Descartes and Skepticism Essay

Rene Descartes was a great scientist, mathematician and philosopher. He was known for his extensive work on skepticism, and in particular a piece called â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† (written in 1641) which is still widely used by modern philosophers. In this publication, Descartes’ aim was to demonstrate that a persons’ soul is eternal and that God exists. He explains in Meditation One that it is possible to question the existence of all things; in Meditation two he goes on to give details regarding the existence of the mind and the soul. In the Third Meditation he gives arguments of proof of Gods’ existence; and in Meditation Four he explains the difference between truth and error. In the Fifth Meditation Descartes provides further arguments to prove the existence of God and in the Sixth and final meditation he brings it all together as he demonstrates how knowledge of the mind can be guided by God and therefore validates the knowledge we have of physical world. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). This essay will explain Descartes argument of the existence of God with specific reference to the Third Meditation discussed in the class handout- ‘Descartes and the problem of Skepticism’. Meditation Ð ¨- God’s Existence In the Third Meditation, subtitled â€Å"On God’s existence,† Descartes is certain that he is a â€Å"thinking thing† (pg 142) and sets out to prove God’s Existence. There were two major standpoints noted in his argument, though they were found to be closely linked. Firstly, he tackles the idea that his own existence and thoughts must have come from somewhere or something. He goes on to explain that the thought he has of God is one of an â€Å"eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, creator of all things† (pg 143). As a result, Descartes argues that the idea of God must therefore be far more complex than his mind alone can perceive- since his idea of God is that of an infinite, perfect being and Descartes himself is a finite being lacking enough formal reality to create such an idea on his own will. Put simply, Descartes believes that the idea of God could not have been created in his own limited mind; and he establishes that God must be the originator of his thoughts and therefore God exists. Secondly, Descartes battles with the idea that his existence must have a cause. He discusses the various possibilities that might have caused his existence including that he might have created himself; he might have always existed; his parents created him; that he was created by something less benevolent and perfect than God; and lastly, that it was God who created him. Descartes takes on an elimination process to figure out which one of these possibilities are likely true. He discusses that he could not have created himself because as he says â€Å"I would have given myself every perfection† (pg 146). Next he dismisses the idea that he always existed simply because as he describes that he is a dependent being that needs to be continually sustained by another. Descartes establishes that the idea of his parents being his creator only reintroduces the same problem regarding their own existence. He then thought of the possibility of a less than perfect God being his creator- but he argues that the idea of perfection that exists in his mind could not have originated from a non-perfect being. With this established, Descartes concludes that there must be a perfect God who is the cause of his existence and his perfect idea of God. In analysis of Descartes position, the observation is made that the basis of his argument is causal reasoning. This is shown when he suggests that there must be a cause of the idea of a perfect God and that this perfect idea must come from God himself. In my own reflection, I thought that living a predominantly Christian society might be the cause of my own idea of God. I have learnt all that I know about God from my parents and by extension the society. It therefore follows, that my parents’ idea of God might have come from their parents also, whose idea somewhere along the line came from the church- which is also made up of men who has parents. Descartes argument supports that at the end of this causal chain, there has to be a first cause, which is God. Since there is no direct of evidence proving or disproving the existence of God, the belief in his existence is widely accepted today, and the search for such a proof would always be a highly debatable and controversial topic. While there is still disagreement over Descartes argument as to whether or not God exists, it is generally agreed that God’s existence cannot be proved through the capacity of the mind and therefore we rely on such concepts as skepticism and reasoning to guide what we choose to believe of God. References * Smith, K. (2010, September 20). Descartes’ life and works. Retrieved October 11, 2011from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works * Class Handout- Descartes and The Problem of Skepticism.

NATURE and How It Affects the Human Views

The written works of E.B. White and Loren Eiseley primary show the importance of literary implications upon the truth that connects nature with human behaviors. From their writings, It could be noted that the views of the authors upon the relation of natural wealth with the wealth of human individuals which they primary have in themselves.   To be able to explain this idea further, an examination on the stories of the said authors shall be explained in this paper. However, to continue with the observation of the written works, it is important to carry these following questions in mind during the discussion: How does the description of nature on the part of each author reflect the abilities of humans to change and retain their characteristics at the same time? How does the explanation of Natural adjustments able to picture the actual adjustments that humans deal with themselves everyday? How well did the authors discuss the ways by which nature itself becomes a metaphor to the human ways? Once More to the Lake by E.B. White The narrative description adapted by White in this particular story has much related the idea she was portraying to the trip that their family made to the pond when they went for a vacation. From the narration, it could be observed that she had a detailed description of every creature that she found to have inherited the areas that they were passing by. The life-based descriptions of the author upon the different living things that she saw along their journey showed so much connection with the human behavior towards the different situations that they are faced with everyday. The ways by which the animals tried to adapt to the changing climate as well as the changing situations that they needed to face in the environments that they exist with noted the fact the plants as well as the small animals picture the actualization if the fact that humans too are able to adjust with all the challenges that th they face in life everyday, that whatever the situations may post to them, they are trying their best to survive the pressures to the best possible way that they could. The Brown Wasps by Loren Eiseley In this particular writing, the small insects such as the mice were attested by the author as primary metaphors of the human behavior. This particular behavior relates the human creation towards the fact that they are able to make possible adjustments in their lifestyle depending on the environment that they are living in. It is undeniable that the ways by which the mice try to search for the best possibilities in the area that they are currently living in describes the exact process utilized by humans to adjust to the lives that they are supposed to face as individuals depending on the changes in their own society. Conclusion As a summary of the entire discussion presented herein, it is undeniable that both authors show the fact that the human behavior is indeed related to the fact that they are opportunists, like that of the small insects and small plants that are transferred from one place to another because of the wind or because of the demands of the climate, humans are also forced to change their lifestyle based on the environment that they are living in. This particular characteristic of humans makes it easier to survive life as they are able to portray in life right now. Reference: E.B. White Once More to the Lake (1941). http://www.moonstar.com/~acpjr/Blackboard/Common/Essays/OnceLake.html. (October 26, 2007). The Brown Wasps by Loren Eiseley. (1992). http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/97173.html. (October 26, 2007).         

Gender Issues in the Workplace Essay

Introduction Believe it or not women have had rights in the work force for over two hundred years. Women should be treated as equals with men in the work place, but that is not always the case. Companies need to be careful with gender issues; they could lead to law suits and cost millions of dollars. People whether it is men or women should be hired, promoted, or given raises based on their experience not their gender. Dealing with gender issues in the work place can create many problems that can be solved by treating all employees equally. Women have been denied rights in the work place for many years. There are many laws in place to protect women in the workplace. Not all employers follow these laws; women still on an average make less than men. This is why women should prepare themselves with knowing the current laws that deal with gender issues in the work place. Purpose and Scope To prove that women are just as valuable in the workplace as men are. Women can do the same job as men without complications. A woman working the same job as a man usually makes less money than the man. Women are sexually harassed in the work place. They are not treated as equals. Women should be treated as equals in the workplace. They should get the same pay and benefits as a man does and not be harassed because of their gender, yet this is not always the case. In explaining a little history about women’s rights, these sub-problems will also be answered: 1. Do women know that there are laws in place to protect them in the workplace? 2. How are women discriminated against in the workplace? Why? 3. What steps should women take to solve these problems? 4. What steps should employers take make sure they do not discriminate against women in the workplace? Data Graph 1: This is a graph showing the statistics on women’s human rights issues. (Source:Second Report on the Plan for Gender Equality, 2000) Graph 2: These next few quotes go with the graph. â€Å"But in the last few months, the trend has turned around: since December, job  growth has been significantly stronger for women than men. The number of employed men rose by only 83,000 in the last two months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday(March 12, 2012). The number of employed women rose by 192,000† (Leonhardt, D.2012). â€Å"The recent job growth in white-collar sectors that employ large numbers of women, including education, health care, restaurants and hotels, is a major reason. The fact that new jobs continue to go disproportionately to college graduates — and women make up a majority of new college graduates — also plays a role† (Leonhardt, D.2012). Findings Past: In the past gender issues in the workplace were a major problem. Women were assigned to the temporary, part-time, or low responsibility positions because employers believed that their first priority was taking care of their families. When women got married they were likely to quit, and women who were already married would usually quit as soon as they got pregnant. Women who already had children were perceived as caring more about their children then about work. When people thought of women in the workforce they believed a man was more qualified to do the job. What the people in the past did not see; was the strong, highly motivated, and driven women that were right there to work just as hard as a man could. How women came up in the workforce: Women have rapidly climbed up the ladder in the workplace. â€Å"Back in the late 1800’s only about 18% of women were in the labor force. Then the 1900’s it jumped to about 30%.In the early 2000’s it grew to about 60%† (Blau, Ferber, & Winkler, 2006 as cited in Carr 2009). Women have come a long way in the work force, people are beginning to see women as equally qualified as a man in the workforce. In many situations today, after the economy went down, the wife is the bread winner and the husband stays home with the children. Many businesses are slowly adjusting to the new changes, and learning to treat women as equals to men. This is because of the high increase in women in the workforce. With this increase the old attitudes and behaviors had to change. How women are discriminated against in the workforce: When women are discriminated against in the workforce, such as: sexual harassment, promotions, pay, race, and hiring matters are now against the law. â€Å"Maternal and care-giving discrimination comes in all flavors: outright termination because a mother cares for her sick or disabled child; derailing an employee on track for a promotion after she gets married or creating a hostile workplace environment for pregnant employees† (Pacenti, 2008). These are just a few of the many ways that women are discriminated against in the workplace. A few more ways discrimination takes place are based on fairness among employees, race, and sexual orientation. Women should be given the same opportunities as everyone else. Our laws have changed over the past few centuries and there has been many changes in the workforce since women have entered it. Women have the determination to overcome discrimination. Laws: Over the past few decades, people have overcome and adjusted to the new definitions of gender roles. People are now more aware of the laws in effect for these issues. Over the years, many laws have went it to effect. Such as: â€Å" Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), which protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination; The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older; Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), which prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local governments; Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against qua lified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government; Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), which prohibits employment discrimination based on genetic information about an applicant, employee, or former employee; and The Civil Rights Act of 1991, which, among other things, provides monetary damages in cases of intentional employment  discrimination† (The U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission). â€Å"The most current The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 law adds a provision to Title VII, which provides: unlawful employment practice occurs, with respect to discrimination in compensation in violation of this title, when a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is adopted, when an individual becomes subject to a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, or when an individual is affected by application of a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, including each time wages, benefits, or other compensation is paid, resulting in whole or in part from such a decision or other practice† (Grossman 2009). All of these laws have helped women progress in the workplace. Women have continued climbing to the top of the ladder. Many employers should keep in mind when conducting interviews and in hiring, they cannot discriminate against the sex of gender of a person, their marital status, their family status, their sexual orientation, their religious beliefs, their age, any disabilities, their race, or their associations. Following these rules when interviewing or hiring will save a company from many law suites and a bad reputation. Conclusion In conclusion women should not be discriminated against because they can perform the job at hand just as well as a man could. In recent years women holding jobs has increased and they have begun to receive equal pay. With all of the new laws and previous laws that are in place women will no longer be discriminated against because there are too many consequences for employers. Hopefully all employers will begin to follow these laws, because there are still employers who do not. In closing all women should make sure they are aware of the laws in place to protect them in the workforce. References Carr, D. (2009). Gender Discrimination. Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.bakerzproxy.planet.info/ps/retrieve Grossman, J. (2009). The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Find law. Retrieved from http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20090213.html Leonhardt, D. (2012). Has the He-covery Become a She-covery? (6 month change in employment chart). The New York Times. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/women-in-the-workforce/ Pacenti, J. (2008). Workplace Discrimination: Hitting the Maternal Wall. Corporate Counsel. Retrieved from http://www.law.com/jsp/cc/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1201255554661 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Laws Enforced by EEOC. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/index.cfm The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Federal laws prohibiting job Discrimination Questions and Answers. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html Second Report on the Plan for Gender Equality 2000 (Graph on women’s human rights issues). (2000). Women Watch. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/confer/beijing/national/japan98.htm

Econometrics formative assignment Research Paper

Econometrics formative assignment - Research Paper Example -0.067 31.280 0.260 *|. | *|. | 28 -0.079 -0.077 32.913 0.239 .|. | .|. | 29 -0.020 -0.019 33.016 0.277 .|. | .|. | 30 0.029 -0.015 33.237 0.312 .|. | .|. | 31 -0.029 -0.035 33.462 0.349 .|* | .|** | 32 0.183 0.197 42.344 0.104 .|. | .|. | 33 -0.019 -0.013 42.444 0.126 .|. | .|. | 34 0.027 0.042 42.636 0.147 .|. | .|. | 35 -0.052 -0.047 43.368 0.157 .|. | *|. | 36 0.019 -0.072 43.470 0.183 Correlogram for Vodafone Date: 08/17/09 Time: 21:05 Sample: 1/01/1990 12/31/2008 Included observations: 224 Autocorrelation Partial Correlation ACPAC Q-Stat Prob .|. | .|. | 1 0.002 0.002 0.0007 0.979 .|. | .|. | 2 0.019 0.019 0.0826 0.960 .|* | .|* | 3 0.182 0.182 7.6489 0.054 *|. | *|. | 4 -0.061 -0.063 8.4992 0.075 .|* | .|* | 5 0.146 0.145 13.451 0.019 .|. | .|. | 6 0.015 -0.021 13.502 0.036 .|* | .|* | 7 0.088 0.116 15.322 0.032 .|* | .|* | 8 0.132 0.076 19.422 0.013 .|. | .|. | 9 -0.027 -0.009 19.596 0.021 .|. | .|. | 10 0.048 -0.006 20.139 0.028 .|* | .|* | 11 0.153 0.140 25.713 0.007 .|* | .|* | 12 0.115 0.116 28.881 0.004 .|. | .|. | 13 0.006 -0.033 28.889 0.007 .|. | .|. | 14 0.009 -0.041 28.907 0.011 .|. | *|. | 15 -0.032 -0.083 29.153 0.015 .|. | .|....The two vertical lines in the first column enclose the 95% confidence interval. Id k that extends past the broken line, reject the null hypothesis that k = 0 at 5% level of significance. Otherwise, do not reject the null hypothesis" (Danao). In this particular tests, the result for BARC, VOD and FTALLSH show that we do not reject the null hypothesis that k = 0. But for the GSK graph, the result is opposite. We have necessary proof to reject the null hypothesis. Decision Rule: "If the absolute value of the ADF Test Statistic is less than the value of the McKinnon Critical Values at the chosen level of significance, then the series has a unit root and is therefore non-stationary.

How might the innovation strategy of a service sector firm differ from Essay

How might the innovation strategy of a service sector firm differ from that a manufacturing company And what particular issues - Essay Example However, today, both sectors are increasingly borrowing from each other in order to offer consumers tailor-made services and products. Manufacturing companies are coming up with â€Å"servicisation† strategies for their goods, while service firms are engaging in the â€Å"productisation† of services (Cunningham, 2007, pp. 31). It is my opinion that despite this growing interrelationship between the manufacturing industry and the service sector, the use of R&D in the latter is not clearly defined and most R&D-related activities are not assessed. In my opinion, most studies have always placed the service sector second to the manufacturing industry in as far as innovation is concerned. However, this is an old-fashioned way of looking at the service sector. Today, the service sector employees more people around the globe, in comparison to those people in the manufacturing industry. Most of these employees are very educated people with the capacity to innovate new and redesi gn existing ones to ensure consumer satisfaction. Accordingly, this paper aims at analyzing how a service firm might use R&D as an innovation strategy, in order to cater for the needs of the consumer and ensure business growth. Secondly, the paper aims at evaluating how differently a manufacturing company might use the same R&D innovation strategy in the production of goods. The third aim in this paper concerns an examination of the particular issues that a service firm may be required to address when coming up with R&D as a key innovation strategy. Accordingly, the main objective is to demonstrate that the service sector can be as innovative as the manufacturing industry in the use of R&D. The other objective is to elucidate the positive correlation that exists between the consumer and the service provider in the service sector in consideration of R&D activities. 2.0 Innovation approach- service sector versus manufacturing company Innovation is a key driver in the growth of economi c structures in both technologically advanced and third world countries. The service sector is becoming increasingly more crucial to economic development, and as such requires more innovation strategies to ensure the sustainability of global economic growth. According to Gallouj & Djellal (2010, pp. 301) most service innovation strategies involve redesigning existing services in response to new market needs and trends, while some strategies aim at coming up with entirely new services. One of the innovation strategies adopted by the service sector is the use of research and development (R&D) activities to identify and meet consumer needs. In the service sector, there are various sources of knowledge, with R&D being one of them. Baldwin & Gellatly (2003, pp. 130) state that research in previous decades revealed that the manufacturing industry was more likely than the service sector to use R&D as an innovation strategy. However, within the last two decades, the service sector has also begun to invest more in conducting R&D in order to meet consumer demands. According to the OECD (2005, pp. 143) between 1990 and 2001, R&D in the service sector increased at a 12 per cent rate in most developed countries. Service firms and manufacturing companies differ in their use of R&D as an innovation strategy, just as their products differ. In the manufacturing

2.In the past the body was seen by managers simply as a tool of Essay

2.In the past the body was seen by managers simply as a tool of labour, whereas more contemporary approaches see workers bodies and emotions as largely aesthetic resources. Discuss - Essay Example omoting the organizational culture and principles that enhance the management and the production in the part of labor force (Anderson 1999, P.58). In the past management have been viewed as fully impacted for managers to implement the processes of management which to some extent have, added as the object of only inculcating the labor as a tool of production. This has shrunk the workforce in the organizations, as they do not have an open platform to express their views in an open and amicable way. The collective bargaining power and the ability to set a binding agreement by the management have been paralyzed. However, despite the above challenges the improvements, which are sound and amicable with the sense of improving the welfare of the workers, have been put into place. This serves to be the primary liaison with the various employees union to make the daily running of the organizations’ to be in the right context and sound order. The emotion running of an organizational setup brings a mixed perception of the organization as this brings the subjective of the biological and the psychological reactions of the individual’s mental health. Emotion being is a conscious experience that drives an individual’s way of reaction depending on the presented situation. The emotional setup of an individual drives the mood and temperament of a person and the emotion largely determines the personality of a person. The behavioral and the emotional aspect of a person help to determine the specific functional role carried by an individual in the management of the organization. The issue of the many companies lacking the human resource management department leads to the organization allocating a wider range of responsibilities to the managers. The aligned duties to the mangers to carry out the peoples management activities brings a mixed reactions since the workload depends on a single individual who can inject perso nal

Kim Bassingers Final Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kim Bassingers Final Analysis - Case Study Example It must be noted here that the operative word on the $3 million revenue is ‘potential’; hence the amount is the estimated revenue from making the film with Kim Bassinger thus it is relevant to the case. It is relevant because it is an estimate given that Ms. Bassinger had â€Å"committed to do the project† (Barton, Shenkir & Marinas 163). Considering that the $800,000 foreign pre-sales are only probable, which means in accounting term has a less than 50 per cent probability of happening, hence in determining whether the maximum and minimum lost profit estimates of Main Line be adjusted this amount is irrelevant. The appearance of Ms. Bassinger in the film will not make the possibility of having $800,000 in foreign pre-sales more than probable. The realized loss of $2.1 million from producing â€Å"Boxing Helena† without Ms. Bassinger is a relevant cost to the case. This amount is the difference between making the movie with Ms. Fern and with Ms. Bassinger. Hence, it should be included in the maximum and minimum lost profit estimates of Main Line. The given figures for this lost profit estimates should not be adjusted since they have taken into account the $2.1 million loss. Requirement #2a Kim Bassinger's Final Analysis salary of $3 million is relevant to the determination of lost profits to Main Line. Although "Basinger was to be paid $600,000 in guaranteed compensation to appear in "Boxing Helena" with another $400,000 to be paid out of producer revenues "before the bank" was paid on the production loan to finance the film" (Barton, Shenkir & Marinas 164); it is highly probable that her agent would have negotiated a higher salary for the film. Requirement #2b The comparison of revenues for Bassinger films with revenues for Fenn films is relevant to the determination of lost profits to Main Line. The comparison is like that of the incremental revenue comparison done in a make or buy decision. Option 1 here or we can say the make decision is the film starring Ms. Bassinger, while Option 2 or if you like the buy decision is hiring Ms. Fenn to do it instead. Requirement #3 In my opinion, Main Line's expert witness is not correct in attempting to estimate the revenues for "Boxing Helena" beyond pre-sales amounts. In an investment decision, the revenues through out the life of that investment should always be included in determining whether that investment is profitable. In this case, the revenues beyond the pre-sales amounts can be reasonably estimated. Requirement #4 Yes, Main Line's lost profits should be adjusted downward to include an estimate of domestic revenues for the "Without Basinger" film. Hence, only the incremental revenue had Ms. Bassinger appeared in the film should be included in the lost profit estimates. However, the use of the $1.7 million advance made by one of the Main Line partners against domestic revenues as the estimate is not a valid estimate for the domestic revenues for the "Withour Bassinger" film. A good estimate would be the average revenue of Fenn films which is $1.6 million. Requirement #5 It is not reasonable to assume that Main Line's pretax cash position would have increased by $3 million. Part of this amount would be paid to others such as the partner who advances $1.7 million. Moreover, it can be that several of the expenses incurred by the film production have been taken up as liabilities; hence the initial take up from the film will be used to pay up some of these liabilities. Requirement #6 I disagree with the jury's lost profit assessment of $7,421,694. My own assessment based on what is relevant and irrelevant cost figures to the case is $3,000,000 which is the average of the minimum and maximum lost profit figures as presented in

McDonalds Marketing Strategy in the World Assignment

McDonalds Marketing Strategy in the World - Assignment Example It was established in 1955 in Illinois, USA. McDonalds has become one of the most successful restaurant chains and largest hamburger food chain in the world. After successful business in United States, it expanded its operation overseas by opening its first overseas outlet in Canada.† Currently, $6 billion McDonalds serves about 64 million international customers each day with more than 33000 franchises operating in 121 countries. After every three hours, a McDonalds franchise is opened somewhere in the world. The average expansion rate of Mc franchises is 2500 store per year (McDonalds 2011). General Globalization Perspective and Marketing Challenges Going global requires a firm to set certain strategies that earn it success around the world. The firm has to accommodate in its product or services the cultural, religious and social values of the region it operates in. Some firms or industries get more benefit from global markets than operating locally. Globalization provides to the firms the factor cost differences, by exploiting which they can become more profitable. It also encourages businesses to shift towards the low tariff charging countries where the cost of doing business is low and/or demand for certain products is high. And due to societal and cultural benefits, the companies have more chances to bring innovation into their products. The global expansion brings efficiency, flexibility and innovation in a firm’s production system (QuickMba 2010) The firms which go global develop certain strategies to efficiently capture the overseas markets and cope with potential problems they might face operating there. They also develop Marketing Strategies to position in minds of customers the positive, tempting and healthy image of their products. Marketing strategy of a firm intends to correct what the customers feel about the organization. It deals with positioning the unique features of the product in customers’ minds. When the product a com pany offers is not liked by or is against the local, cultural, religious or social values, the marketing of the product becomes a difficult task and most of the times the products are altered up to the desire of the local demand to be accepted easily. So a great care is taken while marketing in different countries. McDonalds Marketing Strategies McDonalds is one of the best known brands worldwide. McDonalds’ dynamic business strategies made it leading global foodservice retailer in international market. Due to sound global expansion strategies and effective management, McDonalds leads the fast food restaurant industry through out the world. McDonalds sales are three times ahead of its top competitors. What earned McDonalds such image is how it has created loyalty in its customers through its marketing strategies throughout the world. With the combination of sound fundamental practices and innovative marketing, McDonalds has created a unique value to customers (McDonald 2008) McDonalds operates in about 121 countries of the world. This expansion includes Europe, Japan, China, India, Russia and other substantial markets. The following discussion will contain the specific strategies McDonalds practiced in its substantial markets. McDonalds marketing strategies in UK UK has been a very significant market for McDonalds since its launch in 1974 there. McDonalds operates in UK with more than 1000 restaurants and has gained substantial fast food market share. McDonalds followed various policies to gain an edge in the market by shaping the brand as British as possible. Marketing the McDonalds, not just the products For McDonalds, primary marketing objective was not marketing the food. Rather it emphasized on

Cross Listing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cross Listing - Coursework Example The company obtains benefits by the economic activities of that foreign country especially from the financial market’s ability to provide greater strength to the market value of that domestic company. Cross listing is also one of the methods of diversifying the investors’ risk profile. By investing in a company which is not a domestic company, allows much more diversification to the local investors as they are now subject to different sorts of risk exposures as compared to their other counterparts. These investors are subject to the risk of the economy of that cross listed company’s country. In short, cross listing provides another avenue of financial resources to the domestic company as well as provides a safeguard from a likely hostile takeover. It also provides a greater opportunity and flexibility to the foreign investors in managing and maintaining their portfolio of investments in a diversified manner. Essar Energy plc is one of the best private groups of India which have substantial investments in both the oil & gas sector as well as the in the power sector. Established in 1989 with petroleum sector only, the company has made remarkable achievements such that the company remained highly successful even in diversifying its operations by investing in refinery and later on, in the power generation and distribution sector. In June 2010, the company cross listed itself in London Stock Exchange after already having a presence in the local stock exchanges in India. The company managed to raise net proceeds of around $1.8 billion from the UK investor. This had been the largest IPO subscription in London Stock Exchange after 2007 by any company. Currently, the company is a constituent of FTSE 100 index of London Stock Exchange. After a tremendous turnaround and interest of the foreign investors in the stakes of the Essar Energy plc, the company

A Format Paper Essay Example for Free

A Format Paper Essay Paragraphs in a Poetry Analysis Essay: Note: It is important to follow the guidelines for each paragraph as you would a cooking recipe. In other words, for each body paragraph, follow the simple ingredients. Format/Recipe for an Introduction: a). Write one to two sentences that briefly summarize the poem. Your first line should state the name of the poem, the poet’s full name, and the speaker’s intent or main idea. Note: For example, if you were writing about Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, your first line would look something like, â€Å"William Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 18’ discusses the conflict that the speaker faces in trying to preserve the beauty of a young and innocent man. † Notice how this opening line follows the above instructions. b). Write about to three sentences that allow you to transition to the element that you will be discussing in your paper. This part is not your argument; this part is designed to transition yourself and your reader to the main point of your paper. ). Write a one to two sentence thesis statement. Your thesis statement will state your overall argument and include at least three rhetorical devices that you will analyze in order to support your argument. Note: For an in-depth discussion on constructing a solid thesis statement for this type of essay, feel free to refer to my previous article in the link provided here: Thesis Statement for a Poetry Analysis Essay Format/Recipe for Body Paragraph 1: a). Write one to two sentences that provide a discussion of your argument. Be sure to also mention one rhetorical device that you will use for support. This part of your paragraph should explain your argument and explain how and why the rhetorical device supports your claim. b). Quote a relevant line/lines that illustrate the rhetorical device that you are discussing, and make sure the quote is relevant to your argument. c). Write about two to three sentences that analyze this quote. Your analysis should reinforce your argument and your discussion of the rhetorical device. d). Write one closing sentence to seal off the paragraph. Format/Recipe for Body Paragraph 2: ). Using a transitional phrase, write one to two more sentences that further discuss your argument. Also, mention another rhetorical device that you will use for support. Your rhetorical device should be different from the first one that you discussed. However, this paragraph is set up just like body paragraph 1. b). Pick another relevant line(s) that support your claims about the second rhetoric al device. Again, make sure that the line(s) are relevant to your argument. c). Have about two to three more sentences that provide an analysis of these quoted lines. Just like body paragraph 1, your analysis should support your argument and the rhetorical device that you are discussing. d). Provide one closing sentence that seals off your paragraph. Format/Recipe for Body Paragraph 3: a). Starting with another transitional phrase, write one to two sentences that discuss your overall argument even more. Just like body paragraph 1 and 2, this paragraph will also include a discussion of a rhetorical device that proves your argument. Your rhetorical device needs to be a different from your first and second body paragraphs. When it comes to content and organization, body paragraph 3 will look just like body paragraph one and two. b). Provide a different line or lines that further emphasize your argument about your third rhetorical device. These lines need to relate to your argument. c). Just like body paragraph 1 and 2, include about two to three sentences that analyze your quoted lines. Just like body paragraph 1 and 2, your sentences should prove your argument, and show the reader how the rhetorical device that you are discussing illustrates your claims. d). Seal off your paragraph with one concluding sentence. Format/Recipe for a Conclusion: a). Write about one to two sentences that re-mentions your thesis statement from letter â€Å"c† in your introduction. Be sure to re-phrase your sentence structure so that you are not repetitive. b). In about three to four sentences, re-mention the rhetorical devices that you discussed to support your argument, and reiterate how these rhetorical devices proved your point. c). Write about two intelligent closing sentences that offer your reader some insight or philosophy about the poem that you wrote about. Editing:

Benefits Of Using Gis In Waste Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Benefits Of Using Gis In Waste Management Environmental Sciences Essay Solid waste management involves a number of stages starting from the choice of sites for landfill, collection, transportation and disposal of the solid waste. Both economic and environmental planners are concerned with the setting up of cost effective and environmentally friendly systems for solid waste management. Geographical Information System (GIS) is a tool that can provide spatial and non spatial information for urban planning and management. This paper focuses on the application of GIS as a planning and data collection tool in Solid Waste Management and analyses to what extent GIS is being used in solid waste management by the local authorities in Mauritius and also identifies the barriers to the proper use of GIS in this sector. A GIS model for the Grand Port-Savanne District Council (GPSVDC) a local authority in Mauritius is produced using ArcGIS software and this can be used as a decision support tool in planning waste collection and disposal. The Republic of Mauritius is a small island developing state (SIDS), situated at 800 km off the East coast of Madagascar at longitude 58 ° East and latitude 20 ° South in the Indian Ocean with a total surface area of 1870 km ². In addition to the island of Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. The main island of Mauritius has a population of around 1.28 million inhabitants. The rapid industrialization and urbanization during the past decade have led to changing production and consumption patterns that continue to present new demands for natural resources and create new waste streams. It is expected that solid waste produced in Mauritius is about 380,000 tons a year (or 1,200 tons per day) and is expected to reach 418,000 tonnes in 2014. The present strategy of disposing wastes  at the  landfill and/or dumping sites will in the long-run be no longer sustainable or appropriate with the rapid increase in waste gene ration, scarcity of appropriate landfill sites and the density of human settlement. The development of an integrated solid waste management strategy is among the priorities identified in the National Environmental Strategies to reduce future costs from environment degradation. Governments policy is to promote waste reduction, minimize its generation, encourage the adoption of environmentally sound methods of resource recovery and modernize the institutional and legal framework for the entire logistical chain collection, storage, transfer and disposal and introduce a cost recovery mechanism. There has been awareness regarding waste management amongst many countries. There has been development of new technologies for improving the waste management systems. GIS is one of the new technologies which have contributed a lot in very less time span to the waste management society. (Moiz Ahmed Shaikh, 2006) This paper analyses the benefits of using GIS as a tool in solid waste management and makes an assessment of how far GIS is being used by the local authorities in Mauritius and identifies the barriers to the use of GIS in solid waste management in Mauritius. A GIS model for the Grand Port-Savanne District Council (GPSVDC) a local authority in Mauritius is produced using ArcGIS software and this can be used as a decision support tool in planning waste collection and disposal. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN MAURITIUS Solid Waste Management in Mauritius falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government and Outer Islands. The main island of Mauritius has five Municipal Councils namely (i) Port Louis, (ii) Beau Bassin/Rose Hill, (iii) Quatre Bornes , (iv) Vacoas/Phoenix and (v) Curepipe. There are also four District Councils namely (i) Pamplemousses/Rivià ¨re du Rempart, (ii) Moka-Flacq, (iii) Grand Port-Savanne and (iv) Black River. Solid waste collection and disposal is undertaken by these local authorities in areas under their jurisdiction and is disposed of at the Mare Chicose landfill via a network of transfer stations situated in St Martin, Roche Bois, Poudre DOr and La Brasserie. Waste collection and disposal is also carried out by private companies on contract basis. The only landfill on the island is at Mare Chicose which is managed by a private contractor. With the increase in waste production the life span of the landfill is going on decreasing and soon there will be a n eed to increase the capacity of the landfill or to find another locality to set up a second landfill. The daily management of waste collection and disposal activities is carried out by officers of the Health Department of the Municipal Councils and the District Councils. 1.3 What is GIS? GIS is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, manipulating, analyzing and displaying data related to positions on the Earths surface. Typically, a Geographical Information System is used for handling maps of one kind or another. These might be represented as several different layers where each layer holds data about a particular kind of feature. Each feature is linked to a position on the graphical image on a map and a record in an attribute table. GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework. 1.4 Uses of GIS in Solid Waste Management Solid waste management comprises several phases, starting from the stage where the waste is generated till it reaches its final destination or at a stage where it is no more a threat to the environment. It is observed that solid waste management can be bifurcated into mainly two phases. One is the waste management in the area where it is generated and second is the management of waste at dumping grounds. (Moiz Ahmed Shaikh, 2006). The development of Geographic Information System (GIS) and its use throughout the world has contributed a lot in improving waste management systems. GIS helps to manipulate data in the computer to simulate alternatives and to take the most effective decisions. GIS can add value to waste management applications by providing outputs for decision support and analysis in a wide spectrum of projects such as route planning for waste collection, site selection exercises for transfer stations, landfills or waste collection points. GIS provides a flexible platform w hich integrates and analyses maps and waste management databases. GIS allows us to create and store as many layers of data or maps as we want and provides various possibilities to integrate tremendous amounts of data and map overlays into a single output to aid in decision making (Chang et al. 1997). The changing production and consumption patterns have caused a rise in the volume of solid waste putting considerable pressure on Governments in dealing with the increased waste generation. It implies that local authorities will require huge capital investments and operational strategies for collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste. Delimiting factors such as limited financial resources have made it imperative to replace existing ad hoc methods employed in solid waste management and planning (Vijay et al. 2008). Sarptas et al. (2005) studied the use GIS in solid waste management in coastal areas as a decision support system with a case study on landfill site selection. The results of the study are that GIS is becoming a powerful tool in SWM. However there are still some drawbacks and deficiencies in applying the method extensively. For example, it is not applied in solid waste generation studies because large fluctuations in solid waste generation by time and space and the dynamic nature of urban areas generate several difficulties in determining the current solid waste generation patterns. In the early period of GIS technology, from the 1980s to the early 1990s, GIS software was capable of executing only basic geographical operations. These capabilities of GIS software limited the user to only basic tasks such as exclusion and allowed them to determine only alternative landfill sites in landfill siting applications. Advances in information technology and increasing access to computer system s by decision makers have improved the usefulness of computer models and computer aided technologies in DSS in the last decade. One of the typical examples is the SWM systems. The GIS models do not only support the decision procedure but also facilitate the communication and mutual understanding between decision maker and the people, because the implications of a SWM closely affects the society. However, the basic limitations in the use of GIS in SWM is the data availability. Because, especially in developing countries the available data are very scarce and access to the data is very poor and tiring. In addition, the existing data are not reliable, not collected, stored and disseminated systematically. More comprehensive researches and more efforts on data gathering to fulfill the needs of GIS models are recommended. Since routing models make extensive use of spatial data, GIS can provide effective handling, displaying and manipulation of such geographical and spatial information. For example, Ghose et al. (2006) proposed a model for the system of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) collection that provides planning for distribution of collection bins, load balancing of vehicles and generation of optimal routing based on GIS. According to Reddy et al. (2007), traditional and static approaches are no longer adequate for analyzing network flows and conducting minimum cost routing. Reddy et al. attempted to develop a decision support system for generating an optimum route for solid waste disposal in Hyderabad City and hence to reduce the distance ran by the collection vehicle using GIS. GIS tool provides an effective decision support through its database management capabilities, graphical user interfaces and cartographic visualization. The system developed by Reddy et al. used the Network Analyst module available in Arcview, which is a path-finding program used to model the movement of resources between two points or more. Chatila (2008) developed a GIS system for natural resources management and recycling of solid waste in the village of Marjeyoun in Southern Lebanon. A GIS map was prepared to serve as a zone management plan along with an environmental assessment that identifies cumulative pressures and impacts of some human activities on the village and the environment. A recycling program was developed based on solid waste sampling and analysis of collection systems. In a study carried out by Bergeron et al. (2010), 3D visualization and GIS were used to produce a digital city model for the Star City, West Virginia to allow government officials and managers to manage assets and perform day-to-day operations, develop sustainable planning initiatives, and management of solid waste assets and facilities, planning for solid waste and recycling facilities and drop-offs, mapping and planning efficient waste hauler routes and identifying issues such a underserved populations and illegal dumping. However, building and using a GIS requires expert knowledge, and can often prevent such systems from being used to their full capability by local officials. In addition, local government is often comprised of mature citizens who are committed to serving their community but may be wary of new technologies that are unfamiliar to them. 1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this paper is to analyse the extent to which GIS is being used in waste management by the local authorities in Mauritius, to identify barriers to proper use of GIS in solid waste management and to assess to what extent GIS affects sustainable waste management as a decision support tool in planning waste collection, recycling, waste segregation and disposal in order to create cost-effective systems. Finally a model will be proposed for the Grand Port-Savanne District Council (GPSVDC) a local authority in Mauritius using ArcGIS software that could be used as a decision support tool in planning waste collection and disposal. The model produced will be used to store information regarding the existing collection routes, land use data, population data etc and data regarding the volume of waste produced. Based on these information decisions appropriate decisions can be taken to improve the existing solid waste management system and also predictions can be made for future plans. Hence, in short the aims of this project are mainly as follows: To identify to what extent GIS is being used in waste management in Mauritius. To identify barriers to proper use of GIS in waste management. To assess to what extent GIS affects sustainable waste management as a decision support tool in planning waste collection, recycling, waste segregation and disposal To carry out a case study for the Grand Port-Savanne District Council (GPSVDC) a local authority in Mauritius in order to produce a database for decision making. The paper will also carry out a literature study of some examples of GIS work for waste management. The study will include a discussion and a critical analysis of the models. The analysis of these studies will allow us to learn about the usefulness of GIS as a tool is solid waste waste management and these may be developed for Mauritius in the context of creating an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan. Further to literature review, a number of hypotheses have been designed and have been described briefly GIS and Social Development H1: There is a significant link between GIS and Social Development. H0: There is no significant link between GIS and Social Development. GIS and Economic Development H1: There is a significant link between GIS and Economic Development. H0: There is no significant link between GIS and Economic Development. GIS and Environmental Development H1: There is a significant link between GIS and Environmental Development. H0: There is no significant link between GIS and Environmental Development. To achieve these aims, a logical step has been carried out to complete this project. The structure of the research gives an idea of the issues covered in this project. 1.6 Methodology In order to analyse the general waste management situation in the local authorities (Municipalities and District Councils) in Mauritius, a scientific approach was implemented to gather primary information which comprises of different steps. These steps are as follows: Step 1: The target group was identified. 30 officers working in the Local Authorities were interviewed. Alongside, a questionnaire vide Appendix 1, was designed to retrieve information from the respondents. Step 2: The 30 officers were interviewed and the questionnaire was used as a guide to ensure proper flow of questions. However, much emphasis was put in open ended questions so as to get maximum information concerning their point of view relating to the present waste management system. Step 3: The data collected was analyzed using SPSS and Excel whereby results were shown on a first instance in terms of descriptive statistics being line charts, bar charts and in terms inferential statistics being correlation, cross tabulation. Step 4: A list of recommendations and suggestions are given regarding the use of GIS in solid waste management in Mauritius and how they it can help in sustainable waste management. As well as, what can be done to mitigate the barriers that prevent the proper use of GIS. Chapter 2 GIS Model Analysis 2.1 Model 1 This is an overview and a discussion of the paper, A case study of fuel savings through optimisation of MSW transportation routes written by Gilberto Tavares, Zdena Zsigraiova, Viriato Semiao, Maria da Graà §a Carvalho published in 2008 in the Journal Management of Environmental Quality, Volume: 19 Issue: 4. At the end of the discussion there are critical views on this paper work. 2.1.1 Waste management background in Cape Verde This study has been carried out for Cape Verde where the demographic growth, tourism and other economic activities are putting enormous pressure on government. There is still evident lack of development plans, the existing waste management being rather poor and characterized by inefficient collection systems. (Gilbero Tavares, 2008) Besides, the negative impact of untreated waste on public health and on public concern, which focused the attention of engineers and scientists on the quest for waste management solutions viewing the prevention of undesired environmental effects, economy plays also an important role on this activity. In fact, collection and transportation of waste can absorb as much as 75 per cent of the municipalities MSWM budget that are usually the institutions responsible for such activities. (Gilbero Tavares, 2008) One of the heavy costs present in MSWM systems is the fuel price and its consumption is inevitably associated with undesired pollutants emissions. Therefore, the minimisation of fuel consumption to perform waste collection and transportation to its treatment or final disposal brings enormous savings and environmental benefits. 2.1.2 GIS approach The methodology used comprised of three phases. Phase 1 The model of the terrain and the road network A 3D model of the entire island of Santo Antao, Cape Verde was produced based on a digitised map provided in CAD files. The 3D model is generated as polylines based on contour lines that reflect the actual relief of the terrain. Using ArcGIS 3D Analyst, the 3D road network is then generated from both the 2D road network and the terrain model complying with the road gradients. This methodology makes possible the generation of road networks in the appropriate form allowing for the calculation of all inclinations of each road segment, which permits to determine the fuel consumption for both road directions (uphill and downhill). The 3D digital model and the road network obtained allows the large variability of the relief to be observed. Phase 2 Calculation of actual fuel consumption Fuel consumption during waste collection and transportation is influenced by the travelled distance and by the actual operation conditions of a given vehicle. These effects are incorporated in the model through the methodology established by Ntziachristos and Samaras (2000) in COPERT, which is a computer programme to calculate emissions from transport vehicles on road. (Gilbero Tavares, 2008) Besides considering specific vehicle parameters, the methodology also takes into account different driving conditions, namely the type of the driving situation, the vehicle load and the road gradient. The gradient of a road increases, when positive, or decreases, when negative, the resistance of a vehicle to traction. Therefore, and because of their large masses, the power employed during the driving is the decisive parameter for the fuel consumption. Once calculated, the fuel consumption value for each route arc is stored in the spatial data base to be used later during the route solver procedure that searches for the route with minimum fuel consumption. Phase 3 Optimisation of vehicle routing The efficiency of a management system that is able to solve problems related to vehicles circulation in road networks can be measured through its capacity to obtain optimised routes. For a system of MSW transportation, this consists of generating an optimal route for a given vehicle so that the value of the selected cost criterion is minimised. For the calculation of the optimal routing, the model used herein makes recourse to ESRIs programs ArcGIS, ArcInfo and Network Analyst extension, and it finds the minimum defined impedance path through a network. In order to compare solutions and clarify the potential of the present methodology, the routes are optimised regarding either the lowest fuel consumption or the shortest distance. Findings The findings of the study showed that the optimisation for the lowest fuel consumption yields 52 per cent savings in fuel, when compared to that for the shortest distance, even travelling a 34 percent longer distance, which shows the importance of considering simultaneously the relief of the territory and the lowest fuel consumption criterion when optimising vehicle routes. 2.1.3 Critical views With such a supporting decision tool savings in fuel are huge, the efficiency of management systems is improved and the environmental impact during daily operation is reduced. The GIS 3D route modelling takes into account the effects of both the road inclination and the vehicle load. The originality of the work lies in the chosen approach. To optimize vehicle routes the criterion of minimum fuel consumption rather than the commonly used shortest distance is used, since fuel consumption is the factor reflecting actual costs relative to MSW management. 2.2 Model 2 This is an overview and a discussion of the paper, A GIS Approach to Waste Management and Recycling in New York State. Written by Ghaly, Ashraf and published in 2009 in the journal Proceedings of the International Conference on Waste Technology Management, p1140-1150. At the end of the discussion there are critical views on this paper work. 2.2.1 Purpose of the study Solid waste and recycling programs requires management of large databases including collection data, transfer, processing, disposal, export, import, and future planning. The body of information involved in the decision making process is too challenging to effectively mange due to the many components it contains. A GIS approach takes advantage of the spatial nature of data presentation to illustrate the areas of strength in the system and to identify the areas in need for improvement. Such a system is not only useful to managers and state officials but it also is easier for the public to comprehend and appreciate. GIS also makes it easier to measure success and detect trends, which ultimately help improve the system to better manage collection, sorting, and recycling facilities. (Ghaly A., 2009) The existing recycling programs are put in place to reduce the use of virgin materials from forests, energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water pollution. These programs ultimate goal is to promote conservation and to encourage the members of the public to be active participants in this effort. This paper uses GIS to demonstrate, using maps, the current state of waste management and recycling efforts, future plans, and methods of measuring success across geographic boundaries. The paper concludes that a spatially-based management system offers advantages, which makes it superior to non-spatial systems. Data Collection This paper uses data published by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for all the counties in the state to study the efficiency of the existing recycling programs and to find ways to optimize the use of landfills. This analysis is done for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), industrial waste, demolition and construction debris, and for waste exported out of the state to neighboring North East states. For better management of solid waste in the state of New York, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) maintains a comprehensive database on waste composition, pattern of waste generation, and methods of disposal. The success of this operation depends on the quality and accuracy of data collected. This data helps in the decision making process regarding the transfer and processing of solid waste, disposal, import/export, recycling, and in making plans for the future. To contribute to these efforts, the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) developed an Environmental Benefits Calculator which generates estimates of the environmental benefits based on the tonnages of recycled materials. Environmental benefits metrics involves quantifying the reduction in use of virgin materials from forests, oil supplies, and mines; reduction in energy consumption; reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions; and the reduction of water pollution, and conservation of natural resources. These are all goals that DEC is interested in increasing awareness for. Waste management and recycling are impacted by economic and political factors. These factors add a layer of complexity to the data collection process. Some of the concerns related to these issues are solid waste migration of recyclables across geographic boundaries, which involve dealing with regulations of various agencies and governments. In addition, the diversity and variety of recyclable materials add to the difficulty of compliance with required transportation methods across boundary lines. Four Phase Plan The DEC developed ambitious plans for data collection and analysis. This plan is made of four phases: Phase 1: Fill in data gaps by enforcing reporting requirements; researching recyclables data available from transfer or disposal facilities; and seeking voluntary data from non-regulated recyclers. Phase 2: Validate/improve data by using metrics to compare data from Planning Units and facilities; auditing a sampling of annual reports; include data source checks at facility inspections; and investing in electronic reporting mechanisms. Phase 3: Develop State policies to improve recycling by updating regulations to foster increased recycling; using permit conditions to promote best practices; involving State agencies/facilities; and incorporating these ideas into the State SWM Plan. Phase 4: Work with Planning Units to grow recycling by establishing more recycling metrics; reestablishing State promotion of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle); targeting higher recovery for paper and organics; and targeting outreach toward specific sectors such as government agencies, schools, and food service. Role of GIS in NYS Plan Data is the heart and soul of waste management analysis and future planning. In complying with their reporting requirements, the enormous number of facilities involved in waste management and recycling in NYS delivers tremendous amount of data. With its spatial nature as shown in the above maps, GIS can add a visual dimension to data that is otherwise too complex to comprehend. With more emphasis placed on enhancing reporting to comply with regulations, the bulk of the collected data is expected to increase and become more elaborate. It is believed that GIS with its excellent spatial techniques can help in the analysis phase and in the decision making process as well. Critical views A spatially-based geographic information system (GIS) for data management and analysis seems to be more capable of handling enormous amount of data similar to the volume collected by New York States Department of Environmental Conservation on solid waste and recycling activities in the state. With the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) aiming at improving reporting and analysis for better management, GIS can offer the tool necessary to accomplish these tasks with efficiency and ease. Based on this model, GIS can be used to collect data in respect of the type and volume of recyclable materials around the island of Mauritius. We can thus better plan the collection of recyclable wastes. 2.3 Model 3 This is an overview and a discussion of the paper, GIS Application in Coordinating Solid Waste Collection: The Case of Sinza Neighbourhood in Kinondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. Written by Alphonce Kyessi and Victoria Mwakalinga and published in 2009 in the journal FIG Working Week 2009. At the end of the discussion there are critical views on this paper work. In this paper Alphonce Kyessi used GIS in ROUTING EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS FOR SOLID WASTE COLLECTION IN SINZA A NEIGHBOURHOOD IN DAR ES SALAAM. 6.1 Location Sinza A is one of five residential neighbourhoods of Sinza ward in Kinondoni Municipality in Dar es Salaam. Accommodation about 5,000 people, the neighbourhood is located about 12 kilometres from the Dar es Salaam city centre. The Kinondoni Municipal Council had contracted private companies and civil societies organisations in the collection of solid waste in residential neighbourhoods. Kimangele Company Limited is one of those private contractors. The routing system for Kimangele Company was studied in detail to assess the solid waste collection efficiency as shown in Figure 5 and 6. Figure 5: Location of Sinza A area for Kimangele Contractor Source: Mwakalinga, 2005 Kimangele plies from house to house to establish a solid waste collection system known as bring system in Sinza A. The bring system is done in big catchment areas i.e. above 50 metres in radius. Waste generation and collection Sinza A consisted of 876 households (Mwakalinga, 2005). Generally the area generates about 14.5 tonnes of waste per day. The waste composes of plastics, tins, organic food waste, packaging materials, clothes, metals and bottles. Out of the waste generated, the contractor collects 8.4 tonnes from households. The rest About 5.1 tonnes (47.7%) of waste are collected by informal collectors (using wooden carts) to designated collection centres. The rest (about 1 tonne) is haphazardly dumped in rivers, on roads sides, burnt or buried. About 160 households are not members of house to house collection service; they prefer using the informal collectors instead of the contractors trucks. When interviewed, these households complained of ineffective collection system by the Contractor. One of the given reasons was that the truck was not following the rout as agreed. Others households said the collection charge of TShs. 2000/= per household was too high. They were ready to pay only TShs. 500/= per house regardless the number households in the house. Figure 6: Collection Systems as applied by Kimangele Company in Sinza A Source: Mwakalinga, 2005 When the Contractor was interviewed in 2005, he replied that, out of 716 households he was serving only 70% paid the refuse collection charges (Mwakalinga, 2005). According to Figure 8 below, there are some areas where the truck drives twice creating overlaps. Normally, a truck stands at a pick-up point, about 50 meters from the other. In other circumstances, the distance is more than 50 metres, and as a result more waiting time by the truck is needed indicating that the whole system of waste collection was foiled. Work Organisation The collection frequency by Kimangele was done twice a week i.e. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The service starts at 6.30 am to 5.30pm. The truck was making two trips on each day due to the amount of waste generated and the ability of the truck to carry the waste. The route for the first trip starts at Superstar area and ends at Kivulini through Sam Nujoma road to Mtoni kwa Kabuma dump site, about 30 kilometres away (see Figure 7). The route for the second trip passes through Morogoro road via Shekilango road; the first point in this trip is Super Star Street ending at cafà © Latino Street. Thereafter the route enters Sam Nujoma road to the main dump site, Mtoni kwa Kabuma. Figure 7: Existing Route for Kimangele Company in Sinza A Neighbourhood 6.4

Effect Of Boiling On The Vitamin C Biology Essay

Effect Of Boiling On The Vitamin C Biology Essay Abstract This experiment was designed to investigate the effect of boiling on the vitamin C content of selected vegetables (bitter gourd, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green pepper, sweet peas, long beans and tomato). Vegetables were boiled for 10 minutes. The juices of both raw and boiled vegetables were extracted and titrated with 1 cm3 of 0.1% DCPIP solution. The volume of each juice needed to decolourise the DCPIP solution was measured and the vitamin C content was determined. The same procedure was repeated with other types of vegetables. The statistical t-test (paired sample) showed that the vitamin C content of raw vegetables is significantly higher than that of boiled vegetables. The results support the hypothesis; boiling reduces the vitamin C content of vegetables. Cumulative word count: 135 Research and Rationale Vitamin C is needed for growth, the healings of wounds, and the repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones and teeth. It is essential in the formation of collagen, a structural protein needed in the synthesis of skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels.  [1]  The antioxidant activity of vitamin C reduces the damage caused by free radicals, which contribute to aging, cancer, heart disease and inflammatory conditions.  [2]  Vitamin C improves resistance to infection and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by raising the level of blood high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol.  [3]  4 The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is approximately 90mg for men and 75mg for women.2 Vitamin C must be consumed through our diet because it is not stored in our body. Since it is water soluble, excessive amounts of vitamin C are excreted via urine.1 Deficiency in vitamin C can lead to scurvy.  [5]  Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits and fresh vegetables.  [6]   Cumulative word count: 337 The main biologically active form of vitamin C is ascorbic acid. In this experiment, the presence of ascorbic acid is indicated by a redox dye, DCPIP (2,6-dichloroindophenol).  [7]  DCPIP reacts with ascorbic acid in a 1:1 ratio. Ascorbic acid, being a reducing agent, reduces the DCPIP, while ascorbic acid itself is oxidised to dehydroascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid Dehydroascorbic acid DCPIP (blue) Reduced DCPIP (Colourless) Figure 1: The oxidation of ascorbic acid and reduction of DCPIP  [8]   The end-point of this DCPIP titration is when the blue colour of DCPIP disappears, forming a colourless solution which persists for 10 seconds or more.8 This method is chosen because DCPIP is less toxic. It is assumed that the vegetable tissue component which reduces the DCPIP rapidly is vitamin C. Cumulative word count: 495 Traditionally, vegetables are cooked to destroy germs, to soften the food so that it can be easily digested, to make them look attractive and to enhance the taste.  [9]  1011However, the stability of vitamin C is affected by exposure to air or light, presence of metals or heat and alkalinity. Marzena et al (2007) reported that boiling caused a reduction in vitamin C content (3.68 mg/100g in potatoes and 2.38mg/100g in carrots)  [12]  . This experiment was aimed to compare the vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables, thus determining the best method of consuming them so that the intake of vitamin C is maximised. Vegetables selected are those which are eaten raw or after being boiled by Malaysians. Vegetables such as broccoli and green pepper were selected because of their high vitamin C content so that the loss of vitamin C during boiling is more significant. Furthermore, the vitamin C content of cooking water of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and tomato were also determined to identify whether the vitamin C content was lost due to heat from boiling or leaching into the cooking water. These vegetables were chosen because they are the typical ingredients to make vegetable soup. Some people rarely eat raw vegetables.  [13]  14The results from this experiment can be used as evidence that eating fresh, raw vegetables are healthier as they contain more nutritional values. Consuming boiled vegetables may result in a lower intake of vitamin C because the water used for boiling is usually discarded. Thus, it may also be advisable to use the cooking water as a soup base to prevent wastage of vitamin C. Cumulative word count: 855 Experimental Hypothesis The vitamin C content of the raw vegetables is significantly higher than that of boiled vegetables. Null Hypothesis There is no significant difference between the vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables. Variables Manipulated: State of vegetables (raw, boiled) Responding: Volume of vegetable juice needed to decolourise 1cm3 DCPIP solution Fixed: Type and concentration of vegetable juice, length of exposure to air after blending the juice, volume of 0.1% DCPIP solution, standard vitamin C solution, boiling time and amount of water used for boiling. Apparatus Test tubes, test tube rack, 500ml volumetric flask, pipette (to measure accurately to 1cm3), burette, pestle and mortar, measuring balance, glass rod, 200ml beaker, blender, a stainless steel pot and stove. Materials 0.1% DCPIP solution, vitamin C tablet, distilled water, muslin cloth and eight different types of vegetables listed in Table 5. Cumulative word count: 995 Planning A trial experiment was conducted using cabbage to determine the most suitable method of manipulating the variable. The vitamin C was extracted by blending 100g cabbage in 100ml distilled water using a commercial blender. The juice extracted was then boiled for 10 minutes. Another 100g of cabbage was boiled in 100ml cooking water for the same period of time. The boiled cabbage was blended to extract its juice. The control experiment was carried out using raw cabbage juice. Cabbage Volume of cabbage juice needed to decolourise 1 cm3 DCPIP solution (ml) Raw 9.70 Blended, then boiled 11.30 Boiled, then blended 15.75 Table 1: Results for the different methods used to determine the volume of juice needed The results show that boiling the cabbage before blending it had the most significant effect on the vitamin C content. Besides, this is the conventional way of cooking. Thus, the method of boiling before blending was used. The ratio of cabbage to cooking water to be used was identified. 100g of cabbage was added to either 100ml (1:1 ratio) or 200ml (1:2 ratios) distilled water and boiled. Cabbage Cabbage to cooking water ratio Volume of juice needed (ml) Raw 9.70 Boiled 1:1 1:2 13.65 15.85 Table 2: The volume of cabbage juice needed with respect to different cabbage to cooking water ratio Based on table 2, when a ratio of 1:1 was used, the difference in volume of juice was small. Thus, the cabbage to water ratio was changed to 1:2 so that the effect was more significant. Cumulative word count: 1251 The most suitable concentration of DCPIP solution to be used was determined. 0.1g of DCPIP was dissolved in either 100ml or 10ml distilled water. Volume of distilled water (ml) Concentration of DCPIP solution (%) Volume of cabbage juice needed (ml) Raw Boiled 100 0.1 9.7 15.7 10 1.0 34.6 54.0 Table 3: The volume of cabbage juices needed to decolourise 1 cm3 DCPIP solution with respect to different concentration of DCPIP solution DCPIP solution of concentration 0.1% was used because a smaller volume of cabbage juice is needed to decolourise the DCPIP solution. This makes the procedure easier and shortens the experimental time. Cumulative word count: 1354 Real Experimental Procedures I Preparing standard vitamin C solution A vitamin C tablet was crushed into fine powder with a pestle and mortar. 62.5mg of the vitamin C powder was weighed using a measuring balance. The powder was dissolved in a 200ml beaker by adding 10ml portions of distilled water. The solution was stirred using a glass rod. The solution was transferred into a 500ml volumetric flask. The beaker and glass rod were rinsed with successive portions of distilled water and the washings was transferred into the flask. The solution was made up to mark using a dropper. The solution is now exactly 0.125 mg of ascorbic acid per cm3 of solution. Steps 2 to 4 were repeated to prepare different concentrations of vitamin C solution listed in Table 4 using different amounts of vitamin C powder. II Preparing standard curve of vitamin C 1cm3 of 0.1% DCPIP solution was pipette into a test tube. A burette was filled with 0.125 mg cm-3 vitamin C solution. The vitamin C solution was added drop by drop into the test tube containing DCPIP solution until the blue DCPIP decolourises. The tube was shaken gently after each drop. The volume of vitamin C solution needed was measured. The procedure was repeated twice to get an average titre. Steps 1 to 4 were repeated using vitamin C solution of concentrations listed in Table 4. A standard vitamin C curve (Graph 1) was plotted based on the result. Cumulative word count: 1608 III Identifying the vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables The non-edible parts of a bitter gourd were removed. 100g of bitter gourd was blended in 100ml distilled water using a commercial blender and was filtered using a muslin cloth. The volume of the freshly extracted vegetable juice needed to decolourise the DCPIP solution was determined using steps 1 to 4 in Experiment II. 100g of bitter guard was boiled for 10 minutes in 200ml boiling water using a 5-inch-deep stainless steel pot. After 10 minutes, the boiled bitter gourd was immediately removed from the cooking water and cooled by immersing in an ice-cold water bath for 5 minutes. Steps 2 and 3 were repeated using the boiled vegetables. This experiment was repeated with the other vegetables listed in Table 5. The vitamin C content of all vegetables was calculated using the standard vitamin C curve. The data of volume needed and vitamin C content were tabulated. A graph of vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables was plotted. A t-test was used to statistically analyse the data. IV Identifying how vitamin C is loss The cooking water of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and tomato was collected. 200ml distilled water was added to the cooking water. It was cooled by immersing in an ice-cold water bath for 5 minutes. Steps 1 to 4 in Experiment II and steps 8 and 9 in Experiment III were repeated using the cooking water. The difference between vitamin C content of vegetables before and after boiling (inclusive of its cooking water) was calculated. A graph of vitamin C content of cooking water was plotted. Cumulative word count: 1895 Safety Precautions Heat resistant gloves were worn when dealing with boiled vegetables. Laboratory coat and goggles were worn to prevent the DCPIP solution and vitamin C solution or vegetable juices from staining the clothes or skin, or getting into the eyes. All glasswares such as test tubes, pipette and beakers were handled with extra care since the apparatus could break easily and cause injury. When using the burette, care must be taken to ensure that no air bubbles were trapped at the jet which may affect the accuracy of the titre. Cumulative word count: 1990 Results I Preparing standard vitamin C solution Mass of vitamin C powder (mg) Concentration of Vitamin C solution (mg cm-3) Volume of vitamin C solution (ml) 1 2 3 Average 62.5 0.125 10.30 10.20 10.20 10.20 125.0 0.250 5.20 5.20 5.15 5.20 187.5 0.375 4.00 4.05 4.00 4.00 250.0 0.500 2.90 3.00 3.00 3.00 312.5 0.625 1.80 1.80 1.80 1.80 375.0 0.750 1.40 1.35 1.50 1.40 Table 4: The mass of vitamin C powder needed for serial dilution and the volume of vitamin C solution needed to decolourise 1 cm3 DCPIP solution Cumulative word count: 2082 II Standard Vitamin C curve Cumulative word count: 2133Graph 1: Graph of volume of vitamin C solution needed to decolourise 1 cm3 of 0.1% DCPIP solution against concentration of Vitamin C III Calculating the vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables From graph 1, vitamin C solution is needed to decolourise 1 cm3 0.1% DCPIP solution. Using the formula: where v = Volume of vitamin C solution needed to decolourise the DCPIP solution c = concentration of vitamin C solution k = constant It can be derived that: Thus, the vitamin C content of vegetables, c can be calculated by: Cumulative word count: 2219 Types of vegetables Volume needed to decolourise 1cm3 0.1% DCPIP solution (ml) Raw vegetables Boiled Vegetables 1 2 3 Average 1 2 3 Average Bitter gourd 2.40 2.55 2.45 2.50 4.20 4.05 4.10 4.10 Broccoli 4.25 4.20 4.15 4.20 6.20 6.15 6.20 6.20 Cabbage 9.70 9.55 9.60 9.60 15.60 15.80 15.75 15.70 Cauliflower 2.85 2.85 2.65 2.80 3.65 3.65 3.75 3.70 Green pepper 1.20 1.05 1.30 1.20 3.50 3.40 3.60 3.50 Sweet peas 4.25 4.40 4.25 4.30 9.00 9.00 8.80 8.90 Long beans 13.00 13.00 12.90 13.00 21.00 21.20 20.90 21.00 Tomato 0.55 0.70 0.60 0.60 1.85 2.00 1.90 1.90 Table 5: Volume of juices needed for different types of raw and boiled vegetables Types of vegetables Vitamin C content (mg cm-3) Raw vegetables Boiled Vegetables Bitter gourd Broccoli Cabbage Cauliflower Green pepper Sweet peas Long beans Tomato Cumulative word count: 2387Table 6: Vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables Cumulative word count: 2430Figure 2: Bar chart of vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables IV Identifying how vitamin C is loss Cooking water Volume needed to decolourise 1cm3 0.1% DCPIP solution (ml) Vitamin C content (mg cm-3) 1 2 3 Average Broccoli 13.20 13.00 13.15 13.10 Cabbage 15.20 15.20 15.00 15.10 Cauliflower 15.70 15.85 15.80 15.80 Tomato 9.45 9.50 9.50 9.50 Table 7: The vitamin C content of cooking water Types of Vegetables Vitamin C content (mg cm-3) Before boiling After boiling Difference = Before After (Raw Total) Raw Boiled Cooking water Total (Boiled + Cooking water) Broccoli 0.4277 -0.0009 Cabbage 0.2335 0.0460 Cauliflower 0.6004 -0.0425 Tomato 1.1369 -1.8631 Cumulative word count: 2553Table 8: Difference in total vitamin C content before and after boiling Cumulative word count: 2598Figure 3: Bar chart of vitamin C content of cooking water Statistical Analysis The paired sample t-test was used to analyse the data. Types of vegetables Vitamin C content (mg cm-3) Difference, d = Raw Boiled Raw Boiled Bitter gourd 0.7200 0.4390 0.2810 Broccoli 0.4286 0.2903 0.1383 Cabbage 0.1875 0.1146 0.0729 Cauliflower 0.6429 0.4865 0.1564 Green pepper 1.5000 0.5143 0.9857 Sweet peas 0.4186 0.2022 0.2164 Long beans 0.1385 0.0857 0.0528 Tomato 3.0000 0.9474 2.0526 Table 7: Difference in vitamin C content of raw and boiled vegetables Cumulative word count: 2735The calculated t-value (2.005) shows it is significant whereby it exceeds the tabulated t-value, which is 1.895 (p Data Analysis The vitamin C content of raw vegetables is on average 0.4945 mg cm-3 higher than that of boiled vegetables. The percentage loss of vitamin C during boiling is 56.22%. Error bars displayed on Figure 2 represent the overall distribution of the data. Upper error bar for boiled vegetables does not overlap the range of value within error bar of raw vegetables. Thus, these two vitamin C content values differ significantly. Figure 2 shows that raw vegetables have higher vitamin C content than boiled vegetables, suggesting that it is best to eat raw vegetables rather than those boiled. Nevertheless, if vegetables were to be boiled, it is advisable to serve the vegetables with the cooking water since vitamin C is found in the cooking water after boiling (Figure 3). Cumulative word count: 2865 Boiling breaks down the cell wall of vegetables, causing their permeability to increase. Vitamin C, being water-soluble, leaches into the cooking water. This agrees with the data in Table 7 as vitamin C is found in the cooking water after boiling. The vitamin C is lost as the cooking water is discarded.  [15]   The reduction in vitamin C content of vegetables (including their cooking water) after boiling as shown in Table 8 agrees with the suggestion that vitamin C is lost due to thermal degradation.  [16]  17The high temperature of boiling water increases the rate of oxidation of L-ascorbic acid to L-dehydroascorbic acid. L-dehydroascorbic acid, being unstable, tends to undergo hydrolysis to form diketogulonic acid, a physiologically inactive compound. This suggests that heat produced during boiling can cause vitamin loss. Figure 4: The destruction of vitamin C  [18]   Burg Fraile (1995) reported that vitamin C can also be destroyed by enzymatic destruction and enzyme thermal deactivation reactions during home cooking.  [19]  20 Cumulative word count: 3123 However, the results differ for cabbage. Unlike the other three vegetables, the total vitamin C content of cabbage after boiling is 0.0460 mg cm-3 higher than that of raw cabbage. This may be due to the more complete extraction of juice as the cabbage tissue is softer after boiling. The results of my investigation are supported by a previous investigation by Podsedek A. et al (2007) on two varieties of red cabbage Koda and Kissendrup. The vitamin C content of vegetables decreased after boiling.  [21]   Cooking method Cooking time (min) Vegetable: water (g/ml) Koda Kissendrup Vitamin C content (mg/100g) Raw cabbage 72.56 62.00 In boiling water 20 1:2 23.74 26.77 20 1:1 33.61 38.36 10 1:1 31.74 38.72 Table 8: The effect of boiling on the vitamin C content of red cabbage Moreover, Carol Reiss (1993) reported an average of 21.75mg/100g ascorbic acid in the cooking water after boiling a cabbage. This agrees with my results that vitamin C is present in the cooking water after boiling.  [22]   Cumulative word count: 3360 Evaluation The tube was shaken gently and consistently during each experiment after each drop of vitamin C solution to allow rapid diffusion of vitamin C throughout the DCPIP solution. Shaking the tube too vigorously may cause oxygen from air to dissolve and oxidise the reduced DCPIP solution, restoring the blue colour. Then, an increased volume of vegetable juice may be needed. All vegetable juices, as well as those boiled, should be titrated with the DCPIP solution once they have been extracted because vitamin C is easily destroyed by the atmospheric oxygen via oxidation. The DCPIP solution must be freshly prepared on the day of experiment. The DCPIP solution was filtered to avoid any impurities suspending at the bottom of test tube. Similarly, the vegetable juice was filtered to remove the vegetable pulp which may clog the burette tap. The non-edible parts and damaged leaf or stem of the vegetable samples were removed. Vegetables were cut into small cubes of about the same size so that the surface area exposed to the cooking water is constant. They were added into the pot only after the water starts boiling to keep the boiling temperature and duration constant. A stainless steel pot was used as ordinary pots may have transition metals which may oxidise the ascorbic acid. Before starting the experiment, a rough titration was run to determine the exact colour change at the end point. For cauliflower, the colour may change from blue to pale yellow, which is the colour of the cauliflower juice. [Appendix] To minimise inaccuracy, the procedure was repeated to get an average titre. Eight types of vegetables were sampled to obtain enough replicates to support the hypothesis. A burette and pipette were used because of their high accuracy. Burette readings are accurate to 0.05cm3. Since two readings are taken, there is a combined error of  ± 0.1cm3. If the titre is 20.00cm3, the possible error due to apparatus is 0.5%. Cumulative word count: 3682 Limitations in this experiment include the ripeness, place of origin, storage and handling conditions of the vegetables.  [23]  The season of year and time of day from which the vegetables were picked were uncontrollable. They were bought from a hypermarket and were chosen based on their appearance such as colour and degree of damage. Modifications include repeating the experiment using other types of vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Boiling may have different effects on different varieties of vegetables as their nutritional contents vary. Using only eight types of vegetables may give a wrong representation on the effect of boiling on the vitamin C content of all vegetables. The experiment can also be modified to investigate the effect of other cooking methods like deep-frying, steaming and microwave cooking on the vitamin C content of vegetables thus determining the best cooking method which results in minimal vitamin C loss. To ensure complete extraction of ascorbic acid, the vegetables can be blended with 5% metaphosphoric acid. This acid inactivates the enzyme ascorbic acid oxidase (an enzyme present in many plant tissue) which catalyses the oxidation of ascorbic acid when the cell components of a vegetable is mixed during blending.  [24]  25 Conclusion Boiling significantly reduces the vitamin C content of vegetables (by 56.22%). The vitamin C content of raw vegetable is significantly higher than that of boiled vegetable. Cumulative word count: 3947 Source Evaluation Source 4 is a published book with ten contributors. Hence, the information provided is reliable and factual unless it has become out-dated since it was published in 1993. Source 5 (The Star) is Malaysias most widely-read English-language daily. One of its pullouts, Fit for Life, provides up-to-date articles on diet and nutrition. Therefore, the information can be trusted. ScienceDirect (Source 10) offers more than 2,500 peer-reviewed journals and more than nine million full-text articles. EBSCO (Source 11) provides online information databases and has a renewal rate of 99.6%. Thus, these online-journal sources are trustable. Source 12 is a website produced by the National Library of Medicine, a part of the National Institutes of Health. It shares extensive information on over 800 diseases and health conditions, and is reviewed at least every 6 months. Thus, it should be reliable. Cumulative word count: 4087 Appendix Figure 2: The colour change at end point for cauliflower Cumulative word count: 4098

Economics, Scarcity, and Choice :: Economics

Economics, Scarcity, and Choice Economics: is the study of choice under conditions of scarcity Scarcity: a situation in which the amount of something available is insufficient to satisfy the desire for it. - time and purchasing power are scarce As individual’s, we face a scarcity of time and spending power. Given more of either, we could have more of the goods and services that we desire. Resources: the land, labor, and capital that are used to produce goods and services - scarce labor – the time human beings spend producing goods and services capital – long lasting tools used in producing goods and services physical capital: buildings, machinery, equipment human capital: skills and training workers possess land – the physical space on which production occurs, and the natural resources that come with it As a society, our resources, land, labor, and capital, are insufficient to produce all the goods and services we might desire. In other words, society faces a scarcity of resources. Raw material – not long lasting tool Ex. Chalk What to produce? How much to produce? How to produce it? The World of Economics Microeconomics: the study of the behavior of individual households, firms, and governments; the Choices they make; and their interaction in specific markets What happens to the cost of movie tickets over the next five years? How many jobs will open up in the fast-food industry? Macroeconomics: the study of the economy as a whole Lumps all goods and services together and looks at the economy’s total output. Positive economics: the study of what is, of how the economy works (deals with the facts) Ex. If we lower income tax rates in the U.S. next year, will the economy grow faster? If so, by how much? What effect will it have on total employment? Normative economics: the study of what should be; it is used to make value judgments, identify Problems, and prescribe solutions. Normative analysis is based on positive analysis. Why Study Economics 1. To understand the world better - understand global and cataclysmic events such as wars, famines, epidemics - understand local problems; ex. Worsening traffic conditions in the city - tell us how many skilled therapists, ministers are available to help us 2. To gain self-confidence - when you master economics, you gain a sense of mastery over the world, and thus over your own life 3. To achieve social change - make the world a better place

Jungle Book :: essays research papers

Part 1: Identifying 1.) Protagonists- In a story or movie the Protagonist(s) is/are the main character(s). In the story A separate Peace the protagonist is Phineas(Finny). 2.) Antagonists- In a story or movie the Antagonist(s) is/are the character or force in conflict with a main character, or Protagonist(s). In the story A Separate Peace the Antagonist is Gene. 3.) Setting- In a story or movie the Setting is the time & place of the action. In the story A Separate Peace the setting is at the Devon School. 4.) Mood- In a story or movie the Mood is the feeling created n the passage. In the story A Separate Peace the mood is sad because jealousy ruined Gene & Finny’s friendship. 5.) Conflicts- In a story or movie the Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. There are two types of Conflicts: Internal & External. An Internal Conflict involves a character in conflict with himself or herself. In the story A Separate Peace the Internal Conflict is Gene vs. himself. In an external conflict, the main character struggles against an outside force. In the story A Separate Peace the External Conflict Gene vs. Finny. 6.) Suspense- In a story or movie the Suspense is the feeling of curiosity or uncertainty about the outcome of events. In the story A Separate Peace the Suspense is when Gene shakes the tree limb & Finny falls & shatters the bone in his leg. Part 2: Elements of plot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1.) Exposition- In a story or movie the exposition is the background information, which sets the scene for the conflict. In the story A Separate Peace the exposition is the following: At the beginning of the story Gene has been out of school for fifteen years & has decided to come back & visit. While visiting he saw the tree that Finny & he had jumped from into the Devon so many years a go, which brought back a lot of memories. He then remembers the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session. That was the club that Finny came up with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be in the club you had to jump off a high tree limb & into the Devon. Since Finny was a daredevil, he decided to go first. Gene was an intellectual & was afraid to jump, but he jumped anyway. They were then late for supper, which had been noted by Mr. Prud’homme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next morning Mr.

Marketing Efforts Paper

Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Atlanta – Marketing Efforts Paper Tolejala Keel PA 572 Managing Nonprofit Development Programs Keller Graduate School Professor Ian Coyle Table of Contents I. Introduction 3 II. Historical Background 3,4 III. Mission Statement4 IV. Marketing Methods- Organization Centered4,5 V. Marketing Methods- Customer Centered5,6 VI. Recommendations6 VII. References7 Big Brothers Big Sisters I. Introduction The greater metro Atlanta organization is one of the most successful and diverse chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters.Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) helps at-risk children beat the odds. Big Brothers Big Sisters is the world? s largest mentoring program helping over 270,000 children around the world reach their potential through professionally supported one-to-one relationships. They nurture children, help them realize their potential and build their futures. In doing so they also strengthen communities. Each time Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs a child wi th a role model, one-to-one relationships are built on trust and friendship. These friendships often develop into a future of unlimited potential.II. Historical Background In 1904 Ernest Kent Coulter, a young New York City court clerk named noticed the increased of young boys introduced to the court system. He knew something needed to be done to help these kids and set out to find willing and caring adults volunteers that could help these boys stay out of trouble. That marked the beginning of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City and the Big Brothers movement. At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court.That group would later become Catholic Big Sisters. Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta ( BBBS) has been serving the Metro Atlanta area for nearly fifty years. Our goal is to enrich children’s lives and provide a solid foundation to allow the next generation to be all they can be—one child at a time. III. Mission StatementThe mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Vision: all children achieve success in life. Accountability: by partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are accountable for each child in our program achieving: * Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships * Avoidance of risky behaviors * Educational success IV. Marketing Methods- Organization CenteredBig Brothers Big Sisters plan involves the development of a more robust, sustainable resource engine focused on our mission and vision, led by strong board and executive leadership, and strengthened by investments in our fund development systems Below are some of their marketing programs that are organization-centered: A. School-Based Mentoring program is built on partnerships between Metro Atlanta corporations and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBS) with the goal of creating mentoring friendships between corporate volunteers and elementary or middle school within close proximity of the corporate site.The corporations sponsor such programs as job shadowing and career day activities on site. The School-Based program includes partnerships with local colleges in addition to those with local corporations. B. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta is a well established, recognized and respected charity, and has been changing the lives of disadvantaged children for over 100 years. With the support of their valued partners, they can provide and expand many programs, activities and services.They offer many attractive partnership opportunities, from cau se marketing campaigns, Workplace Mentoring, and event sponsorships. These partnerships helps businesses achieve their own business objectives while empowering (BBBS) to strengthen the resiliency of the children, heightening their self-esteem, improving their school performance, enhancing their social and family relationships, and helping them avoid trouble with the law. V. Marketing Methods- Customer Centered When people think of mentoring programs, they think of Big Brothers Big Sisters.As an established youth organization, we’ve worked for more than 100 years to develop youth mentoring programs that work. Our experienced approach to recruiting, screening, matching, and supporting our mentoring relationships has resulted in thousands of lasting relationships and helped change the lives of young people across the country. Below are some of their marketing programs that are customer-centered: A. Mentoring Towards College (MTC) is a comprehensive curriculum with a dual mission : to support academic success in each grade level AND to ensure on-time graduation and college matriculation.In this program, the Mentor uses the MTC curriculum to provide direction and guidance while the child is actually responsible for completing the objectives which include workshops, discussions and programs. All MTC activities work toward the goal of academic success in high school and college preparation. B. The Star Program allows the mentors and children matches to experience theatre first-hand, and explore their imaginations as well as the world around them.Through special after-school performances, matches experience the Atlanta’s many unique and artistic performances and exhibits geared towards complementing student development. VI. Recommendations Research has shown that most non-profit organizations have an â€Å"organization-centered† mindset. However moving from an â€Å"organization-centered† to a â€Å"customer-centered† approach to mark eting will provide a better opportunity for non-profit organizations to increase their competitive advantage and aid in meeting the terms organizational mission.There are two ways in which Big Brothers Big Sisters can become more customer-centered in their marketing efforts: A. Big Brothers Big Sisters can capitalize on Atlanta’s reputation as a very cultural city and professional sports teams. Most Valuable Kids (MVK) will provide (BBBS) children with ticket donations to attend cultural events, professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events. Live entertainment provides a positive source of inspiration for children in a world where there are many negative alternatives. B.Hispanic Mentoring Program- According to the U. S. Census Bureau. Latinos make up about 14 percent of the nation’s population and more than one-third of all Hispanics in the United States are under age 18. Over one-quarter of Hispanic children under 18 in the U. S. live in poverty. The His panic Mentoring Program continues the Big Brothers Big Sisters tradition of outreach to at-risk youth by emphasizing the connection with Hispanic communities and the recruitment of Latino volunteers. References Andreasen, Alan R. , and Philip Kotler.Strategic Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. â€Å"Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Sept. 2012. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"The Big Move! † Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Start Something for a Child Today-Big Brothers Big Sisters. † . N. p. , n. d. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. .