Hydrolics Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hydrolics - Lab Report Example Pressures are examined at low, mid and also at high flow conditions. The spillway is one of the most important structures that should be given priority in a dam project. Spillways constructed along with the dams help in controlling excess water or flood hence ensuring the safety of the project. It is also vital that the design of the spillway facilities be done with enough capacity to help avoid overtopping of the dam, especially where an earth fill or rock fill dam type is used for the purpose of the project. The ogee-crested spillway has superior hydraulic characteristics. It has the ability to pass flow efficiently and safely when it is properly designed, with good flow measuring capabilities and this has enabled its application in a variety of situations by engineers. Though much is understood about the ogee shape and about its flow characteristics, it is also clear that a slight deviation from any conventional design parameter like change in the upstream flow conditions, a slightly modified crest shape or construction variations can significantly alter properties of the flow. These minor adjustments require that engineers carry out evaluation of the crest and also to determine whether the change or deviation will adversely affect the performance of the spillway or not. The ski jump spillways are basic in their design as they transfer the excess water from behind the dam. They usually have a â€Å"flip lip† and a dissipater basin which helps create a hydraulic jump and therefore protecting the toe of the dam from erosion. . An Ogee spillway was properly installed and the highest discharge was chosen and then using the weir boards, we created a USBR Type 1 stilling basin, with a hydraulic jump being within the stilling basin. We also ensured that the gradient on the flume was set at 3%. †¢ . Similarly a ski jump spillway was properly installed and the highest discharge was chosen and then using the weir boards, we created a USBR Type 1 stilling

The Great Train Robbery, 1903

The Great Train Robbery, 1903 The Great Train Robbery produced by Edwin S. Porter in 1903 is frequently acknowledged as the first narrative film. Porter, who had previously worked for Thomas Edison as a cameraman, takes the plot from a story based on a real train robbery, written by Scott Marble in 1896. To bring it to life in ways the public had never seen before, Porter utilises various new and innovative techniques, of which previous film-makers had never thought of using in the still relatively new process of film-making. Edisons company, who produced the film declared it absolutely the superior of any moving picture ever made due to the editing techniques that were totally new to the industry.  [1]  Eighteen years later, Victor Sjà ¶strà ¶m produced The Phantom Carriage with Svensk Filmindustri. Sjà ¶strà ¶m wrote the screenplay, which he adapted from a novel by Selma Lagerlà ¶f, as well as directed and starred in the film that Paul Mayersberg describes as a major departure from his [previous] outdo or dramas.  [2]  In The Phantom Carriage, Sjà ¶strà ¶ms creative editing style and new film techniques are illustrative of the progress made by film-makers in the time between the two films production, but also of the unique variety of films being made by the Scandinavian film industry in this fast changing and highly inventive period of cinematic history. As it is one of the first films to follow an actual narrative and not merely a single shot of a simple, everyday situation such as seen in the earlier works of the Lumià ¨r Brothers, the editing techniques in The Great Train Robbery are limited but highly experimental for the time. The film, most notably, makes use of cutting between two locations with use of a visual match to suggest one is happening after the other.  [3]  This is demonstrated between shot seven and eight where in the former, the train is seen moving on the tracks away from the camera, then in the next it is seen moving in the same direction and at the same angle to the camera. The idea is simple, and may seem obvious to modern viewers who are use to these cinematic conventions, but it demonstrates how editing is being manipulated in order to form a linear narrative that would be new to viewers of the time. We also see in this film the beginnings of the creation of a parallel narrative; the film begins in a tel egraph office where a worker is shot and tied up, the narrative moves on from here until shot ten when we return back to the telegraph office with the man still tied on the floor. The fact that the set up is exactly the same as where it was left off in the first shot, despite the plot moving on is indicative that the events that occur in shot ten are happening at the same time as the previous action we have seen is. This idea is consummated with the telegraph workers entrance in the dance hall in shot eleven, as it would obviously have taken some time for him to reach this new location, in which time the previous events could have run their course and in the next shot, number twelve, the two narratives are thus able to meet up as the men at the dance chase the bandits through the woods. Focusing on how editing functions in The Phantom Carriage, a scene which demonstrates Sjà ¶strà ¶ms more sophisticated style comes early on in the film, around five minutes in. Salvation Army Sister, Edit, pleads on her deathbed to see David Holm, an alcoholic of whom she cared for in the past. She sends a friend she met whilst working for the Salvation Army to find him; she and another friend of Edits, Gustafsson, part ways to cover more ground in their search for Holm. The sequence that follows watches both the Salvation Army friend and Gustafsson in the two separate locations they go to in their searches which, though similar to the shots explained above in The Great Train Robbery sequence, is pulled off more sophisticatedly in The Phantom Carriage sequence.  [4]   First the camera, and thus the viewer, follow the female friend to the dilapidated home of Holm, his wife and two children. As the friend arrives at the door to the house, Sjà ¶strà ¶m chooses to enclose the shot in a circular black frame. The edge is sharp not fading out like the vignette effect which he utilises later on and as the bottom third of the circular frame is cut off out of shot, it could be reminiscent of the frame that looking through a key hole would produce to the eye. This effect creates the feeling of the viewer as a voyeur; the viewer has not been invited to look, but is seeing her unnoticed as she unlocks the door. Later in the sequence, after shot thirteen where the friend comforts Anna, Sjà ¶strà ¶m cuts to the path of Gustafsson that runs parallel to this short sequence. The viewer sees him enter a bar and, presumably, since there are no inter-titles in this sequence, ask the staff about finding Holm. A few shots in however, the scene cuts back to the fir st location and the narrative continues from the point it left off, with the friend putting her coat around Anna. We are taken back to the first narrative jut for this single shot before being brought back again to the second, for four shots, and once again cut back for a single shot of the first. These extreme cuts tell us that the two separate sequences are happening at the same time. The fact they go back and forth in rapid succession is makes it more obvious or understandable than the occurrence of parallel narratives in The Great Train Robbery where it only cuts back once. One of the most significant differences in the editing of the two films is the scale of the shots. Porter tends to have the camera further away from his subject so that a large area and all the action can be seen at once, whereas Sjà ¶strà ¶m chooses to vary the shots, some establishing the room and others close-ups of characters reactions and actions. Porters shots are also lengthier, so we see, for example, the whole sequence of the robbers hiding and waiting for the train in shot two. This may have a negative effect on the viewers understanding of the narrative. The closer shots and varied cutting of the The Phantom Carriage sequence allows the viewer to feel like they are in the midst of the story, seeing little detail rather than further away simply watching it unfold. After the framed shot outside the door, the viewer is let inside the room and given a full view of it, as is standard with many films of the time. This master shot allows the viewer to get a feel for the landsca pe of the scene, and gain an understanding of the surroundings, which is necessary in order for the viewer to  [3]  keep up with Sjà ¶strà ¶ms relatively liberal use of cutting that contrasts greatly to Porters extended shots. In this first interior set up, the friend is seen looking toward the front, right corner of the room. In the next shot Sjà ¶strà ¶m cuts so that the camera faces the direction the friend has just faced, therefore we are able to see what she sees, which is the two children asleep in a bed on the floor. This is known as an eyeline match where the angle of the camera matches the eyeline of the person in the previous shot. A similar cutting technique occurs in shots four to nine, where axis cuts (where the position of the camera moves in each shot so it looks back on itself on a 180 degree plane) go back and forth between the friend and Holms wife Annas back, who is sat in the corner of the room. These are examples of the more sophisticated editing techniques that can greatly enhance the viewers understanding of the narrative; firstly because, due to the potentiality for more close-ups, the viewer can grasp who the characters are and be more aware of their emotions displayed by their faces and what they are doing. This insight is lost slightly in the long shots of The Great Train Robbery which dont bring the viewer close enough to the action to distinguish characters or even what exactly they are doing; for example in the mail carriage shot (set up C), one robber seems to take something, or put something into the killed workers pocket; what exactly he does we cannot know as we are too far away to see3. These cutting techniques can allow the viewer to get a grip on the characters position in the room and understand who it may be their emotions are directed at as well. Such methods also enhance the aesthetic look of the sequence, rather than simply seeing the whole scene unfold from the same far off angle that is seen in The Great Train Robbery. The fast cutting used in The Phantom Carriage also effects the tone or atmosphere of the scene which in turn contributes to the way the viewer interprets the narrative. Tension is built up in the scene as the viewer see some part of the action and then is cut away to see a characters reaction to this. Alternatively though, the more drawn-out shots of the film and the lengthy shots in The Great  [4]  Train Robbery could also create a feeling of tension or suspense in the way the viewer is able to see all the action at once where sometimes the characters themselves cannot. An example of this effect is seen in shot thirteen of The Great Train Robbery, the bandits go through their loot as only the camera sees their pursuers creeping up on them from behind. In The Phantom Carriage, in the scenes in which the ghostly carriage of death comes into shot, tension is created by its slow, suspenseful motion across the screen; this could be due to the fact the viewer knows its destination wil l be someone who has recently died, and its slow pace signifies an unease in its path to the dead. -1711 words excerpts from sources to back up/contrast to points = integrate into above paragraphs -100 add in 150 about interior/exteriors conclusion -100 Bibliography Victor Sjà ¶strà ¶m, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online, at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/547219/Victor-Sjostrom [accessed 18.03.13]. Cook, David A. and Sklar, Robert. Edwin S. Porter, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online, at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/471087/Edwin-S-Porter [accessed 18.03.13]. Dirks, Tim. The Great Train Robbery (1903) at http://www.filmsite.org/grea.html [accessed 18.03.13]. Mayersberg, Paul. Phantom Forms: The Phantom Carriage, on The Criterion Collection at http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2000-phantom-forms-the-phantom-carriage [accessed 16.03.13]. Musser, Charles. Moving towards fictional narratives: story films become the dominant product, 1903-1907 in Lee Grieveson and Peter Krà ¤mer (ed.) The Silent Cinema Reader. London: Routledge, 2003.

A Government Conspiracy Essay -- Masonic Brotherhood Conspiracy

A Government Conspiracy To most a fairy tale, to some an interesting topic of discussion, however, to a small population, 5 % to be exact, Government conspiracy does exist. How, you might ask, do I intend to prove that indeed government conspiracy is real? I do not intend to prove it. In fact I only intend to inform you of its ever growing ploy of world domination, capitalism and control and open your mind to the idea that government conspiracy is out there. Throughout history as it is known to repeat itself, I will show facts that support this â€Å"theory† and dismiss the legendary lies we have been taught to believe through a system known as memetics. Looking back into the past, our four fathers first started the conspiracy of a new one world order through a secret society known as the Masonic Brotherhood. Before the Masons there was the Illuminati who introduced their ideas into the Masonic brotherhood before being disbanded in the 1780’s. However, the illuminati did not disband but simply went underground. There are several important members of the government involved in the New World Order according to Masonic records. Not only are government personnel involved but important figures in the media with high influence as well. From George Washington, Rockefeller Industries, and even the Federal Reserve. In American History, the story is written of a German U-boat sinking an American passenger ship named The Lusitania. The story tells of a warning issued and published in American papers on May 1, 1915 stating, "Travelers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to th... ...reat publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years." "It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries." ( David Rockefeller Bilderbrger Meeting, Baden, Germany 1991) Works Cited ( David Rockefeller Bilderbrger Meeting, Baden, Germany 1991) (Dr Matthew Robinson 9/11: THREATS ABOUT AIRPLANES AS WEAPONS PRIOR TO 9/11 p1 WEB) ( Bailey and Ryan, pp. 50-51. WEB) ( T. Stokes â€Å"Who Really Sunk The Lusitania† Scribd.com pg1 WEB)

The Life of a Cowboy

My grandfather's life as a cowboy was very interesting. Most of what I know about my grandfather was told to me long after his days as a cowboy. As a young boy, at the age of five years old, this was very fascinating to me. He lived his life as a rowdy, kindhearted cowboy who was an excellent story teller. First of all, my grandfather loved to be the center of attention. He loved making people laugh. At times, he would get carried away and the wild, rowdy, cowboy side of him would surface.One of his favorite things to do was to imitate riding a horse by sing a broom or board or whatever else he could find to pick up and use as a horse. He would then gallop around everyone by going In circles, with one hand waving in the air, and yelling, â€Å"Yahoo', â€Å"yippee†, â€Å"yahoo' Although my grandfather had his rowdy side, he was also a very kind hearted soul. He would always be the person that would run and rescue his fellow cowboys whenever they had an injury or if they wer e Injured. He would also respond the same way towards the cattle.He enjoyed being the person to deliver the baby calves. He enjoyed cooking for the men and doing the branding of the cows. Most of all, I loved the stories my grandfather told me about his many adventures as a cowboy. One that stands out the most In my mind was when they drove five hundred head of cattle through the severe winter cold of the rocky mountains of Colorado. There were six cows who had succumbed to the freezing weather. All were baby calves accept for the one mother cow. Several of the men folk fell Ill during this journey.Along the way one of the men was lost due to the harsh conditions and poor weather. This trip was to get the cattle away from the cold and Into the lower plains of Colorado. The trip was a total of fifty five days. Now that my grandfather Is gone, I think of him often and remember all his wonderful WAP. I miss him dearly. He was a very special grandfather to me. Knowing the cowboy that he was gives me that special feeling towards him. He was so full of life, laughter, the life of the party type of person, a very kind and gentle man that would help anyone.By creepy He would then gallop around everyone by going in circles, with one hand waving in he air, and yelling, IMHO†, â€Å"yippee†, â€Å"yahoo' whenever they had an injury or if they were injured. He would also respond the same a cowboy. One that stands out the most in my mind was when they drove five baby calves accept for the one mother cow. Several of the men folk fell ill during this weather. This trip was to get the cattle away from the cold and into the lower plains Now that my grandfather is gone, I think of him often and remember all his wonderful ways. I miss him dearly. He was a very special grandfather to me. Knowing

Neoclassical Economics and Grameen Bank

NEOCLASSICAL ECONOMICS Neoclassical is the most widely taught form of economics in the present world, making it to be the primary take on modern day economics. In a nutshell, neoclassical economics makes an approach to economics that relates supply and demand to an individual’s rationality and his or her ability to maximize utility or profit. Neoclassical economic has also increased the use of mathematical equations in the study of various aspects of the economy. While Economic theory tries to explain how scarce resources are allocated to given and alternative ends with an approach that considers these elements as extra-economic ones.The more conceptual framework of the main schools of economic theory is the Neoclassical economics, Austrian economics, Evolutionary economics and others are based on an insufficient understanding of anthropology and this fact limits their explanatory capacity. In the understanding of neoclassical economic theory, the basic tools are elaborated un der the following assumptions: (1) The neoclassical individual (consumer and producer) is defined as a given option structure. (2) All the â€Å"means and ends† considered have an equivalent monetary expression. 3) The only channel of communication between individuals is prices. 4) All the social relations and social ambits are considered as market exchange transaction. Concept of Microcredit and Grameen Bank Poverty is one of the vital problems of the third world countries, and to elevate poverty microcredit has become the most popular approach to address this undesirable phenomenon. According to Jonathan Murdoch, Chairman of UN Expert Group on Poverty Statistics, â€Å"Microcredit stands as one of the most promising and cost-effective tools in the fight against global poverty. Based on three C (character, capacity and capital ) this model, perceived more than a quarter century ago in Bangladesh, is now being pursued around the globe. In spite of this popularity, there is s kepticism about the model’s ability to make â€Å"major dent in the two poverty situation†. These criticisms, however, seem just as weak as the arguments supporting the model. One apparent reason is that both the claims and criticism are founded on the same theoretical perspective of neoclassical economics.The word â€Å"microcredit† did not exist before the seventies. In today’s world microcredit refers to the agricultural credit, or rural credit, or cooperative credit, or consumer credit, credit from the savings and loan associations, or from credit unions, or from money lenders. Microcredit data are compiled and published by different organizations. They are the Number of poor borrowers, and their gender composition, loan disbursed, loan outstanding, balance of savings, etc. under each of these categories, country wise, region wise, and globally.These sets of information will tell us which category of microcredit is serving how many poor borrowers, the ir gender break-up, their growth during a year or a period, loans disbursed, loans outstanding, savings, etc. simultaneously, Grameen credit is based on the premise that the poor have skills which remain unutilized or under-utilized. It is definitely not the lack of skills which make poor people poor. Grameen believes that the poverty is not created by the poor; it is created by the institutions and policies which surround them.In order to eliminate poverty all we need to do is to make appropriate changes in the institutions and policies, and/or create new ones. Grameen believes that charity is not an answer to poverty. It only helps poverty to continue. It creates dependency and takes away individual's initiative to break through the wall of poverty. Unleashing of energy and creativity in each human being is the answer to poverty. Grameen Bank brought credit to the poor, women, the illiterate, and the people who pleaded that they did not know how to invest money and earn an income. Grameen created a methodology and an institution around the financial needs of the poor, and created access to credit on reasonable term enabling the poor to build on their existing skill to earn a better income in each cycle of loans. The process of breaking up the vicious cycle of poverty through microcredit is elaborated below: At first a small group of five people is made where only two are granted with a loan. Depending on their performance in repayment the next two borrowers can then apply and, subsequently, the fifth number as well.The assumption is that if individual borrowers are given access to credit, they will be able to identify and engage in viable income-generating activities – simple processing such as paddy husking, lime-making, manufacturing such as pottery, weaving, and garment sewing, storage and marketing and transport services. Women were initially given equal access to the schemes, and proved not only reliable borrowers but astute entrepreneurs. As a re sult, they have raised their status, lessened their dependency on their husbands and improved their homes and the nutritional standards of their children.Today over 90 percent of borrowers are women. The percent of women members throughout 2002 to 2003 was within close proximity of the 95% mark, from 2004 to 2005 is 96%, in 2006 is 97% and in 2007 it remain same i. e. , 97%. Graph: Percent of Women Members in Grameen Bank. â€Å"If we can come up with a system which allows everybody access to credit while ensuring excellent repayment – I can give you a guarantee that poverty will not last long. † -Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Founder of the Grameen Bank- Dr.Yunus has set up a ground breaking world record and today has become known throughout the world. Grameen bank’s microcredit program has been replicated in nearly every country. Since October 2006, when Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize, this in interest has gr own manifold. Muhammad Yunus’s vision is the total eradication of poverty from the world. ‘Grameen', he claims, ‘is a message of hope, a program for putting homelessness and destitution in a museum so that one day our children will visit it and ask how we could have allowed such a terrible thing to go on for so long'.This work is a fundamental rethink on the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, their rights and their obligations. The World Bank recently acknowledged that ‘this business approach to the alleviation of poverty has allowed millions of individuals to work their way out of poverty with dignity. Up to 2003, the number of members was 3. 13 million. In 2007, this figure stood at 7. 41 million. It represents an increase of 137. 25% from 2003 to 2007 and an average annual growth of 27. 45% during the year period. Graph: Growth of Membership Credit is the last hope left to those faced with absolute poverty.That is why Muhammad Yunus beli eves that the right to credit should be recognized as a fundamental human right. It is this struggle and the unique and extraordinary methods he invented to combat human despair that Muhammad Yunus recounts here with humility and conviction. It is also the view of a man familiar with both Eastern and Western cultures on the failures and potential for good of industrial countries. It is an appeal for action: we must concentrate on promoting the will to survive and the courage to build in the first and most essential element of the economic cycle – man.Initially starting on Bangladesh, microcredit system develops its helping flow to almost 43 countries, included U. S. Naming as Grameen America, the bank's entry into the US, its first in a developed market, comes as mainstream banks' credibility has been hit by the mortgage meltdown and many people are turning to fringe financial institutions offering loans at exorbitant interest rates. â€Å"It’s actually supposed to he lp those below a certain poverty line who are looking for self-employment as a route out of poverty. says Raj Desai of the Brookings Institution, U. S. ’s one of the top public policy making organizations. CRITICISM OF MICROCREDIT AND GRAMEEN BANK The microcredit system is really a blessing for the developing country. It deals directly with the poor population of the country. But the microcredit movement does have critics, who say that, some lending programs charge excessive interest rates. Also, there is concern that funding for microcredit programs will be diverted from other needed programs such as health, water projects and education.Credit programs may enable poor people to improve their situation, but they do not eliminate the need for other basic social and infrastructure services. Some other problems that have been reported with microcredit: * Turning a profit on the loan * Inability to reach the poorest of the poor * Microcredit dependency * Durability of poverty red uction Turning a profit on the loan One of the most fundamental problems with microcredit programs is the difficulty involved in actually turning a profit on the loans.In the first place, borrowers must bear not only the cost of the loan but also interest payments. Since, the interest rate is too high, they have to payback more amount than they had borrowed. Moreover, investments may not turn a profit. In this event the money to repay the loan must come from reduced consumption or borrowing from some other source, usually on worse terms. Inability to reach the poorest of the poor A second important drawback to microcredit programs is that they don’t reach the poorest members of the society.To quote, â€Å"the poorest have a number of constraints (fewer income sources, worse health and education, etc) which prevent them from investing the loan in high-return activity† The same report also writes that â€Å"there appears to be a growing consensus that moderate-poor micr o-credit borrowers benefit more than extremely poor borrowers. † The reasons for this are clear. The poorest need tiny loans which are not cost effective even for microcredit programs. The poorest also place the greatest demands on microcredit a training program, which makes the cost of lending even higher.As microcredit programs are pressured to become more self-sufficient, the incentive to lend to such desperately poor borrowers evaporates. (Mayoux, 1997)   Ã‚  Ã‚   This is a major problem for microcredit programs. Although they are raising some people out of poverty and keeping some people from further poverty, they do not appear to be reaching the people who need assistance the most. In fact, such programs may even be increasing the chasm between the poorest and the rest of society. This is clearly a failure for programs whose avowed purpose is to narrow the gap between rich and poor, and rise up the poorest members of society.Micro credit dependency Another possible fai lure of microcredit programs lies behind seemingly benign statistics. Some researchers have proposed the idea that the high repayment rates, repeated borrowing, and low drop-out rates indicate a dependency on microcredit programs rather than an attraction to successful microcredit programs on the part of poor borrowers. Many borrowers have no alternative to borrowing from microcredit programs, and consequently cannot afford to default. Neither can they afford to stop borrowing or drop-out of the programs. There is nowhere else for them to go.In order to stay in good standing with the microcredit program, borrowers may even be forced to resort to pawnbrokers or other alternate sources of funding. Furthermore, unless borrowers can increase their incomes they may become permanently dependent on microcredit lending . This a very real possibility as was noted above. Again this is a significant failure, as many microcredit programs tout themselves as more progressive alternatives to the e xisting systems of informal credit which have caused so many problems in poverty stricken areas (systems such as share cropping, debt bondage, and so on).The chances of microcredit programs’ becoming just another form of debt-based oppression is real and must be addressed before microcredit programs can progress much further. And yet it has hardly been discussed up to this point. Durability of Poverty Reduction A related problem is the durability of poverty reduction. Infusions of cash in almost any amount are bound to have some effect on the poverty stricken borrowers. But this does not necessarily mean that the effect will be permanent. The poverty reductions may be rolled back in two ways.First of all, borrowers may use loans for consumption purposes which result in a momentary increase in living standards, but which must be paid for by cuts in future consumption. Secondly, borrowers must make a net profit on their investments. Otherwise, as noted above, they may become de pendent on the creditor programs. Even if they do not become dependent on microcredit lenders, they will still have failed to improve their economic position. Again, this would be a failure of microcredit lenders to achieve their goals. Diverted from Other NeedsThere is concern that funding for microcredit programs will be diverted from other needed programs such as health, water projects and education. Credit programs may enable poor people to improve their situation, but they do not eliminate the need for other basic social and infrastructure services. CRITICISM OF GRAMEEN BANK Negative sides Many people do not appreciate Grameen Bank’s policies. They it’s a money making policy of Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Some critics strongly criticized Grameen bank’s excessive interest rates. It charges simple interest rate of 20% a year, compared with compound interest of 13-16% at Bangladesh’s commercial banks.Sudhirendar Sharma of New Delhi writes that the effect of the Grameen strategy has not been to reduce poverty but only to create a debt trap for borrowers, who are being charged very high rates of interest relative to conventional banks. Jeffrey Tucker says, â€Å"Microcredit basically bunkum and it won’t work at all without the help of massive grants, I believe Yunus has most probably been swindling money! † Even, it has attracted criticism from the present prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who commented, â€Å"There is no difference between usurers [Yunus] and corrupt people. Hasina touches upon one criticism of Grameen Bank: the high rate of interest that the bank demands from those seeking credit. Similar to all microfinance institutes, the interest charged by Grameen Bank is higher compared to that of traditional banks, as Grameen's interest (reducing balance basis) on its main credit product is about 20%. Another source of criticism is that of the Grameen's Sixteen Decisions. Critics say that the bank's Sixteen Decisions force families and borrowers to abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the bank. The bank is very strict about their loan recovery.There are even allegations that they do not consider natural calamities like floods that may prevent repayment of loans quickly. Particular examples include the large number of loan defaults following the flood in 1998. Furthermore, many critics doubt the continued sustainability of the venture, citing the need for large government investment in the program. Positive sides There is no denial that Grameen Bank has changed the rural life of Bangladesh dramatically. Those people who were unable to borrow money from the Agricultural Bank, now easily get money from Grameen bank.On the other hand we can say, it has helped to improve the agriculture of Bangladesh. The poor people are taking the benefit of the small loans. It brings a vital change in the life of the Bangladeshi rural women. In Bangladesh the women were treated badly. But now, Grameen bank has changed their life significantly. Study shows that total number of borrowers’ is 4. 76 million and 96% of those are women. Grameen bank offers some exciting loans at 0% interest rates. Such as: * Higher Education Loan: Interest is 0% i. e. no interest is charged while students are studying.A 5% is charged as service charge after graduation. This scheme allows children of our members to obtain higher education in various fields like healthcare, engineering enabling them to finish their honours and masters degrees. * Struggling Member Program: This special program is designated for beggars, charging 0% interest. As of December 2006, about 90,000 beggars have received loans under this program. * Village Centre Construction Loan: Members take this loan for constructing local village centers. No interest is charged i. e. , interest rate is zero.Having some problems, although, Grameen bank is helping to improve the economic condition of Bangladesh. It’s imp ossible to eradicate poverty overnight, but so far the process of micro credit is handling the economic condition very well. CONCLUSION Thus, the question that must be raised with respect to eradicating poverty from the Third World is whether microcredit can contribute toward removing the constraints that limit individuals' liberty. In the current development discourse, this issue is discussed under the category of â€Å"good governance†.It seems obvious that microcredit promoters can hardly challenge the vested interests, which are responsible for producing poverty in the Third World. The second Microcredit Summit (a campaign led by Dr. Yunus himself) to be held next year should seriously take into consideration this point. For the exaggeration of microcredit's role and success in poverty reduction is apparently driving away society and policy makers' attention from the real factors causing pervasive poverty in the Third World. Do the activities of the Grameen Bank and other micro-lenders romanticize individual struggles to escape poverty?Yes. Do these programs help some women â€Å"pull themselves up by the bootstraps†? Yes. Will micro-enterprises in the informal sector contribute to ending world poverty? Not a chance. Bibliography 1. Hossain, Mahabub (1988): â€Å"Credit for the Alleviation of Rural Poverty: The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. † Washington, D. C. : IFPRI, Research Report No. 65. 2. Morduch, Jonathan and Barbara Haley (2001): â€Å"Analysis of the Effects of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction. † NYU working paper. http://www. nyu. edu/wagner/public_html/cgi-bin/workingPapers/wp1014. pdf 3. â€Å"Past Five Years of Grameen Bank. 2008. Grameen Bank. 5 Aug 2009 . 4. Yunus, Muhammad. Creating a World Without Poverty. 1st. New York: Public Affairs, 2007. 5. Brue, Stanley L. The Evolution of Economic Thought. 6th. New York: Harcourt College Publisher, 2000. 6. McConnell, Campbell, Stanley Brue, and Tom Barbiero. Microeconom ics. 11th Canadian Edition. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2007. 7. Olivier Jean Blanchard (1987). Neoclassical Synthesis, â€Å"The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics†, v. 3, pp. 634-36. . â€Å"Grameen Bank. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Aug 2009, 20:45 UTC. 5 Aug 2009 . 9. â€Å"Neoclassical economics. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 31 Jul 2009, 21:21 UTC. 31 Jul 2009 10. Bouman, F. A. J. â€Å"The design of microfinance policies and programmes. † The WWW Virtual Library Microcredit and Microfinance. 1989. Web. 5 Aug 2009. .

Best Practices Are The Worst Advice With Jay Acunzo From Unthinkable

Best Practices Are The Worst Advice With Jay Acunzo From Unthinkable Marketers are always searching for advice that they can apply to their marketing efforts and strategies. Luckily, plenty of people are more than willing to share their expertise, ideas, and â€Å"best† practices. Don’t simply emulate them and their words of wisdom. The biggest problem is sameness. Everything is the same, and no one stands out. Rather than just taking their advice, make it your own, put your spin on it, and do what works best for your business. Today, my guest is Jay Acunzo, founder of Unthinkable Media and author of Break the Wheel. He describes how to push yourself to ask the right questions and make the right decisions when surrounded by conventional thinking. Some of the highlights of the show include: Two Stories to Jay’s Career: LinkedIn’s about logos, and liking process of making things through tinkering and not caring if anybody consumes it Google was a great place to work; brand, perks, awesomely smart co-workers Following prescribed path because that’s what you’re â€Å"supposed to do† Expertise and checking a bunch of boxes doesn’t make a great career Everyone wants best practices and guidance because they’re afraid of what to do Unthinkable Stories: People did something that seemed crazy, but they clearly explain why what they did was practical and strategic Being taught there’s a right and wrong answer, and approaching marketing the same way; the real answer is, it dependson context Push yourself beyond commodity work and do something exceptional instead Problems: We don’t want to be average, and we don’t operate in a generality Understand your specific situation and use it as a decision-making filter to find clarity; borrow from your situation and what’s proven to work elsewhere Six fundamental questions to ask to understand how to operate in a more contextualized way for your environment Pike Syndrome: Psychological barrier to making decisions with clarity; based on situation, instead of generality Context parts in every situation: You/team, customer/audience, and resources Reasons for Decisions: Learned helplessness, foraging choice, cultural fluency Aspirational Anchor: Personal- or team-based mission statement; articulates behaviors to change Links: Unthinkable Media Unthinkable Newsletter Break the Wheel HubSpot NextView Ventures Who should be on the show? What topics should be covered? Send your suggestions! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Jay Acunzo: â€Å"Instead of searching for the muse, it’s a lot more effective just to put out a lot of bad work. You’ll get better a lot faster. You’ll find your inspiration and your answers.† â€Å"I like to make things that make me feel and make other people feel, too. I just so happened to be doing that in a business context.† â€Å"Finding best practices, in and of itself, is not the goal. Finding the best approach for you is. We’ve never been really taught how to do that.† â€Å"I was just shown how broken it is, that we think expertise and just checking a bunch of boxes, makes for a great career. That’s just not the case.†

Why Im a Proud Dominican essays

Why I'm a Proud Dominican essays Located in the middle of the chain of islands that make up the Eastern Caribbean is a beautiful island known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean". It's a spectacular and lush with flora The Dominican flag consists of a central emblem that shows the national bird of Dominica, the Palmchat, in flight, flying toward greater heights, fulfillment and aspirations. The ten lime green stars represent the ten parishes. The colors red, yellow, black, white and green speak boldly of Dominicas commitment to social justice, equal status, the sunshine of our land, our main agricultural produce, the clarity of our rivers and waterfalls, and the purity of aspiration of our people. Our island is rich in black soil that gives us a fertile forest and creates lushness of the island. The national flower, sabinea carinalis, is an indigenous flower and has always been present on our island. Therefore, it can be said that this flower represents the continuity of our young people and longevity of our elders. The national anthem, popularly referred to as The Isle of Beauty retained upon achieving our independence speaks boldly to me as it reflects the splendor, blessings, unity, hard work and the natural beauty of our island. Dressed in my colored tie, black pants, white long sleeve shirt, red sash and black shoes, I am noticed by all who see me. Nothing seems to impress visitors to Dominica as much as our clothing, in either one or the other version of our Creole wear. Music, culture, people and wild celebration merge to form what we know as Carnival. It is the most festive time of the year where there are no enemies and ev...

Geography of the Ganges River

Geography of the Ganges River The Ganges River, also called Ganga, is a river located in northern India that flows toward the border with Bangladesh (map). It is the longest river in India and flows for around 1,569 miles (2,525 km) from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of Bengal. The river has the second greatest water discharge in the world, and its basin is the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million people living in the basin. The Ganges River is extremely important to the people of India as most of the people living on its banks use it for daily needs such as bathing and fishing. It is also significant to Hindus as they consider it their most sacred river. The Course of the Ganges River The headwaters of the Ganges River begin high in the Himalayan Mountains where the Bhagirathi River flows out of the Gangotri Glacier in Indias Uttarakhand state. The glacier sits at an elevation of 12,769 feet (3,892 m). The Ganges River proper begins farther downstream where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join. As the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas, it creates a narrow, rugged canyon. The Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas at the town of Rishikesh where it begins to flow onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This area, also called the North Indian River Plain, is a very large, relatively flat, fertile plain that makes up most of the northern and eastern parts of India as well as parts of Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In addition to entering the Indo-Gangetic Plain in this area, part of the Ganges River is also diverted toward the Ganges Canal for irrigation in the Uttar Pradesh state. As the Ganges River then flows farther downstream, it changes its direction several times and is joined by many other tributary rivers such as the Ramganga, Tamsa, and Gandaki rivers to name a few. There are also several cities and towns that the Ganges River passes through on its way downstream. Some of these include Chunar, Kolkata, Mirzapur, and Varanasi. Many Hindus visit the Ganges River in Varanasi as that city is considered the holiest of cities. As such, the citys culture is also closely tied into the river as it is the most sacred river in Hinduism. Once the Ganges River flows out of India and into Bangladesh, its main branch is known as the Padma River. The Padma River is joined downstream by large rivers like the Jamuna and Meghna rivers. After joining the Meghna, it takes on that name before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Before entering the Bay of Bengal however, the river creates the worlds largest delta, Ganges Delta. This region is a highly fertile sediment-laden area that covers 23,000 square miles (59,000 sq km). It should be noted that the course of the Ganges River described in the above paragraphs is a general description of the rivers route from its source where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join to its outlet at the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges has very complicated hydrology, and there are several different descriptions of its overall length and the size of its drainage basin based on what tributary rivers are included. The most widely accepted length of the Ganges River is 1,569 miles (2,525 km), and its drainage basin is estimated to be about 416,990 square miles (1,080,000 sq km). The Population of the Ganges River The Ganges River basin has been inhabited by humans since ancient times. The first people in the region were of the Harappan civilization. They moved into the Ganges River basin from the Indus River basin around the 2nd millennium B.C.E. Later the Gangetic Plain became the center of the Maurya Empire and then the Mughal Empire. The first European to discuss the Ganges River was Megasthenes in his work Indica. In modern times the Ganges River has become a source of life for the nearly 400 million people living in its basin. They rely on the river for their daily needs such as drinking water supplies and food and for irrigation and manufacturing. Today the Ganges River basin is the most populated river basin in the world. It has a population density of about 1,000 people per square mile (390 per sq km). The Significance of the Ganges River Aside from providing drinking water and irrigating fields, the Ganges River is extremely important to Indias Hindu population for religious reasons as well. The Ganges River is considered their most sacred river, and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga Ma or Mother Ganges.   According to the Myth of the Ganges, the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the waters of the Ganges River to protect, purify and bring to heaven those who touch it. Devout Hindus visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga. They also drink the water and bathe in the river to cleanse and purify their sins. Also, Hindus believe that upon death the waters of the Ganges River are needed to reach the World of the Ancestors, Pitriloka. As a result, Hindus bring their dead to the river for cremation along its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the river. In some cases, corpses are also thrown into the river. The city of Varanasi is the holiest of cities along the Ganges River and many Hindus travel there place ashes of their dead in the river. Along with daily baths in the Ganges River and offerings to the goddess Ganga there are large religious festivals that occur in the river throughout the year where millions of people travel to the river to bathe so that they can be purified of their sins. Pollution of the Ganges River Despite the religious significance and daily importance of the Ganges River for the people of India, it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Pollution of the Ganges is caused by both human and industrial waste due to Indias rapid growth as well as religious events. India currently has a population of over one billion people, and 400 million of them live in the Ganges River basin. As a result, much of their waste, including raw sewage is dumped into the river. Also, many people bathe and use the river to clean their laundry. Fecal coliform bacteria levels near Varanasi are at least 3,000 times higher than the what is established by the World Health Organization as safe (Hammer, 2007). Industrial practices in India also have little regulation and as the population grows these industries do as well. There are many tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries and slaughterhouses along the river and many of them dump their untreated and often toxic waste into the river. The water of the Ganges has been tested to contain high levels of things like chromium sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and sulfuric acid (Hammer, 2007). In addition to human and industrial waste, some religious activities also increase the pollution of the Ganges. For example, Hindus believe that they must take offerings of food and other items to Ganga and as a result, these items are thrown into the river on a regular basis and more so during religious events. Human remains are also often placed into the river. In the late 1980s Indias prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi began the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) to clean up the Ganges River. The plan shut down many highly polluting industrial plants along the river, and allotted funding for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities but its efforts have fallen short as the plants are not large enough to handle the waste coming from such a large population (Hammer, 2007). Many of the polluting industrial plants are also continuing to dump their hazardous waste into the river. Despite this pollution, however, the Ganges River remains important to the Indian people as well as different species of plants and animals such as the Ganges River dolphin, a very rare species of freshwater dolphin that is native only to that area. To learn more about the Ganges River, read A Prayer for the Ganges from Smithsonian.com.

Compile an Annotated Bibligoraphy for Pro and Con Stances Research Paper

Compile an Annotated Bibligoraphy for Pro and Con Stances - Research Paper Example They argue that a proper implementation of policies may be the solution to reduce gun crime. Benady, D. (2007, November 29). Selling an anti-gun culture. Marketing Week, 24-25. A discussion of gun trade from the perspective of those in the market. Several laws on regulating gun trade is built from the premise of leniency of control, and is tantamount to increase in gun-related hostilities. There is less or a deficiency of considerations made to the effects of the control of legal trade of guns, which brings in millions of dollars in a year. Coalition to Stop Gun Violence & Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. (2008). America’s gun shows: open markets for criminals. PEAR’s 6th Annual Leadership Conference. Cambridge, MA: Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency. This is a report regarding the increasing prevalence and access of guns, along with the discussion on the perspective that the more prevalent these guns are before the eyes of the public, the greater the degree of control on gun trade. In this line of argumentation, policies in gun control are proposed to lead to a decrease in crime rate. Coleman, K., Jansson, K., Kaiza, P., & Reed, R. (2007). Homicides, firearm offences and intimate violence 2005/2006: Supplementary volume 1 to crime in England and Wales 2005/2006. London, UK: Home Office Statistical Bulletin. This report focuses on statistical evaluations of various trends of crime such as homicide, and other more â€Å"intimate† crimes, such as suicide and parricide. These trends are evaluated in comparison to the data gathered from the police in England and Whales. According to statistics, gun crime victims showed a slight decrease from 75 to 50 from year 2004 to year 2006. Congressional Research Service, Report RS22458. (2008, February 1). Gun control: statutory disclosure limitations on ATF firearms trace data and multiple handgun sales reports. Retrieved from http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22458_20080201.pdf This rep ort is an assessment of the implementation of the policy on gun control througout the history of the United States. It aims to show that such a policy has brought about substantial effects to variables such as the increase in gun-related crime, violence, firearm sales, the formation of gangs, and even as far as the increase in the rate of school drop-outs. Cukier, W. and Sidel, V. W. (2006). The global gun epidemic: from Saturday night specials to AK-47s. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. This report is an assessment of gun trade from a global perspective. It seeks to establish the connection between gun trade and crime. The business of firearms and other weapons is most noteworthy in countries that engage in hostilities such crimes against civilians and other international war crimes. The author argues for the implementation of a policy for gun control. Egley, A., Jr., and Ritz, C. E. (2006). Highlights of the 2004 national youth gang survey (fact sheet). Washington, DC : U. S. Department of Justice. This report shows an attempt to strengthen the connection between violence and the ease of accessibility of guns to that of the youth. It was emphasized that the rise of firearm related violence and the incidence of crimes such as robbery, theft, and physical injuries have been the major concern of many. Thus, a proper implementation of

Crime Punishments in Islam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Crime Punishments in Islam - Research Paper Example For violators of its sacred rules of conduct, the traditional Islamic law provides a clear message of swift and severe punishment, (for example amputation, death by stoning and beheading) and the lingering fear of eternal damnation through Allah’s almighty power (Miethe and Lu, 163-164). Demystifying ‘Crime’ and ‘Punishment’ in the Islamic Religion When we examine the philological meaning of jinaya (perpetration of a crime), we see that it is derived from the verb jana (to commit a crime, to sin). It is defined as a crime or a sin which, if committed, makes retaliation mandatory for its perpetrator and incurs punishment in this world and in the hereafter. Thus, when it is said ‘jana ala nafsih wa ala ahlih’ (‘he perpetrated a crime against himself and his family’), such an evil is termed as jinaya. Technically, a jinaya is an aggression against a person or his rights, making retaliation or some other form of punishment mandat ory. Philologically, the word uquba (punishment) is a noun derived from the verb aqaba (to punish). It is used when a person incurs a punishment as a result of the sin that he has committed. Uquba is used to define restrictions placed by God in order to restrain men from doing what He has forbidden and to leave what He has asked them to leave (Haleem and Daniels, 29-30). Punishments under Islamic Law Punishment in pre-Islamic Arabia was based primarily on the principle of retaliation (lex talionis). Lacking a state or central authority in nomadic and tribal life to regulate conflict and disputes, punishment for wrongdoing was privately dispensed by the victim and affiliates such as extended family or patron tribes. However, because of the nature of communal life and strong kinship solidarity, there was also collective responsibility for any serious misconduct committed by a clan member (Miethe and Lu, 164). Categories of crime The Muslims categorized crime in several ways. Each cate gory of crime had a prescribed punishment. Crimes were categorized into such forms as adultery and fornication, murder and crimes to do with property and theft. Others are defamation (qadhf), crimes of taking some foods and drinks like wine among others. The distinct classifications are Hudud crimes, Qesas and Tazir. Hudud comprises of theft, adultery and drinking alcohol. Punishments for such crimes were flogging, amputations and stoning among others. Qesas crimes are retaliatory, the family of a murder victim, for instance, may demand compensation. Tazir crimes are less severe; their punishments include confinement, boycott or fines. According to Halim and Daniels, the judge in Islamic Sharia enjoys vast discretionary powers in fixing penalties, their amount, and their enforcement in such a manner that will help and restrain the culprit from the crime. This power does not extend absolutely, and is by no means free of constraints or restrictions. Rather, it is constrained by the ap propriate laws concerning this punishment and its suitability to the crime, the culprit and society, and the extent of the prevalence of crime in this society (Haleem and Daniels, 30). Haleem and Daniels further highlighted the specific punishments meant to deter the culprit and prevent crime. The punishments are imprisonment, banishment and exile from the place of the crime and the city in which it was perpetrated,

Economics in an international context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economics in an international context - Essay Example In addition, there is a huge lot of pollution that is increased due to road congestion. It is more probable for an accident to occur when there is increased congestion as well as an increase in stress on driver, pedestrians and also the cyclists. Economists, through the concept of demand and supply theory, assume that the road-space demand will always go down when the price paid for it increase. This is so due to the income and substitution effect of a higher price. When the road-space is free, its demand becomes more than its supply. This can lead to expressing congestion as an external cost of consumption. It means, there is a welfare loss due to too much driving. To provide economic solutions to road congestion problem, economists can apply three main methods. They can either increase the supply for road-space, increase the price for road-space or reduce its demand. This is the most direct way of sorting out the problem of congestion on roads. It is logical that congestion could be caused when there are few roads in a city or a town or anywhere that we demand the road-space supply. It is also true that when there is when there is a low supply of any good, other factors remaining constant, its demand increases. Therefore, with an increased demand and the available roads that can be used are few, there will be congestion (Lave, 2001). To increase the supply of road-space, the government can build more roads that can be enough for its users. When there are more road space added, all the road users will find adequate space to use without necessarily causing congestion. However, other problems are there that are associated with increasing of road space. When doing this, the government must meet some opportunity costs. As we know that the government usually works on a budget and building roads is usually a very expensive

A Clean Well-lighted Place Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Clean Well-lighted Place - Research Paper Example The old waiter and the young waiter are expressing their individual thoughts regarding the deaf man’s habit of staying in the cafe for a long time. The setting in the story is a clean well-lighted cafe where a deaf old man is having his drinks. The setting in the story is crucial, as it reflects the thinking of the lonely old men who aim to escape from the world of darkness and despair. The views of the characters regarding the setting of the cafe have brought forth the theme of the story, which is the loneliness of old people. Characters’ mindset and cafe The story focuses on the plight of old men who are overwhelmed by the feeling of despair and loneliness, and how the cafe which is bright and clean provides comfort. â€Å"To the old man, the pleasant cafà © is his refuge, the place to which he can go to relieve his loneliness.† (Gerhard 5). The feelings of the deaf man are understood by the old waiter, for he is also experiencing similar feelings in his life. For both them, the cafe is a place which aids them to escape from the gloomy world of despair. Young people fail to realize the significance of well-lighted and clean place in the life of old people, battling with despair. The young waiter represents the thoughts of youth who are unable to comprehend the suffering of the old people. For the old waiter and the deaf man, the cafe is a source of succor and comfort. "He was in despair." (Hemmingway). They view the cafe from same perspective, for they are experiencing similar feelings. On the contrast, for the young waiter, the cafe is just a workplace. So he is eager to finish work and go to his house where his wife is waiting for him. The deaf man seated in the cafe and having drinks serenely, point towards quest for tranquility. â€Å"†¦he was a good client† (Hemmingway). He chooses the night time to visit the cafe, for he wants to avoid the crowd that would be present in the cafe during the daytime. â€Å"It gave him a sense of peacefulness.† (Brown). The deaf man’s wish to keep away from the eyes of other people is expressed through the seat he selects in the cafe. The deaf man is isolated from the society he is living in and even in the cafe he desires to be alone, enjoying the calmness of the cafe in the night. The interaction of the characters in the cafe provides an insight to their thoughts and attitude towards life. Contrast The contrast in the setting of the cafe and the world of old people aids in depicting the sorrow and suffering of the old people. The cafe is bright and clean whereas the house and world of the deaf man and the old waiter is full of darkness. It is this contrast that compels the deaf man and the old waiter to spend more time in the cafe than in his house. The brightness of the cafe brings light into the dark world of the deaf

Corporate Social Responsibility Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Social Responsibility Movement - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the history of CSR in the UK had been a smooth one before the hurdles began making this one of the most difficult processes to undertake in the country. The aim was to provide a link between the corporate and the society, something that would see the regulation of activities within the required platforms. This would also see the growth of regulation based on the impact of transnational corporations that were setting base in the UK at the time. When the late nineteenth century saw a growing number of corporations in the world, the debate regarding the link between the corporations and the society became a debate that was in the public domain. The aim was to introduce new policies that would see most of these huge corporations share their profits with the society, or initiate new projects that would create and enhance regulation within the society. In the 1920s and 19230s, the main CSR strategies in place were trustee management that sough t to maximize wealth creation and growth of the community. From the 1930s to the 1970s, the corporate period was in motion and the UK companies took social responsibilities as the government did. The late 1970s saw the companies take up specific issues to handle, while the 1980s saw an increased responsiveness to community affairs. The 1990s and early millennium saw an increase in the CSR concepts as they became the base-point of completing other points of growth for the society as a whole. During the early twentieth century, companies were always working on meeting their demands while creating and enhancing new platforms that would see them prosper. However, this would imply redirecting their profits to other social causes as a means of meeting the key demands of the society. The main aim was to proceed with a new mentality that would see corporations in the UK grow further while still having the main ideas of the society in place. One problem that arose during the initial stages o f creating a strong CSR program at the time was the lack of a decisive definition of the term.

Costa Coffee and the Coffee Industry in the UK Assignment

Costa Coffee and the Coffee Industry in the UK - Assignment Example The coffee industry in the UK is going through a period of growth and change. While Starbucks is one of the most familiar names in the industry, it is not the biggest or the most successful because Costa Coffee performs better. On a global scale, coffee remains the most popular beverage with approximately two billion cups consumed daily. The U.K alone consumes around 70 million cups of coffee daily (British Coffee Association, 2015). In comparison with several other European nations, the United Kingdom still stands out as one of the few countries that have favored instant coffee at the expense of other fresh coffee beans or fresh ground coffee considered of better quality. Even though consumers remain devoted to their preferred brands, the most important thing is the taste and quality of the instant coffee. Placing premiums on coffees brands is currently motivating instant coffee customers to consider the quality of taste as their preference before buying. In the year 2014, the intro duction of private labels for premium coffee had a positive influence on the status of micro-ground coffee, with customers of low-priced options switching to this brand due to its improved quality (Ukers, 2012). Costa Coffee has taken over the UK coffee industry, and with their unchanging traditional method of roasting their coffee beans slowly, the Bruno & Sergio brothers have served their customers with authentic blends of six Arabica beans to one Robusta in more than five hundred coffee shops globally.

Corporate Social Responsibility Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate Social Responsibility Movement - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the history of CSR in the UK had been a smooth one before the hurdles began making this one of the most difficult processes to undertake in the country. The aim was to provide a link between the corporate and the society, something that would see the regulation of activities within the required platforms. This would also see the growth of regulation based on the impact of transnational corporations that were setting base in the UK at the time. When the late nineteenth century saw a growing number of corporations in the world, the debate regarding the link between the corporations and the society became a debate that was in the public domain. The aim was to introduce new policies that would see most of these huge corporations share their profits with the society, or initiate new projects that would create and enhance regulation within the society. In the 1920s and 19230s, the main CSR strategies in place were trustee management that sough t to maximize wealth creation and growth of the community. From the 1930s to the 1970s, the corporate period was in motion and the UK companies took social responsibilities as the government did. The late 1970s saw the companies take up specific issues to handle, while the 1980s saw an increased responsiveness to community affairs. The 1990s and early millennium saw an increase in the CSR concepts as they became the base-point of completing other points of growth for the society as a whole. During the early twentieth century, companies were always working on meeting their demands while creating and enhancing new platforms that would see them prosper. However, this would imply redirecting their profits to other social causes as a means of meeting the key demands of the society. The main aim was to proceed with a new mentality that would see corporations in the UK grow further while still having the main ideas of the society in place. One problem that arose during the initial stages o f creating a strong CSR program at the time was the lack of a decisive definition of the term.

Violation Early Childhood Code of Ethics Research Paper

Violation Early Childhood Code of Ethics - Research Paper Example Secondly, it also discusses some of the appropriate ways that could be taken to avoid such a violation. One of the most challenging ethical issues while dealing with children is food. Ms. Devan, an early childhood development teacher was implicated in an ethical case whereby the parents argued that she went beyond her ethical boundaries by allowing children to used food as playing tools. Precisely, Ms. Devan was using pudding as finger paint while teaching children how to paint. According to her, they preferred using edible pudding as finger paint since they discovered that the children were putting it on their mouth. Although there are ethical codes demanding that the health of the children should be given the first priority, she preferred using food pudding since it was safer than finger paint (Swim & Freeman, 2008). Although her actions were well intentioned, so many ethical questions are raised from such an action. For instance, the children developed a habit of licking the puddi ng paint directly from the table. This is certainly not hygienic. However, it is better compared to swallowing the regular finger paint that is sold commercially. The ethical case came into the limelight when one of the child’s mothers scolded her child for licking sandwich jelly that had spilled on the table at home. When she asked the child, the child affirmed that their teacher let them do it at school. Certainly, the child had learned a different thing from what was initially intended. The parent was worried that the teacher was not exercising the children code of ethics. The teacher also failed to realize that children could have learned that playing materials are good for consumption. This is certainly a violation of early childhood code of ethics, which demands that children be taught the right code of behavior especially during this important stage of cognitive development. Actually, the parent was even more worried that the teacher was wasting food while there were t housands of other children all over the world dying of hunger. Some of the ethical concerns raised from the situation demand a critical thought and consideration. Was the teacher acting safe by allowing children to play with food? Was it safe for the children after all? Did the teacher think about other lessons learned in the process? So many questions of ethical concern can be raised from this case. Undeniably, there is no clear cut difference between what should be done or what should not be done. This is even made more complicated because of the differences in ethical values between different stakeholders. Early childhood codes of ethics may not suffice enough to handle such ethically complicated issues. According to National Association for the Education of Young Children, it is necessary â€Å"To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contribu tions† (2012). It is evident from the ethical principle that the teacher failed to maintain healthy settings, failed to consider the overall social development of the children’s behavior, as well as intellectual development. Needless to say, there are several measures that can be taken to avoid similar ethical violations. Firstly, the teachers need to expand their knowledge on childhood cognitive development. This would enable the teacher to make better decisions when choosing

Study Of Variable Valve Timing Engineering Essay

Study Of Variable Valve Timing Engineering Essay Variable Valve Timing is a mechanism in which the lift, duration or timing of either the intake or exhaust valves or both can be altered in several combinations during engine operation. This is not possible for an engine with fixed intake and exhaust valves. An engine with VVT installed helps in improving engine performance over a wider range of the engine operating spectrum. In this paper, the effect of VVTs on gasoline as well as diesel engines were discussed and also compared to their series counterparts. For a diesel engine, it was observed that with the introduction of a VVT, higher fuel-line and combustion pressures were achieved with inadvertently led to a better engine performance along with lower smoke density and higher torque at low speeds. Minute variations in CO, NOx and PM emissions were observed. However at full-load operation, NOx emissions had increased marginally. In the case of the gasoline engine, it was observed that there wasnt any significant improvement in the CO and NOx emissions. However, the engine torque had increased particularly at low speeds and at partial load. This was complimented by a decrease in Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (bsfc). INTRODUCTION The valves in 4-Stroke IC Engines are mostly spring operated [1]. The opening and closing of these valves is governed by the crankshaft which is connected to the valves through an intermediary camshaft which is attached to every valve through a cam. The amount of fuel that enters the combustion chamber is dependent upon valve timing. The camshaft is connected to the crankshaft by using any one of gears, chains or belts. In conventional engines without VVT, the cam lobe shape and position as well as it profile are tuned for a particular engine speed and this usually compromises high-end torque or low-end power. However, with the introduction of VVT, the cam characteristics, e.g. timing, can be altered. Thus, this allows for better engine efficiency and power at variable engine speeds [2]. This is useful especially at high speed operation where a car requires more air in order to deliver the required power. If lesser amount of air were to be entered at high speeds, there would a considerable decrease in performance. However, if the valves were to be kept open for a longer duration, there would be a case of incomplete combustion inside the combustion chamber at low speeds since the pressure required to attain proper combustion of fuel is insufficient. This again results in reduced engine performance as well as an increase in fuel emissions [2]. Modern emission regulations set by various governments have forced several manufacturers to adopt VVT in their engines. Most of the current car manufacturers have adopted VVT engine systems. The popular VVT mechanisms are classified into purely mechanical, electro-mechanical and hydraulic. Purely mechanical VVT systems are further classified into Oscillating Cam, Eccentric Cam Drive, Three-Dimensional Cam Lobe and Two Shaft Combined Profile [2]. TYPES OF VVTs Purely Mechanical In this type of VVT, the valve timing is operated by mechanical means. It is further subdivided into: Oscillating Cam This method involves using either a conventional cam lobe or an eccentric and connecting rod which generates oscillatory motion on part cam lobe which is connected to the follower and thus, the valve. The part lobe is made up of a section each of base circle and lobe flank. The position of the part cam lobe can be varied depending on whether zero lift and zero position are required in which case the part cam lobe is completely base circle. The exact opposite situation is maximum duration at full lift in which case it is fully flank. BMWs Valvetronic, Toyota Valvematic( both conventional) and Nissan VVEL( eccentric and connecting rod) are variations of this method. The Valvetronic is very dependable however the lift duration is dependent on amount of lift. Hence its only used on intake valves. The Valvematic and the VVEL are more compact while delivering the same performance as the Valvetronic [2]. Eccentric Cam Drive The Rover Company is the only company in history to have ever used this version of VVT. In this method, an eccentric disc mechanism is used which can vary the angular speed of the cam. The lesser the angular speed, the greater the duration of lift. The disadvantage of this method is that its expensive as each valve requires its own controller [2]. Three-Dimensional Cam Lobe This system comprises of an axially elongated cam lobe which has shorter duration profile and a greater duration profile at either ends. Thus, valve lift duration can be varied by tilting the cam lobe axially. However, such a system requires the follower to tilt in various directions as the lobe flanks of the cam lobe are not parallel to the axis of rotation of the camshaft. This problem has never been rectified which is why its not used commercially [2]. Two Shaft Combined Profile In this system, two closely arranged camshafts are used. The angular positions of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft can be arranged by using a phasing mechanism. A follower connects both camshafts and is operated by the two lobes simultaneously. The two lobes are used for the intake and exhaust valves respectively. The disadvantage of this system is that the settings on one lobe may affect the other thus tampering the entire system. It has yet to be used commercially [2]. Electro-mechanical Camless engines use this type of VVT in which the valve opening and closing is achieved by using electro-magnets. The disadvantages of this systems are : deceleration of the valve is hard to achieve, springs used in the valves have to adjusted to the smallest of margins and finally, the use of electromagnets reduces the engine efficiency [2]. Hydraulic Another system developed as an alternative to cam engines. In this system, the pressure of the liquid is used to activate valves. However, this system has its disadvantages. The energy required to operate a highly active hydraulic system under different circumstances is very high. The viscosity of the hydraulic fluid can vary over different temperatures. The use of springs deters high engine speed generation. The adequate operation of this system requires the aid of powerful computers and accurate sensors [2]. GASOLINE ENGINES WITH VVT INSTALLED VVT was installed in a gasoline engine and it was observed that for optimal performance, the inlet valve the inlet valve closing(IC) and the exhaust valve(EC) opening periods have to be optimised. The maximum temperature and pressure obtained in the combustion chamber is a result of IC optimisation. Optimal timing for each valve is dependent on engine speed. This characteristic is shown for both IC and EO at part load as well as full load through figures 1 and 2. C:UsersUSERDesktopoptimal EO vs engine speed.png Figure 1 Optimal EO Vs Engine Speed[3] C:UsersUSERDesktopOptimal IC vs engine speed.png Figure 2 Optimal IC Vs Engine Speed[3] Figures 3,4,5 and 6 compare Torque produced, bsfc, CO emissions and NOx emissions respectively for a normal engine and an engine with VVT installed at full load. C:UsersUSERDesktopTorque vs engine speed, full load petrol.png Figure 3 Torque Vs Engine Speed at full load C:UsersUSERDesktopbsfc vs engine speed,full load petrol.png Figure 4 bsfc vs Engine Speed at full load[3] C:UsersUSERDesktopCO emissions vs engine speed, full load petrol.png Figure 5 CO emissions Vs Engine Speed at full load [3] C:UsersUSERDesktopCO emissions vs engine speed, full load petrol.png Figure 6 NOx emissions Vs Engine Speed at full load [3] Its observed that VVT has little or no effect on the CO or NOx emissions. However, the torque produced has increased by 6% accompanied by a bsfc decrease of 2% [3]. Similarly at part load, the torque produced, bsfc, CO and NOx emissions were compared for both engines and the results are indicated in figures 7,8,9 and 10 respectively. C:UsersUSERDesktopTorque vs engine speed, part load petrol.png Figure 7 Torque produced vs Engine Speed at part load[3] C:UsersUSERDesktopbsfc vs engine speed, part load petrol.png Figure 8 bsfc vs Engine Speed at part load [3] C:UsersUSERDesktopCO emissions vs engine speed, part load petrol.png Figure 9 CO emissions Vs Engine Speed at part load [3] C:UsersUSERDesktopNOx emissions vs engine speed, part load petrol.png Figure 10 Nox emissions Vs Engine Speed at part load [3] At partial load, its observed that the torque increases by 4% and 3% when the engine is rotating at 2000rpm and 5000rpm respectively complemented by a bsfc decrease of 6% and 14%. The main advantage of the VVT for a gasoline engine is maximum torque can be achieved at a lower speed of rotation [3]. DIESEL ENGINES WITH VVT INSTALLED There are a number of factors which have hampered the research of VVT in diesel engines. Two of those factors are the complexity of VVT technology and the rapid evolution of diesel engine technology. Due to the lean nature of air fuel mixture, diesel engines emit much less CO as compared to their gasoline counterparts. This is because of the absence of unburnt hydrocarbons in the mixture. However, due to higher temperatures involved in diesel engines owing to higher compression ratios, NOx are much more prominent as compared to gasoline engines [4]. Since diesel engines operate under higher compression ratios, the gap between the valves and the top of the piston at Top Dead Centre (TDC) is very minimal. Therefore, the VVT has to be designed such that there is no contact between the valves and the piston. Figure 11 shows the variation of torque with engine speed by only varying the inlet valve closing C:UsersUSERDesktoptorque vs speed, IC diesel.png Figure 11 Torque Vs Engine Speed at full load with inlet valve closing control [4] It is observed particularly at low engine speeds that the maximum torque increases at low speeds. In this case, there was a 6% increase in torque at 1000rpm and 8% increase at 1600rpm. A similar pattern is observed by controlling the exhaust valve opening (EO) as well as the combined control of EO and IC. This is indicated in figures 12 13 repectively. C:UsersUSERDesktopTorque vs engine speed EO diesel.png Figure 12 Torque Vs Engine Speed at full load with EO control [4] C:UsersUSERDesktopTorque vs engine speed EO,IC- diesel.png Figure 13 Torque Vs Engine Speed at full load by controlling EO IC At part load is was observed that by closing the inlet valve before Bottom Dead Centre (BDC), the bsfc had reduced [4]. Figure 14 shows the effect of IC timing on effective compression ratio after the installation of VVT. C:UsersUSERDesktopCompression ratio IC- diesel.png Figure 14 Effect Of IC Timing On Effective Compression Ratio [4] It is clear from figure 14 that by advancing the IC after BDC the compression ratio increases inside the combustion chamber. CONCLUSION The need for Variable Valve Timing has been discussed in detail. The various types of VVTs popularly have been discussed briefly. Most of modern vehicles use VVTs mainly due to legislation. The effect of using VVT in a gasoline as well as a diesel engine was analysed and explained accordingly. It was noticed that though there wasnt any appreciable decrease in emissions, the maximum torque produced was attained at a lower speed compared to their series counterparts. Also, the bsfc in both cases had been reduced.

the order of things (chocolate war) Essay -- essays research papers

The Order of Things   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Disturbing the universe is one of the main themes of Robert Cormier’s novel, The Chocolate War. Jerry Renault, the protagonist of the novel, goes against Trinity, the all boys school, and The Vigils, a powerful school gang. He gets admired and then bullied because of his defiance of authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the story, we are introduced to Jerry Renault. As he is trying out for the school’s football team, Archie and Obie, two members of The Vigils, are writing â€Å"assignments† for the chosen boys at school. If the boy fails to complete or do his assignment he gets punished by The Vigils. Archie sees Jerry get slaughtered by the football team and still manage to get up. Archie then decides to give Jerry one of his assignments. â€Å"‘The assignment must fit the kid. That’s the beauty of it, Obie... Put him down for the chocolates’† (Cormier 15-16).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every year at Jerry’s school, Trinity, they have a chocolate sale. And every year, all the students participate. Jerry’s assignment was to refuse to sell the chocolates for ten school days. â€Å"‘Let me get this straight, Renault,’ Brother Leon said and his voice brought the room under his command. ‘I called your name. Your response could have been either yes or no. Yes means that like every other student in this school you agree to sell the chocolates, in this case fifty boxes. No – and let me point out that the sale is strictl...

Charles Darwin :: Biography Biographies

Charles Robert Darwin was a British scientist who laid the foundation of modern evolutionary theory with his views on life development through natural selection. He was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on February 12, 1809. After graduating from the elite school at Shrewsbury in 1825, Darwin attended the University of Edinburgh where he studied medicine. In 1827 he dropped out and entered the University of Cambridge in preparation for becoming a clergyman of the Church of England. While there, Darwin met two important people in his life: Adam Sedgwick, a geologist, and John Stevens Henslow, a naturalist. After graduating from Cambridge in 1831, the 22-year-old Darwin was taken aboard the English survey ship HMS Beagle, mainly because of Henslow's recommendation, as an unpaid naturalist on an expedition around the world. When the voyage began, Darwin didn't believe that species change through time, but he did believe in two prevailing ideas of the time. The first theory was that the earth was 6,000 years old and had remained unchanged except for the effects of floods and other catastropes. The second was that organisms were designed especially for certain habitats and appeared on the earth in their present form. After reading the works of a noted geologist, Darwin began to change his ideas. He saw evidence that the earth was much older than 6,000 years. In South America, he was witness to an earthquake that lifted the land several feet. He realized that mountains could be built by the action of an earthquake over millions of years. He found fossils of marine mammals high up on mountains, and realized that rocks must have been lifted from the ocean. Darwin also studied plants and animals. On the Galapagos Islands, he found animals that resembled animals on the South American continent, but not exactly the same. He understood that they must have come to the islands from the mainland, and then adapted into new species. He also observed the plant and animal life of South America, oceanic islands, and the Far East. He noted many examples that proved that animals in similar environments didn't always look the same. For example, the emus of Australia and the rheas of South America are two very distinct species, but they live in the same basic kind of habitat. Darwin thought about this, and asked himself the question, if animals were formed for a specific habitat, why would different species be found in habitats that are so similar? After leaving the HMS Beagle and returning to England in 1836, Darwin began recording his ideas about changeability of species in his Notebooks on the

What Impressions of the Characters Relationship Are Conveyed?

What impressions of the characters relationship are conveyed by the language they use, and the interaction between them? In this text, the opening scene of Ibsen’s Dolls House, the conversation between Helmer and Nora shows who acts as a more authoritative figure through imperatives, patronising lexis and explanative language. This is to show the relationship between the married couple regarding terms of how they address each other. I will also consider gender theories such as Debora Tennen’s gender theory of politeness and Zimmerman and West’s suggesting men are more dominating in conversation.The purpose of the text, A Dolls House, is to reveal information about the relationship between Nora and Helmer through the interactions of their conversation and their lexis. Nora speaks in a polite manor, ‘just this minute’ which could be interpreted through Trudgill’s gender theory suggesting women use precise pronunciation to aim to be viewed at a h igher class. The adjective, ‘just’ could imply Nora will act quickly in order to respond to her husband because he has a higher status and power over herself.However, her husbands language is very different, ‘been wasting money again? ’ this rhetorical question implies a threatening and dominant tone. This could be interpreted by kZimmerman and West’s gender theory which suggests men act more dominant in conversation in order to gain and keep power. The terms of address the couple use change in relation to the conversation topic. Nora addresses her husband by his second name, ‘As you please, Torvald’ which could imply their relationship is formal and she has little authority as he holds all the power.This could be interpreted by Debora Tennen who states that women use terms of address and politeness to form bonds. However, Helmer addresses Nora in two different approaches; whilst they are having a general conversation Nora is referred to as his possession, ‘My little skylark’ the adjective ‘little’ implying she is belittled as she has no authority. Also, the use of the pronoun, ‘my’ implies Nora belongs to Helmer and she has control over her hence the metaphor for her name.However, when Nora ‘misbehaves’ she is addressed with her name, ‘Nora, Nora! Just like a woman! ’ his use of explanative language portrays his loss of patience with her but also he is telling her off like Nora is a child in a patronising manor. The repetition of ‘Nora’ implies she has done wrong and he dismisses her to get her to behave like a father would to a child. This could be interpreted by Grice’s maxims of quantity as he speaks more than Nora implying he has a higher level of authority and power.

No choice to save land for endangered animals Essay

Nowadays, land supply is one of the critical world problems, which is considered carefully before using that limited land. People transform natural landscapes to human landscapes for farmland, housing, and industry, and it makes many serious problems to wildlife species. Especially to endangered animal, they will lose their shelters and face the end of their kinds. However, there is no choice for tremendous requirements of mankind. There are some main reasons to figure that people need to alter natural landscapes more important than to save for endangered animals. Most importantly, due to the world population keeps increase every year, people need more land to support their lives. In this case, housing issue is a very serious problem of almost every nation. For the large number of population, people cannot live in their limited places, and they need to find proper places to live in. For example, houses in cities are so expensive, that some people cannot afford, so they have the alter native of buying another place. Furthermore, land is needed for cultivation. According to urbanizations, farms which close to towns are lost, so it doesn’t have enough farms to produce food for people. Thus, some parts of forests are cut down for productivities of farmlands. These basic needs are unlikely to shorten but grow endlessly. In another point, human ambitions are not only for their living but also for their developments. In contemporary view, every country has their prospective goals to improve industrial factor that lead to use more land. Since industrial countries are rich and powerful, most developing countries are eagerly follow by trying to absorb as many as possible of investments to gain profit by changing investment climate. For instance, Cambodia tries to attract foreign ventures by providing land and reducing some strict conditions such as allowing foreign shareholders to buy up properties and so on. Last but not least, people need to facilitate their lives with tools and equipments. Similarly, light and heavy industry are grown beneficially in every country, and no one is able to restrict the industrial actions. In short, all these points cannot be omitted according to their functions. Human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are really necessary, and people do not have choice to save land for endangered animals.

Crown Cork & Seal in 1989

Strategic issues and options open to Avery In order to develop a future strategic decision plan we have assessed Crown’s business with a SWOT analysis, keeping in mind all issues Avery has to consider. That implies an evaluation of the different strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Crown Cork’s business.The analysis is as follows: †¢ Strengths: Crown’s return on equity and total return to shareholders was ranked much higher than its competitors’, creating high value to its customers; Crown has a tremendous skills in die forming and metal fabrication, and they can move to adapt to the customer’s needs faster than anyone else in the industry; Crown’s research teams also worked closely with customers on specific customer requests. Weaknesses: Growth slowing in metal containers; the possibility of diversifying beyond the manufacture of containers was not at hand, because while Crown’s competitors had aggressively expand ed in a variety of directions, Crown had been cautious. †¢ Opportunities: expand its product line beyond the manufacture of metal cans and closures, since industry observers forecast plastics as the growth segment for containers in the 90s; Avery also considered the growing opportunity in glass containers; the bidding for all or part of Continental Can would almost double its size and make them even more international. Threats: Avery knew that most mergers in this industry had not worked out well; the challenge of taking two companies that come from completely different cultures and bringing them together; Potential bidders for all, or part of Continental’s operations, included many of Crown’s U. S. rivals in addition to European competition; the continuing threat of in-house manufacture of metal cans. Regarding to the strategic options which are open to Avery, we have thought about three options as the most profitable and likely ones.The first one would be to exp and its product line beyond the manufacture of metal cans and closures, aiming its business to the plastic container segment which held much promise. The second option would be to merge with Continental Can. It would provide them such size in metal can industry that they would be the highest can metal manufacturing company in the globe. The last option would be to remain on the metal can industry without merging with Continental Can. This option would be the less profitable one, but on the other hand it would be the less risky one.They would be able to try to improve even more its manufacturing process and taking advantage of its competitors’ diversification. The growth in metal can segment is supposed to be stuck, but maybe they would rise its market share reaching higher revenues to Crown’s shareholders. Metal container industry After the John Connelly’s reorganization and strategic changes, Crown competes in the metal containers industry, more specifically in the beverage cans market and the aerosol market.To compete in this market, since the seventies, Crown has developed a conversion from steel to aluminum cans and manufacturing them with the two-pieces model. The metal container industry has changed considerably over the last years. Since 1981 to 1989 the market has grown from 88,810 to 120,795 million of cans. This means that this industry has experienced a grown of 36% over the past 8 years period, representing 61% of all packaged products in the United States in 1989.For a better understanding of the metal container industry, we are going to present the Porter's five forces analysis: – Threat of new competition. We considered this force low due to the industry’s high barriers to entry. Some of these barriers are: a) High initial capital investment: Each two- piece can line plus its peripheral equipment needed cost approximately $20-$25 million. b) Strong rivalry among competitors: five established and experienced fir ms dominated the industry with an aggregate 61% market share. ) Low operating margins due to aggressive discounts of competitors. Thread of substitute products: a) Plastics: plastic’s market share has grown from 9% in 1980 to 18% in 1989. Plastic’s light weight and convenient handling contributed to widespread consumer acceptance. b) Glass: In the beer category consumers had certain preference with glass bottle that would work to its advantage in the coming years. Bargaining power of buyers: There were large buyers such as Coca-Cola Company, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , PepsiCo Inc. , and Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.These buyers usually maintained relationships with more than one can supplier and they could punish poor service and uncompetitive prices by cuts in order sizes. In addition, many large brewers moved to hold can costs down by developing their own manufacturing capability. Bargaining power of suppliers: The country’s three largest aluminum suppliers were Alcoa, Alcan and Reynolds Metals. Aluminum prices increased by 15% while steel prices increased by 5% to 7%. – – – 1 – Intensity of competitive rivalry: In 1989, five firms dominated the metal can industry, with an aggregate 61% market share.American National Can held 25% market share, followed by Continental Can (18%), Reynolds Metals (7%), Crown Cork & Seal (7%), and Ball Corporation (4%). Pricing was very competitive among them. Most companies offered volume discounts to encourage large orders. John Connelly’s thrust to success Connelly’s arrival to the presidency of Crown brought about important changes in the way the company operated, the actions he took were actually beneficial for the company, taking it from bankruptcy to a situation of annual profits with annual revenues growth about 12%.To achieve the success, the company did not apply complex strategies, nor invested in neither revolutionary products nor innovative diversific ation; in his own words the plan was to apply â€Å"just common sense†. The company moved from a paternalistic leadership to a functional organization, Connelly also eliminated the divisional line and staff concept, he were able to reduce with this actions Crown’s payroll by 24% in less than two years. Another key to success was that they were focused on enhancing the existing product line.Connelly was not interested in researching new materials or packaging, because of that he closed the Central Research Facility, and worked closely with large breweries in the development of two-pieces cans. Even though it was not a company based on innovation, Crown worked closely with their customers to provide them technical assistance and to satisfy their requests. To successfully carry out its policy of controlling costs and improving quality, Crown also needed to focus its growth policies in developing countries, taking advantage of new business opportunities to expand its marke t share.Connelly emphasized national management wherever possible to develop the internationalization process. New challenges in the industry The most significant changes that are taking place in the industry are the more often using of plastic containers and glass bottles, and the diversification and subsequent consolidations due to low profit margins, excess capacity and rising material and labor costs within the metal can industry. Some competitors have invested in stuff such as insurance, energy exploration, glass containers or high-technology market.In our opinion, Bill Avery should respond with a thorough market analysis, assessing each of Crown’s options to keep its market share and then choosing the most profitable in terms of revenues and duration. Only once they have done this analysis, they are able to make the correct decision, which can be to remain in the metal can industry, the diversification to other segments of the market, or to merge with Continental Can. T hat implies the need to think deeply in each option before make the decision of either change Connelly strategy or remain in the same market segment with the same strategy. 2