as the Holocaust, the author hopes to bring about an understanding of what causes these shameful events and how we might strive to prevent them in the future. Hinton states that genocide cannot occur without a basis of ideology that the perpetrators feel justifies their behavior. Clearly this makes the Holocaust a prime example, and Hinton places great emphasis on the supposed anthropological basis for many Nazi ideologies. Primarily amongst these are those regarding the Jews, who were defined by the Nazis as a lesser breed of humanity due to their stereotypical ethnic features, which differed in some ways from the â€Å"ideal† Aryan. This anthropological view that Jews were sub-human played a major role in Nazi justification of their treatment of the Jews, from basic imprisonment to systematic killing and use in ghastly medical experiments like those carried out by Josef Mengele. Hinton also discusses the psychological blocks put in place by the Nazis themselves in order to avoid full comprehension of their misdeeds. This included the frequent use of obscure terms and code words that were used in place of clear descriptions of the atrocities carried out on prisoners by Mengele and other Nazis. This suggests that even ideology couldn’t fully convince even the Nazis that what they were doing was right, and subconciously they corrected for this by softening the appearance of their crimes, at least in writing. Baumel, JT. (2000). â€Å"You Said the Words You Wanted Me to Hear But I Heard The Words You Couldn't Bring Yourself To Say†: Women's First Person Accounts of the Holocaust. The Oral History Review. 27, 17-18. This article offers a unique view of some of Mengele's forgotten victims, the mothers of many of the children used in his experiments. It's well documented that Mengele was highly interested in performing experiments on twins, and he took great care to sort twin children out from the rest of the Jews brought to Auschwitz by train. Twins were often yanked from their mothers grasps and the mothers sent off to their deaths never knowing what became of their children, while other times the mothers themselves were also involved in the experiments. This article examines both situations, with particular attention paid to the later group- Mengele was interested in what caused the twin phenomenon, and did tests on the Jewish mothers of twins in hopes of discovering the cause of twin births. Other mothers were forced to take part in the tests conducted on their own children, sometimes forced to inject their children with unknown substances, many of which had terrible effects. This had an obvious severe psychological effect on these mothers, which Baumel explores in detail through first hand accounts. Other times, pregnant women were selected by Mengele for experimentation, such as one mother that had her newborn child taken from her and was forced to watch it starve to death as Mengele sought to determine how long a newborn could survive without its mother. Other pregnant women were experimented on, with injections and surgery. Through this and other terrible descriptions, Baumel illustrates not only the horrors of Mengele's experimentation, but also the terrible effect it had on the women they involved.

Your Top 10 Job Options with a High School Diploma

Your Top 10 Job Options with a High School Diploma top media’s unusual career correspondent is reporting that the 10 highest paying jobs that don’t require a college degree are: 10. court reporterthis field requires attention to detail, fast typing skills, a background check, and a few certification classes. salary ranges from $29k-$104k9. power distributors and dispatchersresponsibilities: coordinate, regulate, and distribute power like electricity and steam. hs diploma, long term on the job training. avg wage $71k.8. pilotscommercial, private, corporations: you get to fly planes! $73-110k average salary, but with huge variety depending on the type of license and specific responsibilities.7. detectives and criminal investigatorspursue investigations of potential breaches of state and federal laws, work like agents on csi, and earn $74k on average! hs diploma required.6. nuclear power reactor operatorsdon’t let homer simpson fool you, you use advanced equipment to monitor and record data. high school diploma requ ired, along with long term on-the-job training.5. elevator installers and techniciansthink how many elevators there are in the world and how often they break. this is clearly a career with lucrative potential and longevity.4. radiation therapistrts use radiation to target cancer cells, observe patients, and complete documentation. $77k average salary. this requires a 2-year associate degree or certificate.3. construction managerthis will need a few years of experience, but you can advance quickly to an on-call position where you administer corporate policies and supervise workers on projects. $41k – $130k.2. transportation, storage, distribution managersplanning, directing, and coordinating logistics in accordance with company policies and government laws. average wages are $81k.1. air traffic controllersafter lots of tests, screenings, background exams, and classes, you can be eligible to direct planes on runways! median salary is $122k per year and you earn every penny beca use this gig is stressful.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxzs4oqnkr4

Aaron Burr - Biography and the Duel with Hamilton

Aaron Burr - Biography and the Duel with Hamilton Aaron Burr is mostly remembered for a single violent act, the fatal shooting of Alexander Hamilton in their famous duel in New Jersey on July 11, 1804. But Burr was also involved in a number of other controversial episodes, including one of the most disputed elections in American history and a peculiar expedition to the western territories that resulted in Burr being tried for treason. Burr is a puzzling figure in history. He has often been portrayed as a scoundrel, a political manipulator, and a notorious womanizer. Yet during his long life Burr had many followers who considered him a brilliant thinker and a gifted politician. His considerable skills allowed him to prosper in a law practice, win a seat in the U.S. Senate, and nearly attain the presidency in a startling feat of deft political gamesmanship. After 200 years, Burr’s complicated life remains contradictory. Was he a villain, or simply a misunderstood victim of hardball politics? Early Life of Aaron Burr Burr was born in Newark, New Jersey, on February 6, 1756. His grandfather was Jonathan Edwards, a famous theologian of the colonial period, and his father was a minister. Young Aaron was precocious, and entered the College of New Jersey (present day Princeton University) at the age of 13. In the family tradition, Burr studied theology before becoming more interested in the study of law. Aaron Burr in the Revolutionary War When the American Revolution broke out, the young Burr obtained a letter of introduction to George Washington, and requested an officers commission in the Continental Army. Washington turned him down, but Burr enlisted in the Army anyway, and served with some distinction in a military expedition to Quebec, Canada. Burr did later serve on Washington’s staff. He was charming and intelligent, but clashed with Washington’s more reserved style. In ill health, Burr resigned his commission as a colonel in 1779, before the end of the Revolutionary War. He then turned his full attention to the study of the law. Burrs Personal Life As a young officer Burr began a romantic affair in 1777 with Theodosia Prevost, who was 10  years older than Burr and also married to a British officer. When her husband died in 1781, Burr married Theodosia. In 1783 they had a daughter, also named Theodosia, to whom Burr was very devoted. Burr’s wife died in 1794. Accusations always swirled that he was involved with a number of other women during his marriage. Early Political Career Burr began his law practice in Albany, New York before moving to New York City to practice law in 1783. He prospered in the city, and established numerous connections that would prove useful in his political career. In the 1790s Burr advanced in New York politics. During this period of tension between the ruling Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans, Burr tended not to align himself too much with either side. He was thus able to present himself as something of a compromise candidate. In 1791, Burr had won a seat in the U.S. Senate by defeating Philip Schuyler, a prominent New Yorker who happened to be the father in law of Alexander Hamilton. Burr and Hamilton had already been adversaries, but Burr’s victory in that election caused Hamilton to hate him. As a senator, Burr generally opposed the programs of Hamilton, who was serving as secretary of the treasury. Burrs Controversial Role in the Deadlocked Election of 1800 Burr was the running mate of Thomas Jefferson in the presidential election of 1800. Jefferson’s opponent was the incumbent president, John Adams. When the electoral vote produced a deadlock, the election had to be decided in the House of Representatives. In the prolonged balloting, Burr  utilized his considerable political skills and nearly pulled off the feat of bypassing Jefferson and gathering enough votes to win the presidency for himself. Jefferson finally won after days of balloting. And in accordance with the Constitution at the time, Jefferson became president and Burr became vice president. Jefferson thus had a vice president he didn’t trust, and he gave Burr virtually nothing to do in the job. Following the crisis, the Constitution was amended so the scenario of the 1800 election could not occur again. Burr was not nominated to run with Jefferson again in 1804. Aaron Burr and the Duel With Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr had been conducting a feud since Burr’s election to the Senate more than 10  years earlier, but Hamilton’s attacks on Burr became more intense in early 1804. The bitterness reached its climax when Burr and Hamilton fought a duel. On the morning of July 11, 1804 the men rowed across the Hudson River from New York City to a dueling ground at Weehawken, New Jersey. Accounts of the actual duel have always differed, but the result was that both men fired their pistols. Hamilton’s shot did not strike Burr. Burrs shot struck Hamilton in the torso, inflicting a fatal wound. Hamilton was brought back to New York City and died the next day. Aaron Burr was portrayed as a villain. He fled and  actually went into hiding for a time, as he feared being charged with murder. Burrs Expedition to the West The once-promising political career of Aaron Burr had been stalled while he served as vice president, and the duel with Hamilton effectively ended any chance he may have had for political redemption. In 1805 and 1806 Burr plotted with others to create an empire consisting of the Mississippi Valley, Mexico, and much of the American West. The bizarre plan had little chance for success, and Burr was charged with treason against the United States. At a trial in Richmond, Virginia, which was presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall, Burr was acquitted. While a free man, his career was in ruins, and he moved to Europe for several years. Burr eventually returned to New York City and worked at a modest law practice. His beloved daughter Theodosia was lost in a shipwreck in 1813, which further depressed him. In financial ruin, he died on September 14, 1836, at the age of 80, while living with a relative on Staten Island in New York City. Portrait of Aaron Burr courtesy of New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Capital accumulation Essay Example for Free

Capital accumulation Essay Nucleon should focus on contracting manufacturing for phases I and II and then for phase III focus on vertical integration of production to create greater economic value, therefore gaining and sustaining competitive advantage and producing the largest NPV. By contracting manufacturing, Nucleon will be able to focus on core competencies with no capital investments. Also, by vertical integration Nucleon gains sources of competitive advantage. Contracting manufacturing focuses on core competencies. Nucleon will have facilities and personnel in place to implement phases I and II, require no capital investments (reducing up front costs: Table 1), and therefore able to focus on clinical trials. As Hurt’s commented, â€Å"It’s important for us to get our products into the clinic before others do.† Vertically integrating increase NPV by 2002 and gains competitive advantage. Nucleon has high threats of opportunism due to uncertainty and complexity. There are over 200 other firms and Nucleon needs to obtain competitive advantage and then sustain this advantage. By integrating, Nucleon has good possibilities of raising funds, producing other products, and raising a larger income. Vertical integration provides a larger potential income for Nucleon in phase III based on NPV (refer to Table 1), while contracting manufacturing for phases I and II provide Nucleon with ability to focus on core competencies and thus producing the largest NPV by 2002 of approximately $20M. Performed well even in the recession. CEO believed that you need to have an effective strategy and right people to execute the strategy. The company has been able to gain competitive advantage, but can they sustain this advantage? Distinguishes us from other players in the M&A field, it’s that we stay in touch with the companies. 2001-Present Danaher focused on allocating decisions on the basis of return on invested capital (ROIC) Capital accumulation. (2016, May 30).

Capital markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Capital markets - Essay Example sically is a promise to pay back the face value of the bond on maturity together with making periodic interest fees known as coupon rate (Palmiter, 2009). Plowback-Earnings is another important source of new funds which corporations use on capital projects. Instead of paying out dividends to shareholders, a company may decide to plowback the profits made back into the corporation. Plowback is basically reinvesting profits back into the business. It is an attractive way of raising capital since it is usually subject to the control of management. There is no approval required from the government for its use, as happens when a corporation seeks to raise funds via selling of stocks, bonds and securities. In addition, bonds and stocks have costs related to them, for instance, interest that is paid on bonds whereas profit retention avoids such costs (Tirole, 2010). Private equity-This is a source that is popular with small firms or start-ups that cannot raise funds through the stock exchange or rather do not desire to subject themselves to other financing options available. Thus they prefer raising capital via private equity, a process that basically comprises of private investors offering capital to a corporation in exchange for a given stake in the firm. A private equity company is a consortium of investors that pool their capital together for purposes of investment, mostly in other companies (Scanlan 1997). Equity securities-commonly referred to as stock is the fourth source of capital for corporations. Equity is basically an ownership stake in a business or property. Stock being the smallest form of new capital is of great importance to a firm in beginning a company and its early operations. A stock will offer an investor several legal rights such as ownership, sharing in earnings, transferability as well as the power to vote. Stocks are acquired through payment of cash (Jenkins 2013). 2. A financial market basically entails a market where entities and people

Philosophy class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy class - Essay Example This foundational belief is no other than the cogito, i.e. the â€Å"I†. But how does Descartes arrive at the cogito? On what grounds is Descartes certain that this â€Å"I†, which he claims to be the foundation of all his knowledge, is invulnerable from any deceiver? These are the questions that I shall systematically address throughout this essay. Let me begin with Descartes’ vision. Descartes had a vision, a plan to establish a unified physical science wherein all sciences would form into one systematic whole. This unified science was, for Descartes, a rationalistic one. For, it ought to be based on the methods and principles of mathematics. Why mathematics? For mathematics is the only reliable means for arriving at genuine knowledge of reality, i.e. truth. Indeed, truth was Descartes’ passion. He sought to find this truth even if it means overthrowing all his existing beliefs. For, he realized that all his ideas were doubtful and all his beliefs are fa lse. Of course, how can one claim to have knowledge if the very foundations for my knowledge are either doubtful or false? It is in this regard that he decided to overthrow all these existing beliefs and ideas and use only reason as his sole basis for establishing a permanent truth. Herein, mathematics was Descartes solution. He will use mathematics as his model for his use of reason, in achieving absolute certainty. What is so special about the methods of mathematics? Mathematics uses two principal mental operations: intuition and deduction. It is in this regard that Descartes’ goal as a philosopher is to build a system of philosophy based on intuition and deduction. For, his ultimate goal was to do a total reconstruction of human knowledge. He was determined to find his self-evident or foundational principle, which will serve as his first principle, from which absolutely certainty can be deduced. But what are the requirements for such a foundational belief? First, it has to be clear and distinct insofar that it cannot be doubted. Second, It should be absolute and independent, and should not be based on any other belief. And third, it should be something that exists. So given these said requirements, how then will Descartes establish his foundational belief? Descartes will use the method of doubt, which he terms methodological skepticism. He defines this as the use of doubt methodologically, in order to arrive at true knowledge (Lavine, 1984). So, in doubting all his beliefs and ideas, he classifies then into categories, starting with his beliefs on sense perception. Why? Descartes says that these are by nature, deceptive, and that we cannot tell whether we are dreaming or not. Next, he doubted his beliefs in material objects. Why? For material objects and the physical world are based upon sense perception, which we have established to be deceptive. Third are his beliefs on natural sciences. Why? For it uses objects that are based on sense perception, which we have already established to be deceptive and thus untrustworthy. And fourth, Descartes surprisingly doubted his belief in mathematics. Herein, he invented a malevolent demon that conditions his mind and deceives him with his mathematical ideas. For, even if mathematics is his sole basis for clear and distinct ideas, he sometimes falls into error. One may wonder, why does he have to create a demon to doubt his belief in mathematics? Mathematics was just one of Descartes’ reasons for inventing this demon. For, he uses this

What are the causes of ethnic violenceDiscuss with reference to Essay

What are the causes of ethnic violenceDiscuss with reference to Yugoslavia as a case study - Essay Example However, the turning point of the unrest in this area was probably the ratification of the new constitution in 1974 which gave more autonomy to the individual republics that are part of the Yugoslavian jurisdiction (Devic, Ann (1998). According the new constitution, the republics have the option to declare its independence from the federation. Although this provision of the constitution is well-meaning and very democratic, this paved the way for people in the different republics in the Yugoslavian territory to seek independence and become a full-fledged nation on its own. The seed of nationalism is said to be planted by this provision of the constitution and spur the people from the republics to dream of becoming independent. The need to be independent by the republics became more apparent when the Yugoslavian President Josip Borz Tito died in the 1980s (Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). The tension between the republics became more intense that June of 1991, Slovenia and Croatia decided that they want to become independent and severe their ties with the other federal republics (Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). Later, in September of the same year, the republic of Macedonia made its intention to become independent while Bosnia and Herzegovina followed in March of 1992(Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). Unfortunately, Serbia and Montenegro did not approve of the move of Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina to leave the federation. They however supported the idea of Slovenia leaving the federation. The assumption of Slobodan Milosevic in 1989 as president of Serbia, the largest and the most heavily populated republic in Yugoslav region brought the tension in the area to a higher level. In December 23, 1990, 88% of the voting populace in Serbia voted for independence (Spencer, Metta (1998). President Slobodan Milosevic also started his plan to unite the regions of Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia into a great Serbian republic

Marketing automobiles to male U.S. Hispanics ages 18-35 Research Paper

Marketing automobiles to male U.S. Hispanics ages 18-35 - Research Paper Example 4 2.2.Nissan and Competition 5 3.Statement of the Marketing Objective 6 4.Media Sources and Strategy for Nissan Leaf 9 4.1.Traditional Electronic Media 9 4.2.New Media 9 4.3.A Combination of Media 10 4.4.Nissan Leaf Successful Ad Campaign—What If Everything Ran on Gas? 10 5.Positioning and Message Strategy for Nissan Leaf 11 6.Test of Message and Media Approaches 13 With the presence of Chevy Volt, the EV market has been split into two. In order to make it appealing to the target audience that we have identified as Hispanic male, Nissan would split the target audience as the Thinkers and the Innovators and aim to appeal to both of them. The thinkers would be persons who are well-educated and make informed decisions whereas; innovators are those who would be willing to embrace the latest technological developments. The message mainly propagated by Nissan Leaf is that it is an ultra-modern car with cutting edge technology. Nissan Leaf has the benefit of being the first market en trant, the innovator and leader, the position is pretty much similar to that of Toyota Prius in Hybrid cars. It has the potential to gain the maximum market share and with marketing and extended features the car can even increase the size of the pie. 13 Media approaches that would appeal to the target audience based on an internet survey, we need to incorporate the following means of advertising: 13 Cable or Satellite TV: 13 Select cannels and shows which coincide with the target audience of the car. Cable also provides national coverage and reach and the message can be reinforced using high frequency. 13 Internet Marketing: 13 As established already the company Nissan already has a strong presence on social networking sites and blog forums. The Leaf can be promoted using these avenues. The key benefit that the internet marketing is that it provides a targeted audience so there is minimum waste. And by linking the product promotions and advertisements to their facebook page and blog s, the company would be reaching an audience that is already interested in buying the brand or at least getting to know about it. The company can evaluate the effectiveness with the number of clicks, the traffic and also sue input provided by the audience for improving the features of the car. 13 Radio 14 Radio is also a very effective medium, for two reasons. First is that the Hispanic males listen to a great deal or radio in both English and Spanish and provides high frequency and targeted reach. Furthermore the highest consumption of radio is while travelling in cars, so the promotional message would hit close to home. 14 Print Advertisements 14 The key benefit of advertisements in magazines is their ability to reach a very targeted audience as well as have a long life and high transferability. Nissan needs to select magazines with high reach of the Hispanic populous. 14 Celebrity Endorsements and Unconventional Methods 14 Since the product is attempting to reposition itself and appeal to the Hispanic male audience, it is important that the product is also made to appear macho and the concept of energy-saving appear cool, this can be accomplished with celebrity endorsements and Spanish music sponsorships. 14

Administration management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administration management - Essay Example Furthermore, with the radical shift in consumer needs and changing scenario of the external business environment, organizations are compelled to bring change into their system of operation. The change not only helps a company to remain consistent with the external business environment but also helps in complying with the internal state of affairs. However, a change in an organization does not always bring positive outcome, it often results into negative consequence. One of the most obvious negative consequences appears in the form of resistance from the employees to change. This is because employees often feel that a change in the organization will disrupt their current position and they became obsolete and becomes a burden for the company. This study will throw light on a real incident which took place in the organization where I have worked previously. The organization was basically a retail store with its headquarters in the city of New York, US. In this company, I have worked as a floor manager for two years. During my tenure as a floor manager, I have witnessed one of the major technological changes in the organization, which is the implementation of auto- search technology.

What are the causes of ethnic violenceDiscuss with reference to Essay

What are the causes of ethnic violenceDiscuss with reference to Yugoslavia as a case study - Essay Example However, the turning point of the unrest in this area was probably the ratification of the new constitution in 1974 which gave more autonomy to the individual republics that are part of the Yugoslavian jurisdiction (Devic, Ann (1998). According the new constitution, the republics have the option to declare its independence from the federation. Although this provision of the constitution is well-meaning and very democratic, this paved the way for people in the different republics in the Yugoslavian territory to seek independence and become a full-fledged nation on its own. The seed of nationalism is said to be planted by this provision of the constitution and spur the people from the republics to dream of becoming independent. The need to be independent by the republics became more apparent when the Yugoslavian President Josip Borz Tito died in the 1980s (Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). The tension between the republics became more intense that June of 1991, Slovenia and Croatia decided that they want to become independent and severe their ties with the other federal republics (Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). Later, in September of the same year, the republic of Macedonia made its intention to become independent while Bosnia and Herzegovina followed in March of 1992(Cairns E. and Roe M. (2003). Unfortunately, Serbia and Montenegro did not approve of the move of Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina to leave the federation. They however supported the idea of Slovenia leaving the federation. The assumption of Slobodan Milosevic in 1989 as president of Serbia, the largest and the most heavily populated republic in Yugoslav region brought the tension in the area to a higher level. In December 23, 1990, 88% of the voting populace in Serbia voted for independence (Spencer, Metta (1998). President Slobodan Milosevic also started his plan to unite the regions of Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia into a great Serbian republic

Administration management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Administration management - Essay Example Furthermore, with the radical shift in consumer needs and changing scenario of the external business environment, organizations are compelled to bring change into their system of operation. The change not only helps a company to remain consistent with the external business environment but also helps in complying with the internal state of affairs. However, a change in an organization does not always bring positive outcome, it often results into negative consequence. One of the most obvious negative consequences appears in the form of resistance from the employees to change. This is because employees often feel that a change in the organization will disrupt their current position and they became obsolete and becomes a burden for the company. This study will throw light on a real incident which took place in the organization where I have worked previously. The organization was basically a retail store with its headquarters in the city of New York, US. In this company, I have worked as a floor manager for two years. During my tenure as a floor manager, I have witnessed one of the major technological changes in the organization, which is the implementation of auto- search technology.

Cat in the Rain Ernest Miller Hemingway Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Ernest Miller Hemingway Essay Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His distinctive writing style, characterized by economy and understatement, influenced 20th-century fiction, as did his life of adventure and public image. He produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingways fiction was successful because the characters he presented exhibited authenticity that resonated with his audience. Many of his works are classics of American literature. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works during his lifetime; a further three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction works were published posthumously. â€Å"Cat in the rain† is a piece of fiction referring to the literature of interpretation. This story is also a psychological one because the author investigates human characters and their relationships. The story is told in the 3rd person narrative. The title of the story admits the fact that the cat’s image makes great play in the story. We can say that it is symbolic title. The characters presented Directly. The text of the story is not homogeneous: it is interrupted with the elements of description and the characters’ dialogues. The plot of the story is meant to begin before the narration itself starts. There isnt any preface to the story, the reader knows nothing about the couple’s past. Author shows his characters in a certain period of their lives. â€Å"Cat in the rain† is about an American couple on vacation in Italy. While at their hotel the woman saw a cat and the story progresses from there. During the story it is made obvious that the couples relationship wasn’t good. Author uses the cat stuck in the rain with nobody to care for it to symbolize the wife wasn’t loved by her husbund. So, the story begins with the description of the hotel where two Americans stopped: â€Å"Palms grew and the bright colors of the hotels facing the gardens and the sea†. We can say that this place is very beautiful. But only one thing breaks the idyll the rain, that’s why the couple stays in and just a cat in the rain attracted the young woman’s attention. She wanted to get the cat inside. At first sight everything seems to be ideal: a cozy room on the second floor, lovely view from the window. And only the description of the rain evokes the mood of sadness in the reader. To bring home this air of melancholy which is felt when it is raining, the author uses such stylistic device as parallel constructions: The rain dripped from the palm trees. The water stood in pools on the gravel paths. The sea broke in a long line in the rain and slipped back down the beach to come up and break again in a long line in the rain . We can notice that nouns rain, pools, sea belong to one sphere the water. This stylistic device is employed by the author to create the atmosphere of inevitability. People can not hide from the rain. Water is everywhere: it is on the ground, it is pouring from the heavens as though the nature weeps for something. Here author uses alliteration of sounds [r], [l]: Rain dripped from the palm trees, the sea broke in a long line in the rain, it brings the rhythm to the description of the weather. Complication starts when the American young lady saw a cat in the rain. The cat sat under the table and tried to make herself so compact that she wouldnt be dripped on†. Suddenly the girl felt strong desire to get this cat. It must have been a miserable spectacle: wet, homeless cat crouching under the table in the empty square. The girl decided to go down and get this cat. Here we get acquainted with her husband. He is lying on the bed and reading and he has no desire to go out in such weather for the cat his wife wants so much. Although he proposed it but sooner out of politeness and he did not insist. â€Å"Don’t get wet†- he said, but it wasnt a care he said it just to say something. Later we can see that the hotel-keeper gives to her more attention than her own husband. Thats why she liked the owner of the hotel so much. Emphasizing the girls attitude to the hotel-keeper the author resorts to repetition: She liked the deadly serious way he received any complains. She liked his dignity. She liked the way he wanted to serve her. She liked the way he felt about being a hotel-keeper. She liked his old, heavy face and big hands . Unconsciously comparing him with her indifferent husband she liked him because he displayed a kind of attention to her. He always bowed seeing her. His attention can be explained by the fact that he was the owner of the hotel and it was his due to take care of his clients, especially if they were foreigners. He just wanted them to feel comfortable and convenient. He displayed paternal care and attention to her. May be the girl was disposed to the hotel-keeper because he reminded her of her own father who was always kind to her. Anyway, it was so pleasant for the girl to feel sympathy and care. The author says: The pardons made her feel very small and at the same time really important. She had a momentary feeling of being of supreme importance. That is the reason she liked him. He made her feel important. He listened to her every word and request, and she knew that her every little whim will be fulfilled, and that can not be said about her husband who never worried about her feelings. The climax starts when the young lady went upstairs in her room. The only reaction of her husband was the question if she got the cat. He did not notice her disappointment. Suddenly the girl felt unhappy. Through her sad monologue the writer shows all her dissatisfaction with the life, beginning with the absence of the cat and ending with her short clipped hair. I get so tired of itâ€Å"- she says about her hair, but it is not just looking like a boy that she is tired of. She is tired of a boring life, of her indifferent and selfish husband who remains deaf to her despair. She does not say directly that she is not satisfied with her family life. But the reader can see it in the context. She says: I want to pull my hair back tight and smooth and make a big knot at the back that I feel. I want to have a kitty to sit on my lap and purr when I stroke her. She wants to have long hair to look solid and respectable. She wants to have children and her own house which she associates with silver and candles. And the cat in her dreams is a symbol of refuge, something that she corresponds with such notions as home and cosiness. The author underlines the idea of dissatisfaction using repetition. In importunate repetition of the construction I want the reader can see the girls emotional state. This stylistic device discloses her excitement. The emotional tension increases. And I want to eat at a table with my own silver, and I want candles. And I want it to be spring and I want to brush up my hair out in front of the mirror and I want the kitty and I want some new clothes . Here is an example of polysyndeton. The abundant use of the conjunction and makes the members of enumeration more conspicuous and also serves to emphasize the girls state of confusion. The syntax also contributes to the effect of extreme agitation of the girl. The writer deliberately avoids the use of commas in the girls speech to show uninterrupted, without any pauses flow of speech which testifies to her emotional excitement. This abstract may be regarded as the climax of the story. Here the emotional tension reaches its highest degree. The girl throws out all her discontent, all her negative emotions which she accumulated during her joint life with her husband. Then the peak of the climax comes: Oh, shut up and get something to read says her husband. Estrangement grows between two people. The girl feels insulted and stays looking out of the window. It is still raining. The rain is present during the whole narration. The moment when hotel-keeper passed her a cat is outcome. Probably pardrone didn’t understand the melancholy of the girl. However human advantage, a kindness are opposed egoism of her husband. In this story, cat is the symbol of woman. Woman feels lonely, dependent, and unhappy. She is just like a cat in the rain wet, alone. She is neglected like a poor kitty. She needs to be loved (by her husband) and need interest, security, and comfort. Her husband doesnt attach importance her ideas, feelings. He doesnt behave her like his wife, so the woman doesnt like her life, her clothes, and her hair. She wants to have a kitty because she wants give her love to this poor kitty. In ‘Cat in the rain† we can see a hidden idea between the lines, author doesn’t say it directly. Hemingways talent lies in deep psychological insight into human nature.

Non Destructive Testing In The Aerospace Industry

Non Destructive Testing In The Aerospace Industry Since several years, technology has been improved tremendously and is still in a need for advancement due to the increasing growth of demands. In todays economy structures must remain for operation for such longer period than originally anticipated. The ageing effect on these structures is becoming significant. Non-destructive testing  (NDT) is a wide group of analysis techniques used in science and industry to evaluate the properties of a material, component or system without causing damage  Because NDT does not permanently alter the article being inspected, it is a highly-valuable technique that can save both money and time in product evaluation, troubleshooting, and research. Common NDT methods include  ultrasonic,  magnetic-particle,  liquid-penetrant,  radiographic and  eddy-current testing. NDT is a commonly-used tool in  forensic engineering,  mechanical engineering,  electrical engineering,  civil engineering,  systems engineering,  aeronautical engi neering,  medicine, and  art.(3) The development of Non destructive testing examines the techniques to verify the conditions of these structures and these developments are focused on extending the cost of maintenance of the existing structures. History: It may be said that NDT has been used from ancient times. The audible ring of a Damascus sword blade would show the indication of the strength of the metal in combat. This technique was also used by the early blacksmiths. They used to listen to the ring of different metals being shaped. The same technique was also used by early bell makers. Visual testing had been used for many years for a wide range of applications. Heat sensing was used to monitor thermal changes in materials and sonic tests were performed years ago(1). NDT by far is a visual testings which is the oldest mankind testing, this was used for visual checking knifes. The first use of NDT was done by a English man S.H.Saxby . who used compass for finding cracks in gun pipes in 1868.With a long established history in non-destructive testing (NDT), producing its first UV meter in the late 1960s (as Levy West Laboratories), AST is the market leader with the Levy Hill MkVI meter. NDT is well known as a part of industrial procedures, but it is also of importance in examinations of a more general interest in everyday life. In the aerospace industry, NDT can make the difference between life and death. Aircraft components are inspected before they are assembled into the aircraft and then they are periodically inspected throughout their useful life. Aircraft parts are designed to be as light as possible while still performing their intended function. This generally means that components carry very high loads relative to their material strength and small flaws can cause a component to fail. Since aircraft are cycled (loaded and unloaded) as they fly, land, taxi, and pressurize the cabin, many components are prone to fatigue cracking after some length of time. Even parts that are loaded well below the level that causes them to deform can develop fatigue cracks after being cycled for a long time. Cracking can also occur due to other things like a lightning strike. Aircraft have some protection against lightning strikes but occasionally they occur and can results in cracks forming at the strike location. The historical development of NDT is outlined for each technique. The second oldest method was the Acoustics it has been used by ancient time when man started making the pottery vessels. Table1. Table below shows a list of some of the key events in the chronology of NDT. (1) Year Chronology of Early Key Events in NDT 1800 First thermography observations by Sir William Herschel 1831 First Observation of electromagnetic induction by Michael Faraday 1840 First infrared image produced by Herschels son, John 1868 First reference to magnetic particle testing reported by S.H. Saxby, by observing how magnetized gun barrels affect a compass 1879 Early use of eddy currents to detect differences in conductivity, magnetic permeability, and temperature initiated by E. Hughes 1880-1920 Oil and whiting technique, forerunner of present-day penetrant test used for railroad axles and boilerplates 1895 X-rays discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen 1898 Radium discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie. 1922 Industrial Radiography for metals developed by Dr. H.H. Lester. 1927-28 Electric current induction/ magnetic field detection system developed by Dr. Elmer Sperry and H.C. Drake for the inspection of railroad track. 1929 Magnetic particle tests/ equipment pioneered by A.V. deforest and F.B. Doane. 1930 Practical uses for gamma radiography using radiumwere demonstrated by Dr. Robert F. Mehl 1935-40 Penetrant techniques developed by Betz, Doane , and deForest 1935-40 Eddy current developments by H. C. Knerr, C. Farrow, Theo Zuschlag, and Dr. F. Foerster 1940-44 Ultrasonic test metod developed in United States by Dr. Floyd Firestone 1942 First Ultrasound flaw detector using pulse-echo introduced by D.O. Sproule 1946 First portable ultrasonic thickness measuring instrument, the Audigage, was introduced by Branson 1950 Acoustic emission introduced as an NDT method by J. Kaiser Mid 1950s First ultrasonic testing immersion B and C scan instruments developed by Donald C. Erdman From the late 1950s to present, NDT has seen many developments, innovation, and growth. The roots of non-destructive testing began to take form prior to the 1920s. In the 1920s there was an awareness of some of some of the magnetic particle tests, the visual test and also X-radiography. Prior to World War II, design engineers were content to rely on unusually high safety factors which were usually built or engineered into many products. In addition, there were a significant number of catastrophic failures and other accidents relating to product inadequacies that bought the concern for system and component quality to the forefront. (1) Background History of Individual Testings: Magnetic Particle Test: Saxby used a magnetic compass to locate the defects and in homogeneities in gun barrels in 1868. Herring in 1879 obtained a patent in United States for the defection of defects in railway lines using a compass needle. Deliberate studies were carried out by A.V. de Forest in 1928 and 1929 of the use of magnetic particles for non-destructive testing of ferromagnetic materials. In 1936, Unger and Hilpert described in a patent in Germany at where the inspection of aircraft engine parts, engines for fatigue cracks are developed rapidly and the magnetic particle testing was made mandatory. The real breakthrough for magnetic particle testing came, in 1960s these methods was further greatly developed by C.Betz. Radiography: Wilhelm.Conrad. Roentgen discovered X rays in 8 November 1895 when it was observed by him that fluorescent glow of crystals on a table near the cathode ray tube. Later the penetrating radiations were characterized systematically which are emitted by cathode ray tubes. These represent the very first radiographs taken in 1896. He conducted a test on his own hunting rifle. Radiograph of the rifle showed some defects in the material and was the start of industrial radiography. Penetrant Test: It is a simple and effective method of examining surface areas for defects, cracks and discontinuities. Rubbing of carbon black on glazed pottery is one of the early surface inspections. Later on in 1940 magnetic particle method was introduced which is more sensitive. Many of the earlier developments were carried out by Magnaflux, IL USA. In 1942 it introduced Zyglo system where the fluorescent dyes were added to the liquid penetrant. The methods were formerly called The oil and whiting method and were used by the huge locomotives in the beginning of the 20th century.(13) Ultrasonic testing: Richardson proposed Echo ranging detection of objects at sea in 1912. Later, Lavengin developed a source of ultrasonic waves by using the piezoelectric effect with quartz crystals between steel plates. Future on experiments was carried out by Boyle and by Wood by using quartz piezoelectric transducers. The most simple and quick method came up in 1940 by Firestone. The method avoided many of the problems which were associated with standing wave formation. Then in 1942 Firestone was the first to use his own method for the sonar. The two German brothers H and J. Krautkramer did a lot of research of method and contributed for the development of method. Since their time method has gone through several phases of development. Eddy Current Test: Jean-Bernard Leon Foucault is generally credited with the first clear demonstration of eddy currents, by showing that electrical currents are set up in a copper disk moving in a non uniform magnetic field. Hughes is considered to have been the pioneer in using Eddy currents to inspect the metals. Eddy currents are also known as Induced currents which can only exist in conducting materials.(13) The use of NDT methods took place during the Second World War started from the testings of submarines and airplanes. During these years the use of NDT is seen in the inspection of nuclear power plant components, pressure vessels and car parts. Aim: To investigate the use of various NDT methods in industry. Objectives: To Conduct research on NDT and its applications To identify key components of an aircraft, where likely hood of crack is high. To test the components with appropriate NDT methods. To perform penetrant test to identify the cracks in a gear. Initial Plan As the project initiates with the major task of carrying out the background reading and researching, great amount of time has to be required to collect information about project. A great deal of time has been spent on background reading. Project requires thorough knowledge on NDT in aerospace and its classification. A detailed background reading has been done to understand the concept of NDT. Background reading has also been done on different types of NDT testings and its classifications. A detailed study has been done on the history of NDT. Background Reading: Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Non-destructive testing is the process by which materials, components or assemblies can be inspected without affecting their ultimate serviceability. It offers some important advantages over destructive testing processes such as mechanical testing. A destructive test must necessarily be on a sample basis. This is acceptable in many cases: to check that a batch of material is within specification, for example, or as a sample check on a large number of identical components. But a sample destructive test may not be feasible for a small number of high value components and in critical cases a 100% inspection may be required. Because of this, one key role of NDT is in assuring the quality of many manufacturing processes. NDT can also be used to test components which have been subjected to service conditions. A welded structure can be inspected to detect fatigue cracking. NDT results can further be used to aid decisions on the need for and timing of repairs. Suitable techniques, correctly applied, can be used to measure the depth of a fatigue crack. This, coupled with knowledge of the system stresses, the toughness of the material and the fatigue crack growth rate, can be used to determine if a cracked component can be left in service until the next planned overhaul period. These twin roles of NDT ensure that the technology will continue to play a fundamental role in materials testing.  Aircrafts are designed to withstand a certain amount of damage from cracking and corrosion without cause for concern, and NDT inspectors are trained to find the damage before it becomes a major problem.  The rigorous process used to design aircraft either allows for a certain amount of damage to occur before a part fails, or in many cases, a part can fail completely and performance of the aircraft will not be affected. The job of the NDT inspector is to find the damage while it is within acceptable limits.(5) Role of NDT Non destructive testing can be taken place at any transportation industry. The main aim is to consider the over view of all the terms of NDT and its applications and also to consider research on the optical methods. This is considered to be one of the important terms in the project. Another term is to do research on the optical methods which are implemented on the aircraft parts. (12) Types of methods: The number of NDT methods that can be used to inspect components and make whether the measurements are large and continues to grow. Researchers continue to find new ways of applying physics and other scientific disciplines to develop better NDT methods. However, there are six NDT methods that are used most often. These methods are visual inspection, penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, electromagnetic or eddy current testing, radiography, and ultrasonic testing. These methods and a few others are briefly described below. (12) Visual and Optical Testing (VT)   Visual inspection involves using an inspectors eyes to look for defects. The inspector may also use special tools such as magnifying glasses, mirrors, or bore scopes to gain access and more closely inspect the subject area. Visual examiners follow procedures that range from simple to very complex. The principle behind Visual testing is the use of reflected or transmitted light from test object that is imagined with the human eye or other light-sensing device. VT finds its application in many industries ranging from raw materials to finished products and in-service inspection. VT can be inexpensive and simple with minimal training required. It has broad scope of uses and benefits. However VT can only evaluate surface conditions. Also effective source of illumination is required. (1) Penetrant Testing (PT) Test objects are coated with visible or fluorescent dye solution. Excess dye is then removed from the surface, and a developer is applied. The developer acts as blotter, drawing trapped penetrant out of imperfections open to the surface. With visible dyes, vivid colour contrasts between the penetrant and developer make bleed out easy to see. With fluorescent dyes, ultraviolet light is used to make the bleed out fluoresce brightly, thus allowing imperfections to be readily seen. (6) Figure1: Figure illustrating a simple Penetrant testing (8) The principle behind PT is that a liquid containing visible or fluorescent dye is applied to the surface and the fluid enters the discontinuities by capillary action. PT finds its application in virtually any solid non-absorbent material having uncoated surfaces that are not contaminated. PT is relatively easy and materials are inexpensive. It is extremely sensitive and very versatile. Also minimal training is required. Discontinuities can only be found on the surface. The surface condition must be relatively smooth and free of contaminants. (1) Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)HYPERLINK http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/MagParticle/cc_mpi_index.htm   This NDE method is accomplished by inducing a magnetic field in a ferromagnetic material and then dusting the surface with iron particles (either dry or suspended in liquid). Surface and near-surface imperfections distort the magnetic field and concentrate iron particles near imperfections, previewing a visual indication of the flaw. (6) Figure2. Figure illustrating the basic concept of Magnetic Particle Testing (9) The principle behind MT is that the test particle is magnetized and fine ferromagnetic particles are applied to the surface, hence aligning at discontinuity. MT finds its application in all ferromagnetic materials, for surface and subsurface discontinuities. It can be used in large and small parts. MT is relatively easy to use. Equipment and material is usually inexpensive. MT is highly sensitive and fast compared to PT. However in MT only surface and a few subsurface discontinuities can be detected. The test can be only done on ferromagnetic materials. (1) Electromagnetic Testing (ET) or Eddy Current Testing Electrical currents are generated in a conductive material by an induced alternating magnetic field. The electrical currents are called eddy currents because they flow in circles at and just below the surface of the material. Interruptions in the flow of eddy currents, caused by imperfections, dimensional changes, or changes in the materials conductive and permeability properties, can be detected with the proper equipment. Figure3: Figure illustrating Eddy Current Testing (10) The principle behind ET is that localised electric fields are induced into a conductive test specimen by electromagnetic induction. ET finds its application in virtually all conductive materials. All conductive materials can be examined for flaws, metallurgical conditions, thinning and conductivity. ET is quick, versatile, and sensitive. It can be no contacting. Also it can be easily adaptable to automation. However variables must be understood and controlled. (1) Radiography (RT)HYPERLINK http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Radiography/cc_rad_index.htm   Radiography involves the use of penetrating gamma or X-radiation to examine parts and products for imperfections. An X-ray generator or radioactive isotope is used as a source of radiation. Radiation is directed through a part and onto film or other imaging media. The resulting shadowgraph shows the dimensional features of the part. Possible imperfections are indicated as density changes on the film. Figure4: Figure illustrating the basic principle of Radiographic Testing (11) The principle behind RT is that a radiographic film is exposed when radiation passes through the test object. RT finds its application in most material, shapes and structures. RT is the most widely used and accepted volumetric examination. RT can used only on limited thickness based on material density. Also there is a possible threat of radiation hazard.(1) Ultrasonic Testing (UT)HYPERLINK http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Ultrasonics/cc_ut_index.htm   It uses transmission of high-frequency sound waves into a material to detect imperfections or to locate changes in material properties. The most commonly used ultrasonic testing technique is pulse echo, wherein sound is introduced into a test object and reflections (echoes) are returned to a receiver from internal imperfections or from the parts geometrical surfaces. Figure5: Figure illustrating the basic concept of Ultrasonic Testing (11) The principle behind UT is that high frequency sound pulses from a transducer propagate through the test material, reflecting at interfaces. Most materials can be examined if sound transmission and surface finish are good and shape is not complex. UT provides precise, high-sensitivity results quickly. Thickness information, depth, and type of flaw can be obtained from one side of the component. (1) Work to date As suggested by the project plan, the entire duration of the project is distributed variably as required by different tasks commencing from the basic research and reading. According to the project plan the research was done on few NDT techniques and some of the techniques are still under research, along with types of methods and its techniques. Necessary Future Work A more detailed and precise study of non destructive testings in aero industry is to be done. Project requires identifying various testings in Aerospace industry. A detailed study should be done on techniques and testings of NDT in Aerospace industry. A precise study of industrial applications and research should be done on optical methods. Key components of an aircraft should be identified and finally components may be tested by appropriate NDT methods. The main project work to be done is perform a Dye Penetrant Testing to identify cracks on gear. Dye penetrant inspection  (DPI), also called  liquid penetrant inspection  (LPI) or  penetrant testing(PT), is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method used to locate surface-breaking defects in all non-porous materials (metals, plastics, or ceramics). The penetrant may be applied to all non-ferrous materials. The main steps in Liquid Penetrant Inspection which are intended to be performed on the gear may be: Pre-cleaning: The test surface is to be cleaned to remove any dirt, paint, oil, grease or any loose scale that could keep the penetrant out of a defect. Application of Penetrant: The penetrant is to be then applied to the surface of the item which is to be tested.   Excess Penetrant Removal: The excess penetrant is to be then removed from the surface. Application of Developer: After excess penetrant has been removed a white developer is to be applied. Inspection: The inspection is to be done using visible light with adequate intensity for visible dye penetrant. Post Cleaning: The test surface is then to be cleaned after inspection and recording of defects. Summary It is clear that NDT has advantage from other inspection techniques as it does not make any changes to the article. It is a highly-valuable technique that can save both money and time in product evaluation, troubleshooting, and research. NDT is very useful in order to detect cracks in materials of magnitude in micrometers. (2) Its aerospace application includes detection of cracks caused due to corrosion, fatigue and their synergistic interactions. Crank shafts, frames, flywheels, crane hooks, shaft, steam turbine blades and fasteners are some of the components which are more vulnerable to fatigue so regular inspection is necessary via NDT method. Typical components which are inspected using NDT method by manufacture in order to maintain quality are turbine rotor disc and blades, aircraft wheels, castings, forged components and welded assemblies. One of the NDT methods is Eddy current technique which can be used to check tube, bar and wire and also this method is automatic and highly sophisticated.(3) It can be said that NDT method has to be carried out in order for the aircraft to operate safely during service time and avoid any accidental damage due to fatigue and corrosion.(2) In this report, a detailed explanation of NDT testings and techniques are explained. The uses of NDT in different industrial applications are explained and a precise study on optical methods is done. According to the project plan, next task would be to conduct research on NDT applications. List of Tables Table1: Table showing a list of some of the key events in the chronology of NDT List of figures Figure1: Figure illustrating a simple Penetrant testing Figure2. Figure illustrating the basic concept of Magnetic Particle Testing Figure3: Figure illustrating Eddy Current Testing Figure4: Figure illustrating the basic principle of Radiographic Testing Figure5: Figure illustrating the basic concept of Ultrasonic Testing