Investigate their human resources, administration, finance and sales Essay

Marks and Spencer’s have many different store departments but also have many different departments of their business, its functional areas. I am going to look at and investigate their human resources, administration, finance and sales and marketing departments to then see how each contributes to the running of Marks and Spencer’s. Human Resources: The human resources department aims to carry out 5 major things, these being: 1. Recruiting, keeping and dismissing employees. This is a major task for M&S as they need the right type of employees for the business to operate it’s best, also the employees shall decide the businesses success present and future. Recruiting new employees could be hiring new people from outside the business or promoting workers already working in the business. Many businesses such as M&S like recruiting from outside the business to bring new ideas and enthusiasm. M&S would want to keep all their existing employees as they would risk losing experienced and trained staff, plus recruiting new workers and training them can prove to be expensive. Sometimes M&S would have to dismiss or sack employees, this may be due if an employee cannot carry out their job efficiently or effectively. Also many employees are dismissed or made redundant, as their jobs no longer exist, say the fall in a particular product could lead to the dismissal of many staff. Read more:Â  Human Resource Management Essay 2. Monitoring and providing good working conditions. Working conditions includes; the cleanliness of a place, the provision of rest areas, hours of work and holidays. Working conditions have a great impact on how well a business operates and how well employees can carry out their work. They are normally a subject for negotiation between trade unions and human resources. M&S have an area for staff to relax and spend their breaks in. The whole store would be regularly cleaned every day for both the workers and customers. 3. Training, developing and promoting employees. Human resources need their staff to be able to ensure that employees are able to do their jobs, they may give training at M&S or through course at local colleges, planning jobs so that employees enjoy new experiences and develop new skills also promoting employees to more senior positions to give the business the skills and experience it needs. 4. Negotiating with trade unions. The human resources department of M&S would have to discuss and agree pay and working conditions with trade unions or other representatives of the workforce. This process is called collective bargaining. 5. Health and safety is an important responsibility for human resources, as it requires M&S to provide all employees with a secure risk free working environment. That is what the human resources function of M&S had to ensure is carried out. Here are some typical job titles within an organisation such as M&S. Job title Description Human resources director Deciding the overall staffing policies of Boots. Also he/she advise senior management. Setting the human resources budget. In charge of all human resource functions in Boots. Human resources manager He/she manages the human resources department and staff involved with industrial relations and trade union negotiations, also ensuring his/he staff is following the policies of Boots. Recruitment officer Responsible for the taking on of staff and section of staff, depending on their standard of work they offer to Boots and the customers of Boots. Training/staff development officer He/she are responsible for training and developing of their staff to bring or take them to a higher level. Personnel/staffing officer Keeping staff records, monitoring staff welfare. Health and safety officer He/she makes sure all aspects of health and safety are in order for staff matters. Also they monitor accident and prevention. Security officer General security, responsible for all security staff. Human resources administrative assistants Administrative work relating to the human resource function. Finance: Now I am going to look at the finance function of M&S. The finance department of a business manages the money for the business. The department controls the financial transactions of a business and help managers to plan for the future. The various activities of the finance department are: 1. Recording all the financial matters of M&S as they are constantly spending money or receiving it from sales. It is vital that they keep all records of all the activities in order to, calculate whether the business is being profitable, asses how much tax the business will have to pay and to help managers to make the right decisions. 2. All businesses have to prepare their accounts in order to summarise their financial affairs during a year, plc’s are required to publish their results legally as they are a public company such as M&S. They have to do the following; the balance sheet which states both what a businesses aims and its debts, profit and loss account- which records the profit or loss made during a lengthy period of time usually a year, the inland revenue have to confirm that M&S has paid the correct amount of tax, suppliers are able to see whether business can pay it’s debts and finally shareholders can decide whether it’s worth investing in the business or not. 3. M&S have to pay the wages of all their employees and it involves the finance department in a number of ways. The business has to deduct income tax and national insurance from each employees pay, it may be required to operate a pension scheme for its more elderly employees and to make sure the correct amount of wages or salaries has been given out to employees. 4. All businesses need some resources and capital to trade successfully. To purchase these resources businesses may need to raise large sums of money, known as capital, but not M&S as they are already fully developed and expanding across the globe. But nevertheless a business has 2 main sources of capital; a loan raised by borrowing money from a bank or another business and retained profits, if M&S has been very profitable they may be able to invest in the business and obtain resources they may need. Some typical job roles in the finance function in M&S would include; Job Description Financial director Giving advice to senior managers on the overall financial policy of M&S. Overseeing the budget of M&S. In charge of all finance function in M&S. Financial Manager Managing the finance function and staff. He/she also advises other members of staff with any financial queries. Chief Accountant He/She ensures that final preparation of accounts M&S are in good and correct order. Management accountant He/She produces continuous financial information to M&S. Credit Controller Advising on credit policies. Making sure money owing to M&S kept in confidence. Credit control clerks Helps check accounts of new and existing customers accounts. He/She works below the Credit Controller but assist the credit controller. They also remind customers of overdue payments Chief Cashier He/She is responsible for the receipt, safe keeping accounting and banking all money received from boots. Payroll Administrator He/She is in control of ensuring that all of M&S employees payroll and salary/wages section. Wages Clerks He/She helps and assists the payroll administrator, in the production of wages ands salary details. Administration: The administration department provides important support services to other departments in the business. Not all admin departments in all businesses are the same. In small businesses the admin department may take responsibility for human resources or finance, but in a large organisation such as M&S it is usually most likely to be specialised. The admin department makes considerable use of computers and IT as it is required for a lot of their jobs. There are as always many activities for the administration department; they can be broken down into 5 groups: 1. Clerical services are the main role of every admin department. The department may provide clerical services to all other departments within the business. These maybe; word-processing, making telephone calls, booking accommodation for staff, sorting and delivering incoming mail and posting outgoing mail, organising meetings and keeping records of what takes place at these meetings, talking responsibly on behalf of the whole company and creating and keeping records of the company. 2. All businesses require regular cleaning M&S is no exception as it is especially true as M&S have cafes, which require thorough cleanliness. Admin also organises the maintenance of the building, they may decorate the inside and outside of the building if they wish. 3. Health and safety is a big issue with all businesses. It includes; providing safety clothing, warnings for workers, ensuring that there are no dangers around the workplace and providing regular medical checks for those working in risky environments. 4. Security is an increasingly important issue for all businesses, security duties would include; signing visitors in and out of premises, ensuring that unauthorised people are kept out by use of patrols or even guard dogs, protecting computer systems from hackers, patrolling to prevent shoplifting by employing guards in uniform. 5. Information technology is being more widely used by the minute, nearly all businesses use some form of IT nowadays. The admin department may use IT to; make spreadsheet for financial data, a database of customers and employees, payroll systems to calculate employees wages and salaries, e mail for communicating internal and external, web based systems, web sites for selling goods etc. Typical job roles of the administration function would be: Job Description Administration manager Managing the administration operations of M&S. Administration assistant Assists with administrative tasks in particular areas. Secretary of Boots A senior executive responsible for all the legal affairs of M&S. It manager Managing all IT requirements of M&S, including equipment maintenance and advising on future needs. Office manager/senior administrator Responsible for ensuring the administrating operations in particular office or department. Chief security officer He/she is responsible for the security staff and advising on security requirements. Security Responsible for maintaining and monitoring security to the required standard. Reprographics supervisor (photo coping and printing) Ensuring all reprographics are done and to a high standard, as it reflects on Boots reputation from the quality of leaflets and formal letters etc. Pa / Secretarial staff These staff are mainly there to providing secretarial and administrative support to senior members of staff and Word processing operator/Data input clerk (worker) He/she type out letters and any other documents and also input data into a computer system. Maintenance of Staff He/she is responsible for routine maintenance work, which may include painting or decorating. Cleaning Staff Cleaning of general office areas, facilities and equipment Marketing and Sales: Marketing and sales involve businesses in many ways. Marketing is the process that helps all businesses to discover and meet the needs of customers. Doing market research, carrying it out in the local and wider community enables the business to discover: 1 Customer reactions to existing products 2 What new goods and services customers want 3 Whether or not new products will prove to be popular 4 The prices customers are prepared to pay for goods 5 How satisfied customers already are with the service Marks and Spencer’s therefore do the following; discover customer needs through market research, advise customers of products through promotion then achieve their sales. There are 2 types of research that can be carried out, Primary- gathering data for the 1st time by asking for views and opinions through questionnaires, interviews, surveys etc and Secondary research which is research that has already been done by someone else such as newspapers web site etc. The best-known marketing activity is promotion. 1 Advertising on TV, radio, internet, billboards, newspapers etc 2 Sales promotions, giving free samples like buy 1 get 1 free etc 3 Public relations, attempting to influence the publics opinions of the business and its products through sponsorship, trade fairs the press and media Businesses try to achieve their sales through a number of ways: 1 Selling products through shops 2 Personal selling such as when sales reps encourage customers to buy their products 3 Internet selling is an increasingly important sales method as it is spreading and growing bigger The typical job roles you can expect are: Typical job Title Job Role Marketing Director Responsible for over all marketing function and its aims and objectives. Sales Director He/She is responsible for the sales function. Sales Manager He/she is responsible for M&S entire sales staff and achievement of sales targets usually within the UK. Export Manager This individual is responsible for agents and sales overseas. Advertising Manager In charge of advertising and publishing successful advertising campaigns. Sales Coordinator This person is responsible for giving urgent information required by sales staffs that are travelling. Sales Representatives M&S sales staff who visit customers in UK and abroad. Market Researchers This team is relied upon to find out what customers want and whether or not there is a need for this new product. Order Clerks This staffs are responsible to accept and process sales orders. Telephone Sales staff Accept and process telephone orders.

The Era of the “Common Man”

The Jacksonian Period (1824-1848) had been celebrated as the era of the â€Å"common man. † To what extent did the period live up to its characterization? Consider two of the following in your response: Economic development, politics, and reform movements. The Jacksonian period, nicknamed the era of the â€Å"common man,† lived up to its characterization. President Andrew Jackson influenced the life of the common man forever. He brought politics to the common man by expanding voting rights, once a topic only discussed by the wealth elite.He partook in movements that reformed the nation, and bettered life for American citizens. Also, Jackson developed the economy in such a way that he gave reassurance to the common man, that he was economically safe; during this time, many Americans did not feel that they were in a state of economic stability, but Jackson gave them their piece of mind. This time period was a turning point in the history of America because Andrew Jackson recognized the nation’s problems, addressed the issues of the common man, and bettered the lives of most, if not all Americans.Jeffersonian Democracy was a new view brought to American politics during the early 19th century. American voting was revolutionized because direct voting methods, such as voting by voice were eliminated, and replaced by indirect voting methods, such as ballots. During this transformation, voter participation skyrocketed. By 1840, nearly 80 percent of adult white males journeyed to the polls. Voting popularity increased when property qualifications for voting and office holding were abolished.Under the new constitution, adopted in 1821, all adult white males were allowed to vote as long as they paid their taxes or had served their country. Years later, taxpaying qualifications were eliminated creating universal manhood suffrage for the first time, in America (http://w ww. digitalhistory. uh. edu/database/article_display. cfm? HHID=633). Although unive rsal white manhood suffrage was finally a reality, women and African Americans were still constrained from voting. Although, women and African Americans still could not vote, there was a huge change in politics.There was an increase in the interest in presidential elections; for the first time in American history, the election of 1828 was the focus of the public attention. All candidates, including Jackson, attempted to gain the support of the public by addressing common issues. Now, all governing bodies had become more responsive to public opinions, and individual Americans were getting the opportunity to voice their opinion in American politics. Before, during, and after his presidency, President Andrew Jackson partook in reform movements that bettered the American nation and the life of the common man.First off, Jackson attempted to deplete the national debt, through reforms. He ended the Federal Reserve, being the Second National Bank of the United States. When the bank asked co ngress for a renewal bill, Jackson vetoed this legislation. Jackson removed deposits from the national bank, and placed them in state banks. Andrew Jackson was the last American president to attempt to rid America of debt, through a series of reforms (http://www. examiner. com/la-county-nonpartisan-in-los-angeles/top-10-americans-for-monetary-reform-3-president-andrew-jackson).During his presidency, Jackson also strived for educational reforms. Although Jackson had little formal education himself, he saw the importance of educational reform in such ways to create taxes to support public schooling. During the age of Jackson, adults had the opportunity to achieve a higher education, and it was becoming mandatory for children to receive a formal education. Lastly, during this era, there were a series of movements that attempted to perfect the human condition through â€Å"cleans society of moral evils. During this time period, the Temperance Movement and the Mormon Movement created a new sense of community and an impersonal society (http://www. ethanlewis. org/history/downloads/guides/Ch12. pdf). There is no question that Jackson’s term was as a reform president; reforms to all aspects of modern society bettered the lives of the American people. When Jackson took office, one of the leading issues in congress concerned economic development policies.Andrew Jackson backed the system of protective tariffs, which fostered domestic industry along with federal subsidies for transportation projects. Jackson supported this American system, and saw that it was a way of securing economic independence and improving the country’s strength (http://millercenter. org/academic/americanpresident/jackson /essays/biography/4). Jackson also ended the cycle of land speculation, in Eastern states, by relocating the Native Americans off of Eastern land. From this, new land opened up to Americans, who now had areas to expand.

The Misery in Evil

There is a lot we can learn from infants. Infants have control over their emotions. When they feel hungry, they cry. When we feed them, they stop. They react the same way when dealing with such feelings and emotions such as nausea, sleep, and even anger. The children know how to let their emotions flow and as soon as the emotion is dealt with, they let the feelings go. As life becomes more complicated, people tend to forget how to let thing flow and then let them go. The older we get, the more we hold in the emotional baggage, allow ourselves to be possessed by them. Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights tells a very good story of the consequences of holding emotions in without ever releasing them. The characters in the book are so deeply enveloped into their emotions that they create prisons for their minds. Their own acts of hate and unkindness create these prisons; prisons that won't let them escape from their misery. From a very early age, the seeds of hatred are planted into Hindley. When the orphan boy, Heathcliff is brought home to live with the Earnshaw family, Hindley becomes immediately jealous when the love of his father goes into Heathcliff. Along with his sister, Catherine, the two work together to ridicule the orphan child of his disabilities, mainly his illiteracy. When Hindley's father dies, he goes on to make Heathcliff's life miserable. He treats Heathcliff as one of the servants and terminates his education. The hatred is spread into Heathcliff as he vows to seek revenge on Hindley. While Hindley continued his abuse on Heathcliff, Catherine falls in love with the orphan child. However, Catherine had a personal ambition to find someone that would carry her away like an enchanted princess. She got this opportunity when she was allowed to enter the Linton house. Heathcliff, on the other hand, was told to go back home. While Catherine learned the ways of the rich, Heathcliff started his plan to seek revenge. One of the interesting aspects of the book is the fact that Heathcliff started off with the typical romantic hero. He was the orphan child, destined to rise above the standards. However, Bronte doesn't allow Heathcliff to transcend above his position in life. Throughout the novel, Heathcliff commits act of pure evil that is very hard for the reader to believe. He starts by killing a few dogs and goes on to create even more havoc. He tortures Isabella by testing her undying love for him. He even goes on to plan the use of his own child to seek revenge on his arch nemesis, Edgar Linton. All the while, the one thing that caused all of his pain, all of his misery, never stopped haunting him. Catherine died from the love she had for Heathcliff. Her acts of unkindness towards him led to her misery which would eventually lead to her death. Heathcliff could never bury Catherine and he felt like her ghost was always around watching him, waiting for him to join her. Heathcliff's ultimate revenge would take place by destroying the love between Hareton and the young Catherine. He tried to recreate a love triangle between his son Linton Heathcliff, the young Catherine, and Hareton. However, the young Catherine reminded Heathcliff of his love for her mother so much, that his desire to fulfill his act of revenge soon disappeared. When he finally realized this, his anger, his rage, turned to misery. Like his love before him, he let the misery take over, which would lead him to his own death. Heathcliff, along with many other characters in the story, were locked inside a cage they couldn't escape. The lock was composed of love, hatred, revenge and misery. For the second generation of children in the story (Heathcliff, Edgar Linton, Hindley, and Catherine), the self-made prisons made for some very miserable lives and depressing deaths.

International Comparative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Comparative Analysis - Essay Example This essay focuses on analyzing and presenting of the international comparative analysis, that is highly relevant in today’s growth-oriented societies in which problems can crop up when large concentrations of people are put within a relatively small area such as in highly-urbanized cities of the developing countries. In particular, urbanization continues to pose serious challenges to country planners who have to contend with limited and finite resources while populations continue to expand. This paper discusses some approaches applied to the urban renewal efforts of cities suffering urban decay. The theories from comparative analysis are useful when explaining new patterns of spatial development, like uneven or unequal development such as the new poly-centric patterns of urban growth. The practical application of comparative analysis is to learn from the de-industrialisation taking place in cities like London and New York and apply them to waves of industrialisation taking pl ace in China and the Asia-Pacific. An interesting use of international comparative analysis will be determining which of the two largest nations in the world can pull off an economic miracle. It is concluded by the researcher that theoretical and practical applications of international comparative analysis will guide modern city planners when drafting country policies for development. It will let the countries to maximize all the resources they have and avoid the mistakes of the past because it is very hard to undo them in future.

The Benefits of Gender Diversity in the Workplace Research Paper

The Benefits of Gender Diversity in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Owing to such reasons, it is deemed to be necessary for both profit oriented as well as non-profit organizations to engage and accept the notion of diversity with regard to gender for the reason of attaining increased creativeness as well as productivity (Rosado, 2006). Gender Diversity in Workplace The idea of gender is primarily based on the dissimilarities of features amid the individuals of different sex. These features act as a basis which discerns the males from the females. It is also based on the feelings of an individual of being a male or a female. Gender diversity generally relates to the proportion or ratio of the overall males to the overall females. The degree of diversity signifies whether the distribution of the genders is equal or it is distributed unevenly (Walter, 2012). Greater degree of diversity within a certain organization with regard to age is known to offer increased viewpoints as well as generation of fresh ideas. It is even considered imperative for the re ason of augmenting the competence in terms of comprehending the requirements of the customers. The aspect of diversity in relation to gender in the workplace assists in triggering an ensuring increased degree of sales for the organization. Gender diversity is also considered important for an organization for the reason of ensuring the sustenance of their respective operations. The notion of gender diversity relates to the actuality of the existence of variation in terms of the genes with regard to a species. The factor of genetic diversity makes it likely for a specific populace to become accustomed to the surroundings along with responding to the usual selection. The degree in relation to genetic disparity is considered to be the foundation of speciation. This specific factor is known to pose an influence regarding the ways individuals act together and perform or conduct oneself with respect to the other individuals present in the organization (Green, Lopez, Wysocki, & Kenper, 2011 ).. As a result of the mounting globalization in the industrial sector gender diversity has surfaced as quite an essential aspect for the modern business organizations. Gender diversity with regard to workplace has been defined as the comprehension and recognition of employees of both the genders. The major guiding forces of gender diversity within the workplace are the women employees. It is worth mentioning that during the recent days, business organizations have noticed the highest level of female employees in the workplace. Consequently, the number of families possessing dual income sources has also augmented along with the numbers in relation to working mothers who are single (Green, Lopez, Wysocki, & Kenper, 2011). Gender Diversity and Its Implications Gender diversity with regard to the workplace is noticed to prove gainful for the employers as well as the employees. The employees working in the same organization are likely to be quite reliant upon each other in terms of thei r work. In this context, the individuals of different genders significantly require to develop mutual respect for the reason of enhancing their productivity. Diversity in the work place can work quite effectively in boosting the marketing opportunities of the organization. It can further facilitate in encouraging creative activities amid the individuals and can also aid in recruitment activities

After reading a mini-case, and writing a summary with your opinion Essay

After reading a mini-case, and writing a summary with your opinion - Essay Example that Twitter was more compatible for their needs than Facebook, as Twitter was more mobile friendly and allowed them to create needed content immediately. JetBlue used Twitter to market new deals and sales without turning into spam or the usual â€Å"promotional lingo† (2). It created a separate Twitter account known as â€Å"JetBlue Cheaps† to cater to the different needs of their customers. This led to an exciting offer in JetBlue’s history in the summer of 2009 known â€Å"All You Can Jet† (3). This allowed customers to travel many routes under just one ticket. Twitter basically allowed them to market this offer for free. The AYCJ pass was sold out before the company’s expectations leading to millions of blog references, search engine hits, and increased traffic. Media channels, newspapers, and blogs also propelled this offer, further highlighting its publicity. The already booming loyal followers became ecstatic over this historical offer and shared it on their other social networks. JetBlue was able to get a hold of even more customers and satisfied followers. The offer allowed JetBlue to gain i mmense profits as well as more TrueBlue flyers, where its members soon hit the 8 million member mark. JetBlue also used Twitter in March of 2010 to give away 1,000 free roundtrip tickets because of its 10th anniversary (4). The company established itself further as a customer oriented service gaining even more positive publicity. JetBlue realized that its profits and public support were not solely the result of its few Twitter team members but instead due to â€Å"the crew members who are on the front lines all across the company† (4). Furthermore, JetBlue used Twitter to closely and carefully monitor customer complaints and concerns as they were occurring in real time. This way instead of targeting a problem or issue, no matter how big or small, a week down the road, they were able to handle it on the spot with satisfying results. For example, when the company

Laws and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Laws and Ethics - Essay Example In addition, laws are universal in nature as they are applicable to the whole world with comparable attributes under the same vicinity (Brown, Black & Society of Professional Journalists (U.S.), 2011). Conversely, ethics involves habits or customs that determine how individuals interact with one another. Alternatively, ethics outline what is moral for individuals and society. Law and rule applies to principles in a variety of ways that include service laws, federal guidelines, ecological laws and codes of ethics. Companies and other business oriented institutions workout the right and the wrong ways to act just like people do. For instance, when the law does not specify how a given procedure is performed, managers and plant experts must make informed decisions on achieving the key objectives. Both ethical and unethical measures will have profound impacts to the company as well as to the consumers of the product (Shaw, 2011). Laws justify the appropriate direction of dealing with an occurrence thus satisfying all the parties involved. On the other hand, ethics entails making a legal decision but not necessarily satisfying all the members involved in a dilemma or a confrontational matter. For instance, stakeholders can be harmed by a company’s ethical behavior, but they could also be left without an option to withdraw at a certain period due to binding contract agreements (Merkel, 2007). Moreover, differences between ethics and laws can be exemplified in a warranty. Warranties become a constituent of the business pact with respect to the depiction that any merchandise is intended to perform. However, most products come with limited warranty where the manufacturers can manipulate them to any fashion providing they do not infringe the law. Unfortunately, the law does not guarantee consumer direct claimant of a given product as implied in the warranty. Ethical questions may ascend

Race and racism (evolution Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race and racism (evolution - Coursework Example An example is Pedro Alonzo Nino who was a pilot of a ship in the fleet led by Christopher Columbus and was believed to be African (Smedley 89). Native Americans on the other were less exploited as slaves due to the fact that many of them got ill quite often and succumbed to European diseases. They were also perceived to be brutal and many would escape since they knew the land better than anyone else. This left the planters no choice but to take advantage of the vulnerable Africans and turn them into slaves. It is in 1661 that Virginia was granted a formal slave status by Queen Elizabeth which allowed slaves to be bought and sold just like any other commodity. From this time Africans’ status dropped drastically and they were consequently believed to be inferior to all other races. This legality to trade in slaves facilitated and maintained this trade for centuries. There was the perception that the whites were more superior to all other races while the rest were termed as color ed people. The whites in America even disregarded immigrants from Europe. They claimed to be biologically different from all immigrants regardless of origin. This perception created rifts in the society which caused the Americans to dominate others. The New World perpetuated slave trade because they had vast lands which were productive and the climate was favorable (106). This followed a massive expansion of plantations in Georgia and South Carolina which translated to increased production levels of rice and tobacco. These slaves did a great deal of work which the white servants had refused to do for example draining of swamps. West Africans came in handy especially in rice growing plantations since they were familiar with the kind of work required as their mother lands grew rice. Slaves worked for 15 hours on a daily basis especially during the harvest season. One overseer was required to supervise a minimum of 20 slaves doing back-breaking work and when a slave lazed around, the o verseer was supposed to whip them. The fact that slaves were cheap to buy and maintain saw planters buy them in masses so as to plant and cultivate more (281). As earlier indicated slaves used to work for many hours per day which translated to bumper harvests and therefore booming plantation business. Many plantation owners like the Byrd family from Virginia turned to be quite wealthy. Such families came together to form elite classes of planters in the southern states who ensured that slave trade remained because it was a lifeline to their wealth. Some slaves also supported the trade owing to the fact that some, especially the overseers, lived better lives than the one they left in Africa. Q2 America is comprised of people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. When America was organizing itself as a country many people streamed in as immigrants from all over the world but majority from Europe. All these people on their arrival to the United States found a society strictly stratifie d hierarchically on the basis of ethnicity (Sacks 55). These hierarchies defined ones social and economic status thus limits had been set in regards to what one can or cannot do. The white settlers are the ones who set these hierarchies so as to protect their interests and to limit others from exploiting existing resources. The African-American population especially before the civil war was condemned to slavery. European immigrants like the Irish people worked as laborers or supervisors in farms or small

Impact Evaluation and Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Impact Evaluation and Accountability - Essay Example Can a government arbitrarily treat social concerns as its private reserve Better still, will the prime minister, president or monarch willingly abdicate his or her duties to look after the vulnerable section of society Social issues and problems are too deep, intricate and vexatious for even the government to handle single handedly. Traditionally, the social issues of poverty and unemployment were invariably touched upon by religious and/or civic conscious citizens under the patronage of the government and the wealthy. The system did not need regular improvising until the need became known and the means were available. Today, social work is a specialized domain. The issues are more complex and it is not only poverty and unemployment, but also a host of other disturbances like child labor and stress management seeking attention. It has become necessary for social factors to be studied, statistically and scientifically observed, understood and concluded upon by qualified and experienced experts. (Performance Measurement and Evaluation) Accountability is a combination of procedure and responsibility. There are eon procedures and methods, but it is left to the wisdom and discretion of the accountant to evolve a system best suited for the purpose of the organization. The accountant uses not only his academic skills and experience, but also his creative faculties to carry out the daily activities and evolve new methods when and where necessary with the resources available to him. The accountant is also responsible to the management and the statutory authorities like the chartered accountants. He is under the supervisory gaze of these authorities and his actions and decisions are subject to their approvals, corrective suggestions and instructions, and sometimes even censure in fraudulent cases. Other than the accountant, the social organization must be allocated the necessary funds and allowed to operate on its own to fulfill its goals and obligations. Social organizations have the necessary personnel and wherewithal to define social problems and the means to find solutions. (Healthcare & Social Services) Government and Accountability The traditional way of working has given way to the current trends of working. In the current scenario, the system is simple although hi-tech. It is highly adept to policy, procedure and systems loyalties. But it needs the tender and efficacious touch of an expert operator. As the highest authority of the land, the government has enough powers and means to oversee, control and legislate not only the social sector but the entire gamut of departmental ministries. The government itself has to operate within its budgetary and functional constraints. Its ministers and staff have their duties to perform and they cannot overstretch their limits. There are thousands of social trusts, social organizations, social volunteers and social problems. It is practically impossible for the government to keep tabs on all of them. They

Personality psyc research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Personality psyc - Research Paper Example Jung believed that personality formation was due to archetypes in the unconscious mind that contributed to the development and balance of the psyche. Erikson's theory of psychosocial development places a strong emphasis on social development in conjunction with sexual factors. In contrast to Erikson, Jung believed that personality formation was shaped by memories and feelings that are stored in the individual's unconscious mind. Similar to Freud, Jung felt that there is a connection between the conscious and unconscious mind. In comparison, Erikson placed a stronger emphasis on environmental factors that affect the individuals' personality development. According to Dacy, Lennon & Kathleen (1998), "The whole (conscious and unconscious mind) then becomes an unusual believed that this process lends continuity to human existence while providing progressive advances to the human journey" (213). Both Erikson and Jung emphasized the development of the ego in different ways. Jung believed that the ego was the unconscious mind (Boeree, 2006). Erikson's theory of personality development concurs with Jung's on the notion of the ego. However, Erikson believed that parts of the ego are able to work independently of both the super ego and the id. In further, Erikson believed that the ego was able to adapt to situations. ... According to Boerre (2006), "It is the reservoir of our experiences as a species, a kind of knowledge we are all born with. And yet we can never be directly conscious of it." The collective unconscious effects the way people behave as the collective unconscious stores unconscious memories and feelings. Jung observed that the collective unconscious is similar in individuals regardless of cultures. For example, near death experiences are described summarily by individuals of different cultures. In many cases people that have a near death experience describe a happy place or seeing their passed loved ones. Erikson concluded that the individual's personality was formed based upon the resolution with eight psychosocial stages of development. Through the completion of the stage which is developmentally appropriate the individual either learns to accept the task or develops neurosis. In comparison to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Erikson believed that the personality is continuously forming. Throughout each of the eight stages a new virtue is learned. The various virtues include hope, willpower, purpose, competence, love, care, wisdom and fidelity. However, the ego is never fully developed. According to Clifton (1995), "Developing trust is the first task of the ego and it is never complete." The first task of the ego is developed in trust vs. mistrust, Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development. At the resolution of this stage the new baby will either develop trust or mistrust. Differences: Jung's Archetypes in the unconscious mind/Erikson Jung believed that people had archetypes. Archetypes are parts of the collective unconscious. Archetypes further explain the unconscious drives people experience. Jung believed that

Stanley Kubrick- A Life of Contributions to Film Essay

Stanley Kubrick- A Life of Contributions to Film - Essay Example â€Å"An awareness of contingency arises whenever there is a loss of faith in teleological explanations, in the received or discovered validity of meaning, in the rational structures of nature or the signifying power of mind and language† (Nelson, 1982.p. 13). Kubrick was not like those filmmakers who hold a mirror to nature, but rather he was one who creates his own experience. Kubrick himself said that he put forth substantial control over the final filmic product. His several films are considered major addition to generic canons like 2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction; The Shining is a horror film while Full Metal Jacket is on war. It seems that Kubrick texts surprisingly come and at once come to pass as part of the genre tradition, but no one can predict about his forthcoming films. Influential thematic and technical undercurrents are constantly running through each filmic text. A deep study of Kuberick’s work show that he was so absorbed with his selected s tories and themes that he constantly tried new experiments with forms and used technique that take on his audience as well as deliver meaning. (Nelson, 1982) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)   The film was popular not only for depicting future technological developments successfully, but also for engaging a generation. This film was based on a short story, Arthur C.Clarke’s â€Å"The Sentinel,†. In this film, the director presented four parts of the â€Å"epic† connected with a central idea: the development of human intelligence. 2001: A Space Odyssey is considered different, extraordinary, and exceptional science fiction films. A Space Odyssey has enjoyed an immense popular following since it was released in theaters in 1968. Kurbrick’s notion of detail performed via the renowned edit of the gloriously thrown bone metamorphosizing into the space vehicle both sums up and projects time (Phillip, 2006) A Clockwork Orange A Clockwork Orange (1971)  left a po werful and positive impact on its audience because of the visual splendor of its special effect. The credit goes to the directors’ creative energy. A Clockwork Orange was adapted from a novel by Anthony Burgess (1962). A Clockwork Orange is a film, in which Kubrick put his artistic insights; he wrote the screenplay, controlled the shooting and did the editing (Kagan, 1972). The story of the film is in line with the novel and no significant modifications have been made. A Clockwork Orange is highly controlling film that engages the audience not only just to amuse them. To achieve this engagement of the audience, Kubrick goes through a complicated pattern of character development attracting the audience in and after that moving away from relaxed land to a new dimension. The character ‘Alex’ is a driving force for the viewer; his appearance, his voice and linking identification. The scenic cuts happen in hastily; beating an old drunk in a drain; an incredibly viciou s gang fight; playing â€Å"Hog of the Road† in the stolen Durango 95, finishing with a visit to â€Å"Home† for the rape†¦Ã¢â‚¬  surprise visit.† In addition to all this, still the ‘

Bullying and the effects on the individuals Essay Example for Free

Bullying and the effects on the individuals Essay Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explain what is bullying and the consequences of bullying. Bullying is where the bullier intentially causes physical harm or emotional stress to the victim. Bullies are angry and aggressive and dominate their victims and choose their targets by weakness and vulnerability and the victim is non dominant and usually does not fight back. There are severe warning signs that this is not a normal behavior and usually starts as a child and can still be a behavior done in adulthood. There are four different types of bullying and several descriptive behaviors. Bullying can lead to severe self-esteem issues. Aggressive behavior, dominant individual who abuses power by threating less dominant individual. Behavior is repeated or has potential to become repetitive over time. Bullying includes making threats spreading rumors, attacking someone or seclusion. This can be in person or anonymously by being a cyber-bully. This is important because bullying or being bullied appear to indicate that something is wrong and children who experience bullying either as aggressor or a victim need help. Bullying start as a child and without help it can grow into a big issue to deal with as an adult. Types There are three most common types of bullying and numerous tactics used when targeting their victims. Bullies intend to harm their victims with power imbalance. Power imbalance is crucial for the bully because their victim  cannot defend themselves. Power difference can be age, size, or strength. The victim as a result can feel weak, small, vulnerable, scared and dumb. There is typically more than one time that the bully will attack there same victim. Weather it is the same act or different behaviors on the victim. The third aspect on bully behaviors is the intentions to cause harm another person. The bully harasses people on purpose. Their behavior is not a â€Å"joke† or accident. The victim feels embarrassed, ashamed, angry, or scared. There are different forms of bullying; physical, verbal, cyber and relational aggression. Physical involves hitting, kicking, pushing, tripping, stealing or breaking property. Verbal abuse hurts the victim emotionally with words. Name calling, threating, yelling, intimidation and laughing. Relational uses other people to hurt their victims. This is more hurtful to some people because their friends are talking behind their back. The bully spreads rumors and gossip around. The last form is cyberbullying which is done with improved technology. This can be over the internet, email, text or social media. The bully can interact relational and verbal forms. Name calling, insults and lies or threats can lead to physical harm to the victim. This can happen 24/7 and anonymously. So it is harder to find out who is the bully. There are many influences that the bully has and that is the reason why the bully has certain behaviors. Gender, orientation, environment, family problems, race or developmental problems. The bully usually has anger issues and experiences some type of abuse. The person takes out their feelings on someone who can or will not fight back. The bully may be physically and verbally abused by parents or older siblings. So when they are around someone who is not a threat they tend to do the same abuse to the victim to feel superior and worthy. The parents may have substance abuse, emotional issues, low self-esteem, single parent household and many other reasons. The family is not connected and bad communication. Lack of rules may also play a role. The victims have low self-esteem because they feel powerless. They listen and believe what is said to them and about them. They may feel helpless,  hopeless hurt non worthy and have negative outcomes, anxiety and depression. These can lead to substance abuse, drinking and lack of motivation, eating disorders and increase risk of suicide. These are main of bullying. Conclusion In conclusion bullying is a nationwide problem and it has major problems that affect another human being. This usually starts as a child and never ends without proper treatment. There is a behavior problem that is not normal to intentially cause harm to another person. there are many factors that influence the bully behavior. The victim as a result has low self-esteem. Depression and anxiety. The dominant and less dominant parties need and is recommended to get counseling to reduce long term constiquences. The improved bullying is done with updated technology and can remain unknown. References Kimble, D. and Colman, M (1995): Biological aspects of behavior, Longman Publishers, available at http://www.le.ac.uk/psychology/amc/ Kuykendrat, S. (2012) Ph D.Bullying Santa Barbra: ABC-clio. Zastrow, C. H. Kirst-ashmand K.K. (2010) Understanding human behavior and the social environment. (8th ed ) Belmonth, CA brooks/cole http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/rel

Development of Low Cost Microcontroller Based Spirometer

Development of Low Cost Microcontroller Based Spirometer Spirometer is an instrument which is used to measure the volume and capacity of lung. It collects the air expired by the patient to measure the lung volume or capacity. The spirometer has a device attached to it which will measure the movement of gas in and out of chest and this device is called as Spirograph. And in some spirometers spirographs are replaced by printer called Spirogram. In most of the computerized system the spirographs or the spirogram will display the predicted value next to the observed value. Using spirometer various tests are carried out to determine whether the patient is having any respiratory disorder or not.Some of the tests carried out are- Tidal Volume (TV)-The amount of air that is breathed in and out by an individual during normal respiration. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)-The amount of air that is maximally forced out of the lung after maximum inspiration. Forced Expiratory Volume In 1sec (FEV1)- The amount of air that can be maximally forced out of the lung in the first second of forced expiratory manuever. 1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT To design a low cost microcontroller based spirometer and carry out the various lung functioning tests. To develop a program for the microcontroller to measure the lung volume and display the result digitally on a LCD interfaced with it. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE SURVEY AUTHORS:  Agarwal.V ,Ramachandran N.C.S,2008,[1] TECHNIQUES USED:  The patient exhales through the mouthpiece where the gas exchange is being acquired as the voltage signal by the transducer(sensor). This signal from the sensor is amplified by an instrumentation amplifier(INA 114). Then the amplified signal is filtered using a low-pass-filter which is then given to a ADC(ADS7812) for digitisation. After digitisation it is given to the microcontroller(Intel) from which the data is displayed on the LCD screen. For further interface for communication on internet ETHERNET device is used. RESULTS:  The output voltage from the amplifier is digitised using ADC which corresponds to the pressure difference across mouthpiece is computed by the microcontroller and displayed on the LCD screen. LIMITATIONS/FUTURE VISION:  In future the system is expected to be inexpensive  medical care for thousands of patient. AUTHORS:  Nagaraja K.A,Nanda.S, 2007,[2] TECHNIQUES USED:  The patient exhales the air through the mouthpiece which consists of a flow sensor, differential pressure sensor, instrumentation amplifier,low pass filter and ADC. The flow sensor relates the velocity and the pressure of air blown if there is no air flow through the sensor the velocity is converted to pressure and this pressure difference is sensed by the difference flow sensor which inturn provide the electrical quantity of the air flow. Inorder to remove noise and amplify the signal an instrumentation amplifier is used. Which is then fed to the band pass filter of the range 0.05Hz to 1.3Hz,where the spirometer lies in the range of 0.1Hz to 12Hz. The filtered signal is digitised using ADC and this data is read by a microcontroller which is then interfaced to a computer. RESULTS:  Various tests are performed and FVC,FEV1 and their ratio are calculated and monitored.Depending on these values we determine whether its normal (or) restrictive (or) obstructive. LIMITATIONS/FUTURE VISION:  Not portable AUTHORS:  Dr.David Van Sickle et.al ,2009,[3] TECHNIQUES USED:  Initially the patient is allowed to expire through the spirometer. The spirometer consists of a pressure sensor(HW 24) which gives a DC voltage as output. This DC voltage is propotional to the pressure drop between the leads which is recorded by the spirometer. This analog data is then converted to digital using ZMD 31014 iLite chip. Microcontroller(PIC18f13k50) is used to convert the digital data to USB. Using mathematical algorithm implemented in the computer it calculates the volume and displays on the screen. RESULTS:  Graphical display of flow vs volume is evaluated and monitored from which the following values can be calculated :PEF,FVC, FEV(t) and FEV1/FVC ratio. LIMITATIONS/FUTURE VISION:  Highly expensive. AUTHORS:  Ovlyaguli et.al,2001[4] TECHNIQUES USED:  The test is performed using wedge bellow type spirometer the FVC and FEV1 data collected are investigated where the test is performed on different patient and are grouped accordingly. Then a mathematical modeling process is carried out based on fuzzy values obtained from the flow graphs. These values for the subject with COPD is compared with healthy subject belonging to same age,sex and height. Then normalized for fuzzy labels Very low,low,Normal,High,Very Highwhich is the generated on rule base and simulated. RESULTS:  Provide the interrelationship between characteristic constants obtained from the curves and degree of disease and FEV1 values are measured. LIMITATIONS/FUTURE VISION:  In future it eliminates the error factors and helps in accurate diagnosis. CHAPTER 3 RESPIRATORY DISORDER: SYMPTOMS CAUSES 3.1 RESPIRATORY DISORDER Respiratory disorder  deals with the  diseases  of the  respiratory system which include diseases of the  lung,  pleural cavity and bronchial  tube. Respiratory diseases range from mild to life-threatening such as  bacterial pneumonia  or  pulmonary embolism which may lead to illness and death. The study of respiratory disease is known as  pulmonology. A doctor who specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist. Some of the common respiratory diseases are: Inflammatory lung disease. Obstructive lung disease. Restrictive lung disease. Pleural cavity diseases. 3.2 OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASE Obstructive lung diseases  are diseases of the lung in which the  bronchial  tubes become narrowed. COPD Two examples for obstructive lung disease are: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a disease in which the airways become damaged and hence making them narrow. Asthma causes obstruction to the airflow out of the lungs.And the obstruction is reversible.   3.2.1 SYMPTOMS Persistent cough. Sputum  or mucus production. Wheezing. Chest tightness. Tiredness. 3.2.2 CAUSES Smoking. Occupational exposures. Air pollution. Genetics. Autoimmune disease. 3.3 RESITRICTIVE LUNG DISEASE Restrictive lung disease  is also known as  restrictive ventilatory which restricts the lung expansion and there by decreases the lung volume and increases work  of breathing. SYMPTOMS Shortness of breath, cough 3.3.2 CAUSES Asbestos is caused by long-term exposure to asbestos dust. Radiation fibrosis(radiation used for cancer treatment). Rheumatoid arthritis. 3.4 DIAGNOSIS OF ABNORMALITY OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM USING FEV1/FVC RATIO In restrictive lung disease, both  FEV1  and  FVC  are reduced so the  FEV1/FVC ratio  is normal. In obstructive lung disease  FEV1  is reduced while the  FVC  is normal thus the  FEV/FVC ratio is lower CHAPTER 4: PRINCIPLE OF WORKING The spirometer consists of a turbine flow sensor containing LED(source) on one side and a photo-diode(detector) on the opposite side.Inbetween the LED and the detector there is a rotor.The rotor is a fan like structure with 3 fins.The above arrangement is present inside a cylindrical case which is opened on both the sides.The LED and the photo-diode are molded with a light weight plastic design inside the case.A mouth piece is fitted on one side and the opposite side is kept open.When the patient blows air inside the mouth piece a pressure difference is created due to the atmospheric air(atmospheric pressure) that enters from the opposite side.A power supply circuit is designed to provide power supply to the spirometer.When the patient exhales through the mouth piece the rotor rotates.Whenever the rotor is in-between the source and the detector the light from the source is not detected by the detector and when the rotor is not in-between them then the light from the source is detecte d by the detector.Each pulse will be detected only if 7ml of gas has been exhaled by the patient.These pulses are then given to the comparator which will give binary output only if the patient is exhaling.And when the patient is not exhaling there is no output from the comparator.This ouput is then given to a microcontroller which is programmed in such a way that it will count the number of pulses from the comparator and these pulses are converted into total number of rotations by dividing them(no of pulses) by 3(since the rotor has 3 fins).These rotations are then used to measure the lung volume.The lung volume is then displayed on a LCD which is interfaced with the microcontroller as digital output. CHAPTER 5:  SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 5.1 ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT 5.1.1 POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT A 12V and a 5V power supply circuit was implemented. 5.1.1.1 IC 7812 IC 7805 The two ICs are used to provide 12V and 5V supply respectively. 12V from IC7812 is given to the turbine flow sensor. 5V from IC7805 is given to LM324 Microcontroller. 5.1.1.2 STEP-DOWN TRANSFORMER Transformer being used is a 230V-step down transformer. It converts AC to AC without any change in frequency. BRIDGE RECTIFIER The diode used is IN4007 which acts as bridge rectifier and converts the given AC current to DC. 5.1.2 SENSOR The sensor used here is FT-330 Turbine flow sensor.The input to the sensor is the air blown by the patient. 5.1.2.1 FEATURES Can withstand temperature upto 80 degree celcius. Molded with electronics and a light weight plastic design. 5.1.2.2 ADVANTAGES Highly accurate. Very compact. Reliable. 5.1.2.3 POTENTIAL DIVIDER AND ZENER DIODE The output of the turbine flow sensor is given to the potential divider. The potential divider will reduce 12V from the turbine flow sensor and allows a reduced voltage to zener diode. The zener diode is used to fix a threshold i.e it allows only voltage within 5V to the comparator. 5.1.2.4 COMPARATOR LM324 acts as a comparator which gives a voltage within 5V(square wave) when the patient exhales through the sensor. And when the patient does not exhale, the comparator output gets reduced to 0V.The output of the comparator is given to the microcontroller. 5.1.2.4.1 FEATURES Internally frequency compensated for unity gain. Large DC voltage gain of 100 dB. Wide bandwidth (unity gain) 1 MHZ. Wide power supply range: Single supply 3V to 32Vor dual supplies  ±1.5V to  ±16V. 5.1.2.4.2 ADVANTAGES Eliminates need for dual supplies. Four internally compensated op amps in a single package. Power drain suitable for battery operation. 5.1.3 MICROCONTROLLER The microcontroller used here is 16F877A. The microcontroller receives input from LM324. The microcontroller is programmed in such a way that it will count the number of pulses from the comparator and these pulses are converted into total number of rotations by dividing them(no of pulses) by 3(since the rotor has 3 fins).These rotations are then used to measure the lung volume(TV,FVC,FEV1). 5.1.3.1 FEATURES RAM=368 bytes EEPROM=256bytes PROGRAM MEMORY=8Kilo bytes I/O PINS=33 5.1.3.2 ADVANTAGES This IC can be reprogrammed and erased up to 10,000 times. It is very cheap. It can also be very easily assembled. Additional components needed to make this IC work is a 5V power supply , 20MHz crystal oscillator and two 22pF capacitors. 5.1.3.3 LCD DISPLAY The output(TV,FVC,FEV1)from the microcontroller is displayed on the LCD according to the program. 5.2 MECHNICAL DESIGN( MATERIALS USED): 5.2.1.TURBINE FLOW SENSOR 5.2.1.1 MODEL FT-330 Turbine flow sensor 5.2.1.2 ADVANTAGE Highly accurate, compact and reliable. 5.2.1.3 FEATURES Can withstand temperature upto 80 degree celcius. Molded with electronics and a light weight plastic design. 5.2.2. MOUTH PIECE Made up of plastic with a diameter of 2cm. CHAPTER 6:  CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION 6.1 OVERVIEW OF CIRCUIT WORKING Initially the patient is allowed to blow through the sensor and the output voltage from the sensor is given as input to the potential divider circuit which limits the current to zener diode and which inturn reduces 12V supply from the potential divider o/p and allows only 5V to be given to the inverting terminal of LM324(comparator). Reference voltage is given to pin 3 which gets the feedback from LM324 output. Hence when the patient doesnt blow, a high voltage is received by pin 2(inverting terminal) which is compared with the reference voltage and in this case the i/p voltage >reference voltage and hence we get a low voltage(0V) at the output and no pulse is seen and when the patient blows, i/p voltage CHAPTER 7:  EXPERIMENTAL STUDY 7.1 ALGORITHM Initialize the count to 0. When the patient exhales, the number of pulses from LM324 will be counted i.e.; the count gets incremented. This count is converted into rotations since the rotor has 3 fins, if we get 3 pulse, it is considered as 1 rotation. So by dividing the count by 3 we will get the total number of rotations. The LM324 will give 1 pulse only if 7 ml of gas is exhaled . So the total number of rotations is multiplied by 7 to obtain the lung volume. Initially the flag will be 0.When the patient exhales TV will be displayed. When the reset is done the flag will be 1.Now when the patient exhales FVC will be displayed. When the reset is done again the flag will be 2.Now when the patient exhales FEV1 will be displayed .Again when the reset is done and the patient exhales then TV will be displayed. 7.2 INFERENCE Thus the tests results obtained from the designed spirometer matches with the tests results obtained from the laboratory spirometer. Minor differences in the value is due to effect of surrounding environment and moving air. CHAPTER 8:  CONCLUSION The objective of the project was to design a low cost spirometer for the rural health care centers,private clinicians and primary function laboratories.In order to substantiate the objective of our work, we compared the market price of currently available spirometer(MIR SpiroDoc Spirometer),the starting price of which is around $1974.50. Thus the tests results of four subjects obtained from the designed spirometer was compared with the tests results obtained from HELIOS Pulmonary Function test.The values had some minor differences due to effect of surrounding environment and moving air.But they were of acceptable accuracy.Future work involves interfacing the device with PC and implementation of the product in Telemedicine application for distance monitoring of respiratory parameter. APPENDIX 1 1.1 PIN CONFIGURATION OF LM324(COMPARATOR) Fig 1.1 Ref:www.voltage current.info 1.2 PIN CONFIGURATION OF PIC16F877A Fig 1.2 Ref:http://www.best-microcontroller-projects.com/schematic.drawing-program.html 1.3 OVERVIEW OF PIC 16F877A Fig 1.3 Ref:http://www.best-microcontroller-projects.com/schematic.drawing-program.html

Objectives And Functions Of Materials Management Construction Essay

Objectives And Functions Of Materials Management Construction Essay Site material management is a scientific technique. Materials Management is the process of planning, implementation and control of field and office activities in construction. The materials management goal is to ensure that building materials in their perspective when you need to.Materials management system attempts to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of material is appropriate, purchase, delivery and on-site processing in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.Materials management system attempts to ensure that the correct quality and quantity of material is appropriate select , purchase, delivery and on-site processing in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.So Materials management is an important element of project management. The material shows a major cost in the construction, thus reducing procurement costs to improve the opportunity to reduce the cost of the entire project. Construction projects, building materials fees accounted for 60 to 70% of the project cost. A reasonably organized planning, supply and use of building materials, construction materials from the production companies enter a construction according to the variety, quantity, quality, duration, reducing the transfer of part ofprevent the backlog of waste, shorten the construction period, accelerate the construction speed, reduce the cost of the project is important. 2.1 Scope of Materials Management It was referring to the various functions of materials management of the materials management coordination of various departments of manufacturing enterprises. Once the material procurement and brought by the organization, its value continues to increase other costs of materials required for the sorting, carrying materials in inventory, maintenance and management costs must be allocated to the cost of materials before entering into a product or converted to other form. In order to save the cost of all the materials management company has taken a clear method to determine the amount of material is ordered, the number is stored as inventory and in-process inventory. In order to reduce the cost of materials and other costs, there must be effective and efficient management of materials technology, it must be dynamically adjusted with changes in demand and production. 2.2 Objectives and Functions of Materials Management Primary objectives Which can be classified as: (i) Efficient materials planning (ii) Buying or Purchasing (iii) Procuring and receiving (iv) Storing and inventory control (v) Supply and distribution of materials (vi) Quality assurance Secondary objectives there can be several secondary objectives of materials management. Some of them are given below: (i) Efficient production scheduling (ii) To take make or buy decisions (iii) Prepare specifications and standization of materials (iv) To assist in product design and development (v) Forecasting demand and quantity of materials requirements (vi) Quality control of materials purchased (vii) Material handling (viii) Use of value analysis and value engineering (ix) Developing skills of workers in materials management (x) Smooth flow of materials in and out of the organization Achieve all these goals, it is necessary to establish harmony and good coordination between all employees of the materials management department. 2.3 Components of material management 2.3.1 Material supply and management Through market research, and look for the qualified materials The scope of inspections, investigations should first production and management vendors. One is the audit inspection material production and operation of the main body of all kinds of production and operation procedure is a complete range; The second is on-the-spot investigation enterprise production scale, management concept, sales and after-sales service, etc; The third is mainly studies the enterprise of quality control system, whether it has national and industry product quality authentication, material quality in the similar products is to belong to the general, intermediate or high-grade, etc. Another study visits range is building industry. Through the understanding of the building industry, information obtained a more accurate, more careful, more comprehensive. Generally speaking, really good quality materials will get architectural recognition, inferior quality of materials will be people spit on. By understanding building industry, can be more accurately master the material manufacturer enterprise reputation, product quality, price condition, the post-sale service, etc. The material the approach test Acceptance warehousing must ask the supplier of building materials security record to prove. The material inspection units must have the appropriate testing facilities and capabilities. Materials management in the construction process The central task is to check the use of the materials management process to ensure the quality of the material entering the construction safekeeping of materials approach, strict, reasonable use of a variety of materials, reduce consumption, to ensure the realization of the management objectives. 2.3.2The price of materials management 1. Control of the market, reduce the price of materials Control of the market, the market price is the extensive collection of materials. Material price information-gathering process, price information collection is in the building materials market, the material origin, the course of the investigation. The acquisition price information must be appropriate to the actual situation of the market to reflect the general level of prices of materials. Investigation and collection of price information for engineering materials, covers a wide range, heavy workload, is a complex information system. 2.Make full use of the market, reasonable arrangements for transportation Freight expenditures are important factors that constitute material procurement costs, save on shipping costs, reduce material procurement costs. Therefore, to consider the following aspects should consider the problems of the transport distance transportation cost savings: material when ordering. In the case of material quality, performance can meet the material procurement program, and almost equal to the price of materials, it should go to the nearest location away from the construction site procurement; material as a transport in place, to reduce secondary unlucky and handling costs. Take reasonable mode of procurement Doing so supply, storage, integration, reducing both parties arguing back and forth; owner can reduce material prices, reduce the project cost; course reasonable supply mode according to specific circumstances. 2.3.3 Material storage issue management Specifically the Treasury, proper storage. Identified clearly, classified storage In addition to the release of the material, whether by the Ministry branch or the issuance of project department warehouse supplies, should implement the principle of first-in, first-out project materials consumed should be read in conjunction with the segment and sub-project accounting, strict implementation of quota / fixed picking system must be opened by the project construction personnel before construction sign limits pick lists limit pick lists must fill part requirements essential items. Valuables and a larger amount of items, multiple payment based on usage, with picking small ticket points. Easily damaged goods, the material need for more detailed experience exchange members issued by the recipients of the two sides to sign off on the certificate. Material need generated from site Material ordered in the store Indents is generated Check availability in the store Check for the balance items Vendor selection from the approved list of vendors from the client Material inspection from the received stock Rejection of the unacceptable stock Issue of material to the concerned department Fig.1 process of material management Sources: National Conference on Recent Trends in Engineering Technology 2.4 Advantages of Materials Management Materials management to create a niche in many organizations, which have achieved a comprehensive materials management. These organizations often enjoy the following advantages: The better accountability part of the material, as well as other departments and no one can blame others. As materials management by a single authority, which can lead to better coordination, because it became the central point of any substance-related problems. Materials management departments to ensure a better quality materials provide a request in a timely fashion department. This can lead to a better performance of the organization. A materials management system is usually controlled through a system, therefore, can help decision-making related to the material in the organization. An indirect use of materials management is the development of good quality material, ethical and moral standards in an organization. Comment and evaluate the existing site layout relation to the positioning of the material on the construction site and identify possibles Construction site materials should be placed according to the requirements of safe and civilized construction program to be trimmed and decorated. Temporary construction water, electricity, roads, completed construction requirements of the standard. For field use reasonable construction plane layout should be structured to minimize occupied by construction land, the layout is compact and reasonable, and at the same time do field capacity neat and clean, the roads are wider, in line with the requirements of fire safety and civilized construction. The construction process to avoid multiple trades in the same venue, the same area for construction and mutual restraint, mutual interference. à ¢- ª Keep work areas free from rubbish and obstructions à ¢- ª Maintain all floor surfaces safe, suitable and free from slip or trip hazards à ¢- ª Ensure floor openings covered or otherwise fenced off à ¢- ªMaterials are properly stacked and stored safely Keep all passageways in good conditions à ¢- ª Unobstructed and clearly defined à ¢- ª Provide adequate lighting à ¢- ª Ensure clear sightline at breaks and corners Stacking of all materials: à ¢- ª Ensure the proper heights and correct stacking à ¢- ª Allow sufficient space for moving stock à ¢- ª Store materials in racks/bins à ¢- ª Keep shelves free of rubbish à ¢- ª Keep floors around stacks and racks clear à ¢- ª Check drums and ensure pallets in good repair à ¢- ª Heavier items stored low and without danger of falling objects à ¢- ª Avoid sharp edges and provide safe means of accessing high shelves Site manager may face the following problems: Construction site temporary building (office) located in work area and near the waste materials faced with many unsafe factors and noise pollution. The area of construction waste, stored waste can not be transported out of the site.such as all solvent waste, oily rags, and flammable liquids,Scrap wood or chips, saw dust waste, and paper bags or cartons. If you accidentally cause a fire, then there will be heavy casualties. Most construction workers are exposed to excessive construction noise. One can get tinnitus, a ringing sound in the ears, or a temporary loss of hearing. Exposure to longer period can cause tiredness and nervousness. Concrete batching plant away from the material stores. It should be set in a near vertical transport machinery, as much as possible to reduce the concrete, mortar horizontal transport distance. Reduce transportation costs and save time. Store setting Concrete store should choose the higher ground, drainage, close to the batching plant. Inflammable and explosive materials shall not be mixed with other material. Inflammable and explosive materials warehouse layout should comply with the fire and explosion safety distance requirements. Proposed new site layout to improve the existing site layout mess hall temporary building (office) Workers Dormitory toilet Water Supply Site Entrance Double storey terrace Semi-detached houses Power supply Site exit Timber store Reinforcement Steel store Scaffold store Cement store Concrete batching plant Material store Waste material Suggestion/recommendation that will give strong impact on the material management process in the future based on the case study Responsibilities: Provide guidance, interpretation and direction to Major Projects staff regarding the Major Projects Procurement material standards and procedures Assist in Procurement orientations and on-boarding of Major Projects staff Review and provide improvement recommendations for Project Procurement Strategies and Plans Lead the development, implementation and management of policies, procedures and templates supporting the continuous improvement of material management within Major Projects Collaborate with Business Unit Procurement, Project Controls, Accounting, Construction, Engineering and Project Execution personnel to accurately understand capabilities in terms of systems and processes Outline material management procedures through the development of process flow maps Prepare draft and final assessment reports of material management findings First, the general requirements 1. Stacking of construction material should be based on the amount of size, duration, supply and transportation determine dosage, use a long time, supply transportation is convenient, it should be phased in. approach to reduce the yard and warehouse space; 2. Construction site of a variety of tools, components, materials piling must be placed in accordance with the provisions of the position of the planar four Figure; 3. Position should select appropriate, easy to transport and handling, minimize secondary transportation; 4. Higher ground, solid, flat, backfill compaction in layers, have drainage measures to comply with the requirements of safety, fire; 5. Should be stacked according to the varieties, specifications, and set up the obvious signs to indicate the name, specification and origin; 6. Various material items must be stacked neatly.   Second, the main material semi stacked 1. Large tools, should one side alignment put; 2. Reinforced should be neatly stacked, square wooden paving should not be placed in a wet and exposed to rain shower; 3. Brick should be small code into the stack, are not allowed to ultra-high from trench not less than 0.5m, to prevent collapse; 4. The sand piled cube, stones should be different diameter sizes are stacked into a cube; 5. Various templates should be stacked neatly classified according to specifications, the ground should be flat solid, stack height generally should not be the ultra-high 1.6m; the large template stored specifically designed to save shelf should be placed two large template should be used for face-to-face storage when stored floor construction, shall meet the homeostatic angle and reliable anti-dumping measures; 6. Concrete component stacking space should be solid, smooth, specifications, models stacked skids position to be correct, to be up and down to align the the multilayer components of skids, the pile position are not allowed to ultra-high; the concrete blocking plate should be established insertion of frame interpolation put frame to be welded or lashing firmly to prevent collapse. Conclusion Construction site materials management is one of the important link. To strengthen the management of the site layout, according to the different construction stages, materials and supplies changes, design changes, and adjust the position of the stockyard site in a timely manner, and keep the roads open, reducing the second out of luck. Strict accordance with the arrangement of stacked material with a flat-screen piles into the line, always clean up debris and garbage, and maintain the site, roads, tools and containers clean. The construction site must be carried out by the allied materials on-site materials management, material must pass the examination certificates; member of the staff of the material running configuration to enable the production and management of working prevail. Materials management for the enterprise has an extremely important significance.In a certain period of time, material resources and funds are always wired, good materials science management can promote cost reduction.Which time the minimum material consumption, to the maximum economic benefits.

The Evolution of the Existential Psyche of Raskolnikov through Crime an

The introspective and self-scrutinizing nature of Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment, allows for us to delve into the existential rationales that warrant and influence the decisions and courses of action that he carries out. It is crucial to explore the workings of Raskolnikov’s mind, to understand the motives by which he is compelled by to perform the heinous murder of Alyona the pawnbroker. By examining Raskolnikov’s psyche, characterization, and decision making processes, which are characterized by his constant schisms and dichotomies, we can gain an understanding of how the portrayal of existentialist ideals as represented by Raskolnikov, evolve through the plot of the novel. The changing attitude of Raskolnikov, the environment by which he is surrounded by, as well as the relationships and encounters he has, influence and form the existential tendencies that Raskolnikov personifies. The existential philosophies portrayed by Raskolnikov range from embodying Nietz sche's ÃÅ"bermensch to Kierkegaard’s Christian existentialist theories. To further address and progress the points of emphasis in understanding the evolution of Raskolnikov’s existential psyche, it is crucial that the definitions of existentialism, Nietzsche's ÃÅ"bermensch, Nihilism, and Christian existentialism (as prescribed by Kierkegaard) are established. Existentialism will be defined with respect to the idea that â€Å"existence precedes essence† for consistency’s sake. According to existentialism, there are no established, innate set of truths, meaning there is no established innate sense of morality. Life is, therefore, inherently meaningless in comparison of the vast expanse of the universe that surrounds us (Holmes 146). The discussion of existentialism brings on... ...hat surround him. The schismatic nature of his mind follows him throughout the novel, giving a glimpse of his faltering, indecisive mind which only changes after Sonya humanizes Raskolnikov through her religiosity. In this way, Dostoevsky overtly communicates his belief that Russian ideals, as represented by Christian existentialism, supersede Western ideals, as represented by the nihilist overtones within Crime and Punishment. Works Cited Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2007. Print. Holmes, Clellon John. Existentialism and the Novel: Notes and Questions. Chicago Review, Vol. McDonald, William. "Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard." Stanford University. Stanford University, 03 Dec. Pratt, Alan. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Nihilism . Embry-Riddle University, n.d.

The Death Penalty: Necessary and Effective Essay -- Pro Capital Punish

It has been abolished in 75 countries and 15 states in the US. Twenty countries report they do not use it, while 100 countries, including the US and 35 of her states, still retain its use. In modern society, the topic of capital punishment remains controversial. Many people question the morality and ethics of executing a human for a crime he or she has committed, which is by all means a valid argument. However, murder is a crime that involves taking the life of another human, and that act needs to be punished justly. We are a society that generally believes a punishment should fit the crime. A life term in prison (three warm meals a day, a bed, medical care, and cable television) is not an appropriate punishment for a capital offense. Those whom claim capital punishment is immoral and unethical would likely say that murder is also immoral and unethical. So, to say that capital punishment for a capital crime is immoral and unethical is hypocritical. Many supporters of abolishing capital punishment in America state that the US constitution prohibits cruel and unusual...

Where Are The Americans?

In spite of the fact that the American Government Led NATO against Serbia and that the American military is here, and their largest military base outside the United States is in Kosova, Kosovars are still asking: â€Å"Where Are The Americans? † Of course, a more complete elaboration on the basic question is: â€Å"Where Are The Americans? Why aren't Americans supporting our full Independence? Why hasn't their government recognized the full Independence of Kosova? Why aren't the big American corporations coming to Kosova? Why do they let the EU run everything in Kosova? Why isn't an American the Special Representative to the Secretary-General of the UN in Kosova? They went against European opposition and convinced NATO to go to war against Serbia and liberate us from oppression, but where are the Americans now? † Certainly the Americans are here, but the answer to many of the questions rests with the Kosova people, and the politics of Europe. Kosova is in Europe, and it is only natural that the European Community has the central concern and input regarding the status of Kosova. Under the current circumstances, any proclamations by the United States would be viewed as interfering with the European Union, and this would be diplomatically improper. Currently, the official communications regarding the situation in Kosova, and the issue of â€Å"final status† is limited to UNMIK and the European Union, as these are the entities that have UN delegated responsibilities regarding Kosova. The Americans are stronger in their influence within KFOR, which is separate from UNMIK Administration. However, when Kosovars clearly declare their Independence from Serbia, and demand that the UN fulfill its obligations in accordance with 1244(1999) for Kosova to have: â€Å".. provisional democratic self-governing institutions to ensure conditions for a peaceful and normal life for all inhabitants of Kosovo. † Then, and only then, can the United States and other nations respond to a direct request by Kosovars for support in the establishment of an independent democratic process within Kosova! The Americans and others would then be able to question the EU more directly, as to why the European Union is against the full Independence of Kosova, when the history of the Serbians has been one of repeated aggressions, and an absence of any remorse. It is a logical question to ask, why after so many conflicts and so many losses by the Serbs, does the European Union continue to appease Serbia, rather than imposing harsh consequences? We must learn the process of politics and diplomacy. We have been great leaders and warriors, but we must not forget that we have never had a leader in peace. We are physically and morally strong, we are intelligent but we are not experienced in politics and diplomacy. However, we cannot let this situation continue, and we must now use any and all means to become as effective in Politics and Diplomacy as we have been in war. Kosova's political leaders have been active, but we must accept the reality of Kosovar limitations and ensure that all leaders quickly become truly adept in politics and diplomacy. Another response to â€Å"Where Are The Americans† is that the American people are at home in the United States, working, playing, studying, watching Television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers; and all of these things are being done in English. It is true that there are a few thousand Americans who speak Albanian, but how many are in positions of authority and how many are actually doing anything effective to bring the â€Å"message† the â€Å"truth† about Kosova to the American people? How can the average American care about Kosova, if they know nothing about Kosova? Americans are paying close attention to world events, such as the terror threats and the issue with Iraq, and they are paying attention because they are being communicated to in English. Why should American journalists pay attention to Kosova when anything of importance has to be translated from Albanian to English by them? We speak out, and demonstrate, but nothing is said or written in English. If we want to get Americans interested in Kosova, we must speak and publish in the English language in addition to Albanian. Every key speech given; every key event; every meeting attended must be also presented in English. Our daily newspapers should have at least one page in English presenting all the headlines and a brief about the story, and our television news and key presentations must also be done in English. If we want people to listen to us, then we better speak their language! Our periodicals should contain English features, and every major press release by any organization of influence should be prepared in good English. This last statement is important, for if we present English copy that is poorly done, we will look uneducated in the eyes of those reading the material. In the few instances when our business and/or government organizations have provided English versions, they appear to the reader as having been done by a child just learning to speak and write in English. We must utilize the skills of professional translators in any and all areas that affect our future, especially if we wish to reach and involve the American people. We certainly do not provide a good image if we cannot express crucial issues in good English to the world. In business and politics, it is the English language that predominates, and we better catch up fast! Just about every adult Kosovar knows that the European Union is â€Å"concerned† about the unification of ethnic Albanians; the development of a Kosovar military; and the potential for a significant American business, monetary and political influence in the Balkans. But as long as We Kosovars remain silent in English, and the citizens of America remain ignorant of the truth, the EU has nothing to worry about. In the eyes and minds of Americans, it appears that â€Å"everything is OK† in Kosova, and they believe that if everything is going well, why should Americans continue to support the American Military being in Kosova? Americans believe: If â€Å"everything is OK,† let Europe bear the costs of taking care of Kosova and we can move our troops to where they are needed! American politicians respond to the will of the American people, and Kosova politicians and the Kosovar people need to recognize this fact and reach out to the Heart of the United States, the American people! We must have the courage to make strong and timely Diplomatic moves, such as the publicly restating our Independence, and request direct assistance from particular nations in order to counter the current negative intent and actions of the European Union and Serbia to keep us within and under Serbian Dominance. We Kosovars need to â€Å"wake up, and stand up† and speak out, in a loud, firm, clear and unified English Speaking voice, against the effective Serbian Propaganda, The Manipulation of The Hague, and the Appeasement efforts of the European Union. They are making their propaganda in English, and it must be countered in English!

A lasting impact

America forever, it was a decade of prosperity, fast cars, jazz, speakeasies, and â€Å"wild† youth. How did America attained all these new qualities in such a short amount of time? It's simple, a growing economy, newfound culture, and changes in society. This essay will discuss how the economy,culture and society all impacted the 1 sass. Henry Ford's model T automobile Is one of the Inventions of the ear that helped shaped the economy. Ford's idea of the assembly line and mass production helped Improve the production of not only cars but other material goods as well.In addition, Henry Ford's cars were fairly priced making them easily accessible to all Americans. With the demand of cars growing, more materials were needed to build these automobiles. This stimulated the the glass, fabric, rubber, and gasoline Industries, and along the way helped establish the motel Industry. The model T was not the only thing that Influenced the sass. The technological improvements in the radio made it possible to connect the entire nation, creating a mass-culture. Everyone was tuned in to their favorite radio shows and listened toDuke Elongation's and George Gershwin's latest hits. Similarly new technology made it possible to watch movies with sound and color. With these improvements people lost their ethnic culture and became more Americanizes. The music of the 1 sass is often blamed for the radical social changes in young peoples activities and ideals. Much different from their parents, many youth in the sass embraced their sexuality. Young women had raised hemline, bobbed hair, and wore red lipstick. Women also started to advocate for their right to contraceptives, as well as campaign for equal rights.Socially, the people of the sass broke away from their traditional ideals and modesty and became more liberated, especially women. In a final analysis, the sass economy, culture, and society changed the ways of America forever. The new production of cars, style of music and fashion set the stage for a modern America, and no one can deny that fact. Since then America's economy has been a consumer based economy, velveteen in culture, and short he miles by the decade. A lasting impact By Uninspired cars, Jazz, speakeasies, and â€Å"wild† youth.How did America attained all these new society all impacted the sass. Henry Ford's model T automobile is one of the inventions of the ear that helped improve the production of not only cars but other material goods as well. In addition, With the demand of cars growing, more materials were needed to build these automobiles. This stimulated the the glass, fabric, rubber, and gasoline industries, and along the way helped establish the motel industry. The model T was not the only thing that influenced the sass. The technological The music of the sass is often blamed for the radical social changes in young

Coffee and Starbucks

1 A. What is Starbucks’ â€Å"product† †¢Starbucks’ product is a casual experience in a comfortable atmosphere where the customer can enjoy a premium cup of coffee and a newspaper or relaxing conversation with friends. B. What is their â€Å"core product† and what are the â€Å"auxiliary features† and benefits? †¢The core product is a premium cup of coffee. The auxiliary features include the well-educated baristas that can help select the right cup of coffee and help customers learn how to reproduce the experience at home or the office with fresh coffee bean or grounds they can purchase in store. Along with the coffees available there are also Tazo teas, hand crafted espresso and blended drinks a little something for every taste. To go with the drink of your choice you can also enjoy a fresh pastry or a sandwich while listening to music or utilizing the free Wi-Fi to complete the experience. C. What is their â€Å"unique selling proposition† and how do consumers view it now? †¢Starbucks’ unique selling position was offering a high quality coffee for a premium price, while providing a place to relax other than work, home or going to the bar. With their comfortable seating areas and internet access they branded themselves as your â€Å"third place†. Customers bought into it but now that they have started to get more streamlined their stock is falling because they are losing a little bit of that selling position. As the stores get a little less comfortable and become a little more like an assembly line, customers are starting to see it more like a commodity rather than something special. 2. A. Are McDonald’s and Starbucks direct competitors? Yes. While they don’t offer the same quality of food or coffee, McDonalds has put a lot of emphasis on the quality of their coffee and have been able to increase their sales and profits. With the introduction of their McCafe line of coffee drinks McDonalds is looking to take a share of the market from Starbucks. B. What advantages does McDonald’s have in competing with Starbucks for coffee sales? †¢McDonald’s coffee has a very good reputation as a good cup of coffee. While it is not on par with the gourmet coffee and specialties that Starbucks has to offer it is a much cheaper alternative and with the large selection of menu items it can market to a much broader base of customers. For example parents with small children will be drawn to McDonald’s for their coffee because of what they can offer the children that Starbucks can’t. Another advantage is the speed at which McDonald’s can serve customers. Since the coffee and food they serve is less customized they are able to get people in and out at a much faster pace even with the implementation of the drive thru at Starbucks. . A. What changes in society (at the time of the case) helped Starbucks to be successful? †¢There was a steady increase in the number of coffee drinkers in the US in the mid-90s. That combined with the trend of consumers to drink more and more coffee out of the home has increased sales in the entire market. While a large increase of this coffee consum ption was among those that drink coffee at work, the benefit to Starbucks is that they are getting the coffee from somewhere other than the workplace. Along with the increase in consumption consumers have trended to being more and more environmentally conscious. So the focuses on environmentally friendly ways of doing business have helped to keep them in favor with the customers. B. How are these changes related to their target market? †¢Coffee drinkers ranging from 25-29 increased their out of home coffee consumption from 42% to 66% while in the same year 30-59 years old increased from 33 to 46%. 4. A. What are the â€Å"strategic marketing factors† that help to account for Starbucks’ long-term success in developing brand equity? The environment that they offered was one of the big factors that lead to their ongoing success. While there are more and more cafe styled coffee houses coming into the market at this time the idea was very unique and helped to differentiate them in the market. The high quality product and unique sizing of their products also set them apart. Rather than using the standard small med and large names they used unique identifies that helped make their products stand out in memory. Before they came around your options for coffee outside the home were very limited and the ability to get such high quality even at a premium price was a welcome feature in the market place. For the longest time they were really the only player in the space and that niche afforded them very rapid growth and early successes that help fuel even more growth as they expanded worldwide. 5. A. What are the advantages of the Starbucks Card to the company? †¢The most obvious advantage of the card to Starbucks is the guaranteed income. Once people load money on the card it can only be spent at a Starbucks location. It also makes tracking customer purchasing habits and preferences readily available. Then there is the case of the forgotten or lost cards that never get used that equate to pure profit. One last advantage is that with the card they have also created a secondary market for sales by placing the cards in stores like Giant Eagle where people that wouldn’t come into the stores can buy the cards as a gift. B. What are the advantages of the Starbucks Card to the customers? The consumer can control their spending with the card. By loading the card with the amount they allocate for coffee they can track their spending more effectively than before when just purchasing with cash or a random card. While there is no discount associated with the card it does give the consumer some protection when they register the card online. If the card is ever lost or stolen they can report it and a new card will be issued with the same balance and the existing card voided. 6. A. Evaluate Chairman Schultz’ global strategy. Is it â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad? † †¢The global strategy is â€Å"good†. You can build a lot of customer loyalty by taking care of your employees. If your employees are happy and well trained they will provide a much better experience for the customer. Starbucks mission and direction has a solid base in the customer experience as much as the quality of the coffee. So making sure the employees are trained well and very knowledgeable about all things coffee enables them to take the experience past just when the customer is in the store. Educating the customer on how to get the best cup of coffee at home as well will provide you a regular customer for not only their coffee at the office but also the grounds for home. †¢In addition the image they are able to betray as a company that cares about the community and the environment will help build customer loyalty. The fact that they not only work to be environmentally conscious themselves but also work with partners and suppliers to share the information and work together to buy, sell and use environmentally friendly products. B. What recommendations do you have to improve Starbucks’ competitive position domestically? †¢Starbucks needs to stick to what got them here in the first place. Don’t try to become another fast food establishment. Customers that are coming to one of their stores will respect the time it takes to get a high quality cup of coffee. Take that time to cross sell the customer on coffee beans and other goods for the home. While offering food to the customer is a natural evolution for Starbucks it is important that they put as much time and effort into providing high quality food as they do coffee. If they keep the high quality of coffee but serve a lesser food the lesser image will be what is remembered. On the same lines make sure that if you are going to provide places for the customer to sit and enjoy their coffee stick with the comfortable seating that invites the customer to relax and stay awhile. You will not only bring them back time and time again you will encourage them to spend more time in the store every time they visit and therefore increase the opportunities to sell more products. Coffee and Starbucks 1 A. What is Starbucks’ â€Å"product† †¢Starbucks’ product is a casual experience in a comfortable atmosphere where the customer can enjoy a premium cup of coffee and a newspaper or relaxing conversation with friends. B. What is their â€Å"core product† and what are the â€Å"auxiliary features† and benefits? †¢The core product is a premium cup of coffee. The auxiliary features include the well-educated baristas that can help select the right cup of coffee and help customers learn how to reproduce the experience at home or the office with fresh coffee bean or grounds they can purchase in store. Along with the coffees available there are also Tazo teas, hand crafted espresso and blended drinks a little something for every taste. To go with the drink of your choice you can also enjoy a fresh pastry or a sandwich while listening to music or utilizing the free Wi-Fi to complete the experience. C. What is their â€Å"unique selling proposition† and how do consumers view it now? †¢Starbucks’ unique selling position was offering a high quality coffee for a premium price, while providing a place to relax other than work, home or going to the bar. With their comfortable seating areas and internet access they branded themselves as your â€Å"third place†. Customers bought into it but now that they have started to get more streamlined their stock is falling because they are losing a little bit of that selling position. As the stores get a little less comfortable and become a little more like an assembly line, customers are starting to see it more like a commodity rather than something special. 2. A. Are McDonald’s and Starbucks direct competitors? Yes. While they don’t offer the same quality of food or coffee, McDonalds has put a lot of emphasis on the quality of their coffee and have been able to increase their sales and profits. With the introduction of their McCafe line of coffee drinks McDonalds is looking to take a share of the market from Starbucks. B. What advantages does McDonald’s have in competing with Starbucks for coffee sales? †¢McDonald’s coffee has a very good reputation as a good cup of coffee. While it is not on par with the gourmet coffee and specialties that Starbucks has to offer it is a much cheaper alternative and with the large selection of menu items it can market to a much broader base of customers. For example parents with small children will be drawn to McDonald’s for their coffee because of what they can offer the children that Starbucks can’t. Another advantage is the speed at which McDonald’s can serve customers. Since the coffee and food they serve is less customized they are able to get people in and out at a much faster pace even with the implementation of the drive thru at Starbucks. . A. What changes in society (at the time of the case) helped Starbucks to be successful? †¢There was a steady increase in the number of coffee drinkers in the US in the mid-90s. That combined with the trend of consumers to drink more and more coffee out of the home has increased sales in the entire market. While a large increase of this coffee consum ption was among those that drink coffee at work, the benefit to Starbucks is that they are getting the coffee from somewhere other than the workplace. Along with the increase in consumption consumers have trended to being more and more environmentally conscious. So the focuses on environmentally friendly ways of doing business have helped to keep them in favor with the customers. B. How are these changes related to their target market? †¢Coffee drinkers ranging from 25-29 increased their out of home coffee consumption from 42% to 66% while in the same year 30-59 years old increased from 33 to 46%. 4. A. What are the â€Å"strategic marketing factors† that help to account for Starbucks’ long-term success in developing brand equity? The environment that they offered was one of the big factors that lead to their ongoing success. While there are more and more cafe styled coffee houses coming into the market at this time the idea was very unique and helped to differentiate them in the market. The high quality product and unique sizing of their products also set them apart. Rather than using the standard small med and large names they used unique identifies that helped make their products stand out in memory. Before they came around your options for coffee outside the home were very limited and the ability to get such high quality even at a premium price was a welcome feature in the market place. For the longest time they were really the only player in the space and that niche afforded them very rapid growth and early successes that help fuel even more growth as they expanded worldwide. 5. A. What are the advantages of the Starbucks Card to the company? †¢The most obvious advantage of the card to Starbucks is the guaranteed income. Once people load money on the card it can only be spent at a Starbucks location. It also makes tracking customer purchasing habits and preferences readily available. Then there is the case of the forgotten or lost cards that never get used that equate to pure profit. One last advantage is that with the card they have also created a secondary market for sales by placing the cards in stores like Giant Eagle where people that wouldn’t come into the stores can buy the cards as a gift. B. What are the advantages of the Starbucks Card to the customers? The consumer can control their spending with the card. By loading the card with the amount they allocate for coffee they can track their spending more effectively than before when just purchasing with cash or a random card. While there is no discount associated with the card it does give the consumer some protection when they register the card online. If the card is ever lost or stolen they can report it and a new card will be issued with the same balance and the existing card voided. 6. A. Evaluate Chairman Schultz’ global strategy. Is it â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad? † †¢The global strategy is â€Å"good†. You can build a lot of customer loyalty by taking care of your employees. If your employees are happy and well trained they will provide a much better experience for the customer. Starbucks mission and direction has a solid base in the customer experience as much as the quality of the coffee. So making sure the employees are trained well and very knowledgeable about all things coffee enables them to take the experience past just when the customer is in the store. Educating the customer on how to get the best cup of coffee at home as well will provide you a regular customer for not only their coffee at the office but also the grounds for home. †¢In addition the image they are able to betray as a company that cares about the community and the environment will help build customer loyalty. The fact that they not only work to be environmentally conscious themselves but also work with partners and suppliers to share the information and work together to buy, sell and use environmentally friendly products. B. What recommendations do you have to improve Starbucks’ competitive position domestically? †¢Starbucks needs to stick to what got them here in the first place. Don’t try to become another fast food establishment. Customers that are coming to one of their stores will respect the time it takes to get a high quality cup of coffee. Take that time to cross sell the customer on coffee beans and other goods for the home. While offering food to the customer is a natural evolution for Starbucks it is important that they put as much time and effort into providing high quality food as they do coffee. If they keep the high quality of coffee but serve a lesser food the lesser image will be what is remembered. On the same lines make sure that if you are going to provide places for the customer to sit and enjoy their coffee stick with the comfortable seating that invites the customer to relax and stay awhile. You will not only bring them back time and time again you will encourage them to spend more time in the store every time they visit and therefore increase the opportunities to sell more products.