Adidas Marketing Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Adidas Marketing Project - Essay Example The tutor commented that she did not require the group members to give definitions for the 4 Ps in marketing but rather give marketing objectives and how to carry out promotions. She said the group should work towards giving more details about promotions and be objective in the presentation. Group members worked on the comments and included the details that and earlier been excluded so as to provide more details about promotions and marketing objectives. The course work imparted marketing research skills and knowledge on how to design and write posters. Under the 4 Ps, the paper looked into pricing, promotions, place, and the product. It also touched a little bit on the other 4 Ps but not deeply. The work had several advantages which included more details about 4 Ps, good poster design and structure and thus easy to understand. Any marketing executive would be impressed by the quality of the poster as it was highly informative and communicated effectively and efficiently. The disadvantage in the findings included a lack of market share which was very evident from the data used. The second disadvantage is that data used was neither current nor recent. The data used was three years old and thus did not give a true representation of the current marketing situation. Some of the most important factors were the product itself and the pricing strategies. These two factors are highly considered when developing a marketing plan. A product will be successful in the market if it is of good quality and its price is competitive.

Class Inequalities in Health

Class Inequalities in Health The Black Report (Black et al, 1980) was commissioned in 1977 by the Labour Secretary of State. Though there had always been a public concern about social class difference and mortality, it was the first ever review of the Health of Britains working age population. The initial purpose of the report was to measure the impact of ill health within the workforce (Macintyre, 1997). However, the report shocked the government by revealing a clear correlation between ill heath and lower social class. Conversely these inequalities have been widening rather than diminishing since the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS) (Gray, 1982). This essay is going to focus on the main factors behind class inequalities that the Black Report identified and how relevant this report is today. The Black Report identified a relationship between social class and ill health, life expectancy and infant mortality rates. The persistence of these inequalities has become the subject of continuing debate. The Black report identified four different possible explanations; artefact, social selection, cultural and material. The artefact explanation considers the existence of health inequalities as simply an artefact of the measurement system used. According to this theory any variance in health within social classes will depend on how both health and class are measured (McIntyre, 1997). However, these inequalities are often still present even when different techniques are employed when measuring social class. It is thought, if anything, that the statistics may in fact under report the extent of class and health inequalities (Kirby et al. 1997). The second explanation for these health inequalities is social selection. This theory speculates that people with ill health will generally decrease in social status while a fit and healthy person would be more likely to advance social class (Maguire, 2010). This combined effect contributes to the evident health inequalities. Within this idea a distinction between direct and indirect health selection has been made. Direct is where health alone is attributed to social mobility whereas indirect is where another quality is involved with the mobility process (Wilkinson, 1987, Platt, 2006) Few supporters of this extreme view can be found. Though ill health may have an effect on social mobility, it is often too small to account for any significant health difference (Wilkinson, 1996). Townsend and Davison (1990) also found that relatively few sick professionals experience downward occupational changes. However, as regards the social selections importance as an explanation of health inequali ties it appears to play a small but yet still significant role (Platt, 2006). The two remaining (cultural and material) explanations of health inequalities have received considerable attention. The cultural explanation proposes that members of lower social classes often choose less healthy lifestyles (smoking, eating larger quantities of fatty foods and participating in less exercise) compared to members of middle or upper class groups, thus resulting in comparatively ill health. However, similar patterns in ill health can also be found within people who follow a relatively healthy lifestyle. Though it cant be disputed that there is a correlation between a less healthy lifestyle choice and ill health, it cannot be considered the full explanation for the presence of health inequalities (Townsend and Davison, 1990, Pratt 2006) The final factor behind inequalities in health identified by the Black Report is material. This explanation highlights the role of economic factors in the distribution of ill health. Within this it is thought that members of lower social groups face material constraints and poor living conditions which prevent them from living a healthy lifestyle. These material constraints include poverty, bad housing, low income and a lack of health and educational resources. This theory coincides with Wilkinsons (1997) argument that Poverty is the most important determinant of health. The material explanation does account for a significant amount of the inequality between social classes, possibly more so than the other explanations, but once again it cannot account for all. The Black Report clearly identified many shortcomings within healthcare. It is also apparent that each of the four factors previously identified play a role in explaining the presence of these health inequalities, though some play a more significant role than others. Due to the change to a Conservative government at the time the report was published it was released quietly (only 450 copies available) with the hope it would go unnoticed (Abercrombie and Ward, 2000). This meant that it was many years until any action was taken. In 1987 the Health Education Council (HEC) commissioned the Health Divide. This report was concerned with measuring the current health inequalities and to determine what progress had been made since the Black Report was published 7 years previously. Like the Black Report the findings emphasized the link between ill health and social class and identified that the gap between social classes had widened. More recently in 1997 Labour commissioned the Acheson report (Acheson, 1998) which was an independent inquiry into health inequalities (Abercrombie and Ward, 2000). Similar to the Health Divide, the Acheson Reports findings mirrored those of the Black report. These included rates of long term illness (e.g heart disease and strokes) in 45-64 year olds being 17% in members of upper class groups compared to 48% in lower socioeconomic groups. These results once again indicate a considerable social class health inequality that is still widening (Davey et al, 1990). Also these results agreed with the fourth explanation within the Black report (material) as poverty was identified as the main cause of social inequality. It is clear that over the last thirty years social inequalities within health has been a major issue. Since these reports were issued reversing this trend of health inequalities has been a high priority on the government agenda (Abercrombie Ward, 2000). Who are committed to lower these inequalities (Department of Health, 2004). Unfortunately, even with all the actions that have been taken the gap between social groups is thought to have worsened (Sim and Mackie, 2006, Davey, 1990).

The Friendly Friar :: essays research papers

The Friendly Friar   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the drama Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Friar Lawrence is a kind, knowledgeable, peacekeeping, and wise character. He also acts as a foil to the Montaques, Capulets, and the nurse. He is a priest to both the Montaque and Capulet houses. He is a well-liked person in the town of Verona. The Friar is a positive figure in the community and serves as a good role model for the children of Verona.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Friar Lawrence is wise, educated kind, and peace loving. When Romeo comes to tell Friar Lawrence about his engagement the Friar offers many wise pieces of advice. Such as when he says that young men's love lies in their eyes he means for Romeo to make sure he loves Juliet for who she is and not how she looks. He also tells Romeo that women may fall when there is no strength in men. This means that if he is not stable and constant Juliet may become inconstant herself. His knowledge of Greek mythology and his great understanding of plants show Friar Lawrence's high level of education. When he is collecting plants in the beginning of scene three he speaks of the Greek god Titan. His reference to Titan shows he has had some background in mythology. Friar Lawrence also has a vast knowledge of plants and flowers. Friar Lawrence grows a magnificent garden which he tends to during the time in which he is not fulfilling his church duties. He speaks to Romeo about a plant t hat can be used for healing or as poison. This discussion leads into a speech by Friar Lawrence about people having a good side and a bad side like the flower he spoke of. This suggests that he has a background in philosophy. The friar is also very kind and peace loving. He is speaks to Romeo as if they are best friends and Romeo seems to really enjoy being around the friar. They laugh, joke, and discuss Romeo's love life showing that Romeo is very comfortable around the friar. The friar is an all-around good guy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the drama Friar Lawrence acts as a foil to both the Capulets and the Montaques. The two houses show no signs of attempting to make peace with one another they don't even seem to really know what their feud is about. Friar Lawrence states that he hopes the marriage of Romeo and Juliet will bring an end to their quarrel.

Explication de Texte of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

I. SUBJECT Carol Milford is a student of Blodgett College, and the protagonist of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. Her ambition is to settle down in a prairie village and transform it into a place of beauty. She works as a librarian at St. Paul after her graduation. She marries the doctor Kennicott, whom she met at a friend’s house. Life in Gopher Prairie offers no challenges. Kennicott takes her on a long tour to California and other places. Carol returns to Gopher Prairie and tries to be enthusiastic about the town but feels tired of the hypocrisy and decides to leave. Kennicott feels distressed and she assures him that she would come back if she is able to find out what she needs. She works in Washington for two years. Kennicott visits her in Washington to woo her for the second time. Carol mellows and admits her desire to return to Gopher Prairie. Kennicott asks her to return only when she is prepared. She talks to the leader of the suffrage movement who tells her that she cannot achieve anything without total dedication. She convinces Carol that she can play at least a small role in changing life by persistently asking questions whenever she finds anything that hinders social change. Her life in Washington helps her to acquire a mature outlook towards life and is at last able to accept Gopher Prairie and its people as they are, but she does not give up her fight to make Gopher Prairie a better place. She gives birth to a daughter and feels optimistic that her daughter will carry on the fight that she had started and witness a united world. II. THEME The main theme of the story is rebellion and reformation. The rebellion is against materialism, lack of equality between the rich and the poor, the ugliness of the town, its narrow-mindedness and its prejudices. Carol wants to reform the town by teaching the people to appreciate poetry and to surround themselves with beauty and by teaching them to play. She tries to put up a play, read poetry to Kennicott and campaign for a new city hall, school and a better rest room and also by organizing parties and games. Though she cannot bring about any radical changes, her triumph lies in utting up a fight and keeping her faith. Main Street brings to light the discontent of the protagonist because of her inability to bring about a change in the attitudes of the people of Gopher Prairie. She appreciates beauty of simplicity. She believes that life should uphold the virtues of equality and freedom. She disapproves of exploitation. Therefore she opposes the industrialization which wipes out the b eauty of the land and the spirit of adventure of the pioneers of America. She also rebels against the exploitation of the farmers and the laborers. She incurs the wrath of the matrons of Gopher Prairie by paying six dollars a week to her maid and also by justifying the wages by pointing out that the job they did is very tedious. She insists that the rest room for the farmer’s wives should have better facilities, because it brought the farmer’s business to the merchants of the town. The reforms she proposes are very simple. She wants beautiful buildings. She wants to cultivate the taste of the people. She wants to teach the farmer’s wives the proper way to care for their babies and to make good stew. She suggests setting up an employment bureau so that they will not depend on charity. The women of Gopher Prairie snigger at Carol’s suggestions. They oppose the idea of empowering the poor women to be self-sufficient because that will deny them the chance to be charitable. When Carol suggests that they should mend the clothes before handing them out as charity, the women pounce once again on Carol and overrule the suggestion as unnecessary because it would encourage those women to be lazy. Carol feels frustrated by this mindlessness. Hence she leaves Gopher Prairie so that she can find out what she can achieve in life. In Washington, she gains the objectivity necessary for any reformer. She gains courage and learns how to direct her energy to effect changes, and returns to Gopher Prairie reconciled. The minor theme of the novel is that marriage is not to be taken lightly. Carol does not accept the institution of marriage blindly. Her expectations and demands as a wife are juxtaposed with the other wives in Gopher Prairie. Her rebellion seeps into her personal life as well and makes it so much the better for it. III. DICTION Sinclair Lewis has a vivid style. His description of nature provides the appropriate background for the mood of the characters. When Carol goes out for a walk with Erik they pass a grove of â€Å"scrub poplars†¦ looming now like a menacing wall† (392). When she is with Kennicott beside the lake she watches â€Å"long grass†¦ mossy bogs and red winged black birds† (57). When she is brooding she sees gray fields closing in on her. He uses verbs very effectively. Carol â€Å"perceives† when she observes something seriously. When she is upset with Kennicott for forgetting to give her money, she â€Å"commands† him to come upstairs because she does not wish to discuss the matter in the presence of company and Kennicott â€Å"clumps† after her. His use of satire is very effective and adds color to his narration. Carol watches a professional play, which to her is boringly ordinary in all aspects and finds the audience lapping it up. She comments sarcastically that â€Å"the only trouble with The Girl from Kankakee is that it is too subtle for Gopher Prairie† (225). The description of the idiosyncrasies of the occupants of Gopher Prairie is full of humor. When Raymie praises about the trust of Kennicott’s patients in the doctor comments wryly, â€Å"It’s me that got to do all the trusting†, and in a dramatic aside, whispers to Carol â€Å"gentleman hen† (59). When Kennicott is excited about the motor trip he expects Carol â€Å"to be effusive about academic questions as ‘now I wonder if we could stop at Baraboo†¦ ’† (196). Kennicott’s faith in cars is a â€Å"high-church cult with electric sparks for candles, and Piston rings become the alter-vessels† and â€Å"liturgy† composed of â€Å"intoned and metrical road comments† (196). The plot moves through a combination of dialogue and narrative. With minor pauses in some seemingly meaningless conversation, the diction shows the inner workings in Carol’s mind and throughout the other characters of Gopher Prairie, such as Vida who was a devout Christian. The narrative half of the plot gives insight characterization. For instance, she says this to no one, but Vida had considered her moment with â€Å"Professor’ George Edwin Mott† somehow naughty, and thought that she was â€Å"superior†¦ to have kept her virginity† (251). The diction upholds the subject and theme through the usage of words such as â€Å"reformer†, â€Å"suffragist†, and other choice words involving civil rights. It relates to Carol’s constant want to change the town of Gopher Prairie, and the other reformations happening in Washington, D. C. and the opposition she faces in her town, and in her own home. In times of despair, she finds her surroundings closing in around her: â€Å"She saw the furniture as a circle of elderly judges condemning her to death by smothering† (31). IV. TONE The atmosphere of hostility is produced by the conflict between Carol’s desire to change the town and the town’s resistance to Carol’s ideas. She is bewildered and hurt by the rebukes and rebuttals. Carol develops the right attitudes necessary for a reformer in the last three chapters of the novel. This helps her to face life with more sympathy, tolerance and hope. V. SYMBOLISM Carol’s interests in trains, books, and nature all symbolize her desire to escape the narrow confines Gopher Prairie. In Chapter 19, she daydreams about taking a train to escape the town. In Chapter 22, she escapes the town mentally through reading a number of books. Beginning in Chapter 5, she finds natural beauty in the countryside that she does not find in town. Indeed, throughout the novel, Carol often takes walks and spends time in the countryside in order to escape Gopher Prairie. In Chapter 2 and Chapter 38, Kennicott shows his wife pictures of Gopher Prairie as he attempts to court her and convince her return to the town. In Chapter 2, Carol sees only â€Å"streaky† pictures of â€Å"trees, shrubbery, a porch indistinct in leafy shadows, [and] lakes† (18). The fact that she sees the pictures in Chapter 2 as â€Å"streaky† and â€Å"indistinct† symbolizes her detachment from the community. However, in Chapter 38, she sees her own house and familiar faces in the photographs, symbolizing her connection to the town. As Lewis indicates in his preface, Gopher Prairie represents a microcosm of America in the early twentieth century. Lewis creates many characters as exaggerations, or typical, rather than individuals, to suggest that the people and institutions found in Gopher Prairie can be found anywhere. By criticizing Gopher Prairie, Lewis therefore attacks American society as a whole. Carol and Vida seem to be foils in that Carol is a reformer, whereas Vida is the representation of a society reluctant to let go of their ways. Though in a passage Vida thinks that she is, â€Å"and always will be, a reformer, a liberal† (253), she puts lie to this statement at the beginning of the chapter: she displays as much open-mindedness as a nun when Lewis writes that â€Å"[s]he hated even the sound of the word ‘sex’†¦ and prayed to Jesus†¦addressing him as her eternal lover† (251). Carol, on the other hand, indeed does try to bring reform to the town. She tries to bring beauty and culture, but is met by the bulwark of Gopher Prairie. Yet still she pushes on, introducing a professional play, music and poetry. Despite all her attempts, she still fails. Though some battles cannot be won, she wants to give her fighting spirit to her daughter. VI. SPEAKER The speaker of Main Street is in third person, who is omniscient of the happenings and minds of the citizens of Gopher Prairie. VII. STRUCTURE The novel is divided into six parts, plot-wise. The first part introduces Carol, the heroine of the novel. The second part deals with her marriage and elaborates on her fears of life as the wife of Dr. Kennicott in the small prairie town. The third part describes her house warming party in which Carol makes a statement about her taste and attitude followed by the details of the trials and tribulations of Carol as a reformer of the smug town. The fourth part is the thirty-sixth chapter, which may be called the climax of the story because Carol walks out of her marriage and Gopher Prairie. The following two chapters form the fifth part which describes Carol’s work in Washington, her reconciliation to life in Gopher Prairie and it also reunites Carol and Kennicott. The physical construction of the novel consists of a yellow and black cover, with a small portrait of the author in the approximate middle. It is four hundred and fifty-one pages, divided into thirty-nine chapters, which are then sub-divided; both are numbered by Roman numerals. Preceding the story is a miniature biography of the author (viii) and a small preface that explains Gopher Prairie is a small pocket of America, but America nonetheless, whose citizens are set in their ways. VIII. IMAGERY This is an example of personification: â€Å"the land humming† (139). This describes the beauty of the land around Gopher Prairie and inspires Carol, since she wants to make the town just as beautiful through her reforms. This is an example of a simile: â€Å"Kennicott was as fixed in routine as an isolated old man† (291). With the use of â€Å"as†, Kennicott is compared an old man being set in his ways. An example of antithesis would be that when Kennicott, before his marriage to Carol, had put his arm around Vida â€Å"carelessly†. While she strained away, she longed to move nearer to him† (251). In this example of personification, â€Å"the deep-bosomed bed stiffened in disgust† (32) at having such an extravagant shirt laid on it. In the same paragraph, the said â€Å"chemise and lace was a hussy† (32) and seemed overly lavish in the simple house in which Carol lived. In this conceit, Lewis writes that â€Å"[a] villag e is†¦a force seeking to dominate the earth, drain the hills and seas of color† (267). He is saying that such a village drains the world of its natural beauty, to be replaced by man-made materialistic things, with a standard style. Anything else would seem out of place. Carol calls the people who live in the Northern Middlewest â€Å"pioneers, these sweaty wayfarers† (24). They have just begun to build a society in that area, and she thinks that such an area has much hope. When Dr. Kennicott takes Carol hunting, she wonders why he hasn’t fired when a â€Å"crash† sounded and â€Å"two birds turned somersaults in the air, plumped down† (55). Such is an example of onomatopoeia.

A Strategy To Align Organization And Environment Essay

This paper analyzes the term ‘strategic fit’ exactly means, types of strategic fit, necessities to focus on strategic fit, and most importantly how well an organization can align its resources & capabilities with the opportunities that exist in the external environment so as to achieve peak performance in the business. Strategy of Nestle as an example to discuss how far it is true that effective strategic fit ensures organization’s resources & capabilities and what the environment exactly needs from it. Key Words Strategic, Fit, Strategy, Resource, Capabilities, Opportunities, Environment, Business Introduction It should be recognized that any strategy or management style is appropriate only in a particular set of circumstances. Strategic fit enables an organization to operate in its particular competitive situation at peak effectiveness. It expresses the degree to which an organization is matching its resources and capabilities with the opportunities in the external environment. The matching takes place through strategy and it is therefore vital that the company have the actual resources and capabilities to execute and support the strategy. Meaning of Strategic Fit The contingency theorist’s argument that performance outcomes are maximized when a firm achieves an alignment or â€Å"fit† between a firm’s external environment, its internal factors and its strategy has been well established in the literature (Burns & Stalker 1967; Lawrence & Lorsch 1967; Keats & Hitt, 1988). Nadler and Tushman (1979) theorized that the greater the total degree of congruence or fit between the various components, the more effective will be the organization, leading to higher levels of goal attainment, utilization of resources, and adaptation. Need for Strategic Fit Strategic fit is a quest to align the organization’s operation with the needs of the market. It also involves identification of the opportunities and the action to capitalize on the opportunities. Strategic fit can be used actively to evaluate the current strategic situation of a company as well as opportunities such as M&A and divestitures of organizational divisions. Strategic fit is related to the Resource-based view of the firm which suggests that the key to profitability is not only through positioning and industry selection but rather through an internal focus which seeks to utilize the unique characteristics of the company’s portfolio of resources and capabilities. Resources s Capabilities A unique combination of resources and capabilities can eventually be developed into a competitive advantage which the company can profit from. However, it is important to differentiate between resources and capabilities. Resources relate to the inputs to production owned by the company, whereas capabilities describe the accumulation of learning the company possesses. Types of Resources Resources can be classified as tangible resources and intangible resources. Tangible Resources The term tangible means capable of being touched, real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary, definite; not vague or elusive, having actual physical existence, as real estate or chattels, and therefore capable of being assigned a value in monetary terms. Financial (Cash, securities) †¢ Physical (Location, plant, machinery) are some of the tangible resources Intangible Resources Resources that are not physical in nature are said to be Intangible resources. Corporate intellectual property (items such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, business methodologies), goodwill and brand recognition are all common intangible resources in business point of view. An intangible resource can be classified as either indefinite o r definite depending on the specifics of that resource. A company brand name is considered to be an indefinite resource, as it stays with the company as long as the company continues operations. However, if a company enters a legal agreement to operate under another company’s patent, with no plans of extending the agreement, it would have a limited life and would be classified as a definite resource. †¢ Technology (Patents, copyrights) †¢ Human resources †¢ Reputation (Brands) †¢ Culture, are some of the intangible resources. Capabilities Capabilities are what a firm does, and represents the firm’s capacity to deploy resources that have been purposely integrated to achieve the desired end state. Capabilities become important when they are combined in unique combinations which create core competencies which have strategic value and can lead to competitive advantage. Capabilities needed for strategic fit are 1. Coordination 2. Commitment 3. Competence (technology, management and leadership) 4. Communication 5. Creativity 6. Capacity management (allocation of resources) Benefits of Strategic Fit The extent to which the activities of a single organization or of organizations working in partnership complement each other in such a way as to contribute to competitive advantage. The benefits of good strategic fit include cost reduction, due to economies of scale, and the transfer of knowledge and skills (technological expertise, managerial know how), use of common brand name. The success of a merger, joint venture, or strategic alliance may be affected by the degree of strategic fit between the organizations involved. Similarly, the strategic fit of one organization with another is often a factor in decisions about acquisitions, mergers, diversification, or divestment. Types of Strategic Fit 1. Market related fit 2. Operating fit 3. Management fit Market Related Fit Market related fit arises when value chains of different businesses overlap so that the products can be used by same customers, marketed and promoted in similar ways, distributed through common dealers and retailers.

westward expansion dbq essays

westward expansion dbq essays Beginning in the early 1800s the United States began a mission of westward expansion. The concept of Manifest Destiny encouraged Americans to spread their civilization all the way to the Pacific Ocean, and even down into Mexico and Central America. However, with a rapidly developing economy, the United States began looking to foreign countries for new markets and materials. With the strengthening of the U.S. navy and nationalism, the United States began to participate in a race for foreign markets. After the Spanish-American War, U.S. citizens were even more zealous in the idea of imperialism. Although pressured with questions of the constitutional rights of new peoples, the United States was able to open new trading markets with valuable sources, such as the Chinese. Expansionism from the nineteenth and early twentieth century was, in fact, a continuation of past United States expansionism, and yet also a departure. Beginning in the 1830s and continuing to the 1860s, the Unite d States adopted the popular belief of Manifest Destiny. They believed they had a divine mission from God to extend their power and civilization across North America. The U.S. continually expanded westward, trying its best to protect themselves from foreign influence, meanwhile gaining such territories as Oregon, California, and New Mexico. However, after their economies began to flourish, the U.S. began to look toward foreign continents to fulfill their needs of worldwide markets and raw materials. Many American conservatives also believed that overseas territories could offer a safety valve for unhappiness at home. Expansionists looked to achieve their gains by economic and diplomatic means, instead of military action, as they did in the past. One concept that was applied to the competition among nations for new land was Darwinism. This theory stated that only the strongest nations survived (Doc. B.) This meant that the United States h...

Mesoamerican essays

Mesoamerican essays Highly developed written language Elaborate funeral practices Yucatan Peninsula has the largest known ball court. Ballplayer was among the ceremonial titles of Maya kings. First widespread art style s mother culture Settled village life; rise of an elite class Pronounced Ole Mek...1st earliest artistic representations of ballplayers and archaeological evidence of ballgame equipment...Rare ball: earliest rubber ball recovered from the site of el manati The Mesoamericans discovered how to make a very bouncy ball out of a native plant. This plant is the rubber tree. Early tools were probably made of sharp bone or wood. The channels allow the raw liquid rubber, latex, to flow down the vertical container and into a container. The juice of the Morning Glory vine is added to the latex to give the ball its extraordinary bounce. Some balls had human skulls at the core. The size of the balls varied form location to location. Some were the size of softballs some were larger than a beach ball. The uniform that the players had to wear had to protect the player but also allow for quick movement. Most of the uniforms had headgear, a sash, or a belt. The court was shaped like a capital letter I, built of cut stone, and painted with bright colors. It was a symbol of a citys wealth and power. The game wasnt only a sporting competition; it was based on religious beliefs also. The outcome affected the lives of everyone playing and watching. The ballgame was the first organized game in the history of sports. Yuguitos are among the earliest pieces of ballgame equipment. They ...

What Polypropylene Plastics Are and How Theyre Used

What Polypropylene Plastics Are and How They're Used The world of plastic is not a cut and dried one. There are around 45 different types of plastic and each one has its own properties and uses, from commercial to residential. Polypropylene is one type of plastic that is used for a number of different products, due to its wide variety of properties. Understanding the chemical properties, history and advantages of this plastic can allow you to see the importance that this type of plastic has on your everyday life. What are the chemical properties of this plastic? Chemical Properties of Polypropylene Polypropylene is located between low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) on the crystallinity level. It is flexible and tough, especially when it is copolymerized with ethylene. This copolymerization allows this plastic to be used as engineering plastic that is in a number of different products and uses. The flow rate is a measure of molecular weight and this determines how easily it will flow during processing. A higher MFR allows the polypropylene to fill the mold more easily. As the melt flow increases, some of the physical properties of the plastic decreases, however, such as impact strength. History of Polypropylene German chemist, Karl Rehn, and Giulio Natta first polymerized propylene to a crystalline isotatic polymer in March 1954. This discovery soon led to a commercial production of polypropylene starting in 1957. Others claimed the discovery, as often occurs when a general body of knowledge is used, and this litigation was not resolved until 1989. This very popular plastic is one that many different manufacturers use for a number of different products. What Is Polypropylene Used For? Polypropylene is used for a wide number of different products. Due to the resistance to fatigue, this means that it can be used on items that are going to have high stress, such as hinge mechanisms on water bottles and more. It is also used in manufacturing piping systems, as well as chairs, and in medical or laboratory use. The colorfastness means that it is also used in carpeting, rugs, and mats. Ropes, cable insulation, roofing membranes, storage boxes, disposable bottles, plastic pails and other items are also made using this type of plastic. When you consider the impact of this plastic on your everyday use, you will see that it is one plastic that most people just cannot live without. PP plastics are also used in fiber reinforced composites. Common trade names for FRP glass fiber reinforced polyproplyene include Polystrand and Twintex. Polypropylene Advantages Polypropylene offers many different advantages. These advantages allow it to be used for a wide variety of different products and uses, from high heat to cold weather and more. What are some of these advantages? -Low cost makes it budget friendly for a wide number of uses -Has a moderate strength and stability -Has flexibility, which makes it easy to mold into different shapes -Colorfast, which means that any colors will stay bright and beautiful -Resistant to fatigue, which allows it to be used for things such as water bottle hinges and spouts -Offers good insulation for pipes, cables, and more -Chemically resistant to most oils and solvents -Excellent impact strength -Low coefficient of friction -Excellence moisture resistance -High temperature resistance, which means it can be used in laboratories When you look at polypropylene, you can see that it has many different properties that explain its widespread use. From clothing to pipes to carpet and more, this type of plastic is one that is used in a number of different products. Understanding its importance will allow you to appreciate it to the fullest. Polypropylene is one plastic that can be used for products now and can be recycled into products for the future as well.

Implementation of Integrated Performance Management Essay

Implementation of Integrated Performance Management - Essay Example TQM has a preventive approach and not a detective approach to work (Walton, 1986). It is a proactive system and not a passive one and stresses on removing the defect rather than just locating it. Deming (1986) and Walton (1986) both state that the detective systems have serious disadvantages. Firstly these are results and as such cannot help in correction of past errors. Secondly, the greater loss is that due to errors the customer will be dissatisfied. Thirdly the direct cost of defect detection and later correction or replacement is doubled. Fourthly the human cost by way of fear of performance and loss of pride in workmanship is the greatest of all (Walton 1986). All this can be avoided by following TQM process by not allowing a defective product or service to be sent from production lines. Obviously prevention is better than cure. Performance management should be understood as a tool for measuring corporate objectives and is calculable in tangible form in terms of outputs and finally deliverables to customers. The ultimate goal is to deliver total quality and 100 percent value to the end customer. (Zairi 1994) and this is the standard or benchmark of acceptable performance management that describes the optimum use of all resources. Zairi (1996) goes on to state that product life cycles are getting shorter making it imperative for organisations to turn to innovations with greater speed to remain effective in their markets. Decision making thus becomes dependant on quality assurance systems that provide the required information for these judgments. Performance management is therefore essential to evaluate the quality and to ensure acceptability by customers. According to Zairi and Youssef (1998) in the global context today competition cannot be met with cost efficiency alone. Quality plays an equally important role in assessing competitiveness. Quality is a function of (TQM) and

Can Massage Therapy Help the Brain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Can Massage Therapy Help the Brain - Essay Example Manual muscle therapies are effective if they are undertaken by following a recommendation from a doctor (Hopson 2003). Spinal cord and brain function can undergo a profound positive change with CranioSacral Therapy. Since 1975, the therapy is successfully used in treating ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The structural restrictions in membrane layers and bones around the spinal cord and brain inhibit the normal flow of vital nutrients and fluids into and out of brain that assist proper function of the manner. The gentle application of CranioSacral Therapy release the restriction in these organs and enhance the natural function of brain which decreases the levels of ADHD and ADD and alleviate the disorders completely. The manual, light touch CranioSacral therapy offers solutions to the restrictions in craniosacral system. The craniosacral system comprises of fluids and membranes that protect and surround the spinal cord and brain. This is an important physiological system that stretches from the face, mouth, bones of the skull and forms the cranium sacrum and the tailbone area. The CranioSacral therapy is highly effective improving the flow of fluid within the spinal cord, brain and the whole body and relieves any adverse strain and restrictions. The stronger fluid movement enables brain cells to receive the required amount of essential nutrients to function effectively and synchronize with other cells. The proper fluid flow forms a environment in brain where toxic irritants and waste products are flushed out constantly. When the stress cause by the compromised fluid flow is alleviated the regions of the brain that was underactive or overactive will return to normalcy. The outcome of under massage therapy is a central nervous system with greater mobility and balance and a

Supervision for Instructional Improvement Essay - 1

Supervision for Instructional Improvement - Essay Example For sometime now, Bruce Joyce and his colleagues have been saying that typical staff development â€Å"probably will not generate the amount of change necessary to affect student achievement†. Instead they advocate along with Sparks, Fullan and others---the creation of the kind of â€Å"Communities of teachers† who engage in focused, recurring cycles of instruction, assessment, and adjustment of instruction†.(Joyce and Showers 2002) â€Å"Research emphasizes that coaching is a prerequisite for the implementation of new skills strategy†( Showers, Joyce and Bennett 1987). Leaders must be aware that the provision of ongoing support is crucial to the successful attainment of an innovation. Therefore, one of the first staff development initiatives to be offered to teachers in the classroom, is peer coaching. For staff development expert Thomas Guskey, the promise of professional development has gone â€Å"largely unfulfilled†. The solution in staff develo pment is build around â€Å"collaborative exchange†, in which â€Å"teachers work together, reflect on their practice, exchange ideas, and share strategies†(Guskey 2003) Richard Stiggins writes that 2 â€Å"assessment literacy†, is so integral to the ongoing improvement of instruction in â€Å"learning teams† â€Å"Work shops†, he says â€Å"will not work†, they â€Å"do not† permit the application of and experimentation with new assessment ideas in real classrooms, and sharing that experience with other colleagues in a team effort†(Stiggins 1999).

Management Solutions in Practice Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management Solutions in Practice - Case Study Example With the assistance of the cloud computing, the IT organizations are served with distinct models of operation. Since the cloud providers are experts in particular applications as well as services, they are capable of managing upgrades and maintenances, failover functions, backups and disasters recoveries. Therefore, the customers using the cloud computing services are capable of gaining reliability and there is decline in the cost as well because of economies of scale and other factors of production. The current needs of the organizations can be monitored with the help of cloud computing and therefore they are capable of adjusting the capacities according to their requirements. The standardization of the protocols as well as processes can be stimulated in order to interoperate the many pieces of the cloud computing model (Educause, 2009). Salesforce.com is one of the companies that is offering cloud computing to its customers and is perceived to be one of the disruptive technologies based companies. It has been able to maintain competitive advantage and has made a mark for itself with the help of its innovative business model as well as has achieved resounding success (Salesforce, 2011). The main challenge that the Salesforce will face in the near future is the expansion of the business model in other areas. It has been identified that one of the significant challenges that they will face in the near future is related to increase in competition. The reason behind this is that the industry leaders as well as the new challengers would like to replicate the success of Salesforce. It can be stated that both the globalization and the information technology are collaborating together in order to create an unstable business environment and thus the new entrants as well as the pressing innovations are reducing the income of the

Sexuality and Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sexuality and Health - Essay Example Upon realising that he won’t be able to have sex anytime soon due to his condition, the patient decided to elicit assistance from the staff regarding procuring the services of a prostitute. In response, the request was escalated to the hospice ethics committee, as well as the legal department (The Independent 2008). Gorin and Arnold (2006) described the complex relationship between human sexuality and health. The term sexual health encompasses a number of phenomena mainly focusing on the health-related outcomes of sexual behaviour. A common perception regarding sexual health is that it is a quality or capability of an individual to avoid committing sexual acts which produce negative consequences such as the spread of diseases or unwanted pregnancies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the term sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality, not just confined to the absence of disease, disability , or affliction. As such, sexual health should be positively viewed as a way of ensuring that individuals are able to create and maintain safe and pleasurable sexual experiences. In addition, sexual health advocates that a person’s sexual rights should be respected, protected, and fulfilled (Gorin & Arnold 2006). Healey and Zimmerman (2010) described the term disability as a frequently used term to denote an individual’s inability to perform tasks which are attainable for a normal human being. However, its definition depends on how it is used. For example, in terms of public health, disability may be perceived on how it affects the general population. In contrast, disability in the public welfare viewpoint may be seen in terms of the provision of services for persons with disabilities. For reasons of clarity, the following terms – impairment, disability, and handicap – are defined as per WHO guidelines. Impairment is defined as a physiological disorder or injury. On the other hand, having a disability is being unable to do a task due to one’s impairment. Meanwhile, possessing a handicap is a social result of being disabled (Healey & Zimmerman 2010). 1.0 The role of health promotion Kirch (2008) maintained that there is no standard definition of the term health prom otion and its definition would depend on the activity it is attributed to. As a generalized term however, health promotion is defined as a process or activity with the aim of encouraging people to take action regarding personal health behaviour and compliance to existing health policies and programs. There are four main components of individual health, three of which involves health promotion. These components are: (1) lifestyle and behaviour; (2) health, social, and other service provision; and (3) socio-economic and physical environment. In relation to the determination of health, health promotion encompasses activities which encourage individuals to act on certain internal and external aspects which influence overall health. Internal aspects refer to determinants of health which individuals have most control such as personal health behaviours. On the other hand, external aspects refer to health determinants in which individuals have very little control such as social, economic, a nd environmental conditions (Kirch 2008). The concept of sexual

Mastery of information technology in career of nursing Essay

Mastery of information technology in career of nursing - Essay Example The mastery of information technology is extremely important in the educational field nowadays as the computer is the basic element in all professions. So I believe that mastering computer technology will give freedom to any student to choose what he or she wants as a career. My dream to pursue nursing career will definitely need a knowledge in latest information technology as hospitals are highly exclusive with computer technology.I was very sure even when I was doing higher studies that I would aim towards working as a nurse in future period. But for this purpose, I was convinced that I need to be proficient in the computer field. An in-depth knowledge of information technology has allowed me to learn subjects easily during my educational process. Nowadays most of the studies are done through E- learning and knowledge in the computer make things easier and effective. The computer makes the learning process easily understandable that also in less time. It has also allowed storing data and accessing it wherever and whenever needed. According to (Downes 1) â€Å"Today, e-learning mainly takes the form of online courses. From the resources distributed by MIT's Open Courseware project to the design of learning materials in Rice's Connexions project to the offerings found at colleges and universities everywhere, the course is the basic unit of organization†.Even test, projects and lesson modules are worked out with the help of computer and my knowledge in information technology has helped me to successfully complete my studies.

Sexuality and Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sexuality and Health - Essay Example Upon realising that he won’t be able to have sex anytime soon due to his condition, the patient decided to elicit assistance from the staff regarding procuring the services of a prostitute. In response, the request was escalated to the hospice ethics committee, as well as the legal department (The Independent 2008). Gorin and Arnold (2006) described the complex relationship between human sexuality and health. The term sexual health encompasses a number of phenomena mainly focusing on the health-related outcomes of sexual behaviour. A common perception regarding sexual health is that it is a quality or capability of an individual to avoid committing sexual acts which produce negative consequences such as the spread of diseases or unwanted pregnancies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the term sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality, not just confined to the absence of disease, disability , or affliction. As such, sexual health should be positively viewed as a way of ensuring that individuals are able to create and maintain safe and pleasurable sexual experiences. In addition, sexual health advocates that a person’s sexual rights should be respected, protected, and fulfilled (Gorin & Arnold 2006). Healey and Zimmerman (2010) described the term disability as a frequently used term to denote an individual’s inability to perform tasks which are attainable for a normal human being. However, its definition depends on how it is used. For example, in terms of public health, disability may be perceived on how it affects the general population. In contrast, disability in the public welfare viewpoint may be seen in terms of the provision of services for persons with disabilities. For reasons of clarity, the following terms – impairment, disability, and handicap – are defined as per WHO guidelines. Impairment is defined as a physiological disorder or injury. On the other hand, having a disability is being unable to do a task due to one’s impairment. Meanwhile, possessing a handicap is a social result of being disabled (Healey & Zimmerman 2010). 1.0 The role of health promotion Kirch (2008) maintained that there is no standard definition of the term health prom otion and its definition would depend on the activity it is attributed to. As a generalized term however, health promotion is defined as a process or activity with the aim of encouraging people to take action regarding personal health behaviour and compliance to existing health policies and programs. There are four main components of individual health, three of which involves health promotion. These components are: (1) lifestyle and behaviour; (2) health, social, and other service provision; and (3) socio-economic and physical environment. In relation to the determination of health, health promotion encompasses activities which encourage individuals to act on certain internal and external aspects which influence overall health. Internal aspects refer to determinants of health which individuals have most control such as personal health behaviours. On the other hand, external aspects refer to health determinants in which individuals have very little control such as social, economic, a nd environmental conditions (Kirch 2008). The concept of sexual

Organizations and Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Organizations and Behaviour - Essay Example At Tesco the focus is on young people and hence it looks at providing the opportunities for the people in their working lives. Culture helps the employees bind them together with their colleagues, customers and their communities. They aim at creating trust by having a culture which is anchored in truth. Tesco have the culture which is characterised by a collective desire to do the right thing. Right culture has helped Tesco steer their business in the right direction in how they serve their colleagues, customers and communities. In Tesco in the financial sector there is a manager or an employee who has to follow the structure of the organisation. The decisions are made by the management throughout the working day and it impacts the structure and practice of all other employees in the company. There are both internal and external factors which motivate an employee. The internal factors include communication, motivation while the external factors include incentives and sales target. Communication is crucial and is important for the employees to be able to exercise their right. Further the whistle blowing policy at Tesco helps raise ethical issues and report grievances. Tesco understands the importance of motivated staff and supports the staff with a work-life balance through flexible working, discount gym membership etc. Tesco offers competitive salaries at all the levels and offers a whole package in ways that help the employees make more money, look after their health and safeguard their future. The communication of Tesco should ensure that appropriate communication policies are put in place and work effectively in building and protecting the reputation of the Group both internally and externally. It should to have a structured communications programme to provide the colleagues with clarity on matters. The Board of directors should review the performance targets for the current year and give awards to employees to ensure that they remain motivated to the

Cutting Fluids and Lubrication in Manufacturing

Cutting Fluids and Lubrication in Manufacturing Importance Of Cutting Fluids And Lubrication In Manufacturing Processes 1. Introduction:- Cutting Fluids:- Cutting Fluid Management for Small Machining Operations iii Cutting fluids have been used extensively in metal cutting operations for the last 200 years. In the beginning, cutting fluids consisted of simple oils applied with brushes to lubricate and cool the machine tool. Occasionally, lard, animal fat or whale oil was added to improve the oils lubricity. As cutting operations became more severe, cutting fluid formulations became more complex. Todays cutting fluids are special blends of chemical additives, lubricants and water formulated to meet the performance demands of the metalworking industry. There are now several types of cutting fluids on the market, the most common of which can be broadly categorized as cutting oils or water-miscible fluids. Water-miscible fluids, including soluble oils, synthetics and semisynthetics, are now used in approximately 80 to 90 percent of all applications. Although straight cutting oils are less popular than they were in the past, they are still the fluid of choice for certain metalworking applications. Cutting fluids play a significant role in machining operations and impact shop productivity, tool life and quality of work. With time and use, fluids degrade in quality and eventually require disposal once their efficiency is lost. Waste management and disposal have become increasingly more complex and expensive. Environmental liability is also a major concern with waste disposal. Many companies are now paying for environmental cleanups or have been fined by regulatory agencies as the result of poor waste disposal practices. Fortunately, cutting fluid life may be extended significantly by implementing an effective fluid management program. The primary objective of fluid management is to maintain fluid quality and performance through administration, monitoring, maintenance and recycling practices. This allows machine shops to make the most cost-effective use of their fluid. It is also the best pollution prevention technology available. Overall, fluid management provides a means to: Operate in a more environmentally sound manner; Improve productivity and reduce costs; Increase competitiveness; Maintain environmental compliance and reduce environmental liability; Consistently manufacture quality products; and Provide a healthier and safer work environment for employees. Proper management of cutting and grinding fluids may also prevent them from being declared a hazardous waste at the end of their useful life. With increasing environmental regulation, a reduction in cutting fluid waste is an economical, practical and achievable goal. Cutting Fluids: (Lubricants + Coolants) Used in machining as well as abrasive machining processes Reduces friction wear Reduce forces and energy consumption Cools the cutting zone Wash away the chips Protect Machined surfaces from environmental corrosion  · The term â€Å"cutting fluids† is used to denote the coolants and lubricants that are used in metal machining and their allied operations like lapping, honing etc. Thin-wall milling of aluminum using a water-based cutting fluid on the milling cutter. Cutting fluids are various fluids that are used in machining to cool and lubricate the cutting tool. There are various kinds of cutting fluids, which include oils, oil-water emulsions, pastes, gels, and mists. They may be made from petroleum distillates, animal fats, plant oils, or other raw ingredients. Depending on context and on which type of cutting fluid is being considered, it may be referred to as cutting fluid, cutting oil, cutting compound, coolant, or lubricant. Every kind of machining (e.g., turning, boring, drilling, milling, broaching, grinding, sawing, shaping, planing, reaming, tapping) can potentially benefit from one kind of cutting fluid or another, depending on work piece material. (Cast iron and brass are usually machined dry. Interrupted cuts such as milling with carbide cutters are usually recommended to be used dry due to damage to the cutters caused by thermo shock). 2. Cutting Fluid Characteristics Functions Of Cutting Fluid The primary function of cutting fluid is temperature control through cooling and lubrication. Application of cutting fluid also improves the quality of the workpiece by continually removing metal fines and cuttings from the tool and cutting zone. Cutting Fluid Management for Small Machining Operations 2 Temperature Control Laboratory tests have shown that heat produced during machining has a definite bearing on tool wear. Reducing cutting-tool temperature is important since a small reduction in temperature will greatly extend cutting tool life. As cutting fluid is applied during machining operations, it removes heat by carrying it away from the cutting tool/workpiece interface . This cooling effect prevents tools from exceeding their critical temperature range beyond which the tool softens and wears rapidly . Fluids also lubricate the cutting tool or work piece interface, minimizing the amount of heat generated by friction. A fluids cooling and lubrication properties are critical in decreasing tool wear and extending tool life. Cooling and lubrication are also important in achieving the desired size, finish and shape of the work piece. No one particular fluid has cooling and lubrication properties suitable for every metalworking application. Straight oils provide the best lubrication but poor cooling capacities. Water, on the other hand, is an effective cooling agent, removing heat 2.5 times more rapidly than oil. Alone, water is a very poor lubricant and causes rusting. Soluble oils or chemicals that improve lubrication, prevent corrosion and provide Other essential qualities must be added in order to transform water into a good metalworking fluid. Removal Of Cuttings And Particulates A secondary function of metalworking fluid is to remove chips and metal fines from the tool/workpiece interface. To prevent a finished surface from becoming marred, cutting chips generated during machining operations must be continually flushed away from the cutting zone. Application of cutting fluid also reduces the occurrence of built-up edge (BUE). BUE refers to metal particulates which adhere to the edge of a tool during machining of some metals. BUE formation causes increased friction and alters the geometry of the machine tool. This, in turn, affects workpiece quality, often resulting in a poor surface finish and inconsistencies in work piece size. Metalworking fluids decrease the occurrence of BUE by providing a chemical interface between the machine tool and work piece. Cutting Fluid Properties In addition to providing a good machining environment, a cutting fluid should also function safely and effectively during machining operations. Corrosion Protection Cutting fluids must offer some degree of corrosion protection. Freshly cut ferrous metals tend to rust Rapidly since any protective coatings have been removed by the machining operation. A good Metalworking fluid will inhibit rust formation to avoid damage to machine parts and the work piece. It will also impart a protective film on cutting chips to prevent their corrosion and the formation of Difficult-to-manage chunks or clinkers. To inhibit corrosion, a fluid must prevent metal, moisture and oxygen from coming together. Chemical metalworking fluids now contain additives which prevent corrosion through formation of invisible, nonporous films. Compounds (such as amines and fatty acids) which form a protective coating on a metals surface, blocking chemical reactions. Passivating films are formed by inorganic compounds containing oxygen (such as borates, phosphates and silicates). These compounds react with the metal surface, producing a coating that inhibits corrosion. Management for Small 3 Cutting Fluid Stability/Rancidity Control In the early days of the industrial revolution, lard oil was used as a cutting fluid. After a few days, lard oil would start to spoil and give off an offensive odor. This rancidity was caused by bacteria and other microscopic organisms that grew and multiplied within the oil. Modern metalworking fluids are susceptible to the same problem. No matter how good the engineering qualities of a coolant, if it develops an offensive odour, it can cause problems for management. The toxicity of a fluid may also increase dramatically if it becomes rancid due to chemical decomposition, possibly causing the fluid to become a hazardous waste. Fluid rancidity shortens fluid life and may lead to increased costs and regulatory burdens associated with fluid disposal. A good cutting fluid resists decomposition during its storage and use. Most cutting fluids are now formulated with bactericides and other additives to control microbial growth, enhance fluid performance and improve fluid stability. Transparency And Viscosity In some operations, fluid transparency or clarity may be a desired characteristic for a cutting fluid. Transparent fluids allow operators to see the workpiece more clearly during machining operations. Viscosity is an important property with respect to fluid performance and maintenance. Lower viscosity fluids allow grit and dirt to settle out of suspension. Removal of these contaminants improves the quality of the fluid recirculating through the machining system. This can impact product quality, fluid life and machine shop productivity. Cutting Fluid Management for Small Machining Operations 4 3. Fluid Selection Oil-Based Fluids including straight oils, soluble oils and ag-based oils Chemical Fluids including synthetics and semisynthetics Fluids vary in suitability for metalworking operations. Petroleum-based cutting oils are frequently used for drilling and tapping operations due to their excellent lubricity while water-miscible fluids provide the cooling properties required for most turning and grinding operations. A. Oil-Based Cutting Fluids Straight Oils (100% Petroleum Oil) Straight oils, so called because they do not contain water, are basically petroleum, mineral, or age-based oils. They may have additives designed to improve specific properties. Generally additives are not required for the easiest tasks such as light-duty machining of ferrous and nonferrous metals. For more severe applications, straight oils may contain wetting agents (typically up to 20% fatty oils) These additives improve the oils wettability; that is, the ability of the oil to coat the cutting tool, workpiece and metal fines. They also enhance lubrication, improve the oils ability to handle large amounts of metal fines, and help guard against microscopic welding in heavy duty machining. For extreme conditions, additives (primarily with chlorine and sulfurized fatty oils) may exceed 20%. These additives strongly enhance the Antiwelding properties of the product. Soluble Oils (60-90% Petroleum Oil) Soluble oils (also referred to as emulsions, emulsifiable oils or water-soluble oils) are generally comprised of 60-90 percent petroleum or mineral oil, emulsifiers and other additives. A concentrate is mixed with water to form the metalworking fluid. When mixed, emulsifiers (a soap-like material) cause the oil to disperse in water forming a stable â€Å"oil-in-water† emulsion . They also cause the oils to cling to the workpiece during machining. Emulsifier particles refract light, giving the fluid a milky, Opaque appearance. ADVANTAGES. Soluble oils offer improved cooling capabilities and good lubrication due to the blending of oil and water. They also tend to leave a protective oil film on moving components of machine tools and resist emulsification of greases and slideway oils. Cutting Fluid Management for Small Machining Operations 6 Soluble oils are a general purpose product suitable for light and medium duty operations involving a variety of ferrous and nonferrous applications. Although they do not match the lubricity offered by straight oils, wetting agents and EP additives (such as chlorine, phosphorus or sulfur compounds) can extend their machining application range to include heavy-duty operations. Most cutting operations handled by straight oils (such as broaching, trepanning, and tapping) may be accomplished using heavy-duty soluble oils. B. Chemical Cutting Fluids Chemical cutting fluids, called synthetic or semisynthetic fluids, have been widely accepted since they were first introduced in about 1945. They are stable, preformed emulsions which contain very little oil and mix easily with water. Chemical cutting fluids rely on chemical agents for lubrication and friction reduction. These additives also improve wettability These compounds react with freshly-machined metal to form chemical layers which act as a solid lubricant and guard against welding during heavy-duty machining operations. Fluids containing EP lubricants significantly Reduce the heat generated during cutting and grinding operations. Synthetics (0% Petroleum Oil) Synthetic fluids contain no petroleum or mineral oil. They were introduced in the late 1950s and generally consist of chemical lubricants and rust inhibitors dissolved in water. Like soluble oils, synthetics are provided as a concentrate which is mixed with water to form the metalworking fluid. These fluids are designed for high cooling capacity, lubricity, corrosion prevention, and easy maintenance. Due to their higher cooling capacity, synthetics tend to be preferred for high-heat, high-velocity turning operations such as surface grinding. They are also desirable when clarity or low foam characteristics are required. Heavy-duty synthetics, introduced during the last few years, are now capable of handling most machining operations. Synthetic fluids can be further classified as simple, complex or emulsifiable synthetics based on their composition. Simple synthetic concentrates (also referred to as true solutions) are primarily used for light duty grinding operations. Complex synthetics contain synthetic lubricants and may be used for moderate to heavy duty machining operations. Machining may also be performed at higher speeds .inning Operations Synthetics are easily separated from the workpiece and chips, allowing for easy cleaning and handling of these materials. In addition, since the amount of fluid clinging to the workpiece and chips is reduced Disadvantages. Synthetic fluids are easily contaminated by other machine fluids such as lubricating oils and need to be monitored and maintained to be used effectively. Semisynthetics (2-30% Petroleum Oil) As the name implies, semisynthetics (also referred to as semi-chemical fluids) are essentially a hybrid of soluble oils and synthetics. They contain small dispersions of mineral oil, typically 2 to 30 percent, in a water-dilutable concentrate . The remaining portion of a semi-synthetic concentrate Semisynthetics are often referred to as chemical emulsions or preformed chemical emulsions since the concentrate already contains water and the emulsification of oil and water occurs during its production. Most semisynthetics are also heat sensitive. Oil molecules in semisynthetics tend to gather around the cutting tool and provide more lubricity. As the solution cools, the molecules redisperse. 4. Mechanisms Of Actions Cooling:- Metal cutting operations involve generation of heat due to friction between the tool and the pieces and due to energy lost deforming the material. The surrounding air alone is a rather poor coolant for the cutting tool, because the rate of heat transfer is low. Ambient-air cooling is adequate for light cuts with periods of rest in between, such as are typical in maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) work or hobbyist contexts. However, for heavy cuts and constant use, such as in production work, more heat is produced per time period than ambient-air cooling can remove. It is not acceptable to introduce long idle periods into the cycle time to allow the air-cooling of the tool to catch up when the heat-removal can instead be accomplished with a flood of liquid, which can keep up with the heat generation. Lubrication At The Tool-Chip Interface:- Besides cooling, cutting fluids also aid the cutting process by lubricating the interface between the tools cutting edge and the chip. By preventing friction at this interface, some of the heat generation is prevented. This lubrication also helps prevent the chip from being welded onto the tool, which interferes with subsequent cutting.  · Delivery Methods:- Every conceivable method of applying cutting fluid (e.g., flooding, spraying, dripping, misting, brushing) can be used, with the best choice depending on the application and the equipment available. For many metal cutting applications the ideal would be high-pressure, high-volume pumping to force a stream of fluid directly into the tool-chip interface, with walls around the machine to contain the splatter and a sump to catch, filter, and recirculate the fluid. This type of system is commonly employed, especially in manufacturing. It is often not a practical option for MRO or hobbyist metalcutting, where smaller, simpler machine tools are used. Active Cutting Oils:- Highly colourised mineral oil Normally black in colour with a pungent smell Oils at above discussed point, diluted with low viscosity mineral oil Lighter in colour. Light transparent mineral oil carrying sulphur or chlorine Light in colour and suitable for even severe cutting conditions. Light transparent mineral oil carrying sulphur or chlorine mixed with sulfurised and chlorinated or fatty oils or acids They find a common application. Inactive Cutting Oils:- The Inactive cutting oils are the straight mineral oils or straight mineral oils mixed with neat fatty oils, acids or sulfurised fatty oils. Among the fatty oils commonly used are lard oil, tallow and some fatty acids. Pastes Or Gels:- Cutting fluid may also take the form of a paste or gel when used for some applications, in particular hand operations such as drilling and tapping. Mists:- Some cutting fluids are used in mist (aerosol) form, although breathing such a lubricant in mist form is a severe and immediate health hazard. Present:- Kerosene, rubbing alcohol, and 3-In-One Oil often give good results when working on aluminium. Lard is suitable for general machining and also press tool work. Mineral oil WD-40 Dielectric fluid is the cutting fluid used in Electrical discharge machines (EDMs). It is usually deionised water or a high-flash-point kerosene. Intense heat is generated by the cutting action of the electrode (or wire) and the fluid is used to stabilise the temperature of the work piece, along with flushing any eroded particles from the immediate work area. The dielectric fluid is nonconductive. Liquid- (water- or petroleum oil-) cooled water tables are used with the plasma arc cutting (PAC) process. Past:- In 19th-century machining practice, it was not uncommon to use plain water. This was simply a practical expedient to keep the cutter cool, regardless of whether it provided any lubrication at the cutting edge-chip interface. When one considers that high-speed steel (HSS) had not been developed yet, the need to cool the tool becomes all the more apparent. (HSS retains its hardness at high temperatures; other carbon tool steels do not.) An improvement was soda water, which better inhibited the rusting of machine slides. These options are generally not used today because better options are available. Lard was very popular in the past. It is used infrequently today, because of the wide variety of other options, but it is still an option. Old machine shop training texts speak of using red lead and white lead, often mixed into lard or lard oil. This practice is obsolete. Lead is a health hazard, and excellent non-lead-containing options are available. From the mid-20th century to the 1990s, 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane was used as an additive to make some cutting fluids more effective. 5. Enviornmental Impact:- Old, used cutting fluid must be disposed of when it is fetid or when it is chemically degraded and has lost its performance. As with used motor oil or other wastes, its impact on the environment should be mitigated. Legislation and regulation specify how this mitigation should be achieved. Enforcement is the most challenging aspect. Modern cutting fluid disposal may involve techniques such as ultra filtration using polymeric or ceramic membranes which concentrates the suspended and emulsified oil phase. 6. Coolants:- A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor promoting corrosion of the cooling system. Some applications also require the coolant to be an electrical insulator. While the term coolant is commonly used in automotive, residential and commercial temperature-control applications, in industrial processing, heat transfer fluid is one technical term more often used, in high temperature as well as low temperature manufacturing applications. The coolant can either keep its phase and stay liquid or gaseous, or can undergo a phase change, with the latent heat adding to the cooling efficiency. The latter, when used to achieve low temperatures, is more commonly known as refrigerant. 1) Gases:- Air is a common form of a coolant. Air cooling uses either convective airflow (passive cooling), or a forced circulation using fans. Hydrogen, the first hydrogen-cooled turbo generator went into service with gaseous hydrogen as a coolant in the rotor and the stator in 1937 at Dayton, Ohio, by the Dayton Power Light Co, because of the thermal conductivity of hydrogen gas this is the most common type in its field today. Inert gases are frequently used as coolants in gas-cooled nuclear reactors. Helium is the most favored coolant due to its low tendency to absorb neutrons and become radioactive. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are frequently used as well. Sulfur hexafluoride is used for cooling and insulating of some high-voltage power systems (circuit breakers, switches, some transformers, etc.). Steam can be used where high specific heat capacity is required in gaseous form and the corrosive properties of hot water are accounted for. 2) Liquids:- The most common coolant is water. Its high heat capacity and low cost makes it a suitable heat-transfer medium. It is usually used with additives, like corrosion inhibitors and antifreezes. Antifreeze, a solution of a suitable organic chemical (most often ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or propylene glycol) in water, is used when the water-based coolant has to withstand temperatures below 0  °C, or when its boiling point has to be raised. Butane is a similar coolant, with the exception that it is made from pure plant juice, and is therefore not toxic or difficult to dispose of ecologically. Very pure deionised water, due to its relatively low electrical conductivity, is used to cool some electrical equipment, often high-power transmitters. Heavy water is used in some nuclear reactors; it also serves as a neutron moderator. Cutting fluid is a coolant that also serves as a lubricant for metal-shaping machine tools. EX:-. Some fast breeder nuclear reactors. Sodium or sodium-potassium alloy NaK are frequently used; in special cases lithium can be employed. Another liquid metal used as a coolant is lead, in EX:- lead cooled fast reactors, or a lead-bismuth alloy. Some early fast neutron reactors used mercury. 7. Lubrication Lubricant:- A lubricant (sometimes referred to as lube) is a substance (often a liquid) introduced between two moving surfaces to reduce the friction between them, improving efficiency and reducing wear. They may also have the function of dissolving or transporting foreign particles and of distributing heat. One of the single largest applications for lubricants, in the form of motor oil, is to protect the internal combustion engines in motor vehicles and powered equipment. Typically lubricants contain 90% base oil (most often petroleum fractions, called mineral oils) and less than 10% additives. Vegetable oils or synthetic liquids such as hydrogenated polyolefin, esters, silicones, fluorocarbons and many others are sometimes used as base oils. Additives deliver reduced friction and wear, increased viscosity, improved viscosity index, resistance to corrosion and oxidation, aging or contamination, etc. Lubricants such as 2-cycle oil are also added to some fuels. Sulfur impurities in fuels also provide some lubrication properties, which have to be taken in account when switching to a low-sulfur diesel; biodiesel is a popular diesel fuel additive providing additional lubricity. Non-liquid lubricants include grease, powders (dry graphite, PTFE, Molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, etc.), teflon tape used in plumbing, air cushion and others. Dry lubricants such as graphite, molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide also offer lubrication at temperatures (up to 350  °C) higher than liquid and oil-based lubricants are able to operate. Limited interest has been shown in low friction properties of compacted oxide glaze layers formed at several hundred degrees Celsius in metallic sliding systems, however, practical use is still many years away due to their physically unstable nature. Purpose:- Lubricants perform the following key functions:- 1) Keep moving parts apart 2) Reduce friction 3) Transfer heat 4) Carry away contaminants debris 5) Transmit power 6) Protect against wear 7) Prevent corrosion 8) Seal for gasses 9) Stop the risk of smoke and fire of objects General Composition:- Lubricants are generally composed of a majority of base oil and a minority of additives to impart desirable characteristics. Types Of Lubricants:- 1) Gas 2) Liquid including emulsions and suspensions e, natural water repellant) Water Mineral oils Vegetable (natural oil) Synthetic oils Other liquids 3) Solid 4) Greases 5) Adhesive 8. Use And Application Of Cutting Fluids:- Automotive Engine oils Petrol (Gasoline) engine oils Diesel engine oils Automatic transmission fluid Gearbox fluids Brake fluids Hydraulic fluids Tractor (one lubricant for all systems) Universal Tractor Transmission Oil UTTO Super Tractor Oil Universal STOU includes engine Other motors 2-stroke engine oils Industrial Hydraulic oils Air compressor oils Gas Compressor oils Gear oils Bearing and circulating system oils Refrigerator compressor oils Steam and gas turbine oils Aviation Gas turbine engine oils Piston engine oils Marine Crosshead cylinder oils Crosshead Crankcase oils Trunk piston engine oils 9. Components Of Fluid Management Program Administration:- Commit the personnel, equipment and other resources necessary for the program. Encourage employee support and participation. Designate fluid management personnel to implement the program. Survey the fluids, machines and sump capacities of the shop. Develop a record keeping system to track the program. Monitoring And Maintenance Prepare and mix the fluid according to manufacturers directions. Use quality water to dilute fluid concentrate and replenish evaporation losses. Monitor and maintain proper fluid concentration. Monitor for microbial contamination and control microbial growth through water quality control, maintaining proper fluid concentration and pH, routine maintenance of equipment, biocide additions and aeration. Monitor pH for signs of fluid degradation. Perform regular machining system inspections and maintenance practices, particulate removal, tramp oil control, general housekeeping and annual cleanouts. Prevent foaming with proper fluid concentration, quality water and eliminating mechanical effects that agitate cutting fluid. Recycle fluid well before it becomes significantly degraded. Never attempt to recycle rancid fluid. Select fluid recycling equipment based on the needs, objectives and financial resources of the shop. 10. Chemical Treatment:- Chemical treatment is the addition of chemicals which change the nature of the liquid waste. Simple chemical-treatment methods work well on some wastewater. Metalworking wastes are too complex for most treatment processes. Chemical treatment beyond pH control is generally not an option for small facilities. 11. Ultra Filtration System:- Ultra filtration systems were created for the metalworking industry to treat such wastes as used cutting fluids, detergents, parts-washing solutions, and other oily wastewaters. Strict environmental laws require proper treatment prior to discharge. Ultrafiltration systems provide effective treatment of this wastewater by separating the water from the oily waste. The quality of water is then ready for sewer disposal. <

Lycidas: Poetry and Death Essay -- Milton Lycidas Essays

Lycidas: Poetry and Death  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Living in a period of important religious and cultural flux, John Milton's poetry reflects the many influences he found both in history and in the contemporary world. With a vast knowledge of literature from the classical world of Greek and Roman culture, Milton often looked back to more ancient times as a means of enriching his works. At other times, however, he relies on his strong Christian beliefs for creating spiritually compelling themes and deeply religious imagery. Despite the seemingly conflicting nature of these two polarized sources of inspiration, Milton somehow found a way of bridging the gap between a pagan and a Christian world, often weaving them together into one overpowering story. The pastoral elegy Lycidas, written after the death of a fellow student at Cambridge, exemplifies this mastery over ancient and contemporary traditions in its transition from a pagan to a Christian context. Opening the poem in a setting rich with mythological figures and scen ery, then deliberately moving into a distinctly Christian setting, Milton touches upon two personally relevant issues: poetry and Christian redemption. In this way, Lycidas both addresses the subject of being a poet in a life doomed by death and at the same time shows the triumphant glory of a Christian life, one in which even the demise of the poet himself holds brighter promises of eternal heavenly joy. Confronted with the drowning of contemporary Cambridge student and fellow poet Edward King in 1637, John Milton faced the daunting subject of making sense of an existence that inevitably culminates in the ultimate destruction of human life. As M. H. Abrams states in his prefatory notes to Lycidas, Milton took part... ...hes, David. "A Study of Literature." Milton's Lycidas: The Tradition and the Poem. Ed. C. A. Patrides. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1983. 92-110. Hanford, James H. "The Pastoral Elegy and Milton's Lycidas." Milton's Lycidas: The Tradition and the Poem. Ed. C. A. Patrides. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1983. 31-59. MacCaffrey, Isabel G. "Lycidas: The Poet in a Landscape." Milton's Lycidas: The Tradition and the Poem. Ed. C. A. Patrides. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1983. 246-66. Milton, John. "Lycidas." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M. H. Abrams. 6th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1996. 646-51. Tayler, Edward W. "Lycidas in Christian Time." Milton's Lycidas: The Tradition and the Poem. Ed. C. A. Patrides. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1983. 303-18.

Media Essay -- essays research papers

Violence in the Media Violence in the media has been a growing problem ever since the emergence of mass media. One wonders however, how violence has become so prominent in our culture, more so than other countries. More minors are being involved in heinous crimes such as murders and armed robberies. Even play on the school ground is getting rougher. There are many factors that play into the increasing violence, such as over population, religious struggles, and race. One factor that plays into the increase of violence would be mass media. Mass media has the power to reach and influence almost every American. Radio, newspaper, and television are all means by which media reaches people. Television however, can be considered the most influential. Ninety-eight percent of Americans have a television in their household. When it first came out it was considered a novelty, there were only a few channels and the signal was not very clear. Now it is available through air broadcast, cable, or satellite. Television ha s become part of everyday life. With the growing fixation and attraction to violence in the media, children in today’s society are becoming more violent and aggressive than ever before. However, to obtain a true understanding of this problem we must look at all aspect that cause violence, and not just put all of the blame on the media. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t forget the number one violence causing aspect, the media. America was founded upon violence; and we have always been a society of power and control. This land was violently taken away from the American Indians. After this land was civilized, power and control was desired so much so that we rebelled against Great Britain to have this place for ourselves. We rebelled with violence and won. America ever since has always been the best at almost everything. America will achieve this most of the time thru violence. Both world wars and other political conflicts have been won by America using violence. Power achieved thru violence is one of America’s downfalls. People in America have the spirit that this country was founded upon, which has its negative and positive aspects. However, violence is finding its way into out culture everywhere, especially the television. When it comes to children and television, there is much debate. Many argue that television is healthy for children. It opens up th... ...oduction of television (Facts about Media). This only proves that people become more violent from watching television or more immune to it. Many people admitted after September 11th that when they watched the planes crash into the World Trade Centers that they were not fazed. This is because Hollywood has shown things crash and blow up so much that we confuse it with a Hollywood movie. When you watch something so much it becomes a part of your life. You do not know the difference of it being â€Å"real† or just â€Å"TV.† In conclusion, violence in the media has been a growing problem for quite awhile. Mass media has the power to reach and influence almost every American. Radio, newspaper, and television are all means by which media reaches people. Through means of mass media, mostly television, violence is reaching Americas youth and turning our culture into a violent hungry society. Television has great influence on children. It opens their eyes to the world and violence on TV has a devastating effect that continues throughout their adulthood. Even though we can’t blame all of our flaws and problems on the media we should at least focus and fix this problem before too much harm is done.

Jung, Gardner, and Freud Comparison Essay

In today’s society, education is more liberal, allowing people to think for themselves and providing them with a broader education. This differs from many years ago, when education was more conservative. Education was very basic, consisting of only academic classes and no electives. People with a more conservative education would never go against what they were taught. However, liberally educated people of today can go against what they are taught, research it themselves, and make new conclusions about their studies. A liberal education enables people to deal with the forces that control their life. It frees them from the restraints in everyday life. Having such a broad education allows people to deal with such forces. Four psychologists have written essays and constructed theories that can agree that liberal education is of a greater stature than conservatively educated. The essays are â€Å"The Theory of Multiple Intelligences,† written by Howard Gardner, â€Å"The Personal and Collective Unconscious,† written by Carl Jung, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave,† written by Plato, and â€Å"From the Interpretation of Dreams,† written by Sigmund Freud. In Howard Gardner’s â€Å"Theory of Multiple Intelligences† he states that there are seven different kinds of intelligence. He alludes that everyone has the potential to be intelligent in an unconventional way. Gardner writes, â€Å"The question of the optimal definition of intelligence looms large in our inquiry. Indeed it is at the level of this definition that the theory of multiple intelligences diverges from the traditional points of view†(370). If one were to have a more conservative education, Gardner’s ideas would have been absurd because nobody would have understood them. People would have only understood intelligence as being smart in school. People with a conservative education would never look deeper into things. On the other hand, a liberal education teaches people to challenge what they have learned, if they do not agree with it. Gardner did just that. Alfred Binet believed that intelligence was measured by IQ tests. Gardner did not agree with this, so he did his own research on it. Because of Gardner’s liberal education, he was able to rise above those who received a more conservative education. Carl Jung’s essay, â€Å"The Personal and the Collective Unconscious† based itself on a liberal education because it talks about psychology, which falls under liberal education. Psychology is the study of mind and behavior. A liberal education allows people to study this; however, a more conservative education would not because studying the mind is not essential in academics. Psychology studies the things that people cannot see, such as conscious and unconscious states. It also allows people to not have to accept what other people say. In the essay written by Jung, he stated, â€Å"If in such cases we pursue our observations systematically and without prejudice, we shall find material which, although similar in form to the previous personal contents, yet seems to contain allusions that go far beyond the personal sphere†(345). Carl Jung did not agree with Freud’s theory, so he did his own research, and found Freud’s research to be inconclusive. Because of his liberal education and study in psychology, Jung was able to control the forces in his life and did not agree with what was thought by Freud. Plato’s, â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† shows that the prisoners of his story were unable to see the truth because of their lack of a liberal education. In fact, at first they could not see anything nor could they move their heads. With only the aid of a small fire were they able to see the shadows of pictures on the wall. However, in the end, one prisoner rose above the shadows and saw the truth when he was let out of the cave, but when he went back to the cave, he was terrorized. Plato wrote, â€Å"He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadow’s best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves†(317). The other prisoners were not liberally educated. They believed only what they saw, and they did not see what this one prisoner was saying. Plato showed that the prisoners were kept in darkness, unable to see the truth. When they finally were told the truth, they did not believe it because they had not seen it for themselves. During the story, the prisoners were kept in shadows. Today, society deals with the same problem. In today’s society, people have to deal with being lied to by the government and media, which only tell people what they want them to know, and in a sense, they disfigure the truth. With the authority figures, such as the media and government, keeping people in the shadows just like the prisoners, people do not always know what to believe. Sometimes people want to believe what they are told, even though they know it’s a lie. The difference between the prisoners and people today is that more people today have a liberal education. Those with a liberal education can see what the government and media may not want them to see, looking beyond what is given to them, but going out of reach and gathering other information. In the essay written by Sigmund Freud, â€Å"From the Interpretation of Dreams,† Freud analyzed people’s behaviors through their dreams. He had noticed that dreams played an important role in his analysis of neurotic and â€Å"hysterical† patients. Freud believed that sleeping dreams were nearly always, like daydreams, wish fulfillment. Wish fulfillment is such that it may be enrolled in the continuity of the intelligible psychic activities of the waking state; it is built up by a highly complicated intellectual activity. Freud went beyond the boundaries of education. Freud explains his reasoning about dreams, â€Å"[Dreams] are not meaningless, they are not absurd; they do not imply that one portion of our store of ideas is asleep while another portion is beginning to wake† (330). He took a different approach about the way he analyzed people. His liberally educated mind allowed him to get past the typical mental analysis and utilize dream interpretations to fabricate theories. Today’s education is more liberal than it has been in the past. A liberal education teaches people to think for themselves and it provides people with a broader education. The classes that are part of a liberal education are not just the general education classes, they are also electives. A liberal education teaches people to challenge what they do not believe, but a person with a more conservative education would never challenge what they were told. In challenging what they do not believe, they can further research it. In doing this it frees people from the restraints in their everyday life, and allows them to control the forces in their life.

Enterprise Resource Planning Essay

Enterprise Resource Planning is a term that describes a system of business management in which all facets of a business are integrated. These include sales, manufacturing, planning and marketing . EPR is about integrating all these different aspects of business in one software. Software develops of ERP software include the Carter Group (who originally came up with the term), Peoplesoft, Oracle and SAP. There have been several attempts of ERP implementation that have been unsuccessful. Most of these failures happened in 1999, in an attempt to manage Y2K issues. This suggests that companies at the time may have been compelled to implement ERP due to pressing needs. The success of company’s that adopted ERP later shows that these late adopters have benefited from mistakes made by other companies. Current research indicates most recent implementations to be successful Failure of ERP projects occurs at varying degrees. When a project is not fully utilized it can be considered to have failed. Forrester Research in April 2001 reported that about 6 percent of 500 companies that they had surveyed found their ERP systems to be work effectively. Another 79 percent found their ERP systems to be ineffective or somewhat effective. The complexity of implementing ERP projects has been cited as a common and major for ERP implementation failure. The process requires commitment from all divisions of the company to be successful. It consumes a lot of time and is difficult as well as expensive to implement. The tight integration characteristic of the project means that without commitment from all workers and a change in the way of doing business means that it cannot work. ERP projects have been known to cost upwards of $500 million for very large companies and to take years to be fully complete. This happens without a guarantee of the eventual outcome Hershey Food’s SAPAG’s R/3 implementation illustrates this point best. The company incurred expenses of about $113 million and took thirty months on their ERP project. Upon completion in July 1999 the company had large problems of ensuring orders were pushed through the system. The result of this was delays in shipping and loss of customers due to orders that were incomplete. Some of the reasons given for this failure include the haste in which it was done. The ERP project if it had gone according to schedule would have taken 4 years rather than the short 30 months it took. Additionally, the company was at the same time implementing two other packages a logistics and customer relations package. This only made things more complex and harder for employees to learn. The time at which Hershey Food ‘went live’ with the ERP project happened to be the busiest time of their year, Halloween. Consequently the delays that resulted cost the company dearly leading to a $ 151 million fall in profits compared to the year before Most managers try to work around the complexities of the process rather than take the time, money and effort to go through the complex configuring process to ensure the ERP system fits with a company’s specificities. Using process templates is a short cut to make implementation faster and leads to generalization. This in the end has an effect of limiting performance and lowering competitive advantage. Speeding up the process often means that critical testing and adequate training of the users will be compromised. Inadequate training and education of employees is a common problem because training needs are almost always, underestimated. The crucial nature of ERP training cannot be overemphasized. Employees have to learn new software interfaces and processes in the business end. All this affect the whole project and the company. Outside consultant issues are another feature of most ERP failures. Sometimes the consultants hired may be in experienced or overstaffed leading to an increase in operating costs for the ERP project. Where more than one consultancy firm is used conflict almost always ensues. A forestry products manufacturer based in Atlanta used four consultancy firms at various stages of implementing its SAP project. The CIO reported that the consultants were in constant conflict over the best approach to the project. Control of the project seemed to be the main issue rather than forming a partnership with the manufacturer for the project’s success. The company finally shelved the project. FoxMeyer, a $5 million drug company contracted two vendors for its SAP R/3 project. The warehouse automation was bought from Pinnacle while Anderson had the job of integrating and implementing the Delta III project and the SAPR/3. The ERP project drove FoxMeyer Drugs to bankruptcy. Though there were other reasons for their failure but the use of two consultancy firms contributed a lot to an already complex situation. Incompetence of consultants in implementing the ERP project is common. Peoplesoft and Deloitte & Touche were sued by W. L. Gore following ERP failure after the system they had installed went live and resulted in many problems. Gore alleged that Deloitte & Touche were unqualified since when the system went live, the company had to depend on the customer service hotline following system problems. The company had to find other consultants to correct the damage caused causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. Deloitte & Touche paid referral fees to Peoplesoft, this lead Peoplesoft to recommend them despite the fact they had no expertise for implementation of the software. FoxMeyer had a similar problem with the CLO reporting that the company was more like training ground for inexperienced consultants. When software is over customized, a problem is usually created. McFarlane of Western management consultants claims that modification of software results in trouble. He suggests modifying business processes instead. When software is modified, upgrading and testing become a problem increasing the chances of failure of the subject. Many businesses find it easier to purchase software rather than identify weaknesses in business process and improve them. It is best for the business process to fit the software and where there is absence of fit or appropriateness, the business process should be modified. The commander of Military Sealift Command decided to reduce risk of ERP implementation by finding a package that closely mirrored the business practices of MSC so as to avoid software modification. In only about 11 areas did the software fail to match and even then, the commander changed the MSC processes so that they would fit the Oracle ERP software they were using. Application of technology as a solution to problems of business processes is another reason for failure of ERP. Many ERP initiatives are system driven; these have a higher probability of failure compared to those that are business driven. Most companies consider ERP implementation as a competency by itself that could serve as a fix to a problem. This should not be the case since technology is a vehicle by which competency can be obtained rather than a competency by itself. This was FoxMeyer’s mistake. By adopting ERP early the company took up software that was designed for manufacturing companies rather than distribution companies. With this major underlying problem there is no way the ERP project could have been a success. The software could not handle processing demands leading to FoxMeyer’s bankruptcy. Corporate culture also has great influence as far as the failure of ERP implementation is concerned. When top management is not seen to be backing up the project it is not very well recognized. In addition most ERP projects are rejected by employees who fear that their jobs will be lost. Failure to realize the benefits of the projects leads to a resistance to change. Management has a role in this because if they were to communicate effectively to the employees, there would be increased ownership of the project. To foster buy-in and ownership, employee involvement should be as high as possible otherwise employees will back out or refuse to be cooperative leading to failure of the project. FoxMeyer had such a problem, most employees felt that their jobs were threatened by the ERP project and some of them even trashed the interfaces set up while others simply did not participate in training leading to delays in orders and general mismanagement of the whole distribution process. The aforementioned forestry manufacturing produces did not put into consideration the effect of ERP implementation on its Vice Presidents. The Vice presidents of the 12 divisions in the company would have lost their autonomy to a more centralized and integrated system. When the VPs realized the effect of the company’s long-term strategies they balked leading to scraping off of the subject. Testing of the ERP project requires time and effort. Whenever a red flag is raised, the system should be checked. Miscalculation of how much time and effort will be required leads to failure of the project. It is better to exceed the timeline rather than compress the time required for completion of the project and end up with system that is flawed. Sticking to a schedule despite the problems that have been identified will cause problems later. This is evident from the troubles experienced by Whirlpool following its SAP system implementation. The company went live in spite of the fact that problems had been identified in the testing phase. The decision not to change their schedule led to shipping delays with appliances in warehouses for upwards of six-weeks past their correct delivery time. Meritor experienced a similar problem. Believing they had adequate training, they began to roll out the ERP system in phases beginning with a manufacturing plant in Wales. It took another 30 days with more staff to ensure that manufacturing would not be delayed. To prevent a problem like that from occurring in the future, the Vice President added another two weeks to ERP deployment timeline. Though this requires extra time and consequently more expenses an attitude more like this is necessary for the ERP rollout to be a success. The mainframe at Cleveland State University could not handle the application by Peoplesoft necessitating a change to a Unix System. The problems created by this failure of infrastructure lasted for a year following the first rollout of the ERP project. Bio Rad Laboratories had a problem along the same line. The implementation of their ERP system led to WAN becoming very slow as a result of conflict between ERP and email traffic. Email alone was using up the greater percentage of the bandwidth available between locations. This had the effect of important data in the ERP system distribution and financial modules being left to languish at some sites. This caused stalling of orders and slowed product shipment. From the two examples cited above it is evident ERP failure can result from poor infrastructure. Infrastructure appraisal is therefore necessary to ensure that it can support implementation of an ERP system. If this is done early the infrastructure can be modified early to suit the desired ERP system. This will lead to reduction in costs due to problems or failure of initial rollout of the ERP system. The intellectual capital of the company as far as the ERP system is a significant factor that contributes to failure of ERP systems. Often when the project is complete and within months after the exodus of the consultants most companies are left in trouble. This is because most companies do not have their own person(s) who are capable of dealing with problems in the ERP system. This was the case in FoxMeyer where upon the departure of the consultant firm staff, the company was left without people who could manage the ERP system effectively. This brain drain effect happened to a semiconductor manufacturer in Silicon Valley. The manufacturer lost about 70-80 percent of the projects core-team in about three months following ‘go live’ after most members of the core-project team had left. This loss meant that there was no one familiar with the project to address issues concerning the system that came up. User expectations may also cause ERP systems to fail when users expect that the return on investment will be unrealistically high. Usually, the costs of planning, consultation, training and testing as well as data conversion, replacement staffing, documentation and the drop in learning performance are all factors that will reduce the benefits anticipated from an ERP system. Other expectations like expecting a really short time of implementation of the system will lead to failure. For instance if a company is late in finding a consultancy firm, and still unwilling to change it’s ‘go live date’ the company risks failure as the consultancy that agree to work with the company will do so in a short time ending up with a less than perfect system. The consulting company may fail to meet user expectations leading to shelving of the project. Sometimes when there are executives from other organization who have recently joined the company, they may be tempted to impose ideas from a previous organization that has already implemented ERP systems. This creates a problem because each organization has its own unique processes and often what is applicable for the ERP system of one company is not wholly transferable to another company. User expectations should be as realistic as possible and reflect an understanding of the business processes and the vision of the company. To avoid poor management of using expectations it is necessary to provide the clear expectations of what can be achieved. Failure to understand and prioritize user expectations will lead to problems and the best way to solve this is to ensure documentation of these expectations as well as validating deliverables of the projects to the expectations of the users. A desire to cut costs also contributes to a lot of ERP failure. The major problem with this is it creates more problems which result in more time and mistakes that have to be corrected making the date of completion further and the costs higher. Ill-advised cost cutting which attempts to avoid conversion costs, for example going live at a multi-plant simultaneously may lead to failure. This may cause all plants to shutdown if a false start-up occurs. Trying to make the schedule as short as possible so as to save expenses leads to overrunning both the schedule and budget. Return on Investments should be a last consideration when the company’s information system is being upgraded. An attitude like this will help in avoidance of cost cutting as far as ERP projects are concerned. This will ensure success of the organizations ERP implementation. Inexperienced project managers may cause ERP implementation to fail. When the core-team project members has no one from the company’s IT team or other members of the user community it becomes difficult to continually monitor the progress of the project. A southeastern electronics manufacturer due to poor management by inexperienced personnel almost closed a plant because they were unable to accept deliveries. To ensure the success of ERP projects, it is important to first redefine the measure of success. Success is currently measured by whether a project is finished on time within the budget. The ability for the system to be fully utilized is not considered. Measures for performance ought to be developed and undergo standardization so that companies have a better and clearer understanding of benefits of ERP implementation as well as the basic rules to avoid failure.