Auditing and assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Auditing and assurance - Essay Example Therefore, this report will discuss the background of the financial crisis and the proposals tabled by the commission. 1. Background of the financial crisis The financial crisis started in the year 2007 and spread with intense in 2008 despite of the central banks and regulators effort to calm it down (Merkel, 2012). In early 2009, the global economy was experiencing recession and the only way out was to focus was on preventing the downtown from prolonging to a great depression. The root causes of the financial crisis had to be looked into so as to take a cause of action (Se Hoon et.al 2008). Everyone one was responsible for the financial crisis from the government, auditors, credit agencies, banks and the public. But most of the causes originate from banks and financial institutions since they are responsible for regulating monetary policies and financial stability. Banks and other financial intermediaries play a critical role in the financial system thus it is vital to understand th eir role (Allison 2012). For instance, they respond to contagion meaning that one shock can affect a wide area. Therefore, if a shock is experienced by the banks, then the whole financial sector will experience the same impact. According to Allen (2001), a study conducted shows that when banks are have different network structures, they likely respond to contagion. Diamond (1996) points out those banks insure against liquidity shocks by having their interbank deposits exchanged. As a result, swapping of deposits exposes the banking system into contagion. This means that if the banks are secure from liquidity, then the financial sector is also safe. Therefore, we can say that banks responded to contagion during the financial crisis and as a result the global economy was affected (Se Hoon et.al 2008). Banks eliminate information problems between investors and borrowers by monitoring and ensure that depositors’ funds are in proper use. Secondly, they spur up economic growth. The y also provide intertemporal smoothing of non-diversifiable risk at a given time as well as insuring depositors against consumption shocks. Moreover, the origin of the crisis is believed to be in U.K and in U.S. In the financial system, lenders of money include households and firms while borrowers include firms, governments and households. Lenders supply funds to borrowers in two ways. To begin with, lenders supply money through the financial markets. Secondly, through which lenders supply money is through financial intermediaries such as the banks, mutual funds, market funds, pension funds and insurance companies. The bank relaxed the lending policies by reducing the interest rates and as a result many borrowers were attracted. In U.S mortgage lending rates were relaxed and also in U.K by the Bank of England. The housing prices rose and then began to fall to unsustainable levels as a result of the abundant credit and as a result the housing bubble came into the scheme (Calvo 2009). The decline in the value of houses made borrowers to default their mortgage loan payment. The U.S public debt which forms 100% of its GDP was also another contributor of the financial crisis. Other countries such as Japan and china run surpluses. Investigations show that many banks had an

Edward Mandell House Essay Example for Free

Edward Mandell House Essay Edward Mandell House (1858-1938) was a United States statesman and influential adviser of President Woodrow Wilson. House was born in Houston, Texas. His father was a banker. After attending Cornell University, he managed his inherited cotton plantations after his father has died and entered Texas politics due to his acquired wealth from his father. He was often called â€Å"Colonel House† because he held the rank of colonel on the staff of the governor of Texas. In 1912, Edward House played a major role in the nomination and election of Wilson to the presidency. As a personal representative of Wilson, Edward House tried to arrange peace negotiations in the early days of World War I. After the United States entered the war, he conferred with Allied statesmen on war aims and strategy. Edward House helped draw up Wilson’s Fourteen Points and the covenant of the League of Nations. He was a delegate to the Paris of Peace Conference in 1919. Edward House’s friendship with Wilson ended after he unsuccessfully urged the President to revise the Treaty of Versailles in order to secure its ratification by the United States Senate.

Learning about America in the Dominican Republic :: Personal Narrative Essays

Exactly one week after graduating from high school, with thirteen years of American education behind me, I boarded a plane and headed for a Caribbean island, I had fifteen days to spend on an island surrounded with crystal blue waters, white sandy shores and luxurious ocean resorts. With beaches to play on by day and casinos to play in during the night, I was told that this country was an exciting new tourist destination. My days in the Dominican Republic, however, were not filled with snorkeling lessons and my nights were not spent at the black jack table. Instead of visiting the ritzy East Coast, I traveled inland to a mountain community with no running water and no electricity. The bus ride to this town called Guayabal, was long, hot and uncomfortable. The mountain roads were not paved and the bus had no air conditioning. Surprisingly, the four-hour ride flew by. I had plenty to think about as my mind raced with thoughts of the next two weeks. I wondered if my host family would be welcoming, if the teenagers would be friendly, and if my work would be hard. I mentally prepared myself for life with out the everyday luxuries of a flushing toilet, a hot shower, and a comfortable bed. Because Guayabal was with out such basic commodities, I did not expect to see many reminders of home. I thought I was going to leave behind my American ways and immerse myself into another culture. These thoughts filled my head as the bus climbed the rocky hill towards Guayabal. When I finally got off the bus and stepped into the town-square, I realized that I had thought wrong: there was no escaping the influence of the American culture. In a way, Guayabal was an example of what author Mary Louise Pratt refers to as a contact zone. Pratt defines a contact zone as "a place where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power" (Pratt 76). In Guayabal, American culture and American consumerism were clashing with the Hispanic and Caribbean culture of the Dominican Republic. The clash came from the Dominicans' desire to be American in every sense, and especially to be consumers of American products. This is nearly impossible for Dominicans to achieve due to their extreme poverty. Their poverty provided the "asymmetrical relation of power" found in contact zones, because it impeded not only the Dominican's ability to be consumers, but also their ability to learn, to work, and to live healthily.

Habits Speech Essay

It is commonly accepted that a person’s bad habits are bad. Right? Wrong. Today I’ll be giving some examples of habits of mine that are actually in a way, beneficial to me. ANGER – Ever since I remember, I’ve had the habit of getting angry very easily, but it turns out that letting off a head of steam may bring physical benefits. Researchers have found that people who respond to high-stress situations with some righteous anger maintain lower blood pressure and secrete less cortisol, known as the stress hormone, than people who respond with fear or bottle up their feelings. VIDEO GAMES – Despite being blamed for their part in the obesity epidemic, video games can actually help us get fit and lose weight. It turns out it actually boosts your metabolism! Whilst playing video games, a person’s heart rates speeds up; they used more energy and begin breathing faster. This could have a positive effect on health, provided they’re not substituted for real sport. SWEARING – Did you know that swearing is actually good for you? Yes, scientists have proven that swearing eases pain and allows you to withstand pain for longer. Swearing is connected to our adrenaline and when people swear, they have an elevated heart rate, so it could be that swearing increases their aggression levels. Increased aggression has been shown to reduce people’s sensitivity to pain. LAZING ABOUT – This kind of behavior is believed to add years to your life. People who get up early and busy themselves all day long are heading for an early grave. Lazing about is the key to a long life and an antidote to personal stress. People who would rather take a midday nap instead of playing squash have a better chance of living into old age. If you don’t believe me. An example of this is the increased lifespan of zoo animals – for instance lions in t he Serengeti live only eight years, but can live to an age of 20 in captivity. STRESS – Stress, while long periods of stress can leave your immune system depleted and prone to infection, researchers have found that a short stressful incident can boost your learning and memory. Acute stress increases transmission of glutamate, the substance that passes messages to and from the brain. This improves working memory. Stress hormones have both protective and damaging effects on the body. This is why we need stress to perform better, but don’t want to be stressed out. LOUD MUSIC – Most people believe that listening to music very loud is damaging to your ears. This may be true; however it also stimulates part of the inner ear known as the sacculus, which responds to the beat of music. The sacculus, has no hearing function in humans, but is sensitive only to very loud volumes. It has a connection to the part of the brain responsible for drives such as hunger and sex. When these desires are satisfied, the brain is stimulated into releasing feel-good hormones that make us calm, happy and responsive. FIDGETING – It may be irritating, but natural fidgets are doing themselves a favour by fighting obesity. Researchers have found that people who always seem to be on the go are more likely to be slim. The extra motion, whether it is tapping, twitching, stretching or yawning, accounts for an extra 350 calories a day. The amount of this low-grade activity is so large it could be the only thing keeping some from becoming obese. So the next time someone tells you to stop whatever habit it is you’re doing, because they don’t approve. Think twice, and ask yourself. Is it benefitting you!

Excel Logistics Case Essay

Purpose To introduce participants to the supply chain concept and to the effects decisions along the chain have on inventory levels and costs. Introduction In this game the retailer sells cases of beer to a consumer and orders cases of beer from the wholesaler; the wholesaler sells cases of beer to the retailer and orders cases of beer from the distributor; and the distributor sells cases of beer to the wholesaler and orders beer from the factory (brewery). The factory brews the beer. The beer supply chain is shown below: Players of the game each take on a different role in the supply chain. The roles are the Factory, Distributor, Wholesaler and Retailer. Each position is directly linked, and beer cannot skip the adjacent position. For example, the Wholesaler orders beer from the Distributor, and ships beer to the Retailer. An important consideration in making decisions is the delay in the movement of beer through the supply chain. It takes three periods to move an order of beer between each player in the supply chain. If during period 3 the Wholesaler decides to ship 10 cases of beer to the Retailer, the beer would take periods 4 and 5 to move to the Retailer and then would be available for sale by the Retailer at the beginning of period 6. Similarly, orders are not visible to the upstream player for one period. For example, if the Wholesaler places an order in period 3, the order is received by the Distributor at the beginning of period 4. For each period of play, every participant follows the same cycle: 1. The system is updated by your instructor where new orders and shipments are received, shipments enroute are advanced, and inventory levels and backorder positions are calculated (these tasks are done automatically by the server program. 2. The player updates the status screen and reviews current position. 3. A shipping decision is made according to new orders and backlog, subject to inventory availability, 4. An ordering decision is made for more beer. There are only two costs involved in this simplified version of a logistics  supply chain: inventory holding cost ($1.00/case/period) and back order costs ($2.00/case/period). Each team has the goal of minimizing the sum of these costs by balancing the cost of having inventory (inventory holding cost) with the cost of being out of inventory when a customer orders beer (back order cost). The server program keeps track of the costs incurred by each team. At the end of the game, the total game cost for the distribution system is the sum of the four individual participants’ total costs (retailer cost + wholesaler cost + distributor cost + factory cost). The goal is to minimize team costs. Action The game begins with a fully-loaded â€Å"pipeline† of cases of beer: – 16 cases of inventory in each position’s â€Å"current inventory,† – 4 cases in each of the â€Å"production delay† pipeline, – 4 cases in each of the â€Å"shipping delay† pipeline, – each position has an initial order for 4 cases of beer. Definitions The following terms are used in the status report: Current Demand – This is the demand for the current period at this position. For the Retailer, this demand is determined by an external demand stream. For all other positions, this demand reflects an order placed by the downstream position in the supply chain during the previous period. Backorder – This is the demand that has not been met to date at this position. When a position does not meet demand by shipping cases of beer, the backorder amount is increased. This amount does not include the demand during the current period. Current Shipment – This is the amount that is being shipped to the downstream position during the current period. After the ordering and shipping decisions have been made, the â€Å"status† button can be used to update the status report. The status report will reflect the current order and shipment decisions. Remember that after the instructor has updated the system, the â€Å"statu s† button should be pressed again to receive a report that reflects the execution of the decisions for the previous period. On Hand – This is the current amount in inventory at the position. This is the total amount that can be shipped this period from this position. Due Next Period – This is the number of units that are scheduled to arrive at this position next period. Due In Two Periods – This is the number of units that are scheduled to arrive in two periods. Current Order Release – This is the number of units that are being ordered from the upstream position. The  upstream position will not see this order until after the system has been updated to the next period. Inventory Cost – This is the cumulative inventory cost for this position. This is calculated from the actual inventory balance at the end of each simulated period. During the update process, the system first ships material to the downstream position, updates the cumulative inventory and backorder costs based on the inventory and backorder levels, and then receives new material into the position. Backorder Cost – This is the cumulative backorder cost for the position. Tot al Cost – This is the total cumulative cost for the position.

Free Essays on Importance Of Motifs, Themes And Symbols

In the earlier centuries, Macbeth’s story is not seen as wrong and tragic, but as a powerful study of a heroic individual who commits an evil act and pays an enormous price as his conscience destroys him. When people read about Macbeth now they see tragedy with a crazed man who does not feel that he can get enough power. In this play his speeches of despair show that Shakespeare shared late-twentieth-century feelings of alienation. Today there are new attitudes towards witches and witchcraft being expressed, different questions have also been raised about the way maleness and femaleness are portrayed in the play. â€Å"As with so many of Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth speaks to each generation with a new voice.† (xiv) It is important to look at the themes, motifs, and symbols that the author displays throughout his work. Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text major themes. Violence is a very important motif in the play, Macbeth. Even though in most of the play murders take place off the stage, the characters provide gruesome descriptions of the murder and it makes the play extremely violent. Hallucinations also recur throughout the play. â€Å" Is this dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch Thee†¦A dagger of the mind, a false creation Proceeding from the heat oppressed brain?† (II, I) They are reminders of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s evil plan to get rid of the King. Macbeth sees a dagger floating in the air, as he is about to kill Duncan. The dagger, covered in blood and pointed towards the king’s chamber, represents the cruelty he is about to commit. Macbeth is not the only one to see awful visions, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and believes that her hands are stained in blood and they will live in sin and without any religion. The hallucinations that are shown throughout the play represent their conscience a... Free Essays on Importance Of Motifs, Themes And Symbols Free Essays on Importance Of Motifs, Themes And Symbols In the earlier centuries, Macbeth’s story is not seen as wrong and tragic, but as a powerful study of a heroic individual who commits an evil act and pays an enormous price as his conscience destroys him. When people read about Macbeth now they see tragedy with a crazed man who does not feel that he can get enough power. In this play his speeches of despair show that Shakespeare shared late-twentieth-century feelings of alienation. Today there are new attitudes towards witches and witchcraft being expressed, different questions have also been raised about the way maleness and femaleness are portrayed in the play. â€Å"As with so many of Shakespeare’s plays, Macbeth speaks to each generation with a new voice.† (xiv) It is important to look at the themes, motifs, and symbols that the author displays throughout his work. Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text major themes. Violence is a very important motif in the play, Macbeth. Even though in most of the play murders take place off the stage, the characters provide gruesome descriptions of the murder and it makes the play extremely violent. Hallucinations also recur throughout the play. â€Å" Is this dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch Thee†¦A dagger of the mind, a false creation Proceeding from the heat oppressed brain?† (II, I) They are reminders of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s evil plan to get rid of the King. Macbeth sees a dagger floating in the air, as he is about to kill Duncan. The dagger, covered in blood and pointed towards the king’s chamber, represents the cruelty he is about to commit. Macbeth is not the only one to see awful visions, Lady Macbeth sleepwalks and believes that her hands are stained in blood and they will live in sin and without any religion. The hallucinations that are shown throughout the play represent their conscience a...

Questionnaire on Managerial Skills Essays

Questionnaire on Managerial Skills Essays Questionnaire on Managerial Skills Essay Questionnaire on Managerial Skills Essay Questionnaire on Managerial Skills 1. Name: ____________________________________________________________ _ 2. Institutes Name: ____________________________________________________________ _ 3. Location of the Institute: ____________________________________________________________ _ 4. Do you accept CAT’s result for your entrance? Yes No 5. Do you accept any other aptitude test’s results other than CAT? Yes No 6. If yes, which? a) MAT b) XAT c) NMAT d) SNAP e) All above f) Others (Please Specify): _______________________________________ 7. Which is the general procedure for selection you follow? a) Entrance + PI + GD b) _________________________ Additions. 8. Rate the skills mentioned below in terms of preference while selecting prospects from PI. a) Soft – skills b) Interpersonal skills c) Negotiating Skills d) Problem solving skills e) Communication skills f) General knowledge skills g) Management skills h) Goal clarity i) Spontaneity 9. How much importance do you give for having work experience before joining? Very important 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Less important 0. Rate the following areas of work experience which you would prefer in a prospect with work experience. a) Marketing experience b) Sales experience c) Human resource experience d) Insurance experience e) B. P. O experience f) Business experience g) Others (Please specify): ________________________________ 11. What are the skills that according to you a management graduate must posses before entering the industry? _____________________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ________ 12. What are the skills that you would give more importance to a) Soft – skills b) Technical skills c) Technology – adoption d) Adoption to change e) Problem solving ) Presentation g) Convincing 13. Rate the following skills on the basis of their importance: Particulars| Scale| | Least Important| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| Very Important| Listening Skills| | | | | | | | | | Critical Thinking| | | | | | | | | | Active Learning| | | | | | | | | | Quality Learning| | | | | | | | | | Quantity Learning| | | | | | | | | | Judgmental Skill s| | | | | | | | | | Time Management| | | | | | | | | | Leadership Skills| | | | | | | | | | Analytical Skills| | | | | | | | | | Decision Making Skills| | | | | | | | | |

Geography of Kuwait

Geography of Kuwait Capital: Kuwait CityPopulation: 2,595,628 (July 2011 estimate)Area: 6,879 square miles (17,818 sq km)Coastline: 310 miles (499 km)Border Countries: Iraq and Saudi ArabiaHighest Point: An unnamed point at 1,004 feet (306 m) Kuwait, officially called the State of Kuwait, is a country located on the northeastern portion of the Arab Peninsula. It shares borders with Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west (map). Kuwait’s eastern borders are along the Persian Gulf. Kuwait has a total area of 6,879 square miles (17,818 sq km) and a population density of 377 people per square mile or 145.6 people per square kilometer. Kuwait’s capital and largest city is Kuwait City. Most recently Kuwait has been in the news because in early December 2011 Kuwait’s emir (the chief of state) dissolved the its parliament following a protest demanding that the country’s prime minister step down. History of Kuwait Kuwait’s modern history began in the 18th century when the Uteiba founded Kuwait City. In the 19th century, control of Kuwait was threatened by the Ottoman Turks and other groups located on the Arabian Peninsula. As a result, Kuwait’s ruler Sheikh Mubarak Al Sabah signed an agreement with the British Government in 1899 that promised Kuwait would not cede any lands to any foreign power without Britain’s consent. The agreement was signed in exchange for British protection and financial aid. Throughout the early to mid-20th century, Kuwait underwent significant growth and its economy was dependent on shipbuilding and pearl diving by 1915. In the period from 1921 to 1950, oil was discovered in Kuwait and the government attempted to create recognized borders. In 1922 the Treaty of Uqair established Kuwait’s border with Saudi Arabia. By mid-20th century Kuwait began pushing for independence from Great Britain and on June 19, 1961 Kuwait became fully independent. Following its independence, Kuwait experienced a period of growth and stability, despite Iraq’s claiming of the new country. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and in February 1991, a United Nations coalition led by the United States liberated the country. Following Kuwait’s liberation, the U.N. Security Council drew new borders between Kuwait and Iraq based on historic agreements. The two nations continue to struggle to maintain peaceful relations today however. Government of Kuwait Economics and Land Use in Kuwait Geography and Climate of Kuwait The climate of Kuwait is dry desert and it has very hot summers and short, cool winters. Sandstorms are also common during June and July due to wind patterns and thunderstorms often occur in the spring. The average August high temperature for Kuwait is 112Â ºF (44.5Â ºC) while the average January low temperature is 45Â ºF (7Â ºC). To learn more about Kuwait, visit the Geography and Maps of Kuwait on this website.

Childrens misconceptions in mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Childrens misconceptions in mathematics - Essay Example By recognizing the weak points of students and then immediately working on those weak areas is an important task. Usually teachers do help their students by only telling them that where actually they are lacking. This is not a correct way to help a student. Every student requires special kind of attention and they can only gain that particular attention by taking help from their supervisors or teachers. There are different kinds of misconceptions. Some students find difficulty while solving mathematical related problems, while some students face problems while solving geometrical parts, while there are some students who face a lot of problems while working on digits. (Fischbein, page 225, 1987) For instance some children will for sure blind that 3.27 is bigger than 7.6 because its got more digits. But why? Because during the first few years of their education, they only come across the whole numbers where the digits rule and value does work. They only know that if there are more digits then the figure is the bigger one. This is one of the biggest misconceptions which most of the students have and their teachers are also not focusing on this misconception. One of the biggest flaw which we have in our learning society is that we usually teach our students in a wrong way when they are in their growing age. Students when are in their growing age needs more attention and what so ever they will be taught will be in their mind forever. Therefore it is very much important to know that how actually students are being taught at their beginning age. If we look at another example, there are many students who face a lot of problems while recognizing the shapes. This is only because at their beginning age they were taught that shapes can be easily recognized when teacher draw four sided square or a triangle or an isosceles triangle. But then if those shapes are drawn in different direction, students usually find it difficult to

Management of leg ulcer infected Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management of leg ulcer infected - Essay Example It is necessary to warn that leg ulcer infected by this virus leads also to limited functionality, mobility and constant disturbing pain. It is seen that this diseases is serious and it requires thorough treatment and management in order to cure and to prevent infection's spreading. Doctors advise to eat raw foods and steamed vegetables for several months in order to improve and to speed treatment process. But this diet has to be only additional method of management involving surgical operation or other methods. It was mentioned that people infected should eat also leafy vegetables of dark color to increase intake of vitamin K MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is known to be a type of bacteria which appears and lives on skin, legs, in mouth or nose of approximately one third of completely healthy people. Commonly it is not harmful, but when it occasionally gets into person's body through wounds and breaks of skin it can cause such infections as ulcer, impetigo, abscesses, warts, etc. but what is more important to know is that MRSA is the cause of more serious diseases involving blood poisoning, heart-valve infection or infection in bones(Phillips 1991). Leg ulcer is a chronic condition caused either by MRSA infection or by incompetent work of venous system in legs or feet. Capillary pressures and permeability is affected in the result. Leg ulcers are open sores which usually develop on infected areas of skin in the lower extremities such as legs and feet (usually above ankle and below the knee area). When the tissues are infected by MRSA bacteria it becomes to erode and as the result the skin develops open sores. If the leg ulcers develop open sores and skin is broken the process of healing is very slow. General treatment includes: wound dressing changes, elevation, patient psychological education and external compression. In hard cases the surgery intervention is needed(Callam 1985). It is also necessary to define the possible reasons of ulcer developing. They are: Vascular diseases Trauma and physical circumstances Metabolic disease Possible symptoms infected by MRSA: leg ulcer as the result of infection develops usually inside the leg and below the ankle. It is known that ulcers are open wounds which can ooze sticky fluid and then wounds crust over. The common signs are pain, skin sensitivity and itching. Symptoms of developing ulcer are: Skin becomes purple on the infected area Skin becomes thick and dry Skin starts itching in infected area(Phillips 1991). But it is necessary to admit that ulcer infected by MRSA is too difficult to cure, because this type of bacteria becomes nowadays resistant to many types of antibiotics, for example to antibiotic methicillin. One possible way treatment is surgical treatment aimed at treating leg ulcer by means of skin grafting. But there are other surgical treatment approaches. For example, in a study (Phillips 1991) surgery intervention includes "superficial stripping and excision of varices, subfascial perforating vein interruption, excision and skin grafting, excision and free flap coverage". It is necessary to identify what the aim of treatment is. Firstly, it is necessary to suppress disease and for this purpose such drugs as

Technology Development and Market Globalization Essay

Technology Development and Market Globalization - Essay Example Therefore, environmental, social and economic concerns are influenced by technological development globally. The development of modern technologies, IT communications influenced the operation of the global market. For example, by means of electronic communication the modern employees are able to work for two or even more companies, they can regulate their own schedule and as a result we come across a well-developed an integrated cosmopolitan, a more dynamic individual, who is able to integrate in the system of countries integration globally. Question 2 Country factors to locate production In order to locate production in the global market, there is a need to take into account many different factors. For example, the importance of country factors cannot be denied. There is a need for firms operating at the local level to locate manufacturing activities in such a way, that it would focus on different economic, political, and cultural issues. Moreover, the relative factor costs play ano ther critical role in such type of performance. There are different regulations within a certain country, which may influence the national consumption of goods or production. For example, regulations on FDI or exchange rates changing are also essential for country factors considerations. Every country has its own system of values, factors, features and specific needs, which should be taken into account by the producers and manufacturers. Question 3 World financial system without IMF The important role of IMF in the global market cannot be denied. The important sustainable function of IMF with regards to different global countries can be found in multilateral and bilateral surveillance, development of its lending programs, and the provision of technical assistance. In case IMF was absent, it would be impossible for the world financial system to conduct a dialogue between countries-members. Any financial system would be unable to determine from an independent perspective its advantage s and disadvantages. This function is performed by IMF in the process of bilateral surveillance. Under conditions of multilateral surveillance IMF determines financial spillovers from one country to another. There is a technical assistance of IMF and diagnostic actions implemented by this organization, otherwise the countries would be lacking of strategic development of macroeconomic and other structural policies (Kiggundu, 2002). Question 4 China in international business China is a great player globally. This country is being developed at a full pace and it is a well-known producer of 13% of world economic output and consumes nickel, copper and oil at the fullest extent (Kiggundu, 2002). The role of China in WTO reflects the country’s ability to increase its export rates (for 29%). China is a great manufacturer and exporter of textile and electronics (Kiggundu, 2002). There are different spheres of business, trade and manufacturing, which are covered by China. There are fut ure intentions of the country to export cars and airplanes. The global society is greatly interested in investments into this country. There is a favorable atmosphere in China for skilled professionals, their training and education. There is an evident potential in the country, which is attractive for other global players. Question 5 Outsourcing Outsourcing is very

The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia Essay

The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Moreover, differences have been identified between the measures taken by governments in developed and developing countries regarding the limitation of inequalities in the support offered to entrepreneurs worldwide; the form and the level of governmental support to business activities have been also found to be related with the size of the firm involved – a fact that can offer the chance to foreign firms to enter the market – domestic firms that are already well developed are also likely to increase their power (Keren et al., 2002, 17). It seems that the financing of small firms can be a challenging effort in most markets internationally. Of course, the personal involvement of the entrepreneur – owner of a small firm – in the relevant effort could increase the chances for success – however, a positive outcome cannot be guaranteed. Various factors, like the local culture and ethics and the position/ strength of the national economy, seem to influence the effectiveness of the particular initiatives. The above issue is highlighted in the study of Busenitz et al (2001). The above study refers to the effectiveness of strategies of small firms in China; it has been proved that ‘younger business owners with a higher need for achievement, greater commitment, and perceived limitations in physical facilities were more likely to expand’ (Busenitz et al., 2001, 12). From a different point of view, it is supported that ‘differences in environmental conditions in different country markets, in terms, for example, of market size and growth, rate of technological change, or barriers to entry, may also lead to differences in strategy’ (Douglas et al., 1989, 440). The view of Douglas et al. (1989) highlights the potential involvement of a series of factors in the development of business activities – in accordance with this view, the local culture can affect business plans –almost at the same level with the size of the firm.  

Ben and Jerry's Homemade Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ben and Jerry's Homemade - Case Study Example It is interesting to inquire how the earning of Yocream International was lesser (9.4) than that of Ben and Jerry’s (19.8) although both sold on the same price line (1.8). The above analysis reveals that other companies were earning higher than Ben and Jerry’s and their shareholders were profiting better than the shareholders of Ben & Jerry’s. 2. Do you think that, in general, it is possible for a for-profit company to be committed to â€Å"improve the quality of life of a broad community† and still maximize shareholder value? Why or why not? In general, it is not possible for a for-profit company to be committed to improve the quality of life of a broad community and still maximize shareholder value because approach towards the community and overall society is different. The traditional business approach has been money-minded. Companies strive to reduce costs and increase profits. This is a simplistic view of business and profit-making. Not only simple but it is conservative as well. In old times, it used to depend on company proprietors whether to spend their hard-earned money on personal pursuits or on the community welfare. Improving the quality of life was not counted to be relied on the shoulders of private sector. It used to be the responsibility of the government. If I were Henry Morgan, I would recommend the Board to decide in favor of the takeover offers being made. Shareholders’ profit-earning interests cannot be ignored at the cost of playing a greater role of attending to the needs of social, economic, and environmental concerns. No doubt, providing a canopy to the social values through such efforts as providing demand for harvestable tropical rainforest products sounds nice and caters to deep human welfare emotions, but the primary job of a listed company is to earn profit for the shareholders. Community welfare needs to be a secondary thought. 4. If you are thinking about starting a new business, would social consciousness

The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia Essay

The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Moreover, differences have been identified between the measures taken by governments in developed and developing countries regarding the limitation of inequalities in the support offered to entrepreneurs worldwide; the form and the level of governmental support to business activities have been also found to be related with the size of the firm involved – a fact that can offer the chance to foreign firms to enter the market – domestic firms that are already well developed are also likely to increase their power (Keren et al., 2002, 17). It seems that the financing of small firms can be a challenging effort in most markets internationally. Of course, the personal involvement of the entrepreneur – owner of a small firm – in the relevant effort could increase the chances for success – however, a positive outcome cannot be guaranteed. Various factors, like the local culture and ethics and the position/ strength of the national economy, seem to influence the effectiveness of the particular initiatives. The above issue is highlighted in the study of Busenitz et al (2001). The above study refers to the effectiveness of strategies of small firms in China; it has been proved that ‘younger business owners with a higher need for achievement, greater commitment, and perceived limitations in physical facilities were more likely to expand’ (Busenitz et al., 2001, 12). From a different point of view, it is supported that ‘differences in environmental conditions in different country markets, in terms, for example, of market size and growth, rate of technological change, or barriers to entry, may also lead to differences in strategy’ (Douglas et al., 1989, 440). The view of Douglas et al. (1989) highlights the potential involvement of a series of factors in the development of business activities – in accordance with this view, the local culture can affect business plans –almost at the same level with the size of the firm.  

Differences between China and the US Management Essay

Differences between China and the US Management - Essay Example Question 1 The main characteristics of Chinese culture One of the major characteristics of Chinese culture is their emphasis in personal relationships in interactions. The Chinese are particularly keen in developing personal relationships before establishment of business relations. As a result, they normally engage in personal interactions in which people can bond and know each other before developing business relations. Chinese also believes in formal relationships in interactions. Based on social classes or positions, they appreciate acknowledgements of their social status in interactions. These features also define the Chinese lack of capacity to respond to urgencies. Besides reliance on the interpersonal relationship that needs to be enveloped before Chinese can respond to a need in negotiation, they heavily rely on past performance and potential of a party. This means that developing an initial venture with a Chinese team takes time, as the Chinese are keen in understanding a pa rty’s past prospects. Similarly, the Chinese takes time to review and understand a party’s potential and prospects (China, n.d., p. 1). Chinese culture also involves materialistic appreciations that are intended to be reciprocated. Since they are perceived as a duty, failure to make appreciations or a move to decline a gift from a Chinese is contrary to traditions and may easily raise suspicion into conflicts. Chinese culture also tends to shy away from conflicts. (China, n.d., p. 1). Rgraf further explains the importance of reputation in Chinese culture. Putting a person’s reputation at stake through initiatives such as failing to observe social status and positions therefore negatively affects interactions in the Chinese culture (Rfrag, 2012, p. 1). The Chinese are also conservatives and authoritarian. (Pablos and Lytras, 2

Different Departmentalization in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

Different Departmentalization in Malaysia Essay Introduction The search for competitive advantage, write management consultants and educators David Nadler and Michael Tushman, is the defining goal of modern-day business. Competing by Design: The Power of Organizational Architecture, is their guide to reaching that goal through total integration of corporate structure, workplace culture, and employee motivation. Bringing all such processes together into one unified organization, they contend, is as important to a companys future as the architectural unity of the building that houses it. Organizational Design is gaining more importance in human resource management as organizations are rethinking their role in the marketplace, their position vis a vis competitors, and their long term strategy. A key strategy in aligning the workforce with business goals, Organizational Design seeks to maximize workforce effectiveness while minimizing or maintaining costs. Five basic organizational structures are used in Organizational Design and adapted to an organizations needs Basic Organizational Designs Have Six Structure Elements. . Specialization-a process in which different individuals and units perform different task. 2. Chain Of Command-is the unbroken line of authority that extend from the top of the organizations to the lowest echelon and clarifies who reports whom.

Causes Of Joint Failures Engineering Essay

Causes Of Joint Failures Engineering Essay This report emphasizes methods for determining, minimizing, and uniformly distributing the stress for cable joints and HV bushings. The analysis is intended to reduce the failures caused by high stressed, to provide maintenance cost reductions, and to improve service reliability. Predicting the remaining life of a joint is a major challenge to electric utilities, one that has long had the attention of design and maintenance engineers who manage overhead transmission lines. The recent joint failures reported by a few utilities follow the trend caused by aging joints and conductors. These problems are expected to increase over time because of higher line loadings under the current deregulated environment. Since typical inspection techniques have many limitations, it is currently difficult to isolate the components early enough to reliably avoid failure. If two electrical conductors are joined to form a stationary electric contact, i.e. an electric joint, the joint resistance does not remain constant but will increase during operating time. This long-term behaviour of the joint resistance can be influenced by different aging mechanisms like corrosion processes, interdiffusion, electromigration, fretting and stress relaxation. Especially in bolted aluminum joints at high current load, i.e. at high joint temperatures stress relaxation may play an important role in joint aging. Creep deformation of the conductor material decreases the joint force. The area and the number of a-spots decrease and may cause an increase of the constriction resistance which may occur suddenly, if mechanical vibrations act on the joint. In order to describe the factor of influence of creep on the aging behaviour of high current bolted aluminum joints, the relationship between the decreasing joint force and the joint resistance and the development of the joint force have to be determined. The relationship between the decreasing joint force and the joint resistance can be evaluated on the basis of the surface profile of the rough joint surfaces [7]. In order to extrapolate the development of the joint force beyond the time of experiments and to reduce the number of experiments with numerous types of joints geometry the development of the joint force is calculated. The calculation is performed by means of the Finite Element Method (FEM) based on material parameters of the conductors and the physical fundamentals of creep [8]. Due to the structural characteristics of bushings and cable ends. the electric fields near the grounding flange are highly concentrated. and have a strong axial component, resulting in corona and gliding discharge. The traditional way of improving this condition is to apply semiconducting paint or band on the insulating surface by the flange. The electric field is evened by decreasing the surface resistance of the insulating surface. However, the effect is not very good due to the thinness of the applied material. In addition, the applied material will aging or peel off in time, decreasing its effect to zero. Failure Mechanisms Causes of Joint Failures Joint failures are expected to increase with the increase demand for heavier loading operations. Some of the key contributors to joint failures include: inadequate cleaning of the conductor, complete absence of conductor cleaning, absence of corrosion inhibitor, improperly inserted conductor, incomplete die closures, and high load fault currents contributing to aging with thermal stresses. Installation and Quality Assurance Issues One of the main reasons for joint failures is improper installation. Misalignment of steel sleeve, crimping with wrong dye, no grease present in splice, and improperly cleaned conductor can greatly accelerate the failure process. Other factors that influence failures are internal crevice corrosion, releasing of compression force by thermal cycling, creep due to line tension, and fatigue cracking on bent joints. Corrosion Problems Corrosion is a major factor in the deterioration process of splice/connectors. Figure below is anexample of a failed field joint. Characteristics of a Joint Failure The final failure mode of connectors is either mechanical or thermal. Sometimes the steel sleevehas been installed off-center, resulting in one end of the conductor being barely inserted. This can result in a mechanical failure. A thermal failure is the result of high resistance heating or individual strands failing with the same consequence. These situations can either melt components or cause the joint to lose its connection. Failures generally show evidence of both mechanical and thermal failure in combination. Temperature and Resistance Relationship The degradation of a joint can be observed by changes in its resistance and temperature. The interface resistance is a very small part of the total joint resistance until there are signs of damage. Because of this effect, no noticeable heating takes place until late in the failure cycle. High temperature values are usually the result of high resistance measurements in a component. Resistance is a function, to varying degrees, of temperature. As an abnormally high resistance component begins to heat up, resistance increases, resulting in an even faster rate of temperature increase. This physical property of electrical conductors can quickly make a bad situation worse! In addition, as the component heats it may reach the material melting point. Often a complete structural failure results and the line drops. More often, however, the melted metal re-solidifies; as this happens resistance decreases, and thus temperature, may be reduced. This is only a 2-3 temporary phenomenon, but if the inspection is conducted at this point in the failure cycle, the data will certainly be misleading! Eventually both resistance and heating will again increase, and the material will again melt. This melting and re-welding can take place many times before total failure occurs, especially when copper alloy components are involved. Design of High Voltage Cable Joints General For the stress control, basically the following methods are known: Geometrical, where the contour of conducting elements is controlling the electrical field at the end of a high voltage cable. Resistive, where the resistance of a semiconducting material is used to reduce the electrical stress in high field regions. Refractive, where material with a high permittivity is used for pushing away the field from high stress regions. The first method which refers to the geometry of the joint, is more of a mechanical way of reducing or controlling stress. If we have to cables and there is a joint connecting them, what ever the stress distribution may be, it is possible to control both the parameters that are stress concentration and stress distribution. For example, if we have a straight joint exactly alligned with the cable shape, whatever stress it shows, we can reduce or vary the stress distribution, and stress concentration can be decreased by applying changes to the joint shapes such chamfering the joint a bit, and also by varying its size to a possible extent. While the resistive and refractive method is successfully used for medium voltage applications up to 72.5kV maximum, the geometrical field control method is the standard method for high voltage and extra high voltage applications. Controlling the field by a well defined contour still offers the best quality from design and production point of view. To install a pre-moulded joint they are normally slipped-over the prepared cable on site by using grease and special push-on tools. Another technology, widely used in the medium voltage range, is the cold shrink technology. With this technique a pre-moulded joint body is pre-expanded on a support tube, which can be removed while being placed around the cable on site. It has the advantage that no push-on tools must be used. Electrical Design One basic function of every termination or joint is to control the electrical field at the endof a cable or between two cables. This means that the electrical field is controlled by the contour of conducting elements integrated into the joint body. During design stage FEM (Finite Element Method) calculation programs are an important tool as the latest versions of these programs offer a vast range of possibilities such as: Calculation of the electrical field in any direction of the joint body Optimization tools for calculating the optimum shape of stress control elements Solving of coupled fields, like thermo mechanical stresses Models for non-linear behavior of materials, like stresses in polymeric materials Simulation of slip-on procedures Choice of Material Nowadays the materials used for high voltage joints are silicone rubber and EPDM. The basic requirements for an elastomeric material are as follows: Sufficient mechanical properties in order being expandable in the required range. Capability to withstand the required temperature range. Availabilty of material with constant quality and constant purity. Low ageing with respect to electrical and mechanical properties. According the requirements given above silicone rubber is an ideal and preferred material for cable joints. Therefore it can be concluded that silicone rubber is an excellent material for the use in cable accessories as it can fully cope with the electrical, mechanical and thermal requirements given by nowadays polymeric cables. Ageing An important aspect, which we still have to consider is the ageing factor of insulating material and interface. The ageing can be described by the life time law as follows: EN * t = const. Where, E = Electrical field in the insulation t = Time, where the electric field is applied N = Lifetime coefficient Stress Analysis For the Stress Analysis we have used a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software in order to find the electric field distribution. We have done this by MAXWELL SV software. A little bit about the software first and then we proceed towards our analysis. USING THE SOFTWARE We have used a student version of MAXWELL SV software depending on the availability, which allows us to analyze a problem on the basis of 2D geometry. The resistive solution for reducing stress is of great importance as well. If another piece of metal is being used to joint two pieces of cable, it could produce more stress on the joint due to its own resistive and other properties. So, if the two pieces of wire are making contact through a third material, normally the third material is to be used as a jacket that overlaps two wires as shown below. In the above arrangement two cables have direct contact with each other and third material is making parallel circuit with two cables and is supporting electrical current through a joint. In the arrangement that involves a joint in series, the third material is making a series circuit with two cables and adding extra resistance to the joint with will increase the stress on the joint. On the other hand if we talk about the refractive part the situation could be explained as , if a single piece of sleeve is taken and we plot the rise in temperature due to sleeve. Exposed part of the cable will have low temperature as compared with the portion under sleeve and it will create difference of resistance at both ends of wire under sleeve, due to this difference thermal stresses on the ends of the two cables being joint. To reduce the stress it is recommended that sleeve should be good conductor to heat and the temperature of exposed part will be as same as the part under the shielded portion. SIMULATION BASED ANALYSIS For our simulation we have considered two cables joined together, where the joint between them is assumed to be a perfect one, and hence we can treat it as one perfect conductor. Therefore, the conductor can be a single copper cable as demonstrated in the results below. In reality when the cables are to be joined, the ends of the two separate cables must be stripped of its insulation. For modeling purposes this has been represented by a gap in the insulation between the conductor and outer sheath. This gap will initially be left empty to see the distribution with no insulation. In attempt to distribute the stress uniformly the gap will then be filled with a variety of material. The layer of the insulation at the joint is generally a lot thicker than the rest of the cable, and the simulations below make uses of this. The conductor has been assigned as a source of 500KV, and the outer sheath at ground potential. The insulating material for the two cables is XLPE. The results presented below show stress distribution in various scenarios where the geometry has been unchanged, and different insulation materials have been tested. Due to different properties of different insulating materials the stress distributions also vary. The first result presents the field distribution, where the gap has been left empty, to examine the initial stress with no insulation at all. Figure 1: Cable joint with no insulation at the joint XLPE Cable Insulation Outer Sheath (0V) Gap HV Conductor (500KV) In this situation the stress in the gap at the joint and surrounding insulation in very high. This would eventually result in failure of the joint due to the extreme stresses. Now that the initial stress has been determined, it is necessary to find how to minimize and uniformly distribute the stress. As mentioned previously the gap is now filled with a layer of a variety of materials. The layer at the joint is thicker than the insulation of a normal cable as to attempt to minimize and create a more uniform distribution of stress. Below the distribution for a variety of materials used to insulate the joint is presented. Figure 2: Field distribution for Silicon Insulated cable joint Joint Insulation Figure 3: Field distribution for FR4-Epoxy insulated cable joint Figure 4: Field distribution for Polyimide-Quartz insulated cable joint Figure 5: Field distribution for Polyethylene insulated cable joint Figure 6: Field distribution for Teflon insulated cable joint Figure 7: Field distribution for Polystyrene insulated cable Figure 8: Field distribution for Porcelain insulated cable Notice that there are two effects of using the thick insulation at the cable joint, first the concentration of the stress is brought down, and secondly the stress is distributed more uniformly. These are both important in ensuring the insulation is efficiently used, and maximizes the life span of the insulation. Notice that in the case of all but Polyimide-Quartz insulation the concentration is minimized somewhat, though the main effect is the uniform distribution of stress. On the other hand Polyimide-Quartz insulation greatly decrease the stress concentration, though the distribution is undesirable as the majority of the stress is concentrated at the conductor surface which will result in uneven wear of the insulation. Thus the optimal insulation will have even distribution of stress, and somewhat minimize the stress concentration. It was determined that the silicon insulation is best suited for this purpose. The distribution of the stress across the joint and surrounding insulatio n is very uniform, and the concentration is somewhat minimized as well. This result is consistent with industry practices as in general a thick layer of silicon is used at the joint for insulation []. Conclusion Cable Joints The Electric Stress has been determined for the general structure of a high voltage cable using finite element analysis, and a method suggested to create a more uniform, and less concentrated distribution of stress. The results obtained agree with what is currently standard practice in the high voltage industry. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS Background Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was first developed in 1943 by R. Courant, who utilized the Ritz method of numerical analysis and minimization of variational calculus to obtain approximate solutions to vibration systems. Shortly thereafter, a paper published in 1956 by M. J. Turner, R. W. Clough, H. C. Martin, and L. J. Topp established a broader definition of numerical analysis. The paper centered on the stiffness and deflection of complex structures. By the early 70s, FEA was limited to expensive mainframe computers generally owned by the aeronautics, automotive, defense, and nuclear industries. Since the rapid decline in the cost of computers and the phenomenal increase in computing power, FEA has been developed to an incredible precision. Present day super computers are now able to produce accurate results for all kinds of parameters. What is Finite Element Analysis? FEA consists of a computer model of a material or design that is stressed and analyzed for specific results. It is used in new product design, and existing product refinement. A company is able to verify a proposed design will be able to perform to the clients specifications prior to manufacturing or construction. Modifying an existing product or structure is utilized to qualify the product or structure for a new service condition. In case of structural failure, FEA may be used to help determine the design modifications to meet the new condition. There are generally two types of analysis that are used in industry: 2-D modeling, and 3-D modeling. While 2-D modeling conserves simplicity and allows the analysis to be run on a relatively normal computer, it tends to yield less accurate results. 3-D modeling, however, produces more accurate results while sacrificing the ability to run on all but the fastest computers effectively. How Does Finite Element Analysis Work? FEA uses a complex system of points called nodes which make a grid called a mesh . This mesh is programmed to contain the material and structural properties which define how the structure will react to certain loading conditions. Nodes are assigned at a certain density throughout the material depending on the anticipated stress levels of a particular area. Regions which will receive large amounts of stress usually have a higher node density than those which experience little or no stress. Points of interest may consist of: fracture point of previously tested material, fillets, corners, complex detail, and high stress areas. The mesh acts like a spider web in that from each node, there extends a mesh element to each of the adjacent nodes. This web of vectors is what carries the material properties to the object, creating many elements. Introduction Bushings In todays competitive market, there is a need for the bushing manufacturing industry to improve bushing efficiency and to reduce costs; because high-quality low-cost products and processes have become the key to survival in the global economy. The reliability of equipment and facilities used in a power system is an essential precondition of the energy transmission security. High voltage bushing breakdown is one of the major contributors to the transformer failures. Since the electrical design of the HV bushings is the most important part of their manufacturing process, finding an algorithm for the electrical design of bushings in an optimum way is very important. Bushing failure is one of the leading causes of transformer failures. The electrical design of capacitive grading bushings is one of the important parts of manufacturing of these kinds of bushings. Capacitive grading bushings contain embedded in their insulation core concentric conductive foils, which are isolated from each other. By adjusting the diameter and length of these cylinders, the electrical stress and voltage drop in the core and along its surface can be influenced by variation of the ratio of the partial capacitances between the conducting cylinders, [1]. The grading of ac-bushing is achieved from the capacitances that are formed between the grading foils and thus determined by the permittivity of the insulating material. HIGH VOLTAGE BUSHINGS Bushings provide a point of interface such that the electric current can pass to and from the apparatus. The current is at some potential above ground and must be electrically insulated from the tank walls which are at ground potential. It can be thought of like a bridge where the potential is the length of the bridge and the longer the bridge the more support it must have such that it will not come into contact with the ground. The current path is the number of lanes. If the number of lanes are reduced on part of the bridge under heavy traffic flow, a multi-car pile up will occur. The two key factors are: 1) Insulating System to prevent a failure mode of over voltage. 2) Conductor Path to prevent a failure mode of over current. Over voltage will cause a flash over in the insulation and over current will cause overheating in the conductor due to I^2 * R losses. Figure 9: Diagram of typical high voltage bushings General Types: High-voltage bushings for use on transformers and breakers are made in several principal types, as follows: Composite Bushing.- A bushing in which insulation consists of two or more coaxial layers of different insulating materials. Compound-Filled Bushing.-A bushing in which the space between the major insulation (or conductor where no major insulation is used) and the inside surface of a protective weather casing (usually porcelain) is filled with a compound having insulating properties. Condenser Bushing.- A bushing in which cylindrical conducting layers are arranged coaxially with the conductor within the insulating material. The length and diameter of the cylinders are designed to control the distribution of the electric field in and over the outer surface of the bushing. Condenser bushings may be one of several types: Resin-bonded paper insulation; Oil-impregnated paper insulation; or Other. Dry or Unfilled Type Bushing.- Consists of porcelain tube with no filler in the space between the shell and conductor. These are usually rated 25 kV and below. Oil-Filled Bushing. A bushing in which the space between the major insulation (or the conductor where no major insulation is used) and the inside surface of a protective weather casing (usually porcelain) is filled with insulating oil. Oil Immersed Bushing.- A bushing composed of a system of major insulations totally immersed in a bath of insulating oil. Oil-Impregnated Paper- Insulated Bushing.- A bushing in which the internal structure is made of cellulose material impregnated with oil. Resin-Bonded, Paper- Insulated Bushing.- A bushing in which the major insulation is provided by cellulose material bonded with resin. Solid (Ceramic) Bushing.- A bushing in which the major insulation Is provided by a ceramic or analogous material. Bushing Failures Operating records show that about 90 percent of all preventable bushing failures are caused by moisture entering the bushing through leaky gaskets or other openings. Close periodic inspection to find leaks and make repairs as needed will prevent most outages due to bushing failures. Such an external inspection requires little time and expense and will be well worth the effort. High-voltage bushings, if allowed to deteriorate, may explode with considerable violence and cause extensive damages to adjacent equipment. Flashovers may be caused by deposits of dirt on the bushings, particularly in areas where there are contaminants such as salts or conducting dusts in the air. These deposits should be removed by periodic cleaning. Figure 10: Picture of High Voltage Bushing that has failed due to penetration of moisture One of the failures can also be a dielectric failure occurring with the paper insulation punctured through from the center draw rod, at a location about one third of the way down from the top terminal, to the grounded capacitance tap. HOW DOES THE BUSHINGS WITHSTAND THE STRESSES? The bushings must contain many layers of capacitors to grade the voltage down evenly from the potential at the centre conductor to ground potential. These capacitors are made up of many layers of paper and foil and usually filled with an insulating fluid such as oil. These layers of insulation can be checked by measuring the power factor of the bushing when the parent apparatus is out of service [2]. While the parent apparatus is in service, an infrared camera can be used to check for low oil levels. The oil level relates to the insulation quality of the grading capacitors. Infrared method will only work when the parent apparatus produces heat because it relies on the thermal mass difference between the fluid and the void at the top of the bushing. Bushings in transformers are ideal examples due to the heat produced by losses in the windings and core. The capacitor core of high voltage bushing is widely used to decrease the electric stress and to avoid field centralization where the high voltage lead drill through the tank wall of transformer. The floating potentials of capacitor core can be calculated with several methods[6], that are, the minimized energy algorithm, the partial capacitance algorithm and the electric charge conservation algorithm[6]. Some times dummy dielectric constant method are also used to solve the failure problems. When the electric flux line leaves higher dielectric constant region to lower dielectric constant region, if the ratio of higher dielectric constant to lower dielectric constant is much larger than 1, then it is nearly vertical on the interface in low dielectric constant material. Stress Analysis For the simulation we have tried two arrangements. First, the high voltage conductor is insulated by one large thick layer of silicone from the porcelain outer layer, which is held in place by two metal flanges at ground potential. Secondly, a capacitive graded arrangement where the conductor is insulated by several layers of silicone of varying axial length separated by thin layers of foil (form a large capacitor), again with two flanges at ground potential holding the structure in place. A voltage of 132KV is supplied to the conductor. The results presented below show the stress distribution where to distribute the stress uniformly the geometry of the structure has been altered. It is expected that with the two arrangements the distribution of the stress will vary greatly. Figure 11: Distribution of stress for first arrangement on bushing Figure 12: Distribution of stress for capacitively graded bushing arrangement In the first arrangement the electric stress is concentrated around the surface of the conductor, and the metal flange. While the other regions are under considerably less stress. The result is consistent with known theory. This is inefficient use of the insulation, as the wear of the insulation is not even. It is thus necessary to find a more desirable arrangement. Figure 12 shows the result of a capactively graded arrangement. Not only is the stress distributed more uniformly throughout the insulation, ensuring maximum efficiency and long life span, though the concentration is also reduced. This is the optimal design for high voltage bushings and is currently used in many high voltage applications. Again the result found is consistent with theory, as capacitive grading is vastly used to distribute stress uniformly. Conclusion High Voltage Bushings The Electric Stress has been determined for two different bushing arrangements using finite element analysis. The capacitive grading arrangement was found to be the best at distributing , and minimizing the concentration of stress. The results obtained agree with theory, and are applied throughout the industry.

A Solders Duty in Guests of the Nation Essay examples -- European Lit

War evokes different emotions and feelings for many people. Some are drafted and forced to serve, others volunteer their lives for a cause they believe in and some never even see a battle ground. Some live, some die, others are captured and become prisoners or hostages. But one thing is certain, for those who have actually seen war know first hand that it has the power to change and in most cases it does just that. In Frank O'Connor's "Guests of the Nation," two British soldiers are captured by the Irish Republic Army. Two young Irish soldiers are assigned to guard the captives. The British earn the trust and friendship of their young captors. Until one day the call of duty forces the Irish to carry out orders that forever change their perspective on the war and the duty that accompanies. In "Guests of the Nation," O'Connor uses six elements of fiction to illustrate the conflict associated with the responsibility of duty and one's personal morals in the circumstance of war. Although this is a story of war and there is obviously external conflict between the opposing countries, it is the internal conflict of the Irish soldiers Bonaparte and Noble that help the reader understand how the weight of duty ultimately defeats personal morals during war. It is Bonaparte and Noble's duty as an Irish soldiers in the IRA (Irish Republic Army) to guard the two captured British soldiers. Bonaparte feels the two men do not even need guarding, that they would not flee given the chance. He and Noble both have become bored with docile cottage life and would rather be out in the action fighting. Bonaparte soon finds out that he and Noble are going to be relived of there guarding duties but not how either of them had anticipated. "It was the... ... of something like this happening. Now he begins to feel a dilemma between what his duty might be to his country and how that duty will ultimately win out over any moral dilemma he might have to the men. All five characters in this story are faced with dilemma be true to one's self or one's country. Although war is defiantly a divider it also has the power to bring together under moral and personal circumstances. War is what brought these men together and it is what ultimately lead the physical death of Hawkins and Belcher, but it also lead to a little piece of Noble and Bonaparte dying too. This war forever changed the lives of four men because the duty of war was held in above morals and friendships. Works Cited O'Connor, Frank. "Guests of the Nation." Literature for Composition. 4th ed. Sylvan Barnet, et. al. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. 590-598.

Cyberbullying among teens and adolescents Essay

Cyberbullying among Teens and Adolescences Cyberbullying is one of the major problems over the internet. This type of bullying involves technology and communication, such as the internet, social media, text, calls, and blogs. Cyberbullying happens when there is an imbalance among people over the internet, where someone purposefully says hurtful words to a next individual. People from the different race, age, class, and culture suffer from different types of cyberbullying through technology. According to Prince Edward, â€Å"Cyberbullying is being cruel to another person by sending or posting hurtful materials using the Internet or cell phone† (Prince Edward). Cyberbullying affects humans socially, emotionally, mentally and physically. Over the years cyberbullying have become more popular among teen and adolescence because their mental thinking is not fully developed and they act without thinking. The internet has become more available to the younger generation in different parts of the world. Trisha Prabhu mentions that â€Å"adolescents brain is like a car without brakes no stopping, no thinking, and no considering. She further mentions that adolescent brains develop from the back, which means that the front part of their brain is not fully developing until age 25† (Trisha Prabhu). The cortex is an important aspect of thinking and decision making, which is not fully developed in adolescence. This is the main reason some adolescence act without thinking because they are not mature to make decisions on their own. Cyberbullying is a big problem among adolescent and teens. They have become victims of social media violence, which causes depression and suicidal thinking among their peers. Bullying has been around for a very long time, even before the internet. I remember when I was in high school some returning students used to bully some of the freshman students by writing on their uniforms. Some of the statements were, â€Å"You are such a dick, worthless and you deserve to die.† This happened before I had internet access in my school. Robin Kowalski states that â€Å"As more people turn to the Internet for school, work, and social use, so too do more people turn to the Internet to take out their frustration and aggression† (Robin Kowalski). I think Robin Kowalski statement is too general because I believe that it is mostly teens and adolescents who â€Å"take out their frustration and aggression† on the internet, which leads to cyberbullying that push child to commit suici dal. According to Prince Edwards, â€Å"Increasing numbers of teens and pre-teens are becoming victims of this new form of violence. Although many different terms such as â€Å"cyberbullying†, â€Å"internet harassment†, and â€Å"internet bullying† has been used to describe this type of violence, â€Å"electronic aggression† is the term that most accurately captures all types of violence that occur electronically. Like traditional forms of youth violence, electronic aggression is associated with emotional distress and conduct problems at school. In fact, recent research by CDC suggests that youth who are victimized electronically are also very likely to also be victimized off-line† (Prince Edwards). Some teen and adolescence take part in cyberbullying because they believe it is a type of entertainment that gives them pleasure and satisfaction. Trisha Prabhu states, that Rebecca Sedwick an eleven years old girl from Florida received some mean words on social media, such as go kill yourself, you are so ugly, why are you still alive?† (Trisha Prabhu).   This shows how adolescents are evil and wicked to their own kind. These words could lead Rebecca to go kill herself because of what her peer think about her. Social media is just an addition extension towards bullying among adolescents, this is a new device that they can use locally and internationally to bully more persons in their social space. I totally agreed with Prince Edwards that technology should bring people together; instead, it is used to abuse each other; pushing peers out of their social network and pushing them into loneliness, embarrassment, fear or shame. (Prince Edwards). Social media have taken a different toll on teens and adolescents life in society. Sometimes people face bullying because they do not fit in the norm of their peer’s social space and their peers use that against them to push them out. As Alix Lambert mentions in her video, â€Å"it either you fit in or get out†, therefore it is a â€Å"culture of deformity† (Alix Lambert). It is great that Schobel created an app that allows students to anonymously report bullying, but how many children are brave enough to report the matter? Some of the students that face bullying, sometimes upload or share a goodbye video to the world or close friends.    Works Cited An App That Let Kids Report Cyberbullies Anonymously. n.d. Don’t blame the bully, blame the system . Perf. Alix Lambert. 2014. Edward, Prince. Taking Stock of CYBERBULLYING Taking Stock of CYBERBULLYING (n.d.). Lattanner, Robin M. KowalskiGary W. GiumettiAmber N. SchroederMicah R. â€Å"Bullying in the Digital Age: A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Cyberbullying Research Among Youth .† (2014). Rethinking before you type. Perf. Trisha Prabhu. 2014.      

Dell E Marketing

Dell Enhances Online Marketing Capabilities and Improves Site Performance with Commerce Server 2000 Published: September 2001 To improve performance and enable complex online marketing campaigns, Dell upgraded its online commerce platform from Microsoft Site Server 3. 0 Commerce Edition to Commerce Server 2000. The flexible component-based architecture and extensive prebuilt functionality in Commerce Server enabled Dell to implement its new campaign capabilities in just six weeks of development time. The comprehensive campaign management system integrates with Dell’s existing customer relationship management (CRM) system, moving the company much closer to its goal of a true closed-loop online marketing environment. Company Overview Dell Computer Corporation is the world’s leading direct computer system provider, with the company’s award-winning customer service, industry-leading growth, and superior financial performance continuing to differentiate Dell from its competitors. At the heart of this success is Dell’s direct-to-customer business model, enabling the company to maximize its ability to meet customer expectations while avoiding the unnecessary time and costs associated with retailers or other resellers. To Dell, the Internet is the purest and most efficient form of the direct model, providing greater convenience and efficiency to customers and, in turn, to Dell. To Dell, â€Å"direct† refers to the company’s relationships with its customers, from home PC users to the world’s largest corporations. Approximately one-third of Dell’s U. S. 28 billion in annual revenues is achieved through the company’s Home and Small Business (HSB) Division, with the remainder generated from sales to medium and large businesses and institutional customers. HSB also maintains ownership of Dell’s online accessories store, which offers users a complete selection of nearly 30,000 competitively priced software and periphera l products from leading manufacturers, carefully selected to complement Dell’s systems. Business Challenge As a premier system provider to many other e-commerce companies, Dell strongly believes in using the products it recommends and sells. Toward this end, Dell traditionally has relied on Microsoft Site Server 3. 0 Commerce Edition (SSCE) to provide significant portions of the e-commerce functionality needed for Dell’s complex Web site. â€Å"Site Server 3. 0 provided great shopping cart and checkout functionality along with other benefits, but we were still looking for ways to improve performance and get closer to our customers,† says Gregg Hansen, Development Manager for Dell HSB. â€Å"Specifically, we wanted the ability to implement campaigns and use coupons. This presented challenges due to the heterogeneous environment we had in place, with commerce functionality provided by SSCE, customer data residing in a third-party CRM solution, and a mixed bag of applications used to mine the data. † Solution To improve performance and facilitate complex online marketing campaigns, Dell decided to upgrade from Microsoft Site Server to Commerce Server 2000. The company took a phased approach, first upgrading to Commerce Server to achieve greater performance and stability, followed by implementation of the new functionality it provided that would improve the company’s e-marketing capabilities. The ‘componentized’ nature of Commerce Server 2000 allowed us to easily break the project into phases,† says Hansen. â€Å"Phase one consisted of upgrading the platform before the holiday lockdown, with phase two focused on implementing the new functionality provided by Commerce Server 2000 to improve our campaign capabilities. † Phase 1: Greater Performance and Stability; Enhanced Management Capabilities After phase one, consisting primarily of the platform upgrade from Site Server to Commerce Server 2000, Dell saw significant performance improvements in the areas of shopping cart management and user checkout. We took advantage of the improved Commerce Server 2000 platform to increase performance by up to 100 percent in some areas,† says Hansen. â€Å"While our upgrade to Windows 2000 last year resulted in much better stability and performance, migrating from SSCE to Commerce Server 2000 has led to additional improvements in these areas—something I attribute to the elimination of memory leaks and better use of the platform’s core objects. As a result, the servers no longer require the amount of attention that they used to. † The platform upgrade also provided Dell with significant benefits in the area of system administration and management. The new management functionali ty in Commerce Server 2000 has enabled us to move away from a server-by-server management environment to a more centralized one,† says Hansen. â€Å"The Microsoft Management Console snap-ins for Commerce Server 2000 make it easier to manage the large numbers of servers we employ and to bring new boxes online as we continue to grow. † Phase 2: Comprehensive Campaign Management In phase two of the project, Dell took advantage of the extensive new prebuilt functionality in Commerce Server 2000 to enable targeted marketing campaigns. Using the new components in  Commerce Server 2000, we were able to implement the functionality needed to build the concept of a campaign, tie it to a discount, and enforce it—all with just six weeks’ development time,† says Hansen. â€Å"Had we tried to do it on our own and build this functionality from scratch, it would have taken six months. † As part of this effort, Dell created a custom Commerce Server 2000 Busi ness Process Pipeline (BPP) component to handle coupons created for each campaign. â€Å"The BPP provides a great framework for modeling and implementing commerce processes,† says Hansen. Its plug-in architecture makes it highly flexible and extensible, enabling us to achieve the overall functionality we need by combining out-of-the-box pipeline components with others that are either internally developed or purchased from a third party. Pipeline performance has also been greatly increased over the previous version, resulting in better than 100 percent increases in some areas. † To allow business users to easily implement campaigns, Dell uses the Commerce Server 2000 Business Desk. â€Å"The Business Desk enables our business managers to create complex campaigns without having to involve development staff,† says Hansen. We created extensions to the Business Desk that enable users to interact with our third-party CRM system to import lists of customers for a campai gn. They can use the expression builder to define the campaign rules and create the coupons, which are then passed back to the CRM system for the e-mail campaign. When these customers are driven to the site, the new Commerce Server 2000 functionality we’ve implemented tracks the users, enforces the campaign rules, and calculates the appropriate discounts. † Moving Forward with Commerce Server 2000 With Dell’s new campaign management system now in production, Hansen is looking at other Commerce Server 2000 features to further enhance the company’s online marketing capabilities. â€Å"We’re looking at the Commerce Server 2000 Targeting System to make product recommendations based on real-time customer behavior, which should significantly improve our ability to cross-sell additional items,† says Hansen. â€Å"We’re also looking at taking advantage of new features in the Business Process Pipeline, such as its ability to support multiple ship-to locations. Why Dell Chose Commerce Server 2000 Dell selected Microsoft Commerce Server 2000 because it provided extensive out-of-the-box functionality that easily could be integrated into the existing complex environment. â€Å"We looked at  several other products, but Commerce Server 2000 was the easiest to extend and get into production,† says Hansen. â€Å"The greatest benefits provided by Co mmerce Server 2000 are its extensive out-of-the-box functionality combined with a flexible component-based architecture that  can be easily extended. With just six weeks of development, we were able to customize and integrate its prebuilt functionality into our existing environment, resulting in better performance, improved stability, and extensive new campaign management capabilities. † For More Information For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Resource Centre at (800) 563-9048. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to www. microsoft. com. For more information about Dell products and services, visit the Web site at www. dell. com. For more information on Dell/Microsoft solutions, please visit www. dell. com/microsoft.  © 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR  IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft, the . NET logo, and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. ———————– Solution Overview Profile Dell Computer Corporation, headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, near Austin, is the world's leading direct computer system company and a premier supplier of technology for the Internet infrastructure. Scenario Business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce Microsoft Technologies/Products Used Microsoft ® Windows ® 2000 Advanced Server oo ? Business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce ? Microsoft Technologies/Products Used ? Microsoft ® Windows ® 2000 Advanced Server operating system with Internet Information Services version 5. 0 Microsoft Commerce Server 2000 Microsoft SQL Serverâ„ ¢ 2000 Benefits By upgrading to Commerce Server 2000, Dell was able to improve performance in some areas by up  to 100 percent. The flexible, component-based architecture of Commerce Server enabled Dell to use only the functionality the company needed and made it easy to extend the product where needed to meet the company’s specific business needs. The greatest benefits provided by Commerce Server 2000 are its extensive out-of-the-box functionality combined with a flexible component-based architecture that can be easily extended. With just six weeks of development, we were able to customize and integrate its prebuilt functionality into our existing environment, resulting in better performance, improved stability, and extensive new campaign management capabilities. † Gregg Hansen Development Manager Dell HSB Microsoft Commerce Server 2000 Customer Solution Using the new components in Commerce Server 2000, we were able to implement functionality to build the concept of a campaign, tie it  to a discount, and enforce it—all with just six weeks’ development time. Had we tried to do it on our own and build this functionality from scratch, it would have taken six months. † Gregg Hansen Development Manager Dell HSB [pic] The . NET Enterprise Servers are Microsoft’s comprehensive family of server applications for building, deploying, and managing next-generation, integrated Web experiences that move beyond today’s world of stand-alone Web sites. Designed with mission-critical performance in  mind, the . NET Enterprise Servers provide fast time-to-market as well as scalability, reliability, and manageability for the global, Web-enabled enterprise. They have been built from the ground up for interoperability using open Web standards such as the Extensible Markup Language (XML). The . NET Enterprise Servers are a key part of Microsoft’s broader . NET strategy, which will enable a distributed computing model for the Internet based on Internet protocols and standards in order to revolutionize the way computers talk to one another on our behalf.

Marketing Assignment on Apple

Marketing Principles Task B 24 – 11 – 11 By Ayesh Goburdhun A. Define your product The product chosen for this assignment will be a laptop, the Macbook Pro by Apple. The product is a personal computer that can be used for communicating with people or whoever, working on different kinds of software, listening to music and mostly to go on the Internet with the rising of the social networking websites. Apple Computers Inc. s an American multinational corporation, who was established in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Steve Jobs, the Chairman and CEO of Apple is one of the world’s most successful businessmen today, his management style and his charisma brought the firm from a starting company to a global force to be reckoned with. Apple Computers Inc. designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad.To describe further the product, we have to answer to the question: What is the consumer really buying  ? The Macbook pro is based on superior quality materials that will allow faster actions and will permit the entertainment of its users over time without being bored and can be classified as a premium category of products that are not easily affordable. The Macbook Pro is based on the newest technologies on the market; it offers the best design of any kind of computers or portable engine that are actually called â€Å"innovative† on the market.So, we can say that the Macbook Pro offers great satisfactions to its customers and further, it is composed of usefull softwares that are already integrated and very powerful. The Macintosh comes with the latest brand of Operating System that the company developped in the past decades to improve the pleasure of the users, so that they woudn’t be outdated. Moreover, the Laptop is compatible with all devices at home, based on a new technology called â€Å"plug n play†, no complicated installations are required and the system works with any kind of operating system already install, even competitors.When people think about Apple and Mac they automatically think and talk about a problem-solving product, indeed, the Laptop offers a level of security that haven’t been hacked yet whereas its major competitor: Windows, the first provider of personal computers on the market. It is, of course, implied that the Macbook is running on the tardiest best performing computers’ components. Because the company builds both the computer and the software that comes with it, reliability is the first purpose, this means that a Macbook rarely freezes or crashes.Occasionally an application might quit, but it won’t affect the rest of the system. And the operating system resists mostly to anything, so everyone can do anything without worrying about losing everything. Apple Computer Inc. distributing the product proposes a variety of sizes and styling; the Macintosh Laptop is totally customizable and is forming part of the high standing computers on the actual market. For example, ladies could easily tend to buy pink Macbooks contrary to gentlemen who will choose the white or gray one.In addition, when people decide to buy a laptop they are principally attracted to the brand name, in this case, Apple that represents a very fashionish and stylish brand with a various types of stunning adverts and commercials. The packaging of the Apple brand is also one of the best in the market; it represents clearly the brand and adds an extra â€Å"something† to ensure the pleasure and delightfullness of the buyers opening the product bought.It is considered that Apple’s after sales service is one of the best, worlwidely speaking, indeed, the warranty applicable for each Apple products can be extended as much as the consumer wants or needs to. Further, when an Apple product is b roken the after sales service comes and replaces or repairs the item immediately if it is available in the stock. This is the principal reason why Apple is so good in the after sales services contrary to other competitors in the same sector.To classify the laptop, we can say that it forms part of a durable and tangible product, it can be used over and over with a great warranty period, and marketers would classify the Macbook Pro as a consumer product used for personal consumption. B. Provide and critically analyze definitions and components of segmentation Market segmentation can be define as the segmentation of markets into homogenous groups of customers, each of them reacting differently to promotion, communication, pricing and other variables of the marketing mix.Market segments should be formed in that way that differences between buyers within each segment are as small as possible. Thus, every segment can be addressed with an individually targeted marketing mix. Market segment ation is also an adaptive strategy, it consists of the partition of the market with the purpose of selecting one or more market segments which the organization can target through the development of specific marketing mixes that adapt to particular market needs.According to Kotler, P (1999), market segmentation means â€Å"the act of dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers who might require separate products and/or marketing mixes. † According to William J. Stanton, ‘Market segmentation is the process of dividing the total heterogeneous market for a good or service into several segments. Each of which tends to be homogeneous in all significant aspects. ’ In brief, market segmentation is important not only for creating consumers but also for satisfying them.Market segmentation helps matching the market opportunities to the resources of the corporations and enables them to face market competition effectively. For example, for the personal computers market t here are two segments, desktop computers and laptops. As for the desktop ones, they are mostly used by bureaucratic administration because they are less expensive for the same characteristics. Moreover, gamers also use desktop computers due to their fully customizable and upgradable components, whereas the laptops, which are considered as more mobile and practical, used principally by businessmen and tudents. In the segmentation of laptop, they are multipurpose laptops, multimedia laptops and laptops based on performance. In general, multimedia laptops are used to satisfy lower demands of customers who do not want to invest a huge amount of money because the demand is just for multimedia using like listenning to music, organizing pictures and web surfing. The components of this kind of laptop will be creating directly by the enterprise without subcontracting.Furthermore, multipurpose laptops are viewed as the middle class computers; they are principally used with basic softwares, fo r web surfing and all the multimedia stuff. The companies who build multipurpose laptops, used by middle class peoples, tend to subcontract in order to offer better performances and quality. Finally, the premium laptops are answering the demand of engineers, designers and professional who are in the need of very powerful and qualified product either for their work or their personal use.The characteritics of those laptops are generally a mix of components of the best-specialized industries on the market; this is why such laptops are very expensive. Niche markets are also present on the marketplace, answers to very high specific demands and tries to differentiate the company with its competitors. These markets are very small but the profit is real. In Mauritius, personal coaches are an example of niche marketing, concerning laptops; the Alienware brand is a niche market specialized to satisfy â€Å"hardcore† gamers.Concerning the Apple brand, we can talk about a geographic segm entation. For the line of Macintosh products, it can be segmented into regions; the company will not try to sell expensive laptops in poor countries such as Somalia or Afghanistan where the demand of theses products is totally nil. They will focus on ways to sell the product in big capitals or cities like New York, Paris or London, where the demand is constantly growing up. Shops, called Apple Store or iShops, are going to represent Apple worldwidely and has to fit in big commercials centers, or big buildings with great standards.All of these shops need to have the same organization, layouts, services and of course, same products. The client needs the impressions that they are communicating directly with Apple and not with a subcontracting agent. For example in Mauritius, Apple is franchised by Leal communications and informatics and the logo of the brand is not present in the Apple store shop based in Mauritius. The buyer must communicate directly with Apple and not with Leal (exce pt for after sales issues).The demographic segmentation is very important for the company, indeed, it will depends a lot on the age, gender, sexual orientation, family etc†¦We can assume that, as we saw before, persons that have a more feminine personnalities tend to buy Macbooks with pink colours. In addition, the age is a major factor, where students and young persons are more attracted to laptop such as the Macbook, whereas the elderlies who would prefer buying more expensive desktop towers, for example the iMac. It is clearly segmented in the way that Apple will try to sell Laptops, mp3s to the 18-30 and Tvs, iMac to elders +35.The enterprise is also willing to target wealthy persons, undoubtedly the products provided by them are classified as quite expensive and premium due to its very powerful components and noble made materials. As we saw earlier, the Macbook Pro is categorized in a high-standard category so the income and the psychographic segmentations are also importa nt where persons with extroverted personalites, fashion addicts and wealthy persons are targeted. People looking for the Macbook are persons willing for an advantages of buying it.If the product does not propose any kinds of benefits comparing to its competitors it won’t convice these persons for buying the product. The laptop presents a load of benefits like fully customizable, virusless, plug n play system etc†¦ Marketers assume that some customers are completely loyal to the brand that they like, they buy one brand all the time. Apple is one of the best example for these kind of buyers, indeed, the Apple fans are regardless of the functions or capacity of any kind of the Apple line of product, they are totally in confidence and are not affraid to pay whatever the price could be.They are almost waiting weeks in front of an Apple Store in order to be the first one to obtain a new Apple made product. This loyality is very rare but can be understand by the fact that the c ompany is very successful. In the recent years, Apple’s product are being seen by peolple as a brand of wealthiness and reliability. However, the segmentation is principally based on the demand of the customers and we can assume that this demand will grow in the coming years but if it is not there won’t be any kind of segmentations. Some market segments can disappear due to the evolution of the demand.For example, in the mail delivery market, some segments like post letter delivery services are starting to disappear due to a very fast growth of electronical technologies such as mailing, chatting, messaging etc†¦ Further, segmentation is impossible when  : 1. The size of the market is too small. 2. A brand is a dominant brand in the market. 3. More number of people falls in the same category. 4. The advertisement of each kind of product is too expensive. 5. The informations accumulated are completely wrong. C. Provide definitions and state the importance of targe ting and apply the concept to your productKotler, P (1999), stated that ‘target markets are a set of buyers sharing common needs or characteristics that the company decides to serve’. After a company has defined market segments, it can enter one or many segments of a given market. Kotler, P (1999), also says that ‘market targeting involves evaluating each market segment's attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter a company should target segments in which it has a differential advantage over its competitors; where it can generate the greatest customer value and sustain it over time. A company with limited resources might decide to serve only one or a few special segments; this strategy limits sales, but can be very profitable. Kotler, P (2002) stated that, to provide for a good market targeting, the firm has to evaluate the various segments and decide which ones to target. A principal concept in target marketing is that those who are targeted show a strong affinity or  brand loyalty  to that particular  brand. Target Marketing allows the marketer / sales team to customize their message to the targeted group of consumers in a more focused manner.In order to perform a good targeting, we have to answer to the questions: Who are our customers? Who will buy our product? And how segmentations will help us doing it ? To target the consumers we can say that Apple Computers Inc. is a company present on the national and the international scope, its target are all over the world. It is considered that the customers of the Apple products will look for these goods in new commercial centers and big buildings with great standards, in the nearest cities where they will find Apple Stores and iShops that are specialized boutiques.The target here will focus on persons living in cities and more urban regions where their concerns are more important. Apple is using a distribution channel based on self-providing, indeed, they do franchise the ir brand but, as we viewed earlier, they tend to limit the presence of the company that they are working with and so focus on themselves for easier targeting. For example: if companies are targeting young people, advertising should be done on specialized web sites or magazines for young people, The Times or The Independent aren’t good choices. Apple is marketing to people who have a few characteristics: Middle/Upper income persons that are willing to pay a bit more for a better user experience. Paying 1000 â‚ ¬ or more for a computer is not a huge deal if they have a decent income. * People who like to have fun with technology. No other platform offers as many entry-level tools. This includes people who like to shoot a lot of digital photos or video. It's the whole digital hub concept. People are starting to buy into it. * Music enthusiasts and fans aged from 12-35. * Professionals in media and design and engineers. Shops are going to represent Apple worldwidely it has to be in big ommercials centers with great standards of quality and hygiene. All the shops need to have the same organization, layouts, services and product. The client need the impressions that they are communicating directly with apple and not with a subcontracting agent. They are targeting people that can afford buying products in those premium places. Promotions are proposed nationally and internationnally with the  «Ã‚  apple standards  Ã‚ » by the representants. Billboards, flyers, e-mails and quite stunning adverts are ways to target families, students or professional photographs.However, there is a very controversial approach that could be discussed in the target market of the company chosen. Indeed, we can say that Apple do not target markets they target people. For example, Apple has never marketed Macs to enterprise customers, and only hired a very small sales crew to sell to such customers, but they have  been advertising the Macbook and its business-related applicati ons in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and other business-friendly publications. Apple does not seem to target markets in the way other companies do. It targets people.It focuses on users. And Apple lets them decide how and where they’ll use the products. This is how great companies are built: they focus on individuals and build exceptional products for them; they let these individuals determine how best is to make use of the new technology provided. D. Provide definitions and need for positionning and apply it to your product. After a company has decided which market segments to enter, they must decide what ‘position' they want to occupy in those segments. A product's position is the place where the product occupies the consumers' minds.If a product were perceived to be exactly like another product on the market, consumers would have no reason to buy it. Market positioning gives a product a clear, distinctive and desirable place in the minds of target consumers compared with competing products. Marketers plan positions that distinguish their products from competing brands and give them the greatest strategic advantage in their target markets. Market  positioning  is the manipulation of a brand or family of brands to create a positive perception in the eyes of the public.If a product is well positioned, it will have strong sales, and it may become the go-to brand for people who need that particular product. Positioning is no doubt the single most important aspect of marketing in the globally competitive market place. With capitalism gaining popularity in most countries of the world, competition has increased greatly. A company not only needs to fight rivals in the local market. It also has to equip itself to compete against the world’s best companies. Companies are improving their products and offering them at competitive prices.A good quality product is no longer a guarantee for success. Positioning has to be managed a t every point where the customer comes in contact with the company, from personal sales to online communication to telephonic interaction. This is the only effective way of avoiding any confusion about the product in the mind of the customer. So what has Apple done in recent history to the Macintosh product line to demonstrate this premium positioning? It is widely recognized that Apple is a premium brand that demands and earns a price premium.This price premium spans the entire Apple product lineup with the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, software, and accessories. Apple's positioning is aligned with targeting a less price sensitive customer. As a result, Apple's culture and internal activities are structured to meet the needs of these customers, strategists call this needs-based positioning. Apple has thus created a culture and a set of activities to differentiate themselves from rivals in order to meet the needs of their target customers.Apple has positioned itself to a certain type of customer, wealthy people, innovators, people with good jobs, good lifestyle, etc. If Apple targets the poor man type, the trendy guys will stop buying Apples, because everybody can and Apple is not the Porsche of the computers anymore, this would hurt more the brand than maybe the increasing sales because of lower prices, and in good times, where everybody has more money, Apple would have the problem that they cannot rise prices, because everybody expects a cheap Apple product.If Apple were to attempt to compete for all customer segments, it would have to lower product prices. The danger with such an approach is that it would not only undermine and erode the company's premium brand image but it would also undermine the company's culture and internal activities. Each new Mac revision has either maintained or been subjected to modest price increase while Apple has simultaneously improved product features. A few examples include the introduction of the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro, larger displays on the iMac, and the replacement of the 599â‚ ¬ Mac mini with a higher priced (999â‚ ¬) model.Years| Sales in Million| |   | 2006| 5,200,000. 00| 2007| 6,905,000. 00| 2008| 9,550,000. 00| 2009| 10,350,000. 00| 2010| 13,425,000. 00| 2011| 7,770,000. 00| 1. From 2006 to 2007 the Macbook Pro is in development process. 2. From 2007 to 2008, Apple introduces the product. 3. From 2008 to 2009, it is the growth of the laptop. 4. From 2009 to 2010, the Macintosh observes its maturity period. 5. And finally, from 2010 to 2011 the curve is starting to decline.REFERENCING Kotler, P (et. Al. ), Principles of Marketing, Prentice Hall Europe, 1999 Kotler, P (et. Al. ), Marketing Management, Prentice Hall Europe, 2002 William J. Stanton,  Fundamentals of marketing, New York, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1964 Apple website viewed on the 18th November, http://www. apple. com Apple website viewed on the 19th November, http://www. apple. com/why-mac/ Google website viewed on the 20, 21 and the 22nd of November, www. google. com Elmer-DeWitt P, April 9, 2011 11:56 AM, How many Macs did Apple sell last quarter, viewed on the 20th November, http://tech. fortune. cnn. com/2011/04/09/how-many-macs-did-apple-sell-last-quarter/