Coconut as Activated Fiber Muffler Filter

Valenzuela City Science High School A. Marcelo St. , Dalandanan, Valenzuela City The Use of Coconut Shells (Cocos Nucifera mesocarp) As Green Activated Carbon Fiber For Muffler Air Filter Group Members: De Leon, Glenn Patrick C. Enmil Jr. , Rolando Manuel P. Santos-Diaz, Zoe Marie C. Suyat, Pauline Jirah A. Submitted to: Mr. Albert Tolentino Date Submitted: Aug. 10, 2011 Chapter 1: Introduction Statement of the Problem A. General problem: 1. How could we use coconut shells to come up to an activated carbon fiber? B. Specific problem: 1. What would be the duration of transforming the coconut shells to be activated carbon? 2. How can activated carbon fiber help to filter air in vehicle muffler? 3. What are the benefits and uses of the possible outcome of the research? Hypothesis A. Alternative Hypothesis: Coconut shells are able to produce activated carbon fiber for muffler air filter. B. Null Hypothesis: Coconut shells cannot produce activated carbon fiber for muffler air filter. Scope and Limitations The study will determine the feasibility of coconut shells in making activated carbon fiber for muffler air filter. This research includes the materials and methods that will be used. It also contains the significance of the study and the possible uses of the outcome or result to help our environment. This study has also its own limitations, such that the materials are within the community and the processes will be conducted under the supervision of the research team and the investigatory project adviser. Significance of the Study This study is mainly composed of natural materials like the coconut shells used to make activated carbon fiber. Green activated carbon is very helpful and environment friendly because it can help to cleanse and reduce the pollution in the air produced by vehicle muffler. The product of the study will also use less expensive materials so that it will be cheaper than other muffler air filter. This study will also help the community to lessen the air pollution and provide a cleaner air to sustain life. The possible outcome will be assured to be eco-friendly and able to help nature. Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature The coconut palm (Cocos Nucifera) is a member of the family Arecacae (palm family). This are commonly found on tropics and it is known for its great versatility as seen in the many domestic, commercial and industrial uses of its different parts. Its endosperm is known as the edible â€Å"flesh† of the coconut, when dried it is called copra and its mesocarp is known as the coconut shell. The coconut thrives on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. It prefers areas with abundant sunlight and regular rainfall (150 cm-250 cm annually). Coconut also need high humidity (70%-80%) for optimum growth. Optimum growth is with a mean annual temperate of 27? C (81? F) and growth is reduced below 21? C (70? F). Coconut shells is an appropriate substitute in making an activated carbon because of its absorbent properties. Activated carbon, or activated charcoal, that has been processed to make extremely porous and thus to have s very large surface area for absorption. The process of activated carbon generation begins with the selection of a raw carbon source. These sources are selected based on design specifications since different raw sources will produce activated carbon with different properties. Some of the more common raw sources include wood, sawdust,  lignite,  peat, coal, coconut shells, and petroleum residues. Related Studies The research team primarily choose the topic because of the abundant resources within the community, and resources are one of the most important factors to consider before conducting a research or study. The proponents were able to found out that there are a lot of studies before that is related to the one presented now. Chapter 3: Methodology Materials Quantity| Name of material| 3 kg| Coconut shell| 1 liter| Water| 1 pc| Oven| 1 pc| Burning sink| 2 pc| Plastic pail| pc| Draining stray or Strainer| 1 pc | blender| 2 pc Zipper bags| 25% concentrated solution Calcium chloride (CaC12) and Zinc chloride (Zn C12)| Procedure First thing to do is to keep all the required materials ready for making activated charcoal: coconut shells (without meat), burning sink, oven, 25 percent concentrated solution of calcium chloride (CaCl2) or zinc chloride (ZnCl 2), sterilized water, plastic pail, draining tray, zipper bags and blender. Before starting the procedure, strip off coconut shells, wash thoroughly with clean water and allow them to dry completely. If drying is not done properly, they may be difficult to burn. Add the dried coconut shells in the burning sink by adjusting the temperature to about 600 – 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintain the recommended temperature range and burn continuously for about 4 ? hours or until the coconut shells turn into ash. For safe handling, leave the ash until it cools down. After the ash has cooled down, carefully take out the ash from the sink and transfer it into a clean plastic pail. Then, pour the 25 percent concentrated solution of calcium chloride or zinc chloride into the plastic pail. The amount of calcium chloride or zinc chloride solution should be such that the ash is soaked completely into the solution. Cover the pail with a lid and leave for 20 – 24 hours. During this process, the chemicals are impregnated into the ash, after which further treatment will transform the ash into activated charcoal. The next step is removing the charcoal from the chemical solution and transferring it into a draining tray. Allow solution to drain for about 1 hour. For removal of any trace chemicals from the charcoal, wash and rinse repeatedly with sterilized water. Thorough washing is essential in order to get rid of the chemical solution, which is one of the most common problems in the making of activated charcoal by chemical activation procedure. After washing, keep the charcoal in the tray for draining water. Following this, transfer the charcoal into an oven, setting the temperature to about 215 – 230 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 3 hours. After baking, remove the activated charcoal from the oven and crush it with the help of a blender.

Rachel Carson and the Fight Against Indiscriminate Pesticide Use Essay

In her 1962 book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson details the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use, which had â€Å"already silenced the voice of spring in countless towns in America† (Carson (1962) page 3). ‘Miss Carson,’ as many of her detractors referred to her, received ridicule from academics, industry leaders and professional journals for over a decade. Years after her death, conservative and libertarian groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute attacked her and the apparent successes for environmentalism in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the ban of DDT to provide an example of a ‘failed’ government program. Rachel Carson revealed the dangers imposed by indiscriminate pesticide use in her 1962 book, Silent Spring. Although Carson used DDT as her focus, the chemical was an example of the numerous synthesized pesticides employed in many aspects of mankind†™s daily lives. As a biologist with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carson was alerted to the â€Å"numerous case reports of damage to birds and fish after DDT application† and believed that â€Å"because DDT was so effective, it unbalanced ecosystems† (Oreskes (2010) page 219). Carson expanded her research and eventually published her revealing book to alert the public and bring an end to indiscriminate use. The book made numerous claims against pesticides, illustrated the destruction caused by prior use and warned of a future in which â€Å"over increasingly large areas†¦ spring comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song† (Carson (1962) page 88). These â€Å"elixers of death,† she warned, are less insecticides as they are â€Å"biocides† (Carson (1962) pages 15, 8), infiltrating water supplies, food supplies and organisms from the bald eagle to man. â€Å"If [Silent Spring] stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Dr. William Darby, 1962 Heralded as one of the most influential books in the environmental movement, Carson’s writing was less scientific and more thought provoking. Her often-extreme word choices and diction provided a sense of urgency for some, but drew many detractors. Doctor William Darby, a Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, reviewed Silent Spring shortly after its publishing. According to Darby, the â€Å"dramatic description[s]† were simply a ploy to mask other scientific findings are mislead the public (Darby (1962)). Darby accused Carson of â€Å"name-drops by quoting or referring to renowned scientists out of context†¦ [leading] the reader to conclude that the authority mentioned is in accord with the author’s position† (Darby (1962)). To further refute her claims, Darby refers to her as â€Å"Miss Carson† throughout his essay. This treatment of certainly harmed, or was an attempt to harm, her credibility in the scientific field. He continues â€Å"her ignorance or biases on some of the considerations throw doubt on her competence to judge policy† (Darby (1962)). Darby stated that â€Å"if it stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Here was an academic, in the field of biochemistry, blatantly denouncing Carson and her conclusions. In The Chemicals Around Us, a viewpoint published in Chemical Weekly in July 1962, Carson was referred to as a â€Å"crank† and that her writing style was more indicative of â€Å"a lawyer preparing a brief† (Chemical Weekly (1962)). Obviously a somewhat biased publication, the article continued to claim that although â€Å"her facts are correct, her conclusions less certain, and her innuendos misleading†¦ such a public be damned attitude was outmoded some years ago and†¦ too many people are watching.† The phrase, â€Å"too many people are watching† referred to the chemical industry and pro-chemical government, implying that despite her efforts, they would fight back against such erroneous claims with ease. Carson’s detractors were not publishing this information against her for publicity, but were concerned. They were not concerned about the indiscriminate use of pesticides, but rather the ability of public outrage and the future of the chemicals industry. By attacking Carson’s conclusions and writing style, they could distract from the dangerous scientific findings. Facing harsh criticism, Carson’s urgent push for policy against indiscriminate pesticide use seemed to stall. When President Kennedy tasked the President’s Science Advisory Committee with investigating the claims, a new hope emerged. Although the committee did not back or deny Carson’s claims, they lay the burden of proof â€Å"on those who argued that persistent pesticides w ere safe† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). The paradigm shifted against the chemical industry. The findings established that the industry itself was tasked with proving the pesticides used were not a danger to human health or the environment, â€Å"explicitly invoking the standard of reasonable doubt,† rather than those against indiscriminate use proving pesticides were a danger (Oreskes (2010) pages 220-224). According to Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in their 2010 book, Merchants of Doubt, â€Å"the legal phrase reasonable doubt suggests that they were guided by existing legal frameworks†¦ to demonstrate the safety of their products,† and that â€Å"manufacturers had not demonstrated the safety of DDT, and reasonable people now had reason to doubt it† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). It took two more Presidential Administrations before President Nixon authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 and in 1972, the ban on the use of DDT in the United States. The environmental movement, the work done by Rachel Carson, the President’s Science Advisory Committee, numerous scientists and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and banning of DDT was often heralded as a true governmental policy success story. Not until the early 2000s did the evidence exist that DDT was in fact harmful to humans, and a dangerous carcinogen (Oreskes (2010) page 229). For three decades, the establishment of the EPA was used as an example to follow for the creation of new social, economic and environmental policies. As conservative and libertarian think tanks in the mid 1990s were facing new policies and government regulation conflicting with their ideals, a new strategy for combat emerged. By slandering Carson, â€Å"freemarketeers realized [they] could strengthen the argument against regulation in general. (Oreskes (2010) page 218). To argue against regulation, they would destroy the main example of successful policy and regulation: the establishment of the EPA and banning of DDT. In the late 1990s, groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute renewed the attacks on Rachel Carson and the â€Å"junk-science†Ã¢â‚¬â€scientific findings that could not be explained under the free-market system—that led to the ban of DDT in the United States. These think tanks, backed monetarily by Philip Morris and other corporation, â€Å"organized off-the record briefings [with members of Congress], wrote and placed op-ed pieces, and organized radio interviews† (Oreskes, (2010) page 234). The Heartland Institute, focused on â€Å"free-market solutions to social and economic problems†¦ insist[ed] that some one million†¦lives could be saved annually† in developing countries around the world through the use of DDT (Oreskes (2010) page 2 33). There were even claims that her â€Å"false alarm† about pesticides led to the death of millions, making her â€Å"worse than Hitler† (Oreskes (2010) page 217). By destroying Carson’s reputation at the expense of key facts and scientific findings, these groups were changing history. â€Å"Orwell understood that those in power will always seek to control history, because whoever controls the past controls the present† (Oreskes (2010) page 238). Conservative and Libertarian think tanks believed they could control history to derail the progress of regulatory authority in the United States. In the forward to Silent Spring, Carson quotes Albert Schweitzer, â€Å"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall, He will end by destroying the earth† (Carson (1962) Forward). According to Carson, â€Å"it took hundreds of millions of years for life to produce the life that now inhabits the earth†¦ [and] to adjust to these chemicals would require time on the scale that is nature’s, it would require not merely the years of a man’s life but he life of generations† (Carson (1962) page 7). Rachel Carson believed indiscriminate pesticide use and the continued development of synthetic chemicals would devastate our planet in a way that would require generations for the environment to reach equilibrium. E. B. White, an American essayist once wrote, â€Å"I am pessimistic about the human race because it is too ingenious for its own good. Our approach to nature is to beat it into submission. We would stand a better chance of survival is we accommodated ourselves to the planet and viewed it appreciatively instead of skeptically and dictatorially† (Carson (1962) Forward). By allowing the leaders of this nation to be manipulated by groups controlling history, we failed not only Rachel Carson, but ourselves, our environment and our future. Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1962. (Carson (1962)) â€Å"The Chemicals Around Us.† Viewpoint, Chemical Weekly. July 14, 1962: 5. (Chemical Weekly (1962)) Darby, William J. Text from Jukes, Thomas, 1962. â€Å"A Town in Harmony.† Chemical & Engineering News (Aug 18): 5. (Darby (1962)) Oreskes, Naomi, and Erik M. Conway. â€Å"Chapter 7: Denial Rides Again.† Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. (Oreskes (2010))

Through the Eyes of Modern Society

The intriguing documentary of Killing Us Softly 4 by Jean Kilbourne, provides for a controversial topic of the basis of advertising in the media and how it affects women directly and indirectly. Consequently, harsh results are perceived from these advertisements. Of all the â€Å"factual† statements made by Jean Kilbourne during this documentary, many fallacies arose. The media leaves us extremely vulnerable to assimilating ourselves to all aspects of mass media.I can closely identify myself with the situation at hand because I am a part of a society that is raised up on a pop culture that is ubiquitous. We are constantly consumed in the media every single day with advertisements flooding our brains. In fact, I feel that women are not as materialized, dehumanized, or objectified as they are overpoweringly depicted in Killing Us Softly 4. Essentially, Killing Us Softly 4 is an examination of the media and, especially, advertising’s influence on the society and negatively targets and affects women.It characterizes how women are portrayed as objects, not humans. This is represented by a series of advertisements focused on certain body parts, for instance, a woman’s legs or breasts, which apparently dehumanizes women. The issues related to the advertisements presented in this film include a major decline in self-esteem experienced by adolescent females, eating disorders, and violence against women, among other examples. As a result, Kilbourne immediately stresses her opinions that females are bombarded with a multiplicity of insecurities compared to males growing up.She blames this imbalance of self-esteem to the models that indirectly push women to look up to the unreachable ideal image portrayed in advertising. The result is damaging to our collective psychological makeup as far as the way we view women in the real world and how women view themselves. Is it the woman’s body that has been objectified for the sole purpose of this adverti sing? For instance, as stated in the video, it states that the perfect ideal women figure is always shown with a light-skinned, straight-hair, skinny figure.â€Å"Women of color are only considered beautiful if they resemble the white ideal† (5:48-5:56). In fact, I tend to disagree with this very statement. Women can be attractive and be a successful model no matter what skin color they are born with, where they came from, or what their heritage or race may be. Also, it was stated that certain races that are not light-skinned are usually represented as animals instead of human beings, which is an absurd statement. The quote given was, â€Å"Black women are featured as exotic animals, like leopards. Never shown modeling† (8:13-8:30).A statement like this is completely racial and stereotypical as well as close-minded against welcoming of other minorities into the modeling world. As a matter of fact, The United States consists of a melting pot of races, religions, and gen etic make up. So, by making an outlandish statement that is very hypocritical in many senses. When a young girl sees a model in an advertisement and asks herself, â€Å"What do I have to do to look like her? † In addition, women are not as materialized, dehumanized, or objectified as they are overpoweringly depicted in Killing Us Softly 4.Jean Kilbourne tries to formulate a ridiculous piece of research that she complied about the direct relationship between the ideal image of women. This is exemplifies, and coincides with the way that men view women with higher standards, which directly sparks violence against women. The evidence lies in the following quote: â€Å"It creates a widespread violence against women by turning a human being into a thing, which is the first step toward justifying violence against a person. † (9:19-9:42). There is not valid information to backup this â€Å"research† that Kilbourne is referring to and tends to have no apparent correlatio n.She went on to say, â€Å"This is the case with homophobia and terrorism. Dehumanization means violence is inevitable† (9:35-9:42). Respectively, these are all valid examples of groups of people that are alienated from society, certain people desire to inflict violence on them. However, once again the majority of women are not a part of those groups so this information essentially, remains irrelevant. In conclusion, many fallacies were present as a result of the statements made throughout the documentary.Jean Kilbourne tries to provide valid facts,  research, and propaganda against the objectification, dehumanization, and role of women in advertisement. An example of a fallacy is the thought that only women closely related to the white ideal are considered beautiful and modeling material. Another example of a fallacy would be the creation of an ideal imagine of women through advertising, directly pushes violence against women. Although Kilbourne brought forth some apparen tly true information and concern up front, the majority of the information is drawn directly from her own emotions, views, and opinions.

Compensation and Benefit System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Compensation and Benefit System - Essay Example With the passage of time, more workers are comparing one business to another not just with respect to salary but also benefits. A number of individuals, indeed, are more concerned about the benefits they get instead of wages because of family requirements or aspects of their standard of living, such as â€Å"health care coverage and financial planning† (World at Work, 2007). If someone has a company, his employee compensation and benefits package may simply be the basis someone does or does not agree to the job offer. To make the company aggressive and create a center of attention for very skilled applicants, one has to present an attractive benefits package. The business should make this a significant element of the planning process, if the management would like to appoint and retain top workers. In the present day, employees are not ready to work merely for the money; they look forward to something more than cash. This ‘something more than cash’ is known as empl oyee benefits or fringe benefits. Employee benefits are non-monetary type of compensation provided besides cash earnings to improve employees’ lives - both personal and professional. Employee benefits are not based on performance. Employees get benefits irrespective of their performances. â€Å"Employee benefits as a whole have no direct affect on employee performance† (Dixon et al, 2009); however, insufficient benefits do contribute to a decreasing satisfaction level along with increasing absence and turnover in workers. Therefore, the employers would have to plan their benefit package vigilantly. All individuals have different kinds of requirements. A few would like have cash so they work for the corporation that offers them higher salary package. Some individuals give importance to success more than cash; they would join the companies that offer better opportunities of promotion, learning, development, and personal growth. A compensation plan that goes well with employees’ requirements is more expected to encourage them to work in the way their company wants them to. The Group compensation structure includes different types of compensation. This guarantees proportionate compensation, in this manner reinforcing and supporting short as well as long-term goal setting and attainment. Executive Management’s fixed income must be individual and supported on the content and responsibility of the job, the person’s capability along with experience with respect to the job held, in addition to the region in which the position is based. As well as a fixed income, Executive Management as well has a variable income componen

Human Resources Diagnosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resources Diagnosis - Essay Example Richland Community College, like other complex systems, takes in resources and operate on them to produce some kind of output. They therefore depend on a continuing flow of resources for their existence and thus find themselves in an endless competition with other organizations that need the same resources. The main practices introduced by the College and its leader, Bill, are change management and motivation, positive climate (achieved by equal treatment of all employees) and self-evaluation. Richland Community College is a non-profit organization thus it has to compete more effectively in order to get a larger portion of available resources, which means that those that compete less effectively get fewer resources. Organizations act much like other systems that have intelligence. They have goals and long-term strategies for achieving them. By the same token, they also have strategies for how they are going to compete with other organizations to obtain the resources they need. The mi dlevel sets the conditions, procedures, and standards for the production level and allocates resources so as to promote production efficiency and effectiveness. And it, as is true for the operations layer, may also have several levels of "real" management.

A Cloth Retail Business and Benefits of Ecommerce Case Study - 1

A Cloth Retail Business and Benefits of Ecommerce - Case Study Example As the workload increased so E-Kin had to increase the number of people working in the firm. Maria Winner was employed to handle the customer service and distribution of the products. With time the business took a turn up and grew to make the company to hire a CIO in the form of Cam Crawford, a CFO in the form of Won Dour Trump and a Purchasing Director in the form of Eric Zachary. With the increase in sales of the business and expansion into new products, E-Kin had to increase its reach. The expansion had to be from not only the people who could reach up to their retail outlets or call upon their number and order products but to people who lived miles away and even in other countries. As the pressure from competing for retail firms had started increasing, a step forward into the market had to be made in order to expand their firm and to attract and maintain new costumes for their products. With the advancement in technology and pressure from other competing firms, the only way possible for E-Kin to achieve this goal was to expand their business services into E-commerce. But before that, they had to think up of the positive and negative aspects of doing so because they now are already a well-reputed company who not only has to expand but also has to maintain its brand image. The suggestion by the Sales and Marketing Director of E-Kin that is Ken E. Sellit of taking the business into E-commerce has its own benefits and drawbacks. The potential benefits of using e-commerce to E-Kin can be that E-Kin can expand their potential buyers also known as their product market from their city to the national level and even to the international level with the minimal amount of investment. With e-commerce E-Kin can easily approach more customers without having to open their outlets in new cities, and without employing new and more workers. E-commerce can also help E-Kin to digitalize their company’s information hence reducing the costs of the paper-based information storage system. It is also a common perception that online presence enhances the brand image of a retailer.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 69

Assignment Example Fed can purchase government either securities or lowers current reserve rations. In doing so, interest rates will fall and hence bringing the economy back to full employment. Suppose on observing that there is excess money supply in the economy, Fed will use open market operations to try to reduce the excess supply. Sales of government securities contract the assets accessible to lend and tend to increase the federal funds rate. Policymakers call this contractionary monetary policy or tightening. The Fed is targeting an interest rate level that would enable it achieves and controls its goal for employment. Economic growth, interest rate stability, and inflation can hit this rate target by choosing an appropriate value of money supply that will equate to money for equilibrium conditions in the capital market. The sale of government securities leads to a decrease in money supply from MS1 to MS2 in the economy. As a result, the current reserve ratio increase and hence putting an upward pressure on the Fed interest rate (Setterfield 105-116). Therefore, contracting policy results in the increase in interest rates from R1 to R2 and hence the cost of borrowing from commercial banks increases discouraging borrowing. When Fed sells government securities, it reduces money supply in the economy. The fall in money supply results in an increase in interest rates to R2. The increase in the interest rates reduces the level of aggregate demand and investment to I2 and hence a reduction in real GDP. As soon as the economy is in the recessionary gap, the Fed will implement an expansionary monetary policy to upsurge money supply in the market through three monetary policy instruments. By buying government securities and bonds, the Fed target will be to reduce the interest rate level. Moreover, it can lower the reserve rate or lessen the discount rate. The move will lead to a reduction in lending rates; hence, commercial banks will be encouraged borrowing

The Importance of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing and How It Affected Research Paper

The Importance of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing and How It Affected America's Relationship with Russia - Research Paper Example The effects of the above mission on America’s relationship with Russia are reviewed in this paper; the explanation of the value of the specific mission for USA and for the global community has been considered as necessary in order to understand the differentiation of the relationship between USA and Russia under the influence of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing. The paper aims to prove that the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing has been a unique event, highly affecting the relationship between USA and Russia which are considered as major competitors in the Aerospace industry. The Apollo missions are considered as the most important projects in the American Aerospace industry. Of particular importance is the first of these missions, the Apollo 11 Lunar landing that tool place in the 20th of July 1969. During that day ’Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the two members of the crew, had the chance to walk for about half of a mile on foot’.1 It was the first time in human history that such trip has been achieved. Normally, the above achievement should have caused the interest of scientists and the public worldwide. Still, the value of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing has been doubted.2 One of the key reasons has been the project’s cost. ... still, due to its cost the mission did not have the support expected, if considering its value for science, not just for USA but for the international community. The importance of the Apollo 11 Lunar landing can be understood if referring to the mission’s various aspects. The Apollo 11 mission has been a project in which critical programs of Aerospace have been tested. Reference can be made, for example, to ‘the Centaur Program, a program instrumental in the success of the above mission’.4 In ‘the 40th anniversary of Apollo mission’, engineers working in NASA’s projects had the chance to highlight the value of the Centaur program, which was developed during the Apollo 11 mission.5 During the above anniversary, the value of the Apollo 11 for the improvement of the technology involved in the Aerospace industry was highlighted; reference has been made, for example, to the robotic technology6 but also to the Space Shuttle engine,7 which had a criti cal role in the success of the Apollo 11 mission. Moreover, by completing the Apollo 11 mission successfully, USA could set more targets in regards to the Aerospace industry. The exploration of other planets and the development of other projects related to the space have been made feasible in the context of the Apollo 11 Lunar landing. This fact is reflected in the following event: in the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar landing, the US president, George Bush announced the intention of the US Government to support the expansion of projects related to the Aerospace industry.8 The expansion would include a series of initiatives, such as ‘a mission to Mars and a permanent return to the Moon’.9 The above announcements were made in order to enhance the popularity of NASA’s projects. Indeed, in the period

The United States Patriot Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The United States Patriot Act - Essay Example The PATRIOT Act was enacted to protect US citizens by augmenting the tools by which law enforcement agencies fight crime and improves communication capabilities between these government agencies. In spite of the prevailing majority opinion, the PATRIOT Act protects, rather than degrades, civil liberties. The name of the act, the USA PATRIOT Act, is a shortened acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. According to the Justice Department, the PATRIOT Act gives support to and encourages enhanced sharing of information among various law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels. In addition, this law assists law enforcement in their efforts to â€Å"connect the dots† from a wider scope of agencies when assembling evidence so as to â€Å"develop a complete picture† regarding possible threats from terrorists. By enabling more fluid communications between the various agencies, information regarding a particular suspect can be matched up faster, often automatically by computer database, and more accurately identified. This assists in increasing the safety of citizens both by removing dangerous suspects from the general population before they are able to cause serious trouble and by ensuring innocent citizens are cleared and released in a timely and efficient manner if or when mistakes are made. Communications is the focus of the other major element of the act as well. The Act allows law enforcement officials more latitude when attempting to intercept transmissions of suspected terrorist’s discussions via electronic surveillance (Ward, 2002). This is not a blanket license for law enforcement to listen to anyone’s line based upon a simple whim or roll of the dice, but is instead intended to help investigators trace suspicious person’s through their more intimate and therefore

The Social context of health and social care Essay

The Social context of health and social care - Essay Example In contemporary society, status inequalities are found everywhere. Therefore, no individual can be saved from the injustice one can face in the name of status, gender, political constrains etc. Political and economic constructs used to define societal systems of stratification Societies of Britain and other European states are the example of unequal societies as they show vast and unequal division of income, property ownership, and wealth. So, all these terms can be used to describe the class societies. Other differences of culture, lifestyle attitude are not meaningless; however, they are seen to point at different level of social division (Scott, 1999). Social inequality is at the heart of social stratification. The concept of social stratification as a particular form of social division emphasises on the idea that individuals are distributed among the layers and levels of social hierarchy because of their economic relations (Scott, 1999). Class: Economic division and inequalities are used by most of the sociologist in terms of the use of the word class. These divisions are rooted in property and employment relations; in other words, it is a particular kind of social division. The economic relations of class are often contrasted with cultural matters, particularly with status that is a more visible style of life of the people that affects their standing in the community (Scott, 1999). In the society we live, class difference among the people has developed to a larger extent. People do not really look after the poor ones in the time of need. The rich are getting more concerned about class-consciousness. Gender: It is another issue that is seen in the stratification of the class. Rae Lesser Blumberg in her theory has explained the position of women in all type of societies. According to Rae Lesser Blumberg, the lesser the economic power the women have, the more they are likely to be oppressed ideologically, politically, and physically. The level of economic pow er that woman can mobilize is a positive function of their ability to participate in the production of the economic affairs and in the distribution of the economic production. It is also seen that greater women’s economic power to that by men, the more the women have control over their life. However, if they do not have economic power they are likely to have less control over their basic matters such as their fertility patterns, their marriages, their premarital sex, right to seek divorce, their access to extramarital sex, their level and type of education, their freedom to move about, and their household activities (Turner, 2003). It is seen that in our society, since women are allowed to have economic power; therefore, they do have right over these issues. However, in the societies of the third world countries, where women do not have such power, they are seen to be deprived of these rights. Factors and trends that reflect current societal change Technology has been used to overcome many primitive structures of living. On one level, where it has made the life easy for many of people, on the other hand life has become more complicated for most of the living beings. Technology has proven itself very helpful for the students as due to entity they can have a better understanding of their literature (Chanlin, 2007). But technology has also become a

The topic is Young Goldman Brown. discuss the readings. What did you Essay

The topic is Young Goldman Brown. discuss the readings. What did you think of each of the stories Did it have any meaning in your life Is it still relevant today Things you didn't like - Essay Example Goodman seems that he believed in his father and grandfather until he met the elderly man in the forest who could be the devil: the old man claimed that he knew both of them. The old man, however, proves his erroneousness when he asserts that even Faith is corrupted. He seems to trust Faith exceedingly and has to consult with her every time he necessitates anything. Goodman lacks a true religion, and this makes him susceptible to transformations and his faith shaken. Hawthorne, however, believes that the Puritan religion is exceptionally corrupted since most of its followers also have a dark side including the founders- his grandfather and father. Although the activities that occurred in the forest are not evidently stated whether they are real or a dream, Goodman’s life and beliefs will never be the same again since either way he would still be distressed. In today’s societal setting, one has to choose what to believe, but it should not be too distant from the beliefs of others. Young people should not be influenced by their ancestor’s beliefs, and should do what they are contented with; this makes these readings relevant today. The things I did not like is the fact that Goodman had to consult with Faith when he wanted to do anything, showing how he was unable to make his own

Creative Writing (Story beginnings) Essay Example for Free

Creative Writing (Story beginnings) Essay A golden haze encircled the angels head and its torso glowed dazzling white against the drab dreary wall behind. Whats happe she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldnt obey so she gave up. She fought too against the uplifting force taking her away from the slightly damp pavement but as every ounce of resistance drained out of her limbs, she went limp and was completely at its mercy. The final thought that crossed her mind before it succumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her was that she recognised this angel. * Elizabeth Anne Johnson Lizzie to her friends was a beautiful girl. With endless jet-black locks flowing down her back and striking features, she looked straight off a catwalk. Tonight she was wearing her favourite pale pink mini-dress with manicured nails and dainty heels to match; and with her perfect figure, she was more than able to carry it off. A combination of her stunning looks and the confidence she exuded made every head turn when she walked past a fact of which she was well aware. Lizzie had spent all night in Brightons new trendiest nightspot Heaven. The place was heaving with bodies bouncing to the thundering beats pounding out of the state of the art stereo system. They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above. Fluffy white clouds were suspended from the ceiling, in keeping with the paradisiacal theme, and the strobe lighting completed the effect. The drinks were flowing and the atmosphere was electric just how Lizzie liked it and as she cast her chocolate-brown eyes around the dance floor a wave of euphoria swept over her. She felt as though she was perched on top of the world. Already tonight, she had received fifteen requests to buy her a drink a record even by her standards and had accepted only one. This was one more than usual though. She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite. Lizzie, a seasoned partygoer, was extremely cautious, especially after the letters Nevertheless, against her better judgement, she was drawn in by the hypnotic charms of this blonde-haired stranger and felt powerless to resist. His eyes were bottomless pools of baby blue and he had a passive, peaceful presence she trusted him immediately and completely. She began chatting to him and it suddenly dawned on her that she was telling her life story to a total stranger but she pushed the thought out of her mind just as quickly as it had surfaced. Besides with his crisp white shirt, soft voice and wide grin, he seemed harmless enough. Chapter One (2) The sun was playing hide and seek behind the rows of trees as Detective Flynn drove up to the Heaton mansion. He was filled with the giddy excitement of a man about to change his life. He knew how lucky he was to be here and that this case could potentially make or break his career. Flynn was extremely tall and so scrawny one feared he might blow over in a sudden gust of wind. Through the flaming red curtains flopping over his forehead, intense blue eyes peered out inquisitively. As the mansion came into view for the first time he was awestruck. Beyond the wrought iron gates, it stood large and handsome. It was a huge stone structure with countless windows glinting in the afternoon sun and set in acres of sprawling grounds, of which every inch was flawless. The only thing blemishing this perfect watercolour was the black and yellow police tape running the length of the building. The old rusty Ford Escort coughed and spluttered to a halt in the immaculate courtyard and with an almighty heave Flynn managed to force the door open. As he stepped out gravel crunched beneath his feet. He was dressed in a pair of old faded Marks and Sparks jeans and looking around, was suddenly painfully aware of how old and faded they really were. He was also regretting the rest of his wardrobe choice. His slightly off-white shirt had a straight out of the laundry basket look and his black leather loafers hadnt seen a dab of polish sincewell ever. Despite this, John Heaton greeted Flynn with a warm friendly handshake. The two had been at school together and even though their lives had taken extremely different paths, they had remained the best of friends. As he was being introduced to Heatons wife Claudia, the detective couldnt help but notice how much his friend had changed. A nervous and slightly awkward teenager, John Heaton had become a confident self-assured 35 year-old. He now spoke with the eloquence and poise that only a multi-billionaire could. He was dripping with expensive designer labels a far cry from the washed out tee shirts and baggy jeans of his adolescence. Money oozed out of his every pore. One thing, however, had definitely not changed. Observing the dreamy look that descended upon his face as he gazed at his wife, Flynn could tell his old chum was still a sucker for a pretty girl. And this was one pretty girl! 15 years his junior, actress Claudia Gilbert-Heaton was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Yet, as she tentatively extended her perfectly manicured hand to shake his, Detective Flynn took an instant disliking to her. Her broad smile was almost condescending and didnt reach her eyes, which were icy and distant. Im so pleased to finally meet you, she said, looking him up and down, staring pointedly at the ink stain on his shirt pocket. The disdainful look in her eyes betrayed her words and he could tell she was quite the opposite. The reason for this, he would soon discover Chapter One (3) It screamed at me. Its waving arms taunted me as they jerked up and down and the smiley face was more of a sneering face. At that moment all I wanted to do was shatter it into a thousand pieces but it was so far away and my legs were still sound asleep. I picked a rolled up sock up off the floor and with all the energy I could muster, sat up and launched it. It hit its intended destination with satisfying thud and mercifully, the screaming desisted. Putting the bright yellow, Little Miss Sunshine alarm clock so far out of reach had been a pre-emptive strike by mother against my Sunday morning lie-in. Ha, I thought, shell have to think of something better than that! I managed the beginnings of a triumphant grin before, exhausted from my exertions, I slumped onto the lumpy mattress and slid back into a peaceful slumber. Ten minutes later I heard the sprightly purposeful pounding that could only be her bounding up the stairs. She burst through the door, wearing her mechanical cheery smile. Morning love, sleep well? Why arent you up yet, I heard the alarm go off ages ago? she asked, ruffling my unruly brown curls. She then marched over to the window, with unnatural liveliness considering the time and spread the curtains wide. Oh Mum, its too bright, I mumbled in complaint, raising an arm to shield my bleary eyes from the light. She ignored me. I sometimes think you wouldnt know an early morning if it came up and bit you on the behind. Now get up, Im sure youve plenty of work to do today and we dont want you falling behind now do we? she chirped, practically, it seemed, in unison with the birds outside. I need sleep, I whined, yearning for some pity. It didnt come. You shouldnt let sleep get in the way of things. Heaven knows I dont; I cant. What would happen if I did? Nothing would get done around here thats what! she tutted and continued with renewed vigour, Goodness, look at the state of this room! Im sure youve forgotten what colour the carpet is! This is not a positive working environment. How on earth can you get anything done in here? She asked and without pausing for an answer, delved into the abyss that was my bedroom floor. She began sorting tidying and organising like an unstoppable whirlwind of efficiency, her neat blonde bob bouncing up and down. I merely lounged on the bed and watched on in amazement. Within minutes she had transformed the cluttered chaotic mess into a tidy, orderly bedroom. When she finished, she stood up, brushed some imaginary specks of dirt from her skirt and staring at my sprawled out figure, flashed me the look. Oh no, I groaned inwardly. It was the I-am-so-disappointed-you-didnt-turn-out-more-like-me look. This look was always followed by a stream of criticisms, of which most, to be fair, were usually quite accurate. I sighed and braced myself for the oncoming tirade. Literary Analysis of Story Beginning (1) When writing my own story opening, I tried to use techniques that would make the reader want to read on. For example, I described the main characters appearance in detail so that the reader would be able to form a mental picture of her. Just from the first few paragraphs, the reader knows that she is a beautiful girl with endless jet black locks and chocolate brown eyes. The effect of this is to make the reader relate to her with empathy rather than objectivity because they feel they know her. I also tried to show her personality was sweet and kind. Her clothes and shoes are powder-pink and dainty. I also mentioned that she seemed like the happy-go-lucky type. I did this so the reader would like her and be affected by anything that may happen to her. I included her full name Elizabeth Anne Johnson so that the reader would feel like they were getting a complete picture of her. However, for the rest of the opening, I referred to her as Lizzie. This created a bond between the reader and the character because she is Lizzie to her friends so the reader feels like her friend. It is written in the 3rd person narrative so the reader can get a full overview of all the events in the story. The narrative structure deviates. This creates suspense, as there is no development of the action in the first paragraph in the rest of the opening. I purposely created a huge contrast between the eerie and spooky first paragraph and the rest of the opening, which seems like an ordinary night out, by using varying degrees of character and event description. In the first paragraph I did not use any description at all and just used non-specific terms like she. This was to create mystery and apprehension. In sharp contrast to this, I fully described character and events in the rest of the story. I began with telling the reader her full name so they felt they were being formally introduced. I then went on to describe her appearance, clothes what she is doing: tonight she was wearing She had spent all night because I did none of this in the first paragraph. I did however make some links. For example, in the first paragraph, the words angel, uplifting and glowed are used. In the rest of the opening, the words Heaven, fluffy white clouds and euphoria are used. This is to create a link between the two parts of the story and establish an ongoing theme of heaven and the supernatural. I also used a sense of vulnerability to link the two main characters. With the girl in the first paragraph it is obvious. I used carefully chosen vocabulary. She willed her mouthit wouldnt obey shows that she isnt even in control of her own body. She fought to against the uplifting forcewas completely at its mercy, her mindsuccumbed to the black cloud that eventually engulfed her. Also the word succumbed is quite passive. However the vulnerability in Lizzies character is subtler. At the end, she is drawn in by the stranger and feels powerless to resist. This links Lizzie and the girl but also the angel and the stranger because they hold the power in the respective relationships. I think the links make the reader want to read on because its like giving them some pieces of a puzzle. They can see some of the picture so they read on so they can find the rest of it. To create further curiosity, the phrase especially after the letters is not explained at any point in the opening, forcing the reader to form their own opinion. The fact that she was extremely cautious especially after the letters makes the letters seem sinister and let the reader know they were a cause for concern. I used ellipsis at the end so show it is an unfinished thought and an unanswered question. I carefully chose vocabulary to foreshadow dramatic events. For example, on top of the world is a well-known phrase, which means in a position of great happiness or success. However I used the phrase perched on top of the world in my story opening. The word perched suggests instability and precariousness so implies that her happiness may be short lived. I also used the progression of time to create effect. The story begins with the girl trying to speak and then finally collapsing she willed her mouth to finish the sentence but it wouldnt obeysuccumbed to the black cloud that was threatening to engulf her and then goes to a lively vibrant scene. I did this so the scene would seem like a flashback or a dream as we know the main character is unconscious. The strobe lighting in the scene adds to the dream-like quality. I tried to create an image of the setting (the club) being beautiful and pure. I did this by calling it heaven and using description like fluffy white clouds. I then used words like heaving with bodies thundering beats and pounding when describing the people and what they are doing to create a contrast. I did this to imply that clubbing itself is innocent enough but the people make it dangerous. I used alliteration in several places for effect. drab dreary wall emphasises how dull and grey the wall in contrast dazzling white of the angel, to to make it stand out more. In bodies all bouncing to the thundering beat, the b sound is repeated to try and mirror the beat of the music. I used the phrases bottomless pools of baby blue and passive, peaceful presence because they are quite soft sounds and I wanted to make the stranger seem calm and therefore contrast with the setting, which is electric. I used a metaphor They were puppets dancing to the tune of the headphone-wearing master in the glass booth above because it emphasises the submissive nature of the clubbers and the idea of a person wielding power over someone else. The issue of power is explored in many different parts of the story. I also used repetition. The word seemed is used at the end the last paragraph. She may have seemed like the happy-go-lucky type but appearances can be deceptive and she was quite the opposite and he seemed harmless enough. This is to suggest that just because the stranger seems harmless he may be quite the opposite and to foreshadow him doing something harmful in the future. I put it in italics both times to add emphasis and draw the readers attention to it. In conclusion, I think the techniques I used were effective because there are unanswered questions right at the beginning, which are never answered and this appeals the curiosity of the reader, making them want to read on.

Functionalism In Psychology History Principles And Contributions Philosophy Essay

Functionalism In Psychology History Principles And Contributions Philosophy Essay This essay shows a history of functionalism, its principles and contributions. It includes four stages of psychology in the United States, development of functionalism and notable functionalists focusing on Willam James. It shows the theory of free will, habits and instincts, Jamess early years, mind-body debate, consciousness, emotions and the self. The development of self-esteem by James Williams could probably help social workers, counselors and psychologists to tackle clients who are troubled, bullied, depressed, anaroxic or suicidal. Functionalism in Psychology: History, Principles Contributions The alternative model to structuralism was known as functionalism. Founded by William James,who agreed with Edward Titchner that the study of consciousness must be the central theme of psychology. But James disagreed with structuralists search for basic elements of mind, he rather emphasized that psychologists should study how the mind functions. James published a book titled Principles of Psychology in 1890, which promoted functionalism. He agreed that consciousness is an ongoing stream, a property of the mind that continually interacts with the environment. Through this interaction, human beings learn to adapt to their environment. For him, the functions of mind were more important than the structures of mind (Hergenhahn, 2005). This paper will represent the history, principles and current contributions of functionalism. According to Sahakian (1975), thereare four stages of early United States Psychology. The pre-revolution, first stage betweenthe year 1640 1776, the using of reasoning to differentiate between God, beliefs, religion and state.Second stage between the year 1776 1886, commonsense philosophers have agreed to take feelings and senses as equal to reason. Third stage between the year 1886 1896, psychology is separated from philosophy and religion. In the final fourth stage, the publication of John Deweys article The Reflex Arc in Psychology in the year 1896 and themixture of science, apprehension for practicality, importance on individual and evolutionary theorycombined together into the school of functionalism. Functionalism was rooted in Charles Darwins theory of evolution. Evolution is based on individual differences and the survival of adaptive features. Adaptation becomes a popular approach to measuring intelligence and Individual Differences become a valued part of mental research. Unlike most other psychologists who were interested in the structure of mental activity, functionalists were interested in functions, the mental aspects of adapting to an environment. Functionalist were equally interested in individual differences of all mental activity. Functionalism started with John Lockes political theory influenced the American and French Constitutions (Hergenhahn, 2005). His views on education have contributed to the thoughts of every subsequent theorizer in the field.The mind at birth possesses no innate ideas. The mind of man is a tabula rasa or blank slate at birth, upon which is impressed many sense impressions. All knowledge proceeds through sense experience. As the mind stores up a variety of sense impressions, associations occur which provide new knowledge. The mind is consequently passive. The senses provide the mind with the materials which represent reality. These materials are not identical with the extra mental object. The material is the idea within the mind which represents the object outside the mind being received by the senses. By combining, comparing and analyzing these materials or ideas arising through sensations, we derive thoughts. Knowledge is not sense perception but intellectual perception. Functionalists like American philosopher, John Dewey who criticized reductionistic approaches to psychology and argued that experience must be understood in a naturalistic context. He applied the assumptions of functionalism in developing the field of school psychology and educational practices. As the functionalists studied the functions of consciousness, gradually their attention shifted to the learning process itself. They paid less attention to the study of consciousness and more to the environmental conditions that facilitate mental functions. William James was the most influential functionalist.He presented much of the foundation functional psychology, but he did not develop his ideas to the point of an independent school of study. He endorsed some aspects of functionalism, and considered the father of American psychology. Consistent with materialism and evolution, James believed that science opposed the existence of free will. In turn, he proposed free will to be beyond the realm of science. The nature of free will is reflected in voluntary behaviour. To control our voluntary behaviour, we must control the ideas of behaviour. Ideas of action can lead to action, or can be held back consciously.According to James, both habits and instinct are within the brain (not in the mind) and outside of free will(Hergenhahn, 2005). Habits are learned and continuous repetition could stabilize mental functions in the brain. Instincts are unlearned and they are learned patterns of reacting. Instincts are not blind and invariable and can be moulded by habit. James was initially impressed with the scientific advancements tied to both materialism and evolution, but those sciences left him disappointed and even depressed.His depression ended while reading about free will. He doubted free will was an illusion if he could voluntarily believe in free will. Voluntary belief also influenced his approach to science. His major publication was Principles of Psychology which provided a solid foundation of modern psychology in America. James attempted to cover every aspect of psychology and took twelve years to write it, and it was 1,393 pages long (published as two volumes). Principles of Psychology generally support a dualist, interactionist approach to human nature. James presents separate mind phenomena and brain phenomena, and proposes ways in which they interact.Most experimental psychologists at that time were looking for elements of consciousness.James represented the concept of a stream of consciousness. According to James, consciousness is not made up of a bunch of little pieces put together. Consciousness is personal (no need for common elements), continuous (cannot be dismantled), always changing, always selective and choosing (free will) and dealt of objects other than itself (the purpose is functional and adaptive). According to James, the self is the sum of all things which a person can call mine. Including the body and all possessions (material self), the self as it is known by others (social self) and spiritual self(Hergenhahn, 2005). Self as knower (the I, pure ego) is an ultimate vantage point, self that does the knowing and a part of you that remains constant in a changing stream of consciousness. Self-esteem is a ratio of the actual self over the potential self. Esteem could come from achievements and from lowering expectations.The classic theory of emotion in functionalism is stimulus, emotion and response; perceive object, experience emotion and respond to it. Another theory of emotion is stimulus, response and emotion; the behaviour is a functional reaction to the stimulus and the emotion is the result of the response. As a functional result, behaviours associated with how you want to feel can give you that feeling. Functionalism was an overwhelming achievement, unfortunately, it was a bsorbed into the mainstream psychology and not on its own. However, the study of functionalism and the selfresultedthe development of the study of self-esteem which helps the world till today. James had a very simple definition of self-esteem: success divided by pretension. According to James the more success we have and the lower our expectations or pretensions then the higher our self-esteem. To raise self-esteem, therefore, we have two options: lower our expectations of ourselves or increase our achievements.This theorygives us and psychologists a better understanding on howpeople react to their thoughtsand perhaps to tackle depression and maintain self-esteem. Functionalism has taught us on how to get a better understanding of the functions of the mind and perhaps this theory could be useful for psychologists, counsellors and social workers who meet with suicidal or depressed clients.

The sustainability strategy

The sustainability strategy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With globalization, technological changes, economic drivers, and social and environmental mandates, the global business environment is less predictable and more challenging than it was even a decade ago. Customers, stakeholders, and society expect and demand superior products, services, and operations with less waste, reduced impacts on health, safety, and the environment, and enhanced corporate responsibilities for the decisions, technologies, products, processes, and activities of every facet of the business enterprise. In the words of Rainey (2006) Today, businesses must thoroughly analyze the global business environment to gain a firm understanding of the opportunities and challenges it presents, and develop aggressive strategies for improving every aspect of their enterprises. To do this, corporations must have in place a comprehensive and integrated strategic management framework for formulating and implementing business strategies, programs, and actions based on considerations that include the entire business environment. Such a framework requires the capability to integrate both internal systems and processes and those of external business entities, including customers, stakeholders, and supply networks. According to Siemens Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2002, Berlin and Munich: Siemens AG, 2002 Sustainable success is our number one priority. Our activities focus on meeting the needs of customers and creating value for our shareholders and employees. Our innovations generated through our own laboratories and in cooperation with customers, business partners and universities are our greatest strengths. Woolworths Limited is an Australian public corporation with annual sales of over 38 billion. The company is recognized as one of the top five retail companies in the world. The company is committed to wards improvement of its environment footprint through a proper sustainability strategy. The sustainability strategy of the company addresses many of the significant issues related with environment, public, staff, and economic responsibilities of business. This sustainability strategy of Woolworths has been discussed in detail along with its benefits and limitations in the report. INTRODUCTION The retail industry connects with every person in some way. To remain competitive and profitable the industry is constantly required to adapt to changing nature of local as well as that of global marketplace. Sustainability is not an easy task as it involves a great deal of complexity related with the issues involved. It is important to have an effective management system for managing environmental, social and economic performance as it is fundamental for a sustainable development of any company or industry as a whole. Further, identifying, measuring, and reporting social and environmental impacts cannot begin until the board of directors and CEO are committed to improved sustainability management. Often it is through a mission statement or the development and articulation of a corporate sustainability strategy that the board and CEO set the tone at the top. It is then necessary to drive this commitment through the organization by implementing the various systems for identifying and measuring impacts, stakeholder engagement, product design, product costing, capital budgeting, information management, and performance evaluation. Epstein, Mark J. (2008) argued that effective and consistent leadership provides an alignment between environmentally and socially responsive activities and corporate goals and provides internal credibility to promote progress toward improved social and environmental management within business units and organizational functions. Woolworths CEO Simon Susman says, We know that sustainable growth can only be achieved through paying greater attention to the world around us than has been the case in the past. The links between economic growth, transformation, social development, the environment and climate change must create a better world for everyone. Purpose and Scope The report aims at making a critical analysis of Woolworths Sustainability Strategy. The strategy is analyzed on the basis of business responsibility towards social, economic and environmental issues. The report will present a view of Woolworths sustainability along with the key introductions in companys new plan of sustainability which was released recently. Woolworth was praised for its sustainability strategy but recently it has also been criticized of working against its own strategy. This aspect is also discussed in the report. Methodology The case study analysis is undertaken to form an opinion about the issue. Secondary source of information is mainly used to analyze the sustainability strategy of Woolworths and its effect of society, environment and economic areas. The data has been collected from various journals, newspapers and website of Woolworths. Various concepts and theories will be applied to the available data in order to present a clear picture of the companys strategy. BACKGROUND Woolworths Limited stretches across food and grocery, liquor, petrol, general merchandise and consumer electronics. The company is a major investor in Australia and New Zealand communities. Woolsworth is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and employ more than 191,000 people with approximately 380,000 shareholders. The company claims of being conscious of its responsibilities towards it stakeholders as its operations impact its own people, customers, communities, shareholders, supply chain and the environment. Woolworths is well known as the fresh food people in Australia and was established in 1924. It was the second largest employer in Australia and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was an integral part of its corporate agenda. Recently Woolworths announced its new sustainability strategy. Under such strategy Woolsworth also opened its first Green Store in 2007 in Sydney. In this store innovative technologies are used to minimize the use of energy and water, and reduce waste generation. Through these stores Woolsworth aims at reducing the environmental impact caused by the companys retail operations. According to Simon Susman (Chief Executive, Woolworths) We have used the phrase the Good business journey because this truly is a journey and there are no easy solutions. We are committed to meeting the 5 year targets we have set and to do this, we will be exploring new ways of doing things in many areas. Reaching these destinations will require significant behavioural and cultural change. If we can take our customers and suppliers along with us, this journey will have an even more meaningful impact on the wide range of transformational, social and environmental challenges that face South Africa, Models and Frameworks The objective of sustainability is the maintenance or restoration of a desired state that has already existed. The promotion of sustainability is an active process of engaging society. Firms need to become involved in this process because, collectively, they are now so powerful that communities and governments often do not act sufficiently strongly to achieve sustainability if there is active or perceived opposition from the private sector. So sustainability-promoting firms need to go beyond simply reducing their own negative environmental, social or economic impacts. They need to produce products that help society to become sustainable and they also need to use their influence to encourage society-wide action to achieve sustainability. This approach will be taken as the basis of our analysis of Woolworths sustainability strategy. Capabilities Framework According to Turner and Crawford (1998) To maximize organizational success, in both the short and the long term, firms need the capabilities to deliver results effectively. They also need to be able to identify viable and desirable future directions. And in the face of the enthusiasm for the new, they still need to retain valuable attributes and resources (within the firm and in society/ the environment). To achieve these three goals firms need special capabilities. Turner and Crawford gave a framework of such capabilities which is depicted in Figure 1 and will be considered while discussing the strategy of Woolswoths. Sustainability Implementation Framework Another framework to be used in the study is the Sustainability Implementation Framework suggested by Diesendorf (1998) that comprises of following three levels: Level 0, comprising the broad ethical principles Level 1, comprising broad goals arising from these principles Level 2, comprising measurable objectives or indicators The above two models will be used to analyze the sustainability strategy of Woolworths. ANALYSIS OF SUSTANABILITY STRATEGY OF WOOLSWORTHS Woolworths is aware of its responsibility towards stakeholders and thus employed corporate social responsibility at the core of its business strategy. Business of the company has social, economic and environmental impacts and thus Woolworths decided to take a range of initiatives to provide a quality of life to its customers, the workforce and the society at large. Along with such social initiatives Woolworths took up several initiatives to be a responsible retailer as well. Woolworths made sure that its initiative related with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) must comprise of initiates towards the betterment of environment, employees, shareholders, supply networks and customers. Some important components in relation to sustainability strategy of Woolworths are discussed as follows: Accelerating Transformation Driving Social Development Enhancing the Environmental focus Addressing Climate Change Providing Quality and Innovation in products and Services Accelerating Transformation Woolworths aims at accelerating transformation of its products, stores and processes. The company is committed to transformation across the business and has embarked upon a company-wide program so as to make sure that transformation becomes an entrenched way of doing business all over the company. Under this approach company will transform the way of doing business across all aspects and also will work in partnership with its suppliers, public sector, and franchise partners. Woolworths will accelerate its retail skills and for achieving this target various straining initiatives have been undertaken by the company. These initiatives include accreditation of Woolworths courses and the establishment of provincial Woolworths learning centers. Such training initiatives will prepare a pipeline of skilled employees which can be harnesses in case of any shortage at senior leadership levels in the organization. Under the sustainability strategy Woolworths is also aimed at meeting employment e quity targets. Also Woolworths aim at focusing at groups such as madumbi farmers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Beaufort West Hydroponics Project to increase the number of core products sourced from BEE supplier partners. According to the website of company In addition to our own broad BEE Employee Share Ownership Scheme, we will focus on advancing skills development and pushing our South Africa first approach even harder. Woolworths also recognized its economic responsibility and have taken initiatives to refine its brand position with significant investment in price, merchandise range, and quality. This investment will continue to deliver gains to shareholders of the company. Driving Social Development Under its sustainable strategy Woolworths is committed towards social development and its first focus is on South Africa in this context. As stated on companys website-Well work harder to drive social development by expanding the existing initiatives of the Woolworths Trust such as EduPlant and MySchool, and by introducing a programme through our stores to improve the plight of orphans and other vulnerable children. Woolworths also plans an effective role in providing employment and giving the community opportunities to expand and grow. The company employs nearly 191,000 people in its retail business. The company claims of employing people based upon their skills, qualifications and aptitude with irrespective of gender, race, religion, marital status or ethnic origin. Also, it employs women in business and provides them flexible working patterns and training opportunities. Health and Safety policy is also undertaken and is well communicated to managers in the organization along with an efficient system of managing and reporting of such a health and safety culture. Woolworths is continuously making a difference in South African Schools. According to the financial results of the company for a period of July 2007 to June 2008, Woolworths has announced a R18 million contribution to MySchool, including MyPlanet and MyVillage in South Africa. The company aims at increasing it social contributions to more than R300m per year. Woolworths also entered into partnerships with charity groups and undertook franchising programs. It supported charities like Foodbank, Salvation Army, Canteen, Beyond Blue, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, etc. Woolworths also started many initiatives to raise awareness about the plight of farming families hit by drought of Australia. The introduction of reusable bags by the company supported new enterprises that were required to produce fabric bags for the company. Enhancing Environmental Focus Another key component of Woolworths Sustainability Strategy is giving full importance to environmental issues. Environmental sustainability was a key aspect of Woolworths CSR approach. Woolworths is in retail business and its operations affect the environment in many ways such as waste production, high energy and fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Woolworths implemented a long term strategy to combat issues concerning the impact of the companys operations on the environment. Woolworths concentrated on refrigeration, lighting and temperature control to reduce the amount of energy consumption in its operations. Installation of automated after-hours blinds on open refrigeration cabinets, lighting and air conditioning made operations more energy efficient. Woolworths have decided to make all of its new stores Green Stores and adopt energy efficient guidelines in all such stores. Through these initiatives company will be able to reduce the emission of Carbon-di-oxide. In the strategy company aims at reducing the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals and increasing organic food and cloth offering. Also, company introduced a new packaging scheme to develop reusable bags which an effort towards saving scarce natural resources. The company targets at reducing the amount of plastic and cardboard in the general waste to less than 1 percent by weight by year 2010. Susman said Water is one of South Africas scarcest natural resources and Woolworths is targeting a 30% reduction in water consumption and will develop a programme to encourage our suppliers to do the same. Woolworths also took several initiatives to save water in it stores. It plans to save at least 200 million liters of water by year 2010. Also, as a fuel saving initiative, Woolworths discarded vehicles that consumed more fuel. It outsourced the disposal of worn-out tires and batteries to third party experts and used grease traps at its truck cleaning centers to prevent oil and fuel waste from entering waste water system. Addressing Climate Change Woolworths planned to use B20 (20 percent bio fuel mix) bio-diesel for its entire fleet of trucks. This move was expected to reduce carbon emission by 11,500 tones per year. Also, company decided to use large number of small cars with LPG fuel across its car fleet. The carbon emission from the companys fleet of 3100 cars is to be reduced by 30 percent by 2010 and that of trucks by 25 percent by the end of 2012 as compared to 2006. In addition to this initiative the company aims at cutting its electricity usage by 30% and removing conventional light bulbs from its shelves. Chief Executive, Woolworths, Simon Susman stated Woolworths will support carbon offsetting in as much as greening reduces carbon excess. Well do this by planting more trees at our MySchool schools, our Eduplant schools and our extensive Midrand campus grounds. Providing Quality and Innovation The very first component which formed the base of sustainability strategy was innovation. Woolworths aims at providing innovation in products, services and facilities provided by the company. The company views innovation as the base to introduce any product or service in market, finding more efficient and cheaper sources of supply, new store formats and process improvement to gain a reduction in cost. In this context while considering environment responsibility Woolworths concentrated on adopting a Green Stores strategy where all the new stores of companys would adopt energy efficient guidelines. At the same time Woolworths implemented several water saving initiatives at its stores. While choosing new sites for stores the company special consideration have been given to investigate how a store will fit in the state and local government area. Sufficient market research is being done before opening up any store. An example of innovative practice is a number of modifications being made in store design to address the community interest in Mullumbimby in New South Wales. Company has moved the loading dock away from the car parking area to improve safety for shoppers and making changes to the faà §ade so that the store will fit in better with the streetscape. Woolworths introduced a health kids program named Fresh Food Kids. This program helps in increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in kids. An interactive and educational website has also been launched under this step. There are many successful applicants to the program who have regarded it a success in developing and encouraging eating health and fresh food among kids. Woolworths aims at undertaking innovation through efficiency and enhancing quality in its business processes. It has made a substantial commitment to its Project Refresh which refers to a framework in order to improve business performance and business restructuring programs through end-to end supply chain improvement. APPLYING VARIOUS FRAMEWORKS TO SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY OF WOOLWORTHS Now we will apply the models discussed in section 2 to analyze the performance Woolworths sustainability strategy. Capabilities Framework Path-finding Path-finding refers to developing, crystallizing and articulating new directions, strategies, purposes and values for the organization. Woolworths studied the environment in which the company is operating. It gave due importance to the areas and people affected by its operations and business. Through a continuous study the company realized that it is important to act responsibly towards the stakeholders of the company. So, it designed and developed a strategy committed towards benefit of customers, shareholders, environment, climate and communities. Then company placed the Corporate Social Responsibility at the base of the project so that there is no divergence from this basic objective through the implementation of the strategy of sustainable growth. The directions decided to achieve the objectives of this strategy was guided by the principles of innovation, quality, transformation, environment and climate focus and social improvement. Engagement Getting people throughout the organization informed, committed and motivated to act to achieve the organizations purpose and future direction refers to engagement. Woolworths strategy involved people of the organization to achieve the desired target. The strategy at each step emphasizes on training of employees and workforce of the company so as to understand the need of new initiatives and learn to perform under new objectives. Woolworths has launched an Employee Matching Award (EMA) to support issues that are of particular, personal concern to its staff members and encourage the workforce of the company to help make a positive contribution to worthy causes. However, there is no involvement of customers and other stakeholders in strategy making process. No feedback or suggestions are taken while designing a policy which can impact the lives of general public. Development Woolworths have been engaged in developing its resources whether physical, technological or personnel. Redesigning of stores has been initiated as a strategic move to reduce waste and make them energy efficient. Personnel at all levels are being provided training to perform well in changed environments and with new standards. Also, company has changed its fleet of trucks and cars to reduce emission and fuel consumption. Performance Management There is no set well established management system to assess the performance at each step of implementation of the strategy. In such a strategy where so many changes and new operations have been introduced there is a need of a detailed and efficient performance management system also. Identification Woolworths strategy does not give a clear view of which of the organizations or societys current attributes, strategies will be retained and which will be changed under the plan of sustainability. Marketing and Selling The sustainability strategy of Woolworths lacks a detailed marketing plan. Although, understanding the market and innovating products as per the needs and expectations of customers is surely present in the plan but the strategy to enter new markets and tap existing untapped markets does not find any place in the sustainability of the company. Sustainability Implementation Strategy Applying the Sustainability Implementation Frameworks as suggested by Diesendorf the strategy of Woolworths is now explained. There are three levels discussed in this framework of sustainability development. These levels along with their presence in the sustainability strategy of Woolworths are discussed as follows: Level 0 In this level the broad principles considered are generally ethical requirements. By ethics, we mean pertaining to questions of right or wrong, or good or bad. In the past, consideration of values and ethics was not popular in the business world. The ethical principles described under this framework are respect nature, respect humans and be generous in our respect. According to Diesendorf (2000) Those who are uncomfortable with starting from an ethical position might consider that the above ethical principles are essential for the long term viability of the economy and society. Therefore, they could be seen as enlightened self-interest on the part of individuals and corporations planning for a long term future. In the strategy of Woolworths all the three principles are very well taken care off. There is perfect consideration for nature in the strategy and also humans whether employees, customers or shareholders all are respected and given due consideration while taking any step towards achievement of strategic goals. Level 1 At Level 1, the broad goals to conserve or enhance inter- and intragenerational equity, human well-being, biodiversity and ecological integrity are widely supported. Diesendorf added the conservation of cultural diversity here as a social analogue to the conservation of biodiversity. According to Diesendorf The goal of inter-generational equity is the basic thrust of the Brundtland definition of sustainable development. If we accept this goal, then it can be argued that we must also accept the need for intra-generational (that is, social) equity. It should be recalled that, in this chapter, equity does not mean equality, but rather equal opportunity. This goal is very well taken care of in Woolworths strategy. The company ensures of employing people in the organization irrespective of their cast, race, gender, cultural background and strictly on the basis of their educational qualification and experience. The conservation of natural capital, widely used in some models of sustainability, has been replaced here by the conservation of critical capital, because the former overlaps strongly with conservation of biodiversity and ecological integrity and, even where it does not, there are vast quantities of some forms of natural capital (for example, sand) which are not in urgent need of conservation. Critical capital facilitates a focus on those forms of natural and human-made capital which are threatened with damage, destruction or dispersion (for example, phosphorus, archaeological sites). This feature does lack in the strategy of Woolworths. Conservation of atmosphere and climate is not normally included as a sustainability goal. However, in view of the seriousness of the present threat and the fact that the potential effects of climate change impact on biodiversity, ecological integrity and human health, it has been listed explicitly here alongside critical capital. This goal have been given an important place in sustainability strategy of Woolworths as the retail giant aims at reducing the emission of carbon from its fleet of trucks and cars. Also, introduction of reusable bags in place of plastic bags proves that the company is committed to environmental and climate safety. Level 2 This stage defines the standard criteria for sustainability indicators. This stage explains that such criteria should be measurable, relevant, simple to use and understand, reliable, reproducible, and timely for decision making. Hart (1998) states Several authors suggest that sustainability indicators should, in addition, reflect something fundamental to the environmental, economic and social/cultural health of a community over generations. The sustainability strategy of Woolworths does include set targets which are represents in figures but there is no set measurable standards to judge and measure the achievements of the strategy. RECOMMENDATIONS From the analysis of sustainability strategy of Woolworths it is evident that despite of being a successful strategy with corporate social responsibility as the basis of its operations there are certain key areas where the process is lacking. For the improvement of the strategic program certain recommendations have been discussed as follows: There should be a performance measurement and control system embedded in the strategy of sustainable growth. A proper assessment of performance at various stages and the regular feedback on the performance will help in removing any gaps in the level and efficiency decided for meeting objectives and actual achievement of such objectives. A system of feedback and suggestions from stakeholders should be designed. Such a feedback will help in improving the strategy and making the required changes as per the perception of general public about the initiatives taken by the company. It will ensure a fast and proper acceptance of the strategy by the stakeholders which is an essential element for the success of any strategy. There should be a proper system of informing stakeholders about the strategy. In the present plan no emphasis is given to communication of plans within and outside the organization. If the plans of the management are properly and efficiently communicated they are easily grasped by the concerned parties and makes it easier for the workforce to contribute towards the achievement of desired organizational objectives. Woolworths is also expected to introduce innovation in its products. There have been several innovative steps taken by the company to improve its processes and service to public. The company operates in a highly competitive environment of retail industry where the needs, demands and preferences of consumer changes very fast. To sustain in such an environment it is necessary to introduce innovative products also. Conclusion In the words of Simon Susman The Good business journey is a business imperative for Woolworths. Many aspects of it are linked together to generate a multiplier effect: reducing product miles by encouraging greater local sourcing we will open up opportunities for enterprise development and preferential procurement; reducing packaging will result in energy and paper savings thereby reducing the Woolworths carbon footprint. Corporate responsibility or Sustainability is fundamental to any companys responsibilities. At the same time it is also an opportunity for the company to establish its good image in front of its customers and shareholders. Thus, an integrated sustainability program as that of Woolworths is an important and successful method of managing environmental, economic as well as social risks. Moreover, such a strategy helps in identification of new opportunities, services, new products and new markets for expansion of business. Woolworths program of sustainability is strongly influenced by the strategies of international retailers such as Wal-Mart, and Marks Spencer. However unique to this approach is the placement of South African perspective on the issues related with Social responsibility along with a strong focus on transformation initiatives and environmental safeguard. REFERENCES Brown, Christopher Stephen (2005), The Sustainable Enterprise: Profiting From Best Practice, Kogan Page Bleischwitz, Raimund and Hennicke, Peter (2004), Eco-Friendly, Regulation and Sustainable Business: Towards a Governance Structure for Sustainable Development, Edward Elgar Publishing. Cocks, G.J. (2003), Bringing Life to Organizational Strategy, Mt Eliza Business Review, Winter/Spring, pp. 45-49 Dunphy, Dexter Benveniste, Jodie (2000) Sustainability: The Corporate Challenge of the 21st Century, Allen Unwin. Egelhofff, W.G. (1993), Great Strategy or Great Strategy Implementation-Two ways of Competing in Global Markets, Sloan Management Review, Winter/Spring, pp. 37-50 Epstein, Mark J. (2008), Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts, Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Edwards, Andres (2005), The Sustainability Revolution, New Society Publishers. Woolworths Limites (2007), Action Plan-2007-2010, National Packaging Convenant Rainey, David L. (2006), Sustainable Business Development: Inventing the Future Through Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership, Cambridge University Press. Stead, W. Edward Stead, Jean Garner (2004), Suatainable Strategic Management, M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Savitz, Andrew W. Weber, Karl (2006), The Triple Bottom Line: How Todays Best -Run Companies are Achieveing Economic, Social and Environmental Success and How You Can Too, Jossey-Bass Werbach, Adam (2009), Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto, Harvard Business Press. Wirtenberg, Jeana Lipsky, David (2009), The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook: When it All Comes Together, AMACOM Internet Source http://www.woolworthslimited.com http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au http://crreport08.woolworthslimited.com.

Media :: essays research papers

â€Å"It was about the liberal biases that overwhelm straight news reporting†, is what Bernard Goldberg had to say in response to his problem with CBS evening news. Is it wrong for a reporter to jazz some boring news topic up and maybe make it seem a little more interesting a problem? It can be if the reporter is tending to his bias thoughts and disregarding the objectiveness, fairness, and balance that he or she vowed to do. But is this really a problem in the media? From a conservative standpoint, TV news tends to be more liberal because it features stories such as civil rights abuses, gay rights, and antiwar demonstrations which are all liberal cases. But on the other hand, some can say that its conservative due to pro-business and sometimes doesn’t give equal time to non-mainstream views. When you look at the ownership of many corporate businesses, they tend to have a more conservative view as compared to the people who mend together the stories who are more likely to be more liberal and open to ideas. So where does one draw a line for too much liberalism or too much conservatism? According to Al Franken, â€Å"Asking whether there i s a liberal or conservative bias to mainstream media is a little like asking whether Al Qaeda uses too much oil in their hummus†. From my standpoint as a somewhat liberal-conservative, I can safely say that yes there are liberal views in the media and there are also conservative news reporters in the media. So what is the big deal? That is what makes this world go round, different view points and different outputs for those opinions. So for me to say that the media is too liberal or too conservative would go against what I feel is fair for the American public. I feel there is

Korean Food Essay example -- Korea Culinary Culture Essays

Korean Food Korean food is unique. It’s known for its spicy flavor and the use of other seasonings to enhance the taste. Dishes are usually flavored with a combination of soy sauce, red pepper, green onion, bean paste, garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard, vinegar, and wine. The Korean peninsula is surrounded water on three sides, but connected to the Asian mainland. This environment contributes to the uniqueness of Korean cuisine. Seafood plays a very important role as do vegetables and livestock. Let’s examine three of the most common and famous types of Korean food. Kimchi is a very popular Korean dish. It is made by fermenting vegetables, usually cabbage and white radish, and seasoning them with red peppers and garlic. Kimchi is served with almost every Korean meal. Kimchi is a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Large quantities of Kimchi are usually made during the late fall or early winter during a time called kimchang. The vegetables are buried in large earthenware crocks to ferment it during the winter months. Kimchi has become famous worldwide and is very popular in...

Financial Management Case Study-Payout: Gainesboro Essay

Corporate Goals Management expected the firm to grow at an average annual  compound rate of 15% and reach $2.0 billion in sales and $160 million in net income through 2011. Recent strategy of Gainesboro The company devoted a greater share of its research-and-development budget to CAD/CAM as to reestablish its leadership in the field. The company also underwent two massive restructurings, including selling two unprofitable lines of business, selling two plants, eliminating five leased facilities, and reducing personnel in 2002. Then, in 2004, the company implemented a second round of restructuring by altering its manufacturing strategy, refocusing its sales and marketing approach, and adopting administrative procedures for a further reduction in staff and facilities. The Artificial Workforce was an array of advanced control hardware, software, and applications that could distribute information throughout a plant. Thus a product could be designed, manufactured, and packaged solely by computer no matter how intricate it was. Although the company had successfully patented several of the processes used by the Artificial Workforce, there were two factors that could affect sales which shou ld be concerned. First, two strong competitors were developing comparable products and would probably introduce them within the next 12 months. Second, sales of molds, presses, and CAD/CAM equipment and software were highly cyclical, and predictions about the strength of the U.S. economy were not encouraging. II. The inferential process Cause the company goal is to change its revenue structure, which make CAD/CAM and peripheral cutting edge products generate 3/4 of the sales, and the traditional presses and mold would account for the remainder. Thus, we think that the company will definitely have to leave some money for the R&D design. On the other hand, expanding aggressively in the international arena and getting new product through M&A also need to prepare a lot of money. Base on the idea we got from the Microsoft readings, company had better keep some percentage of the cash for the operating expense in case there would have emergency need. The analysis of investors’ attribution From the Exhibit 4, we can see that the attributions of the investors are changing. As for the institutional investors, the growth-oriented investor drop from 13% to 6%, while the value-oriented investors raise from 8% to 13%. This gives us a cue that the institutional investors are gradually change from growth-oriented into value-oriented. Which means that now the institutional investors think that the Gainesboro Corporation is not a highly growth company. Instead, it’s a stable growth company .So the institutional investors will expect to have high dividends. As for the individual investors, the long-term investors drop from 37% to 26%, while the short-term investors increase from 5% to 13%. This shows that individual investors have a trend to sell the stock in a short  time and regardless the dividends. The suspicion of forecasting We hold doubt on the stated speculation of a 15% compound rate of growth due to manufacturing mishaps and missing components which delayed production growth, as well as start-up costs continued to penalize earnings. How much dividends did other companies pay? In general, investors could accept 20.8% payout ratio, and there is a trend that the ratio has been decreasing for decades (66.5% in 1978; 20.8% in 1999). So we think Gainesboro doesn’t need to pay 40% dividends. We can see that in CAD/CAM industry, PE ratio is so high because they are expected to be high-potential, so they need lots of capitals to reinvest, such as acquisition, R&D. As a result zero dividends-payout is acceptable and makes sense. So if Gainesboro wants to prove they are also high potential, they can make the same decision in order to keep money for their growth but they has to communicate with investors well to make them understand what they are going to do. III. Conclusion The percentage of firms paying cash dividends had dropped to 20.8% since 1999. In that case, perhaps the market would react favorably, if Gainesboro adopted a zero dividend-payout policy. In the meantime, we strongly recommend the firm buyback partial stocks so as to increase EPS and stock price. Send a signal to the market that managers are confident on company’s new development  and expansion. Regarding to numerous growing strategies of the firm, we prefer canceling dividend payout and save more capital to support all the new projects. Besides, we support to launch image advertising and name change program step by step, which is not necessary in 2005. The firm can periodically reveal new expansion policy and R&D progress, for building up a solid image that the firm is under a transformation with highly innovative speed. The branding campaign should be done before 2011 when growth projects finished. In 2005, the firm should keep maintaining revenue growth rate and optimize productions for sustainable growth.