America Online Inc Case Study Essay

3. Was AOL’s policy to capitalize subscriber acquisition costs justified prior to 1995? Ans: AOL’s accounting policy was labeled aggressive and capitalized its subscriber acquisition costs when its archrival CompuServe didn’t. AOL’s biggest expenditure was the cost of attracting new subscribers and maximizing shareholders’ value: 1. Separate registration numbers and passwords were issued to customers. They cost more than $40 per new subscriber in 1994. 2. AOL aggressively marketed its online service both directly and indirectly. 3. To retain new subscribers and increase customer loyalty & satisfaction, AO The noteable accounting procedures followed by AOL were as follows: :a. AOL’s amortization period for subscriber acquisition costs was about 15 months, such aggressive accounting was attributed to the bundling & direct mail marketing practices b. During September 1995, the company modified the components of subscriber acquisition costs as incurred Analysis a. It is not advisable for AOL to capitalize the marketing costs because in 1990s Web was being established. This would definitely impact the sales. Instead of amortizing the Acquisition Costs for 15 months, if we treat it as single lumpsum cost, the Income statement shows a loss for the period. Capitalizing the expenditure for 2 years contained an implicit assumption for the coming two years. This was unlikely with the online industry as it had acquired most of its customers in the last 36 months, If AOL were to write off all capitalized subscriber acquisition costs the effect on the 1995 balance would be a $77,229,000 reduction in other assets and stockholders’ equity. If all the subscriber acquisition costs incurred in fiscal year 1995 were expensed in 1995, the effect on the income statement would be an increase in marketing expense of $50,837,000 and an increase in net loss of $50,837,000

Equal Exchange: Trading Fairly and Making a Profit Essay

I, Executive Summary Equal Exchange is a for-profit Fair-trade worker-owned, cooperative company. Founded in 1986, it is the oldest and largest Fair Trade coffee company in the United States. Equal Exchange began with $100,000 as started up funds and a 2,000-quare-foot room in Boston’s South End. It purchased coffee beans from small-scale farmers at above-market price in Latin America. Initially, EE relied on other roasters and packers to prepare the premium coffee beans.  It sold to natural food grocers, gourmet shops, restaurants, and non-profit organizations. The company’s founders wanted to help famers get a better, more stable price and, at the same time, take advantage of the growing consumer demand for higher-quality â€Å"specialty† coffee. However, after 25 years in business, and 10 of which were spent as the only fair trade company in the coffee industry, Equal Exchange’s tremendous success seemed to have come to a screeching halt. If the impact of price increases is excluded, for a second year in a row, its revenues have grown only 2 percent. This is hardly acceptable comparing with the double-digit growth it had been through for the previous 15 years. Additionally, over the past few years, consumers have begun to show a strong desire to purchase products from local businesses, thus increased competition from local roasters. Moreover, there is a major push by companies to offer a wide variety of green, organic, and wholesome food products. There are so many new initiatives developing and it may be possible that fair trade products will not stand out so much anymore. As a result, Equal Exchange is likely going to fail into the red zone in next few years, if nothing is changed. Since EE has become a famous brand, I highly recommend EE’s staff to continue expand its potential in producing new products and starting to offer service, in order to solve listed problems. More specifically, in business strategy, EE need to keep following its broad differentiation strategy. However, it needs to create more products in order to be able to compete with many competitors. EE has been taking customers’ trust in its products, so that producing new ones would bring its customers into experiencing them no matter what. There were still various fairly traded goods that EE did not offer, and they might become preferred products. In corporate strategy, if EE choose to start offering service, this would be consistent with the company’s mission such as ecotourism to coffee or cacao growing zones to support those communities. II, Introduction In 1983, Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal, and Michael Rozyne were all recent college graduates and working for a food co-op warehouse in the Boston area. They began to question the system such as, â€Å"What if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? What if trade supported family farms use of organic methods  rather than methods that harm the environment?† Almost simultaneously they started to hear about groups in Europe who were doing Fair Trade. The advocates of Fair Trade wanted to ensure that the producers of products such as coffee, teas and chocolate would get a better price for their crops while supporting improvement in their environmental, social and political conditions. Rink, Jonathan and Michael liked the idea. According to Rink, they â€Å"were basically food co-op people, interested in connecting small, local farmers with consumers to change the marketplace.† It was not their intention to found a company at that time. They took the idea to the Board of Directors of the co-op warehouse. Half of the board supported the idea and half voted against it. It became apparent to them that if they were going to pursue their vision, they were going to have to develop an organization. Over the next three years they met once a month to develop the plans and raise the capital for founding their own organization. During that time Rink said they used their jobs to learn about cooperatives, small farmers, entrepreneurship, marketing and â€Å"making mistakes, right and left.† The food co-op gave them â€Å"a great environment to learn some skills†. In 1986, Rink, Jonathan and Michael decided to launch Equal Exchange (EE). By that time, their ambition was â€Å"†¦to change the way food is grown, bought, and sold around the world.† The founders decided to meet once a week – and did so for three years — to discuss how best to change the way food is grown, bought, and sold around the world. At the end of this time they had a plan for a new organization called Equal Exchange that would be: A social change organization that would help farmers and their families gain more control over their economic futures. A group that would educate consumers about trade issues affecting farmers. A provider of high-quality foods that would nourish the body and the soul. A company that would be controlled by the people who did the actual work. A community of dedicated individuals who believed that honesty, respect, and mutual benefit are integral to any worthwhile endeavor. Around 1991, Equal Exchange established itself as a Fair Trade specialty coffee company, offering loyal food co-op customers a store bin system with a full line of beans, decaf coffee, different roasts, and flavored coffees. By the end of the year what had once been the â€Å"pipe dream† of reaching $1  million in sales had become a reality. By 1994, Equal Exchange was a worker-owned cooperative with 20 members—with departments, managers, and a growing number of outside investors. A pivotal early investment by the Adrian Dominican Sisters helped to alert others that this undertaking, however risky, might be worthy of outside financial support. Another exciting chapter in our history started in 1996, when Equal Exchange joined with Lutheran World Relief in a path-breaking collaboration to launch what has now become our Interfaith Program. This major initiative helped Equal Exchange create partnerships with communities of faith throughout the U.S. Over the next seven years more than 10,000 congregations across the U.S. began using our Fair Trade coffee. III, Assignment Question 1. Question 1 What are the strategically relevant components of Equal Exchange’s macro-environment? Are socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and other components of the macro-environment favorable to the sellers of fair trade food and beverage products? Does the industry offer attractive opportunities for growth? a) Strategically relevant components of Equal Exchange’s macro-environment Political factors: There were no laws in the U.S restricting the use of the term â€Å"Fair Trade† on a product labels. This makes it is a little difficult for EE to prove themselves overwhelming their competitors. Economic conditions: In 2010, Fair Trade USA reported that there were over 9,500 fair trade-certified consumer products being offered by 700 industry partners in more than 600,000 retail locations. Paul Rice, the president and CEO of fair Trade USA, said that in 2010 the fair trade retail sales market was $1.4 billion in the U.S and $3 billion in Europe. Socio-cultural forces: EE developed advertisements, implemented public education campaigns, partnered with religious organization, and created a school fund-raising program. EE also offered a wide variety of fair trade product. Technological factors: EE was effective in creating messages about the origins of products and where consumer dollars went. For example, it used logo and labels that suggested consumers could have a great cup of coffee or bar of chocolate while feeling good about them. It also created a website as a place for consumers to connect to the farmers who grew the products they bought. Legal and regulatory factors: Fair Trade USA has  certain guidelines for participating business to follow, including EE. Fair trade certifiers agreed on eight basic principles, which are: + Long-term direct trading relationships + Prompt payment of fair prices and wages + No child, forced or otherwise exploited labor + Workplace non-discrimination, gender equity, and freedom of association + Safe working conditions and reasonable work hours + Investment in community development projects + Environmental sustainability + Traceability and transparency b) Are these factors favorable to the sellers of fair trade food and beverage products? This depends on the product itself, though these factors do make products are increasingly imported over more than a decade from 1998 to 2010. Some products have great growth rate, such as tea (38%), sugar (60%), cocoa (67%), and vanilla (97%). On the other hand, some products are not favorable to consumers, such as produce (2%), flower (0%), and wine (-63%). c) Opportunities for growth The far trade movement caught on in 2000 when many companies began to follow the same path as EE – more specifically, into the business of fair trade coffee. Basically, the industry still offer very attractive opportunities for growth due to its growth rate, but it is quite difficult to reach those opportunities due to rivalry. 2. Question 2 Explain the competitive pressures facing the fair trade food and beverage products industry. What does a five-force analysis reveal about the nature and strength of the competitive pressures facing Equal Exchange? Which of the five forces is the strongest? Which of the five forces is weakest? a) The competitive pressure facing the fair trade food and beverage product industry. Fair trade coffee was EE’s primary product, accounting for 80 percent of sales in 2010. At that point, there were over 300 companies in the U.S that provided fair trade coffee. EE managers admired the social mission of some of these companies and even considered those who were truly committed to far trade to be friends. However, they were also competitors. There were two groups of competitors to EE. One class consisted of larger companies that competed in the high-end, organic coffee market, but also got involved in fair trade coffee. The other one were small, local, and regional competitors operating in different areas off the U.S. There are a lot of name can be pointed out, such as Starbuck, Green Mountain Coffee, Deans Beans, and Thanksgiving Coffee. With this much rivalry, EE sure had a great pressure in the industry. b) Five-forces analysis Threat of new entrants: Since fair trade food and beverage products industry is a profitable market that yield high returns, new firms would be attracted. But this is not a problem for EE to concern, because it knows those farmers and their struggles. Nevertheless, when it came to rivalry, EE’s values provided a much different outlook than a typical business. Threat of substitute products: Coffee is a special product with hardly substitute product, so this is not really a threat for EE. Bargaining power of customers: EE partnered with fair trade advocacy organizations, such as Global Exchange, to create a nationwide public education campaign. In 1996, EE partnered with Lutheran World Relief to create something that later became known as the Interfaith Program, and it raised relief funds for farmers in Nicaragua who were hit hard by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. These partnership helped EE generate revenues, create goodwill within communities, and create awareness among consumers about fair trade products. Bargaining power of suppliers: EE’s promise to provide consumers with reasonably priced, good quality food, all while fairly paying the farmer who produced the goods was quite unlike most other companies. Intensity of competitive rivalry: As mentioned before, there are many strong competitors against EE, both as small and large ones. Addition, the fair trade industry is open, so competing is unavoidable. Though EE do not mind too much having many competitors, those ones still create barrier for them to reach more customers. To be concluded, threat of substitute is the weakest force and intensity of competitive rivalry is the weakest force. 3. Question 3 What are the key elements of Equal Exchange’s strategy? Which of the five generic strategies is the company pursuing? How has the cooperative integrated corporate social responsibility into its business strategy? a)  Key elements of Equal Exchange’s strategy EE wanted to change traditional purchasing habits and make consumers more aware of where products came from and who was responsible for making them. At the same time, it wanted to encourage consumers to buy more fair trade products. To do that, EE use advertising in packaging and labels, website, and public awareness. Also, it created interfaith program, applied fundraising program and outbid their competitors in terms of product variety. b) Generic strategy EE follows broad differentiation strategy.  EE’s promise to pride consumers with reasonably priced, good quality food. Though it tried to keep their price lowest as possible, it still fairly paid farmers quite a lot even if coffee prices in the world’s commodities exchanges dropped below the fair trade minimum price. It also focused on keeping their quality on products in any condition. c) Cooperative integrated corporate social responsibility EE worked with financial institutions to give farmers pre-harvest loans with affordable 8 to 9 percent short-term interest rates. Brokers typically offered loans at much higher rates of 25 percent. EE also guaranteed a quarter of each pre-harvest loan. It thus shared the risks associated with misfortunes, such as hurricanes, that could destroy a cooperative’s crops. EE bought the coffee beans once a year, as soon as they were harvested (even though this tied up its capital in inventory). In terms of employee, EE wanted to cultivate excellent working relationships with its employees. Its managers believed that a democratic work environment in which employees shared responsibility for decision making would lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, morale, and productivity. It made sure that the pay gap between the highest-paid manager and the lowest-paid employee was reasonable. Besides, EE sought to reconnect consumers with the farmers who grew their food. When consumers saw a brand-name product in the supermarket, EE wanted them to realize that there was often a person toiling away for little pay behind it. By raising such awareness, the company hoped to direct consumers towards products for which farmer got paid higher prices so they  could better support their ways of life. 4. Question 4 What are Equal Exchange’s competitively important resources and capabilities? Which of its resources have the greatest competitive power? Are any of its resources and capabilities able to pass all four VRIN tests for sustainable competitive advantage? Explain. a) EE’s competitively important resources and capabilities Worker co-operative model: EE believed strongly in creating better, healthier relationships with the Earth, with farmers, its workers, and with the consumer. Worker-owners enjoyed many rights and responsibilities and democratically controlled the workplace. At EE, a co-executive director, a roaster, a packer, and a customer service representative were equal, with one share and one vote per person. This makes every employee of EE want to contribute their best to the company. Marketing strategies: EE wanted to change traditional purchasing habits and make consumers more aware of where products came from and who was responsible for making them. This leads to many well-crafting strategies, such as interfaith program and fundraising. Supplier: Unlike other companies, EE wanted its suppliers, farmers specifically, to be paid more, not less. So, it sought out fair trade-registered co-operatives that enabled small-scale farmers to pool their resources, increase their power in the market-place and share the costs of upgrading their operations. These farmers were trained in how to acquire information on market trends and in how to cultivate high-quality crops . b) Unique resources and capabilities The only resource or capabilities that is able to pass all four VRIN test for sustainable competitive advantage is worker co-operative model. Value: It is difficult to find good employees, but it is much harder to keep good employees to work for the company. That is the reason why building relationship between employees is very important, and critical. EE’s worker co-operative model is showing its precious value for this part. Rare: Treating everyone the same is really rare. Normally, the higher-ups receive much more respect than lower staffs do, but EE deals nothing like that. This hardly can be found in any other company, which makes it a unique component. Inimitable: Human relevant is the only one that is inimitable. EE’s worker co-operative model makes its workers feel comfortable, as everyone is equal. Therefore, employee loyalty is guaranteed and untouchable from external conditions. Non-substitutable: EE built up its image with equal employees, and no other capability can replace this. EE likely is said to stick with its worker co-operative model at anytime, and the way around. It is hard to find another company which can apply this model better than EE. 5. Question 5 What does a SWOT analysis reveal about Equal Exchange’s ability to seize market opportunities and nullify external threats? Strength Experienced in the market High social awareness Technology up-to-date Unique work model Good financial performance Weakness Lack of consumer awareness Unsatisfactory working condition Farmer exploitation Opportunities Expanding business Offering new products Threats Many wealthy competitors Unstable market Table 1: SWOT analysis of Equal Exchange EE can use its strength to seize opportunities and nullify threats. More specifically, due to high social awareness and with technology up-to-date, EE can easily expanding its business into other activity, such as services. Otherwise, it can produce new products that have not been offered in fair trade market. On the other hand, with experience in the market, EE can find a way to compete with competitors in the fair trade market using its good financial performance. 6. Question 6 What is your assessment of Equal Exchange’s financial performance and condition? Is the company in good financial shape? Why or why not. Use financial ratios in Table 4.1 to help support your assessment. Figure 1: Equal exchange sales growth Since importing its first coffee container in 1986, EE had become the leading fair trade brand of food and beverages in the U.S. This helped the co-operative achieve a trend of double-digit revenue growth. However, the recession that struck the U.S changed the outlook for business. The financial data for the fiscal year of 2006 through 2010 demonstrated EE’s growth and showed whether the co-operative was able to weather the economic downturn. Figure 1 demonstrates EE’s growth of sales from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2010. In 2006, success in many areas defined much of EE’s 14 percent increase in revenues, which translated into an additional $2.86 million in annual sales. In particular, sales were exceptionally strong in the West Coast region. Another key contributor to sales was EE’s chocolate products, which were a hit in 2006 because the quality chocolate market was seeing growing demand, or a â€Å"renaissance†, as EE called it, similar to what occurred with specialty coffee 20 years prior. While this was occurring, EE simultaneously expanded its chocolate line to products such as organic dark chocolate, organic mint chocolate, and organic chocolate syrup. This expansion allowed the company to ride the growing demand for quality chocolate. EE also introduced three new tea bagged products, which helped increase tea sales 35 percent. Till 2010, it is a hard time as coffee and chocolate prices continued to rise. EE was faced with a difficult challenge of helping farmers during this time, providing customers with stable prices, and maintaining a profit margin consistent with the co-operative’s goals. Sales totaled $36,525,856. This growth of roughly 2 percent was relatively flat for the second year in a row. The growth experienced was due in part to the notable increase in EE’s direct sales to food co-operatives. This is something the co-operative did to avoid the use of distributors.

Employee Satisfaction and Motivation in London Retail Dissertation

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The European Union Law Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The European Union Law Overview - Essay Example The essay "The European Union Law Overview" presents the analysis of the European Union structure and also its decision-making process. The Council of Ministers operates clandestinely and its functions, which are influenced by national and transnational parties, lack transparency and accountability. Decision-making is determined by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is the most powerful institution in the European Union and comprises of envoys from the Member States of the EU. The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers enact the EU’s legislation. The Council decides issues either by qualified majority voting or by unanimity. Its presidency has a rotating tenure of six months. Although it does not formally comprise a component of the EU system, it has emerged as the cardinal institution of the EU. It organizes meetings between the heads of state and the representatives of the European Commission. Unlike the Council, the European Parliament is a supranational institution. The Council of Ministers has been accorded the status of the principal legislative body by the Treaties of the EU. Its importance stems from the fact that it constitutes the final decision-making authority. In the process of making policies, the Council relies on other institutions for assistance and direction. The EU is a novel political institution, consisting of intergovernmental elements in some issues, supranational in administrative matters and transnational in most domains.

The Public Interest Defence in UK Copyright Law and the impact of Essay

The Public Interest Defence in UK Copyright Law and the impact of Ashdown v Telegraph Group - Essay Example According to Hugues, the Copy right act itself does not define 'fair dealing', the interpretation of which must be judged on the merits of the individual case, allowing the courts the freedom to "tailor their decisions to the facts which are placed before them without having to work their way around an impractical definition". According to Guangyong, the last defence to copyright infringement is termed 'public interest', which is "a newer and less well-developed defence in the copyright field compared with others, whereby the work is deemed important for wider distribution and fair dealing is not applicable". In Hyde Park v. Yelland , Jacob J., "assumed that it may well be that balancing the 'freedom of expression' conferred by Article 10 of the ECHR and the 'right to respect for private life' conferred by Article 8 will involve the judges in just the same or a similar sort of exercise as is involved in judging whether there is a public interest defence" (Sutti) Sutti goes on to say that" commentators were surprised when the Court of Appeal of Hyde Park v. Yelland reversed the decision of Jacob J. denying the possibility of a public interest defence in an action for a copyright infringement." Taking the above as precedent, the first time that the English courts "fully addressed the issue of the impact of the HRA on copyright law was in the case of Ashdown v Telegraph Group Lt, which involved important issues of freedom of expression of the press and the right of the public to receive information of legitimate public interest."(Walker) In this case, The Sunday Telegraph reproduced the minute of a private meeting between Ashdown, a prominent politician, and the Prime Minister. Ashdown sued the newspaper for breach of copyright. The newspaper argued that the provision of the Copyright Act 1988 should be interpreted in context with the Human Rights Act 1998 section 3 (1) The Court of Appeal was receptive in principle to the human rights defence: "now that the Human Rights Act is in force, there is the clearest public interest in giving effect to the right of freedom of expression in those rare cases where this right trumps the rights conferred by the Copyright Act". (Griffit hs) But the appeal was decided against the appellant on the basis of fair dealing: the newspaper's activities were not fair because it had taken "too much" of Mr Ashdown's "work product". - this narrow interpretation of Laddie was to lead to criticisms of inflexibility (Griffiths) Sir Morrit assumed " the importance of the right of property and stressed the right of every natural or legal person to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. He continued: "intellectual property rights in general and copyright in particular constitute a restriction on the exercise of the right of freedom of expression. Thus Article 10 is engaged"." (Sutti) According to Walker, the right to freedom of expression was cited in the newspaper's argument that the Act was incapable of satisfying the requirement of being 'necessary in a democratic society'. At first instance this argument was rejected with Morritt V-C stating that, "The provisions of the Act alone can and do satisfy the 3rd requirement of article 10(2) as well. The needs of a democratic soci

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Nursing care plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Supreme court US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Supreme court US - Essay Example The Supreme court is: political in nature; at the same time, not constrained by politics; and finally, a signpost pointing toward the U.S.s political future. The Supreme Court by its very nature is political. For example, on the issue of abortion, Roe v. Wade was an important case, which was supported by the courts, thereby allowing for women to have abortions legally in the U.S. Now, abortion is also, by itself, a very politically charged topic. Womens rights advocates usually clash with right-to-lifers in their views concerning abortion unless the mothers life is in danger or in cases of rape or incest. â€Å"In more than three decades since its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, the Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue another two-dozen times† (â€Å"Supreme Court’s Evolving Rulings on Abortion,† 2010, p. 1). Now, what makes the Supreme Court so remarkable is that it has control over these very types of situations. It can have a lasting effect on peoples lives for years by just one decision decided upon by a small handful of people. In the case of Roe v. Wade, many people are against the Supreme Court decision because they are trying to restrict the rights of women. Many people do not want women to be independent. Roe v. Wade â€Å"†¦is the historic Supreme Court decision overturning a Texas interpretation of abortion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision,† 2010, p. 1). â€Å"The Supreme Court held that the "right to privacy," assured the freedom of a person to abort†¦Ã¢â‚¬  except in certain circumstances (â€Å"Supreme Court Decisions on Abortion,† 2008, p. 1). The same thing was true of black people. For years, women and blacks were discriminated against because they were considered second-class citizens. However, blacks got some modicum of equality with Brown v. The Board of Education, when segregation in schools was

Endocrine System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Endocrine System - Essay Example The control and coordination of all bodily processes is done by the nervous system in tandem with the endocrine system. The two systems are so closely associated that they are collectively called the neuroendocrine system. Neural control centers in the hypothalamus of the brain control the endocrine system. The nervous system uses electrical impulses to exercise control over the body, while the endocrine system uses chemical messengers called hormones to communicate and link between the nervous system and bodily functions. The major functions of the endocrine system are response to stress and injury, energy metabolism, water and electrolyte balance, reproduction, birth and lactation. The endocrine system is concerned with continuous, long-term effects, which are slow and widespread. The three major components of the endocrine system are the endocrine glands, the hormones and the receptors in the target cells. (Adam 2001). Glands are aggregations of epithelial cells embedded within connective tissue and surrounded by rich vascular networks. The two major categories of glands are exocrine and endocrine. Those glands which excrete substances for elimination are called exocrine glands (derived from the Greek ‘exo’ for outside and ‘krine’ for secrete). These glands have ducts or tubes which carry their secretions to the surface of the skin or into body cavities. Other glands which secrete substances for further use by the body are called endocrine glands (‘endo’ for inside). Endocrine glands are ductless glands which release their secretions directly into the surrounding tissue and blood. The endocrine glands are not physically connected but are distributed throughout the body. Some of them also have non-endocrine functions (Eg. The pancreas also secrete digestive enzymes) and are called mixed glands. The main endocrine glands are the pituitary, the pineal, the thyro id, the parathyroid, the adrenal, the

Lord of the Flies vs. A Separate Peace Essay Example for Free

Lord of the Flies vs. A Separate Peace Essay In the World Book Dictionary, jealousy is defined as being in an envious condition or feeling. Many can relate to this feeling, because they have personally experienced jealousy before. Although these people may share a similar feeling, the way each individual acts upon his/her feeling is different. Some just ignore their jealous feeling, hoping that it would quickly go away so that they can go on with their daily lives. Others become so overwhelmed that they actually may act on their emotions, expecting that their action would make them feel better. Usually, the contrary occurs. The person does not feel better about himself; instead, bitter feelings, a loss of respect, or even a loss of friendship are common consequences. In the novels Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the characters Jack and Gene both experience jealously towards another person, and their actions, motivations, and feelings all circumnavigate around jealousy. In Lord of the Flies, once Jack realizes that Ralph is going to become chief, he totally changes and becomes the antagonist. First of all, Jack acts out on his jealousy by attempting to harm Ralph. Although Jacks scheme to kill Ralph is unsuccessful, Ralph is still very close to death. In the novel, the reader knows that Jack is plotting to kill Ralph because Samneric informs Ralph, Theyre going to hunt you tomorrow[Jack] sharpened a stick at both ends. When Samneric reports that Jack sharpened a stick at both ends, they imply that Jacks cult plans to decapitate Ralph and stick the prized possession on an end of the stick like it did to the sow. Jack desires to use the head as an offering for the Beastie, a fictional monster that the boys believe haunts the island. As stated before, Jack decides to create a clan from his motivations that arise because of his jealousy. Moreover, since Jack knows that Ralph is always going to be elected chief no matter how many times the group of boys vote, Jack starts his own clan and elects himself as chief. When he does this, he openly tells his colleagues, Anyone who wants to hunt when I do can come too. By stating this, he is simply persuading people to support his feat. As Jack plans the death of Ralph, he does not feel any sense of remorse or guilt for plotting to kill his old friend. Jack is just excited that there will be a big hunt for Ralph. Gene also transforms drastically in A Separate Peace after he realizes that he will never be as athletic as Finny. Finny has always been able to accomplish goals and achievements that no one else can reach. Furthermore, Gene becomes jealous. In response to his covetousness, Gene harms Finny by [taking] a step toward [Finny], and then [Genes] knees bent and [Gene] jounced the limb. Gene does this so quickly that he does not realize the consequences in jerking the tree limb. He does not know that his action would affect the rest of Finnys life. Unlike Jack though, Gene does not seek the support of his friends. All Gene wants is for Finny to understand that Gene did not hurt Finny on purpose, and he is greatly sorry. However, when Gene attempts to explain this to Finny, Finny just brushes it off and tries to convince Gene otherwise. He says, I dont know, I must have just lost my balance. It must have been thatI just fell. Another difference is that after Gene shakes the limb and makes Finny fall and break his leg, he feels guilty about his act of jealousy. Gene actually goes up to Finny numerous times to explain that Gene was actually the one who made Finny break his leg, but Finny does not listen. Finny just stubbornly sticks to his reason to [being] clumsy and not watching where [he] was stepping. Ultimately, Gene is immersed with sorrow and guilt. His envy for Finny not only backfires; it creates endless shame and remorse. In the novels Lord of the Flies by William Golding and A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the main characters actions, motivations, and feelings are all outcomes of their jealousy towards another. Jack and Gene share the similarity of attempting to harm another due to their envious motivation. Yet, they are different as seen through their ultimate feelings. Both Jack and Gene aspire to become equal to their rivals, even if they must harm their friends to accomplish self-fulfillment. In the end, Gene suffers from guilt while Jack cannot be more pleased when his newly established clan obeys him to kill Ralph. Richard Griper says it best: Jealousy is nothing unless you act upon it.

Defining Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay

Defining Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay In manufacturing and retail, poor inventory control can lead to overstocking as a result of bad forecasting, this over stocking is called buffer inventory or safety stock which can lead to waste and inefficiency. In 1996 about $700 of the $2.3 trillion retail supply chain inventory was in safety stock. That is, almost 30% was tied up due to waste and inefficiency.(Lambert, Stock, 2001) Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), is a business process using an internet based business model, as shown in figure 1. This model takes a holistic approach to information exchange and supply chain management between trading partners, by using a standard set of business processes in order to improve supply chain efficiencies, and is seen as a replacement to the old approach of electronic data interchange (EDI) (Fliedner, 2003). The objective of CPFR is to share data on a central web server that all of the trading partners can access to enable a more reliable forecast for long term future demand in the supply chain, this eliminates the problems associated with EDI such as: supply partners manually entering identical data in their records (Joachim, 1998), and the EDI process typically being done in batch transfers which can further add to delays in information (Cooke, 1998) etc. History of CPFR CPFR began in 1995 with the company Wal-Mart and was originally called C-FAR for collaborative forecasting and replenishment. The acronym has evolved into CPFR standing for collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment. Wal-Mart found that the pharmaceutical company Warner-Lamberts in-stock averages were not up to par with Wal-Marts vendor performance standards. Wal-Mart, along with Warner-Lambert, Surgency (formerly Benchmarking Partners), and two software companies, SAP and Manugistics, launched an effort to define a process that would link customer demand with replenishment needs through the entire supply chain. The pilot focused on stock of Listerine mouthwash kept in stores. The group first tested the collaborative concept on paper, and then demonstrated in a computer lab that the Internet could be used for the information exchange. The results of the test were: Warner-Lamberts in-stock averages rose from 87% to 98%. Lead times dropped from 21 to 11 days, and sales increased by $8.5 million over the test period-even though the pilot was limited to one Warner-Lambert manufacturing plant and three Wal-Mart distribution centres. (free-logistics.com, 2010) Case study: West Marine Today West Marine is the largest boating-supply retail chain in the United States, with a product range of more than 50,000 products selling throughout more than 400 company owned retail stores, as well as their retail catalogue, generating annual average sales of $690 million. The company was founded in 1968 by Randy Repass as a mail-order firm selling to boating enthusiasts, and opened its first retail store in Palo Alto, California in 1975, three years later, the company created a separate sales channel to commercial customers such as boat yards and boat dealers. In 1997 West Marine a 73 store operation at the time acquired one of their East Coast competitors, EB Marine a 63 store operation. The consequences of the acquisition became quickly apparent: Sales fell by almost 8 percent, and peak-season out-of-stock levels raised more than 12 percent compared to the prior year, and after six years of steady growth, net income dropped from $15 million in 1997 to just over $1 million in 1998. (Highbeam Research, 2006) The main contributing factor of this was that following the transaction, West Marine discovered that internal EB operations were in worse condition than expected. The investment group that had been running EB had let the companys infrastructure deteriorate and inventories dwindle. This further compounded the acquisition by adding to the problem that it took six months to implement the most basic of systems integration due to the poor infrastructure, leading to stock outs within the stores. West Marines first impulsive reaction was to rebrand all the EB stores convert them to West Marines products and pricing, West Marines CEO John Edmondson (who was brought in after the acquisition to execute a company turn around) said regarding the acquisition, West Marine bought EB because it was different and unique. Then, they turned all the stores into West Marine stores and locked out the customer base. Adding to this Bruce Edwards (West Marines senior VP of store operations) said, We created a lot of damage to both chains, as well as losing ground on comparable sales as a combined organization. (Standford, Graduate School of Business, 2005) How West Marine Turned the Company Around In order to turn the company around after the acquisition Edmondson identified four supply chain problem areas: the distribution centres (DCs), transportation, replenishment, and the systems supporting these operations; his solution to these problems was to implement a CPFR programme. The first thing as part of West Marines CPFR programme was implement an aggregate ordering or multi-echelon replenishment process. A multi-echelon system is defined as A series of two or more production or supply facilities where any change in policy parameters of one facility affects the other facilities, either directly or indirectly.(Gopalakrishnan, 2004). According to (Standford, Graduate School of Business, 2005) prior to the implementing of the multi echelon system West Marine were using JDAs Merchandise Management System (MMS). The MMS was interfaced with the companys point-of-sale system in the stores (also provided by JDA) to keep track of basic inventory levels and product sales at the store level. West Marine also used JDAs Warehouse Management System (WMS) as the software engine for its distribution centre (DC) operations. As well as these systems West Marine also made use of JDAs advanced forecasting tools, both Advanced Store Replenishment (ASR) and Advanced Warehouse Replenishment (AWR). The problem with these systems was that while they were good on their own, none of the systems had the ability to directly interact with each other leading to extensive duplicate work and maintenance. At the time no software provider offered a fully integrated solution, it was left to West Marine as well as Matt Henderson a systems engineer and integrator from the San-Francisco based software company Amigo Inc. to design a system that integrated linkages between the point of sale systems to the DC systems. The system they designed was the first true multi echelon system in the retail sector. (bisg.org, 2005)The way in which West Marine implemented their multi echelon replenishment solution was to integrate data from the retail stores and warehouses with relation to seasonal forecasts, promotions and stock levels, enabling suppliers to deliver more accurate, on time orders to satisfied customer demands. West Marines multi-echelon replenishment solution resolves the store-warehouse disconnect. Warehouse replenishment immediately responds to all store-level overstocks and understocks. Similarly, all promotions and store level assortment changes are planned in the store system, and warehouse replenishment immediately responds to them. The solution eliminates duplicate forecasting tasks and creates more accurate supplier-order forecasts. (Reed Business Information, 2006) The West Marine multi echelon system is shown in figure 2. C:UsersAmyElizabethDesktopSCM0654WESTERN2.gif SUPPLIER INTERGRATION The next problem that West Marine encountered was to get its suppliers to buy into the idea of CPFR. In order to address this problem West Marine introduced a pilot program with 12 handpicked companies that were major suppliers to West Marine, that all had previous issues with their supply chains in some form. To these companies West Marine laid out specific performance levels and expected goals, although no formal written agreements were created each company was expected to comply to the performance standards. For the suppliers that joined West Marines supply pilot there was no capital investment outlay in technology, they were only required to designate recourses to act as counterparts to West Marines supply chain merchandise planners. With this set in place West Marine began sharing its forecasts on a weekly basis with its vendors, as a weekly update report on vendor performance. There was also the introduction of weekly meetings with cross functional teams made up of members from all the organisations involved, in order to discuss potential improvements as well as to maintain a holistic integrated perspective on each vendor relationship. The results of the CPFR programme were; in stock rates at the stores came close to the goal of 96 percent in every store, even during peak season. Forecast accuracy climbed to approximately 85 percent. On-time shipments, on the other hand, were improving but only reached 30 percent against a stated goal of 90 percent in 2002. However, West Marine expected them to climb to at least 50 percent by the end of 2003. (Standford, Graduate School of Business, 2005). Even after the pilot programme with the evidence to back up that CPFR works, West Marine still had problems getting supplies to buy into the CPFR programme, West Marines solution to this was to offer its suppliers an incentive in the form of a guarantee. This guarantee was that based on the forecasts, West Marine promised to purchase one hundred percent of the forecasted stock. This meant that if there were any errors in the system, then West Marine would bear the brunt as a result. It was this action that was responsible for convincing and instilling vendor trust in West Marines CPFR forecasts. The knock on effects of having the suppliers buy into West Marines CPFR programme were that the company were able to use their demand forecasts to stream line their shipping and receiving activities. The forecasts enabled West Marine to maximise efficiency in its inbound and out bound shipments and to use its dock space more effectively, in turn allowing West Marine to smooth demand spikes. Conclusion In conclusion as the evidence shows in both the Wal-Mart pilot programme and the West Marine case study CPFR is a powerful logistics stock forecasting tool http://www.free-logistics.com/index2.php?option=com_docmantask=doc_viewgid=268Itemid=26 http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-145836210.html http://www.lomag-man.org/cpfr_industrie_achat_distribution/documentation_cpfr/WestMarineA_CPFRSuccStorySupChManReManNet_an.pdf http://www.stanford.edu/group/scforum/Welcome/White%20Papers/Multi-Echelon%20Inventory%20Optimization%20-%20Evant%20white%20paper.pdf Gopalakrishnan, P., 2004. Handbook of Materials Management, Prentice-Hall of India Pvt.Ltd http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:1UbbYNftcc8J:www.bisg.org/docs/West_Marine_Case_GS-34_FINAL_092704.doc+matt+henderson+amigo+inc+cpfrcd=2hl=enct=clnkgl=uksource=www.google.co.uk

The Causes and Effects of Divorce Essay -- cause/effect essay

From past to present people all over the world have determined to live together, or â€Å"get married†. Marriage can be a beautiful thing, but some couples are unable to maintain their relationship, because they choose divorce as a solution to cope with the problems between husband and wife. Furthermore divorce is definitely on a rise. The effects of divorce can be detrimental to a family, but the causes of divorce can be just as bad. In this essay we will cover one of the main causes of divorce and one of the main effects. One of the main causes that marriages are not lasting is the change in the roles of woman today. Prior to the 1980’s it was the man’s responsibility to earn money and financially provide for his family, whereas the woman only took did house work and looked after the ch...

Differences of Love in Shakespeares Romeo and Juleit Essay -- Shakespe

Two lovers, different in beliefs, yet the same in thoughts and feelings, are set to have a tragic ending in their life story. In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare portrays differences between the love of Romeo for Juliet, and the love of Juliet for Romeo. Many people often wonder why this love between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet did not turn out for the best. It is not their love for one another that finally breaks them apart from the world, it is the way they love one another. The couple struggled to the death trying to make their passionate love work out with each other, but their many differences kept coming up in their lives and getting in the way of their love. While Romeo is a Manic lover and Juliet is an Erotic lover, their love is more likely to be star-crossed. Romeo is a Manic type of lover, which is the main reason why The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet did not have a happy ending. There are many examples of Romeo being a Manic lover. One good example is when he is talking to Friar Lawrence the morning after Romeo meets Juliet and sneaks away to her house to woo her. Romeo says to Friar Lawrence, ?Then plainly know my hearts dear love is set / On the fair daughter of rich Capulet, / As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine?/ We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow?/ That thou consent to marry us today? (II, iii, 57-59, 62, 64). This explains how Romeo becomes intensely preoccupied with thoughts of Juliet and need for Juliet?s love. Romeo?s heart is set on Juliet, and he can?t stop thinking about her. Inside, Romeo also knows that Juliet loves him, too, and her heart is set on his. Love at first sight is quick on Romeo. After less than one day of knowing her, Romeo has ... ...n love at first sight, this story may have had a different ending. In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare clearly displays the tragic ending between Romeo and Juliet. The tragedy is not because of their love for one another, but for the differences between the ways they loved each other. Romeo was too fast for Juliet, and Juliet was too ideal for Romeo. If Romeo had been an Erotic lover, or Juliet had been a Manic lover, this tragedy may have ended up differently. It may not have even been a tragedy at all. Despite all the struggles between differences and families, Romeo and Juliet still had a very passionate love for each other at the ending, although it did not turn out as they had first planned. Romeo and Juliet?s love for one another did not have a truly happy ending, because the love between Romeo and Juliet was star-crossed from the beginning.

How does Byron present the lovers Essay

Byron feels very strongly about love, believing it to be a very good thing, especially when found in the young. Thus he presents the two lovers as sweet and beautiful. A third adjective, innocent could be added to the list and in Juan’s case certainly should be-however, throughout the passage we find hints that it does not apply to Julia. In stanza 106 Byron says that â€Å"her creed in her own innocence† was â€Å"immense. † So she believes forcefully that what she is doing is innocent and not wrong, and yet she knows it is: ‘†¦. she inly swore†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. she never would disgrace this ring she wore. ‘ However, Byron does not damn her for thinking of ‘Don Alfonso’s fifty years,’ instead he justifies this behaviour in the hole of stanza 108. This is most probably because of Byron’s own feelings on the matter of love – he would not have backed away from extra-marital or adulterous love, believing infidelity to be a social normality. He believed that no shackles should be placed on love; it should be natural, and indeed this is how, to some extent, he does portray the love which blossoms here, though not as much as Juan’s later relationship with Haidei , ‘unconsciously she leaned upon [Juan]†¦ ‘ So, Byron shows us that Julia is aware of the wrongness of her impending deed, but he does not condemn her. Indeed it could be argued that Byron presents her infidelity as sweet and innocent in itself. The evidence for this can be found in the rhyming couplet at the end of stanza 105. ‘One hand on Juan’s was carelessly thrown, Quite by mistake – she thought it was her own. ‘ Clearly Julia knows the hand is Juan’s, but the lines are very tongue-in-cheek, and seem to be actually poking fun, very gently, at Julia’s pathetic attempts to make it seem as if she isn’t doing what she is. Byron is amused at her mock innocence and this in turn leads us to see her actions as less brazen and more innocent than they might seem. The fact remains though, that Julia is not innocent of adultery and this is conclusively shown in the lines, ‘Yet still she must have thought there was no harm, / Or else ’twere easy to withdraw her waist. ‘ So she is portrayed, seemingly paradoxically as a sweet and innocent, but knowing, adulterer. Don Juan, on the other hand, being only a young boy of sixteen is portrayed as completely nai ve and innocent. ‘His young lip thanked it with a grateful kiss And then abashed at its own joy, withdrew In deep despair, lest he had done amiss. ‘ The reader knows that he is completely nai ve, having previously read of his ‘breeding, which was strictly moral. ‘ So it comes as no surprise then that in this, his first romantic encounter, he should be ignorant of what to do and that Byron should portray him as he does. In conclusion then, the lovers are portrayed in some ways similarly but very differently in other respects. Byron reflects his attitude to love in portraying Juan and Julia as helpless in the face of their over-riding emotions – he describes love as ‘strengthening the weak and trampling the strong. ‘ This conclusion will suffice in the case of Juan but Julia is helpless in a different way. She is more worldly wise than Juan, having been married, and thus, almost certainly, sexual intercourse. She is portrayed as one caught in the middle of two pulling forces – her own ‘honour, virtue, truth and love for Don Alfonso,’ and her love for Juan. She knows that to display this love physically would be wrong, but she does it anyway – ‘And whispering, ‘I will ne’er consent’ – consented. ‘ Byron, however, does not condemn her for her actions, because of his belief in the power of love, and he portrays her still as a virtuous and sweet young woman, despite her ‘immoral conduct’. ‘A little still she strove and much repented,’ at the end of the passage shows she is still a woman of integrity, rather than one of loose morals. This is how Byron portrays the individual lovers. Together, they are depicted as a beautiful couple – ‘how beautiful she looked,’ – full of the initial exuberance of first love. Byron emphasizes the purity and goodness of their love over its illegitimacy in the eyes of the world and society, justifying it as much by describing its beauty as by showing why Julia’s marriage with Alfonso is not pure and good in stanza 108. In this respect Byron’s portrayal of the lovers in this passage is a continuation of the general theme of the hypocrisy of society in ‘Don Juan’. Ironically, Byron shows us, Julia’s legitimate marriage is un-natural and not really that good, whereas her illegal relationship with Juan is described with beautiful poetry, and is clearly more natural and proper than that of the former.

League of Legends

The poem Funeral Blues, which was written by W H Aden, is a beautiful poem in which the poet conveys the meaning through rhythm and scarring scenes he paints of lost love and anguish. The poem is about the death of a loved one and the actions taken after in the lead up to the funeral, as can be told by the title. The first stanza is striking with the poet creating a silence In your head; the second describes the preparation in a solemn tone that seems to echo for me as the reader.In the third stanza you are shown the love and anguish In Its full light through the slow rhythm of he words with many comma's to add an aura of suspense and depression, male pronouns are used to describe the dead person whose body fills the coffin so the poet Is subtly making reference to his sexuality as though to make a point of his sadness, being gay himself. Finally the fourth stanza finishes the poem with words that suggest a lack of hope from someone who has given up In life. The main ideas that are e xpressed in the poem are centered on loss: they circle around death and how it affects the surrounding people when it takes a loved one.The main idea expressed by the poet is that without this person he is writing about his world is unable to go on. You see this in a beautiful scene in ‘Four weddings and a funeral,' when the poem is read out at the funeral of the readers partner. He talks slowly and as the camera pans out you see the whole audience is crying silently, silence being a key part of W H Addend's poem. Silence. His last stanza makes me as the reader feel like the world is caving in on me which links into the loss of hope and happiness and completely tears at the reader's heart.The mood silently creeps of the page and into the readers mind, illustrating the distress that flows through the lines as though it where a stream. It is dark and without light and as I have said before it was without hope. He focused on using language that could be understood by any age to s ymbolism that everyone could understand what he was feeling, that it was neither easy nor hard to relate. The poem Is about hopelessness against the force of our nature, of life and of death that the poet conveys through his slow rhythm and depressive mood.The Imagery used by W H Aden was an essential part of the effectiveness of the emotion behind the poem. He used It to paint pictures that affected the readers. With some very scaring pictures painted through auditory, and some beautiful, sad pictures painted through visual. These are used to make the audience react to the poem as though it where a recount of their own feelings. Prevent the dog from barking with a Juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum† This quote is an example of auditory imagery.It creates a silent wind in the reader's ears and the world the poem creates becomes darker due to the idea of silence. Silence is one of the main horrors of death from the poem and it links directly to the sadness of love and life. Personally when I see this line I can hear the beat of a cuckoo clock cutting of mid call, the cord on a telephone, ripped from it's socket and as the silence becomes more, then suddenly the sound of the slow muffled drums of a parade, making its way towards me. This is an example of great description in my mind because it conveys the significant meaning of the poet's silence in a few words.Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves, Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. † Is an example of visual imagery by themselves the lines are beautiful and peaceful, but they add to the sorrow through their calm, delicate, beauty when combined with the rest of the poem. It is amazing how Aden has intertwined doves into his dark and sorrowful poem as they are a sign of love, peace, holiness and fertility, not death, sadness and the sin of homosexuality in many cultures. â€Å"The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, Pack up the moon and d ismantle the sun,Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; For nothing now can ever come to any good† This stanza is the most visual, I myself am able to see people covering the stars with black cloth, pulling down the sun, bit by bit, and clearing the land dry and barren. W H Addend's poem Funeral Blues shows the reader that death is a force stronger than life and love stronger than the both; he does this through the visual imagery he has created throughout the stanzas to create a sense of harsh peace and auditory imagery to chill the reader with the power of silence.

Wavelength Conversion Four Wave Mixing in Silicon Waveguide

Wavelength Conversion by Degenerate Four Wave Mixing in Silicon Waveguide Abstract – Four-wave mixing (FWM) is one of the interesting nonlinearities in optical systems. It is mainly used for wavelength conversion. To investigate the factors that affect the wavelength conversion efficiency, the evolution of Four-wave mixing (FWM) in silicon waveguide is modeled using matlab. The method of modeling is described. The effects of input pump power and waveguide length on the conversion efficiency are investigated.Results show that when propagating along a 0. 048m silicon waveguide, both the input pump power and stroke power decreases, while anti-stroke power increases first and then decreases along the waveguide. It is also shown that for a 0. 048 silicon waveguide, output anti-stroke power is the maximum when the input pump power is 3W. Also, when the input pump power is kept constant, there is a most effective waveguide length for wavelength conversion. Keywords -FWM; model; conve rsion efficiency; input pump power; waveguide length 1 IntroductionFour-wave mixing (FWM) is an inter modulation phenomenon in optical systems, whereby interaction between three waves (two pump waves and a signal wave) produce a fourth wave (idler wave) [1]. This phenomenon can be used for all optical wavelength conversion (AOWC) and entangled photon generation [2, 3]. As extremely small core of si wires produce the nonlinear optical effect even under low optical power, Silicon is used as waveguide in our project for practical wavelength conversion by FWM process with longer waveguide lengths and smaller propagation loss[4].Factors that affect optical wavelength conversion are being studied to enhance the conversion efficiency. It has therefore become important to study FWM in silicon waveguide theoretically to increase the conversion efficiency for further experiment. In our project, FWM matlab to study the factors that affect the conversion efficiency. This paper discusses the fac tors that affect FWM’s conversion efficiency in silicon waveguide. Theoretical treatment is presented in section 2, where FWM in silicon waveguide is described. The method to model FWM in silicon waveguide using matlab is described in section 3.Results are shown in section 4. Results show that both the input pump power and the waveguide length play an important part in the FWM’s conversion efficiency. 2 THEORY The FWM process involves the interaction of four waves (two Pump waves, one signal and one idler wave) as they propagates along a medium. In our project, silicon waveguide is used as the medium. The schematic diagram of FWM in silicon waveguide is shown in figure 1. Here, E represents the electric field of the respective waves and normalized such that power P=|E|^2. Subscripts ‘p’, ‘s’ and ‘a’ represent pump, signal and idler respectively.The superscript ‘f’ represents forward propagating waves. [pic] Figure 1 S chematic diagram of FWM in silicon waveguide . 3 METHODOLOGY The evolution of the three waves along the silicon waveguide can be modeled by the following differential equations [1]. [pic][pic][pic][pic] where Aeff is the waveguide effective core area, ? is the wavelength, ? is the linear propagation loss and ? is the TPA coefficient, ? is the FCA cross section and ? eff is the effective carrier lifetime. h and c follow their usual physical meaning of Plank’s constant and free-space speed of light respectively. k denotes the linear phase mismatch and can be expressed as[pic]. ? is the nonlinear parameter assumed to be the same for three wavelengths and defined as [pic] where n2 is the nonlinear refractive index. To simulate the evolution of the three waves along the silicon waveguide, the above four differential equation are solved simultaneously using Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF) method [2]. |Parameters |Input-Output simulation values | |? |100/4. 34 m-1 | |Aeff |0. 17? 10^(-12 ) m2 | |? 0. 7? 10^(-11) m/W | |? p |1310? 10^(-9) m | |? eff |1? 10^(-9) s | |c |2. 998? 10^(8) | |h |6. 626? 10^(-34) Js | |? k |0 m/s | |? p |1. 0297? 10-21m2 | |? |2. 43 ? 10^(-11) m/W | 4 RESULTs and discussion . 1 Modelling of FWM in silicon waveguide Given Pp=1W, Ps=0. 001W, Pa=0W and L=0. 048m, Pump power, stroke power and anti-stroke power are drawn with respect to the position in the waveguide. [pic][pic][pic]The figures above show that when propagating in the waveguide, both the pump power and stroke power decrease while the anti-stoke power increases. This is as expected, as the interaction of the pump wave and stroke wave produce the anti-stroke wave. The increase of the anti-stroke power comes from the decrease of the pump and stroke power.It can be seen that, at the end of the waveguide, the pump power is only 0. 26W and the stoke power is only 0. 026W. Both of them decrease 74% of their original power. Both the pump power and stroke power decrease fast at the beginni ng, and then their decrease rate becomes slower when propagating further in the waveguide. This implies that the higher the pump power and the stroke power, the higher the propagation loss. As a result, the anti-stroke power increases fast at the beginning and then its increasing rate slows down. At the length of 0. 42m, the power of the anti-stroke reaches its maximum value which is about 3. 2*10^-5W. Then the anti-stroke power starts to decrease slowly. This may be because when the pump and stroke power is small, the gain of the anti-stroke power is less than its propagation loss. 4. 2 Effects of input pump power on conversion efficiency Given Ps=0. 001W, Pa=0W and L=0. 048m, Pp changes from 0 to 10W with step 0. 2W. The graph of the output stroke power and the output anti-stroke power are drawn with respect to the input pump power. [pic] Figure 2. 1 Output stroke power with different input pump powerThis graph shows that the larger the input pump power, the smaller the output str oke power. This is as expected, as the larger the input pump power, the larger the propagation loss. The output stroke decreases slower when the input pump power is higher. [pic] Figure 2. 2 Output anti-stroke power with different input pump power This graph shows that when the input pump power is less than3W, the higher the input pump power, the higher the output anti-stroke power. This is as expected, as more input power can be converted to anti-stroke power when the input pump power is larger.When the input pump power is larger than3W, the output anti-stoke power decreases with the input pump power. As the higher the input pump power, the higher the propagation loss. When the input pump power is larger than3W, the propagation loss dominates. 4. 3 Effects of waveguide length on conversion efficiency To investigate the relationship between the waveguide length and the conversion efficiency, input power are keep constant, Pp=1W, Ps=0. 001W, Pa=0W, L changes from 0. 001m to 0. 1m wit h step 0. 001m. Output stroke power and output anti-stroke power are drawn with respect to different waveguide length. pic] Figure 3. 1 Output stroke power with different waveguide length This graph shows that the longer the waveguide length, the smaller the output stroke power. This is as expected, as the longer the waveguide length, the larger the propagation loss. The decreasing rate of the output stroke power decreases with the waveguide length. [pic] Figure 3. 2 Output anti-stroke power with different waveguide length This graph shows that when the waveguide length is less than 0. 048m, the output anti-stroke power increases with the waveguide length.This implies that the gain is larger than the propagation loss in the waveguide. When the waveguide length is larger than 0. 48m, the output anti-stoke power decreases with the waveguide length. At waveguide length larger than 0. 048m, the propagation loss is larger than the gain of the anti-stroke power. The output anti-stroke pow er has a maximum value of 4. 5*10^3 when the waveguide is 0. 048m. Thus, the most effective waveguide length is 0. 048m. 5 Conclusion The conclusion serves the important function of drawing together the various sections of the written report.The conclusion is a summary, and the developments of the previous sections or chapters should be succinctly restated, important findings discussed and conclusions drawn from the whole study. In addition, you may list questions that have appeared in the course of the study that require additional research, beyond the limits of the project being reported. Where appropriate, recommendations for future work may be included. The conclusion should, however, leave the reader with an impression of completeness and of gain. AcknowledgmentThe author would like to express her deepest gratitude to A/P Luan Feng and PhD student Huang Ying for their guidance, assistance and advices. The author also wishes to acknowledge the funding support for this project fr om Nanyang Technological University under the Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) programme. References The template will number citations consecutively within brackets [1]. The sentence punctuation follows the bracket [2]. Refer simply to the reference number, as in [3]—do not use â€Å"Ref. [3]† or reference [3]† except at the beginning of a sentence: â€Å"Reference [3] was the first †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Number footnotes separately in superscripts. Place the actual footnote at the bottom of the column in which it was cited. Do not put footnotes in the reference list. Use letters for table footnotes. Unless there are six authors or more give all authors’ names; do not use â€Å"et al. † Papers that have not been published, even if they have been submitted for publication, should be cited as â€Å"unpublished† [4]. Papers that have been accepted for publication should be cited as â€Å"in press† [5]. Capitalize only the firs t word in a paper title, except for proper nouns and element symbols.For papers published in translation journals, please give the English citation first, followed by the original foreign-language citation [6]. 1] G. Eason, B. Noble, and I. N. Sneddon, â€Å"On certain integrals of Lipschitz-Hankel type involving products of Bessel functions,† Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, vol. A247, pp. 529-551, April 1955. (references) 2] J. Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, 3rd ed. , vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon, 1892, pp. 68-73. 3] I. S. Jacobs and C. P. Bean, â€Å"Fine particles, thin films and exchange anisotropy,† in Magnetism, vol.III, G. T. Rado and H. Suhl, Eds. New York: Academic, 1963, pp. 271-350. 4] K. Elissa, â€Å"Title of paper if known,† unpublished. 5] R. Nicole, Title of paper with only first word capitalized,† J. Name Stand. Abbrev. , in press. 6] Y. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa, â€Å"Electron spectroscopy studies on magneto-optical media and plastic substrate interface,† IEEE Transl. J. Magn. Japan, vol. 2, pp. 740-741, August 1987 [Digests 9th Annual Conf. Magnetics Japan, p. 301, 1982]. 7] M. Young, The Technical Writer’s Handbook. Mill Valley, CA: University Science, 1989.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Essay

The concept of time travel was not a subject new for fiction. However, it was quite a leap for the like of Mark Twain who has been writing about clear-cut fiction (To Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn) before he wrote something purely out of fantasy. The Legend of King Arthur arguably does not have a historical base; it is arguably a tale that gave one of this world’s strongest nations its foundation. Indeed, England’s rich traditions would not be complete without this great legend of the King. Such tradition must have caught the fancy of Mark Twain for in this book, he placed a Yankee, an American to the core, in the midst of England’s most precious fictional knights and in the book, Mark twain made the particular American powerful as he had the benefit of 1200 years of mankind advancement. Mark Twain did not embellish on the time travel itself. The Yankee just knocked his head and managed to wake up in King Arthur’s court. Of course, he was ridiculed because he talks funny and dresses weird and Merlin himself sentenced him to burn at the stake, like a woman accused of making a pact with the devil. It just so happened that the Yankee has the benefit of luck. He remembered from his history lessons the great eclipse that will happen and at the time of his burning at that. He used this advanced knowledge to get himself out of death and because he was cunning enough to be a great actor and convince the citizenry of his powers, he was elevated to a position equal to that of the King or the Pope. He even surpassed the great Merlin in rank. Merlin, of course cannot allow this, hence a power struggle between the Yankee and Merlin ensued but what use is Merlin’s incantations to science and technology? As the book trivialized, chanting of magic spells cannot really repair a leak as much as good, old repair can. Merlin lost and the Yankee then introduced more modernization to the court, attempting to abolish monarchy. How Mark Twain must have enjoyed writing this novel. The Yankee introduced the then modern American way of living- telephones, public education system, newspaper publications, factories – all these aimed to destroy Arthur’s romanticized and chivalrous kingdom. It is like the American revenge to the British Empire for colonizing them and treating them like heathens for centuries. At this time in the 19th century and even to this date in 2010, there are a lot of British snobs who look down on Americans. This was Mark Twain’s fantasy- had this book happened in reality, then the British will probably know some humility and perhaps make Americans superior to the British citizenry. The 6th century Britain could certainly use introduction to the modern world. Economics was developed by the Yankee; industrialization was commenced yet despite all these contributions, the King refused to get out of his chivalric way of living. The Yankee, being weird yet intelligent was despised by fellow noblemen. His rise to prominence angered the others who were bested by the weird man who talks funny and seems to be loved by the people. Many people devised his ruin and eventually succeeded. The ending of the book raises some eyebrows; the Yankee was cursed by Merlin to sleep for 1300 years, transporting him back to the day and age he initially came from. Mark Twain puts the elements of â€Å"what if† in his readers’ mind as with the ending, the readers will think, â€Å"Hey, this could be real after all†. Overall, despite being a fantasy, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court shows Mark Twain’s disdain for romanticism. The Yankee’s logic and intellect reflects how stupid chivalric people were. The most chivalrous time was arguably in King Arthur’s court and Sir Lancelot and Guinevere’s love story was most romanticized about and Mark Twain in this book showed how silly all of these are. Works Cited: Twain, Mark. â€Å"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. † 1889. New York: Bantam Classic, 1983.

Global Warming Problem/Solution Essay

For the past two centuries, at an accelerating rate, the basic composition of the Earth’s atmosphere has been materially altered by the fossil-fuel effluvia of machine culture. Human-induced warming of the Earth’s climate is emerging as one of the major scientific, social, and economic issues of the twenty-first century, as the effects of climate change become evident in everyday life in locations as varied as small island nations of the Pacific Ocean and the shores of the Arctic Ocean. The â€Å"greenhouse effect† is not an idea which is new to science. It has merely become more easily detectable in our time as temperatures have risen and scientists have devised more sophisticated ways to measure and forecast atmospheric processes. The atmospheric balance of â€Å"trace† gases actually started to change beyond natural bounds at the dawn of the industrial age, with the first large-scale burning of fossil fuels. It became noticeable in the 1880s, and an important force in global climate change by about 1980. After an intensifying debate, the idea that human activity is warming the earth in potentially damaging ways became generally accepted in scientific circles by 1995. Addressing the consequences of global warming will demand, on a worldwide scale, the kind of social and economic mobilization experienced in the United States only during its birthing revolution and World War II, and therein lies a problem. The buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is a nearly invisible, incremental crisis. Carbon dioxide is not going to bomb Pearl Harbor to kick start the mobilization. Author Jonathan Weiner observes, â€Å"We do not respond to emergencies that unfold in slow motion. We do not respond adequately to the invisible† (Weiner, 1990, 241). It has been said (not for attribution) that the best thing which could happen to raise worldwide concern about global warming would be a quick collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, which would raise worldwide sea level a notable number of feet over a very short time. When stock brokers’ feet get wet on the ground floor of New York City’s World Trade Center, all the world’s competing economic interests might mobilize together and provide the sociopolitical responses necessary to address the atmosphere’s overload of greenhouse gases before it is too late. The same water that could lap at the ground floor of the Trade Center also would ruin most farmers in Egypt and Bangladesh and slosh in the lobbies of glass towers of Hong Kong and Tokyo. Perhaps, only then, might all of humankind heed the implications of Chief Seah’tl’s farewell speech a century and a half ago. We may be brothers (and sisters) after all. So far, humankind’s collective nervous system—national and international leadership, public opinion, and so forth—hasn’t done much about global warming. As of this writing, the flora and fauna of the planet Earth are still in the position of a laboratory frog submerged in steadily warming water. This is not a secret crisis, just a politically unpalatable one. Al Gore, in Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit, raised a sociopolitical call for mobilization against human-induced warming of the Earth: â€Å"This point is crucial. A choice to ‘do nothing’ in response to the mounting evidence is actually a choice to continue and even accelerate the reckless environmental destruction that is creating the catastrophe at hand† (Gore, 1992, 37). In his book, Gore, then a U. S. senator, called for a â€Å"global Marshall Plan,† to include stabilization of world population, the rapid creation and development of environmentally appropriate technologies, and â€Å"a comprehensive and ubiquitous change in the economic ‘rules of the road’ by which we measure the impact of our decisions on the environment† (Gore, 1992, 306). Eight years after Gore issued his manifesto, fossil-fuel emissions had risen in the United States. Gore had captured the Democratic Party’s nomination for president of the United States, and global warming had slipped from campaign radar. From this vantage point, one imagines the world lurching through the twenty-first century as global public opinion slowly galvanizes around year after year of high temperature records, and as public policy only slowly begins to catch up with the temperature curve. The temperature (and especially the dewpoint) may wake the global frog before he becomes poached meat. Whatever the outcome of the public policy debate, the odds are extremely high that the weather of the year 2100 will be notably warmer than today, as greenhouse â€Å"forcing† exerts an ever-stronger role in the grand dance of the atmosphere which produces climate. Ross Gelbspan observes, â€Å"Global warming need not require a reduction of living standards, but it does demand a rapid shift in patterns of fuel consumption—reduced use of oil, coal, and the lighter-carboned natural gas to an economy more reliant on solar energy, fuel cells, hydrogen gas, wind, biomass, and other renewable energy sources. It is doubtful that capitalistic market forces will bring about this shift on their own, because market prices of fossil fuels do not incorporate their environmental costs. † (Gelbspan, 2004) George Woodwell has been quoted as saying, â€Å"[For] all practical purposes, the era of fossil fuels has passed, and it’s time to move on to the new era of renewable sources of energy. † The other alternative, says Woodwell, is to accept the fact that â€Å"[t]he Earth is not simply moving toward a new equilibrium in temperature†¦. It is entering a period of continuous, progressive, open-ended warming† (Gordon and Suzuki, 2001, 219). In Jeremy Leggett’s opinion, â€Å"The uniquely frustrating thing about global warming—to the many people who see its dangers—is that the solutions are obvious. There is no denying, however, that creating the necessary changes will require paradigm shifts in human behavior—particularly in the field of cooperation between nation-states—which have literally no precedent in human history†¦. There is no single issue in human affairs that is of greater importance. † (Leggett, 2000, 457) According to a Greenpeace Report edited by Leggett, â€Å"The main routes to surviving the greenhouse threat are energy efficiency, renewable forms of energy production†¦less greenhouse-gas-intensive agriculture, stopping deforestation, and reforestation† (Leggett, 2000, 462). Greenpeace also recommends redirecting spending away from armaments and toward development of a sustainable energy for the future of humankind (Leggett, 2000, 470). Of the broader picture, Michael MacCracken writes, â€Å"The underlying challenge is for industrialized society to achieve a balanced and sustainable coexistence with the environment, one that permits use of the environment as a resource, but in a way that preserves its vitality and richness for future generations†¦. The challenge [is] to transform our ways before the world is irrevocably changed†¦ toward displacing militarization and the ever-increasing push for greater national consumption as the primary driving forces behind industrial activity. † (MacCracken, 2001, 35) According to Donald Goldberg and Stephen Porter of the Center for International Global Law: â€Å"The Clinton administration has bungled repeated chances to initiate domestic measures. For example, recent legislation proposed by the White House to restructure the electric utility industry could have been crafted to require utilities to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency lobbied hard for the authority to impose a cap-and-trade program on utilities’ CO2 emissions, similar to the trading system that has lowered sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in a cost-effective way. This was a golden opportunity, as the restructuring bill is projected to save the average consumer roughly $200 a year, which would have more than offset the cost of reducing GHG [greenhouse-gas] emissions. Unfortunately, the White House chose to forgo this opportunity. † (Goldberg and Porter, 1998) According to Goldberg and Porter, loopholes in the Kyoto Protocol, adopted at the insistence of the United States, permit richer countries to avoid many of its mandated emission reductions by purchasing allowances from other countries through the protocol’s â€Å"flexibility mechanisms. † The Buenos Aires Climate Conference (1998) negotiated a mechanism allowing trade in greenhouse gas emission rights in two markets. The first market would allow â€Å"sellers,† nations which exceed greenhouse gas-reduction targets set in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, to offer their rights for sale to â€Å"buyers,† countries which have not met their targets. The second market, the Clean Development Mechanism, will allow industrialized countries to meet part of their greenhouse-gas-reduction quotas by transferring clean technology to poorer countries so that antipollution projects can be carried out there. â€Å"If it buys all (or most) of its reductions,† Goldberg and Porter write, â€Å"the United States will not get its own house in order. In the long run, efficiency and productivity in the U. S. economy will suffer because domestic industry will be shielded from any incentive to adapt† (Goldberg and Porter, 1998). Under these provisions, the United States could â€Å"purchase† emission reduction credits from nations, such as Russia and Ukraine, which reduced their greenhouse-gas emissions during the 1990s because their economic infrastructure collapsed. The continuing political wrangling over the Kyoto Protocol illustrates why the world is responding so slowly to the impending crisis of global warming. Climate diplomacy remains an arena dominated by competition of special (mainly national) interests. Meanwhile, a few countries, most of them in Europe, are taking steps to mitigate greenhouse forcing on their own. While British emissions of greenhouse gases by the year 2000 had fallen between five and six percent compared to the Kyoto Protocol 1990 targets, emissions in the United States rose 11 percent between 1990 and 1998. Canada’s greenhouse-gas emissions rose 13 percent during the 1990s, while several European countries (including Britain) made substantial progress toward meeting the goals of the Kyoto Protocol by reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions as much as 10 percent compared to 1990 levels. Denmark (which produces less than one percent of humankind’s greenhouse gases) underwent something of a mobilization against global warming during the 1990s. Denmark was planning â€Å"farms† of skyscraper-sized windmills in the North and Baltic seas that, if plans materialize, will supply half the nation’s electric power within 30 years. The Danish wind-energy manufacturers’ association believes that electricity produced through wind power on a large scale will be financially competitive with power from plants burning fossil fuels, which will be phased out if wind power proves itself. Svend Auken, Denmark’s environmental and energy minister, said that with half of his country’s power coming from Norwegian hydroelectric plants and the other half from wind power, the country is planning to meet its electricity needs within three decades while reducing carbon dioxide production to nearly zero. The wind farms must prove their endurance in winter storms and stand up to the corrosion of seawater, but if they can, Denmark’s windmills will prevent the production of 14 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. While the fossil-fuel economy remained firmly entrenched in most of the world at the turn of the millennium, gains were being achieved in some basic areas of energy conservation. In 1994, for example, the average person in the United States was recycling 380 pounds a year, up from 62 pounds in 1960, a 613 percent increase (Casten, 1998, 101–102). Following the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1972, the United States also made a concerted effort to limit the production of nitrous oxides by gas turbine engines. Before regulation, the typical gas turbine engine emitted 200 parts per million (p. p. m. ). Since then, several technological innovations have reduced emissions to below 10 p. p. m.. Technology was being developed in the late 1990s which could reduce the rate to two to three p. p. m. (Casten, 1998, 117–118). The problem is at once very simple, and also astoundingly complex. Increasing human populations, rising affluence, and continued dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels are at the crux of the issue. The complexity of the problem is illustrated by the degree to which the daily lives of machine-age peoples depend on fossil fuels. This dependence gives rise to an array of local, regional, and national economic interests. These interests cause tensions between nations attending negotiations to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The cacophony of debate also illustrates the strength and diversity of established interests which are being assiduously protected. Add to the human elements of the problem the sheer randomness of climate (as well as the amount of time which passes before a given level of greenhouse gases is actually factored into climate), and the problem becomes complex and intractable enough to (thus far) seriously impede any serious, unified effort by humankind to fashion solutions. References Casten, Thomas R. (1998). Turning Off the Heat: Why America Must Double Energy Efficiency to Save Money and Reduce Global Warming. Amherst, N. Y. : Prometheus Books. Gelbspan, Ross. (2004). A Global Warming. American Prospect, 31 (March/April). Goldberg, Donald, and Stephen Porter. (1998). In Focus: Global Climate Change. Center for International Environmental Law, May. Gordon, Anita, and David Suzuki. (2001). It’s a Matter of Survival. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Gore, Albert. (1992). Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin. Leggett, Jeremy, ed. (2000). Global Warming: The Greenpeace Report. New York: Oxford University Press. MacCracken, Michael. (1991). Greenhouse Gases: Changing the Global Climate. In Joseph P. Knox and Ann Foley Scheuring, eds. , Global Climate Change and California. Berkeley: University of California Press, 26–39. Weiner, Jonathan. (1990). The Next One Hundred Years: Shaping the Fate of Our Living Earth. New York: Bantam Books

Response Phase 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Response Phase 2 - Essay Example am also pleased to see that you did not choose to have a one-size-fits-all contract in the transaction that you undertook but considered the best alternative in each case. This is a very insightful discussion, very well-researched and thought of. I learned a lot from it. Thanks. Your discussion has depth and substance by allowing me to absorb details on how to make the purchase a success. Your emphasis on the processes and factors which will ensure the smooth running and success of the scheduling tool is commendable. I like it that you made suggestions in some areas which will enable ADC to possible avoid mistakes and mitigate risk while operating the tool. However, let me suggest that you need to define your acronyms in order to be understood by the class. For example, instead of just saying FFP, you can elaborate by mentioning Firm Fixed Price. Also, you should add Guaranteed Maximum Shares Savings (GMSS) into your types of contracts. Having all of them for discussion will enable you to choose the best one.. ï Å  Your paper’s main strengths is its focus on two factors which allows ADC to make decisions according to the bases being risk minimization and time constraint. These factors are always present in real world situations and should really be taken into account when deciding about purchasing and installing tools for business operations. The process that you outlined in procuring the software is very logical. Yes, a company would have to search for vendors, products, and features available and a choice is made. The cost plus incentive contract that you choose is reasonable noting that the vendor and ADC shares the risk. However, I believe that you should also have outlined how it will work. Like how much costs should be shared and how much cost is fixed. With the company’s target of risk minimization, it should be prepared how to handle this situation. I suggest that instead of choosing a type of contract for the number of tasks, you could choose one