Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Multiple Sclerosis Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Various Sclerosis (1) 33% of a million Americans experience the ill effects of MS and an extraordinary level of those individuals are ladies. Ladies represent 73% of MS victims. (2) MS generally strikes youthful grown-ups between the ages of 20 and 40 years of age. (8) There are even a few instances of MS being analyzed in youth. Numerous sclerosis is a sickness that influences the focal sensory system, assaulting the mind and the spinal string. MS assaults myelin, the greasy material that goes about as a defensive covering to the body's nerves. (1) The aggravation of the nerve tissues covering the nerves can influence any piece of the sensory system and differs from individual to individual. (7) Normal nerve work diminishes with the beginning of MS since MS makes scars structure on the covering of the nerve. Numerous Sclerosis gets this term since it actually implies scars. (1,7) The covering of the nerve with myelin is significant so the nerve can transmit flags quickly and productively. Demylelination empowers the nerve to convey driving forces appropriately by either blocking or easing back transmission and this is the reason the different indications of MS happen. (1) Manifestations related with Multiple sclerosis comprise in a wide range. MS could cause a deadness of the appendages, loss of vision, or even loss of motion. (2) There is no particular arrangement of side effects that a patient may encounter since MS may have influenced various pieces of the sensory system. A few patients may encounter lost equalization, precarious strolling, awkwardness, obscured vision, spasticity (a spring-like protection from moving or being moved), unusual discourse, memory misfortune, feebleness, and bladder issues are to give some examples. (1) In any one patient the side effects may change with each assault. (7) The side effects can last up to days or... ...ave MS are experiencing an illness from which there is no fix and can just have their side effects reduced for some time. Prior obligatory testing ought to be at the bleeding edge for the youthful grown-ups that MS targets. > WWW Sources 1)What is MS?, http://www.msif.org/language_choice.html 2)What is Multiple Sclerosis, http://www.nationalmssociety.org/ILD/home/ 3)Multiple Sclerosis: Overview, http://medstat.med.utah.edu/ 4)References on Multiple Sclerosis and Marijuana , http://www.druglibrary.org/ 5)Multiple Sclerosis, Mulitiple Sclerosis Symptom, Multiple Sclerosis Treatment, http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web3/www.pychealth.com 6)My Life and Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis, http://www.angelfire.lycos.com/ 7)Multiple Sclerosis, http://health.yahoo.com/ 8)Multiple Sclerosis, http://www.msif.org/language_choice.html

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Bill Clinton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bill Clinton - Essay Example Clinton woke himself up on Sunday mornings, wore his best garments at that point strolled to Park Place Baptist Church, which was a large portion of a mile away from his home to go to administrations alone. Gospel music performed by the congregation ensemble was among the significant impacting elements to Clinton’s love for the congregation, which additionally motivated him to begin playing the jazz saxophone. When Clinton was through with his secondary school training, he had built up his abilities in playing jazz saxophone where many remembered him as the best saxophonist in the city (Finkelman and Wallenstein 80). Clinton went to Hot Springs High School, which was an isolated secondary school for the whites where he turned into a heavenly understudy notwithstanding being a necessary individual from the school’s jazz band. Clinton went to the Arkansas Boys State in 1963 and was effectively chosen the Arkansas delegate for the American Legion's Boys Nation. Every deleg ate got an opportunity to meet the USA president which gave him an open door through a challenge to meet the then President John F. Kennedy. Because of the photograph shoot the youthful Bill Clinton had warmly greeting President Kennedy; the photo has since become a notorious picture implying a going of the authority mallet between ages of present day Democratic initiative (Benson 11). His political nature having taken roots in his secondary school years, Clinton in a split second entered college governmental issues at the Georgetown University being chosen leader of his green bean and sophomore classes yet later lost the political race for understudy body president in his lesser year. Clinton at that point moved his concentration from grounds governmental issues to his work as an assistant for the Foreign Relations Committee, which at the time was under Senator Fulbright (Benson 19). Clinton’s prompt accessibility to take the Rhodes grant to go to Oxford University he had wo n while at Georgetown University became dubious soon after his appearance in Oxford as he was required back to Arkansas when he got a draft notice. To guarantee he goes to Oxford, Clinton joined up with the ROTC program at the University of Arkansas Law School to maintain a strategic distance from military assistance, however didn't go to graduate school that fall, as he came back to Oxford to take up his grant (Benson 27). It was while going to the Yale Law School in the wake of seeing out his Rhodes grant, that Clinton met Hillary Rodham, a brilliant young lady whose political targets were in amicability with those of Clinton (Finkelman and Wallenstein 80). The Clintons moved to Arkansas after their graduation, where Bill took up a showing position at the University of Arkansas yet since his heart was in governmental issues, he immediately entered the universe of legislative issues. His originally took shots at an elective seat in the wake of moving on from Yale was in 1974 when h e confronted the Republican officeholder U.S. Place of Representatives John Paul Hammer Schmidt in a political decision Clinton lost. Clinton lost the political race in just barely to the shock of many denoting his height as the quick rising political star of the Arkansas Democratic Party. Clinton was to include again the political races two years after the fact this time getting chose the state lawyer general a position he held until 1978 when he ran for the governor’s position crushing Republican Lynn Lowe to get probably the most youthful senator in American history at 32 years old (Gaines 16). Having made sure about his

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Funding your education at SIPA part 4 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Funding your education at SIPA part 4 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Student Loans About 40% of SIPA students use student loans as part of their financing strategy, and there are a number of options available to them.   Most borrow fixed rate loans from the federal government, which offer flexible repayment options.   Most federal loans are not credit-based, but have annual limits to the amount that can be borrowed; the Graduate PLUS loan is the exception to both of these rules.   But other credit-based loans are available from private lenders, some of which may be available to international students so long as they have a US citizen who can co-sign the loan for them. For students who are US citizens, permanent resident aliens, or political refugees, the federal government makes a number of loan programs available that students can use, if necessary, to fund the full cost of their education, including living expenses.   In order to be considered for any loan from the federal government, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.   There are three different federal loan programs available to graduate students.   They are:  The Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (a/k/a Stafford Loan); currently at 6.8% interest, which accumulates during enrollment (hence “unsubsidized”, Congress eliminated the interest subsidy to graduate students starting 7/1/12).   While you are enrolled, you will have the option of paying your interest (less expensive long-term option) or capitalizing the interest (adding it to the principal).   Unsubsidized Direct Loans are available for up to $20,500 per academic year.   Visit www.studentloans.gov for more information.  The Federal Graduate PLUS Loan; currently at 7.9% interest, and like the Unsubsidized Direct Loans, interest will be accumulating during your enrollment.   The Graduate PLUS Loan can cover the full difference between your total cost of attendance (which includes tuition, fees, books) minus other aid or loans received, but unlike other student loans available from the federal government, the Graduate PLUS loan is credit based.   For more information, visit studentloans.gov or click here.  The Federal Perkins Loan; offered at 5% interest, which is fully deferred while you are enrolled.   Perkins Loans are only available to a limited number of students, based on financial need.   Annual loan amounts typically range between $2,000 and $6,000; for more information, click here. There are also loans available from private lenders.   Private loans do not require completion of the FAFSA, and some are available to international students who have a US citizen who can co-sign the loan form them (click here for some loans available to international students).   Most private loans do not have strict annual limits and can be borrowed for the full cost of attendance minus other aid.   At this time, interest rates tend to be lower than those of federal loans, but federal loan interest rates are fixed, and private loans (which are much less regulated) are variable.   Private loans also tend to offer borrowers less flexibility and fewer features during repayment than federal loans.   All students are free to select their own loan products and lenders, but due to repayment flexibility and the certainty of fixed interest rates, most SIPA students have opted to use federal loans. In a future blog post, we will discuss student loan repayment; there are many repayment options available for federal loans that can make your student loans manageable, even one that could forgive some of your indebtedness.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Literature in the ESL Curriculum - 1859 Words

The place of literature in education Why read literature? To many of us, such a question seems as strange as asking â€Å"why breathe?† as literature has been part of our life, family, school, and community for as long as we can remember. Of course, there are those who argue that what today’s students need is preparation for the â€Å"real world,† but in the push for practical preparedness we sometimes overlook the importance of educating students’ imaginations. Literature offers windows to worlds outside students’ experience as well as mirrors onto the world they already know. Literature also prepares students for the personal challenges and moral dilemmas they are likely to face. We interpret the world constantly in all our experiences every†¦show more content†¦What can easily be tested by questions with wrong and right answers is not, typically, what is of most interest and value in the literary text. From 1939 to 1945, literature becomes â€Å"a political safeguard against indoctrination and propaganda† and as a way to know what â€Å"others† were thinking. Literature is increasingly seen from 1945 to 1957 as only appropriate to advanced level study, to which the student gains access after having mastered the linguistic structures carefully graded through audiolingual methods, a pleasurable reward for the successful, and an â€Å"entertaining supplement to audiolingual drills†. In the next period, roughly 1957 to 1979, culture becomes a more important area of study and literature is seen as reflecting a particular culture. From 1979 until the end of twentieth century literature comes to be valued in the context of the rise of communicative language teaching, as â€Å"authentic text†. Now literature gives the opportunity for vocabulary acquisition, the development of reading strategies, and the training of critical thinking. The learner is the most important in the communicative paradigm, the author, his or her intentions tend to be forgotten and the language of the text is more an inconvenient obstacle on the way to examination of â€Å"culture† and society, rather than central to those notions, and of interest in itself. A similar story emergesShow MoreRelatedEvidence Based Medicine, Literature Review1433 Words   |  6 PagesJoy Ogunmuyiwa Evidence Based Medicine, Literature Review Course Director: Heather McEwen, M.L.I.S., M.S. October 25, 2015 â€Æ' Introduction For many patients, language and culture set the background and context for the procurement and application of their health literacy skills. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which an individual is able to access, understand, and communicate information in order to promote and maintain their health [1]. However, a third of U.S. adults—77 million people—wouldRead MoreThe Learner On The Mainstream School : Discuss The Nature Of An Esl Learner And The Cultural Considerations Teachers1589 Words   |  7 PagesThe ESL learner in the mainstream school: Discuss the nature of an ESL Learner and the cultural considerations teachers need to be aware of which may impact on the learner’s second language acquisition and, therefore, inform classroom practice. As Australia continues to become a multicultural country schools and educators are getting more students who have English as a second language (ESL) in their classrooms. It is important that educators have an understanding about ESL students so they areRead MoreThe Capstone Product ( Found As An Attachment1671 Words   |  7 Pagesoverview of the project components that were incorporated into Contact, Conflict, and Cohesiveness program. Because there is a gap for student-centered programs in the area for community colleges and for adult ESL programs, this potential archetype could contribute a new form of curriculum for not just a local level but at a national level for community college as well. When planning this capstone project for an English as a Second Language program, there were some critical components that neededRead MoreReading Instruction For English Language Learners1012 Words   |  5 Pagesstate academic assessments (Section 1001, p. 15).. As ELL populations increase so do the pressures on teachers, schools, districts, and states to increase the numbers of ELL students who meet state-governed reading proficiency. A review of the literature The research found that ELL students in the experimental schools, and specifically those participating in secondary-tier interventions using curricula with a direct instruction approach and delivered in small groups demonstrated greater outcomesRead MoreTeaching English As A Second Or Foreign Language1635 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review. Several recent studies illustrate that student disaffection in English Language classrooms is a very real problem in many counties. In the following studies various terms are used to describe English Language Learning. The abbreviations: ESL (English as a Second Language), EFL (English as a Foreign Language), and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) are used within the context of each of the following studies in keeping with the original authors’ terminology. The commonRead MoreEssay about Pragmatic Develpment in a Second Language669 Words   |  3 PagesIn line with the fact that speech acts of suggestion themselves have not been studied in the same capacity as other speech acts (Schmidt, et al., 1995), L2 pragmatics literature on suggestions is also quite limited. Only a small number of researchers have made attempts to explicitly address suggestions, how they are used in classroom interaction, and teacher-student conversations in conferences. Overall, a unanim ous agreement exists among the available research (Bardovi-Harlig and Hartford, 1990Read MoreThe Percentage Of Public Elementary And Secondary School Students1046 Words   |  5 Pagesproficiency† on standardized assessments (Section 1001, p. 15). As ELL student populations increase so does the pressure on teachers and schools to increase the numbers of ELL students who meet state-governed reading proficiency levels. A review of the literature The researchers’ in this study conclude that ELL students participating in secondary-tier interventions using curricula with a direct instruction approach and delivered in small groups presented greater outcomes in student progress on DIBELS assessmentsRead MoreMy Career Plan For Teaching English1731 Words   |  7 PagesMy degree program at UCO has been focused on teaching English as a second language to adults; however, my career plan includes teaching English literature and language at secondary level. I plan to use my degree when students who are non-native speakers of English are a part of my classes. In these cases, I will use altered mainstream curriculum to teach English, a method known as Content-Based Instruction (CBI). While observing an English composition and research class, I encountered an instructorRead MoreGraphic Novels : Are They `` Real `` Literature?916 Words   |  4 PagesGraphic Novels: Are they â€Å"Real† Literature? Graphic novels are an up and coming new genre of literature. In any aspect, new concepts and ideas that are introduced are always put into question of how capable they are. Many people believe that graphic novels are not a type of literature that can be used in a classroom because they are not â€Å"real books† (Crawford Weiner, n.d). I believe that graphic novels should be offered and encouraged in classrooms. According to Julia Rick, many educators areRead MoreTeaching English As A Second Language Successfully By An Esl Teacher1091 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish as a second language successfully, an ESL teacher needs to engage students in various kinds of activities to improve students’ reading and reading abilities, as well as offer more activities to practice their speaking and listening abilities. He/she needs to teach students skills, strategies, and other knowledge and consider other important issues that may affect their English language learning. Firstly, the teacher needs to design a curriculum that includes various kinds of knowledge based

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

`` Wild Nights `` By Emily Dickinson - 961 Words

The poem â€Å"Wild Nights† was written in 1891, and first published in 1891. It is a very short poem written by Emily Dickinson. Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, and throughout her life she lived in isolation. Dickinson spent quite a few years in the Academy studying English and other courses. Consequently, she left the Academy at age of 15 in order to get higher education. Emily Dickinson was known to be one of the greatest and most unique poets. Dickinson secretly created bundles of poetry and wrote a lot of letters. Most of Emily Dickinson’s secret poetry and letters were discovered by her sister Lavinia, Dickinson’s outstanding work was published after her death. The poem â€Å"Wild Nights† can be understood in several different ways, but the most noticeable interpretation is how the poem talks about passion, expression of love and sexual desire. It seems to describe a passionate encounter between two lovers. In her poem â€Å"Wi ld Nights† Emily Dickinson uses a lot of metaphors and anaphora to express her passion for her lover. Emily Dickinson began writing poetry in her teen years. In late 1855, Dickinson moved with her family back to Homestead, which was her birthplace. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was a lawyer who later on became a treasurer of Amherst College. Her mother, Emily Norcross Dickinson, was a very humble person. Dickinson had an older brother named Austin and a younger sister, Lavinia. Dickinson’s parentsShow MoreRelatedEmily Dickinson s Poem Wild Nights- Wild Nights 1295 Words   |  6 PagesLooking at the Gothic poet of the 18th century, Emily Dickinson, and her poem â€Å"Wild Nights- Wild Nights!† I can compare and contrast it to a goth song, â€Å"My Secret Garden† (1982), by Depeche Mode. The main highlight that unites both of these pieces, though the time difference is relatively long, is the fact that they both describe a secret atmosphere. They are also comparable because Dickinson is talking about the wild nights that she imagined and Mode is talking about the secret garden, which inRead MoreAnalysis Of Emily Dickinsons The Storm1253 Words   |  6 Pageswants to extend her vacation, which she does want to do. In Emily Dickinson’s â€Å"Wild Nights†, the poet displays the image of a stormy night full of passion. The speaker is saying that there will always be a way to love as long as there is a heart waiting. In the beginning of the poem, the speaker is away. Then in the second stanza, the speaker does not let the storm get in the way because the heart is enough to guide the way. Emily Dickinson writes â€Å"Done with the compass, /Done with the chart!† as aRead MoreAnalysis Of Emily Dickinson s Misty Wall 1183 Words   |  5 PagesAshley Vargas Misty Wall ENG 231 April 30, 2015 Emily Dickinson: Love Emily Dickinson lived a very solitary life. Though countless of her poems involved a topic of love. How did she cover the theme of love while living in her own world? Well, she goes about this in different types of poetry such as spiritual communication, using the combination of love and sex, and the separation of lovers (Emily Dickinson.). Dickinson lived in total physical isolation from the outside world but it was statedRead MoreEmily Dickinson : The Point When A Reader1749 Words   |  7 PagesHorieh Introduction to Literature Professor Knoernschild November 27, 2015 Emily Dickinson At the point when a reader hears the name Emily Dickinson, they consider a female who composed verse that has been surely understood for a considerable length of time and years. Much to their dismay that Emily Dickinson established American Literature, and began an entire unrest of verse. The procedure Dickinson used to keep in touch with her verse was at no other time seen and was the foundationRead MoreEssay on Emily Dickinson: Untitled, Unregulated, and Unchained942 Words   |  4 Pagescross-stitched and framed on your grandmother’s bathroom wall, and engraved into silver lockets. Regarded as one of the greatest American poets, you are no stranger to her work. You know her name. Say it. Emily Dickinson. And boy, was she a wierdo! †¦admittedly, most geniuses are. Emily Dickinson dedicated most of her privileged, reclusive life to her art. She employed a brilliance for lyricism, unconventional form, syntactical experimentation, and set the course for possibilities of poetic craftRead MoreSex Through The Centuries By Emily Dickinson1013 Words   |  5 Pagesthe more recent poem â€Å"Wild Nights-Wild Nights† by Emily Dickinson. This is partly because of the way that people spoke at that point in time, and partly to disguise the meaning with subtlety. The more recent poem shows less eloquence, but it does have a double meaning. They are both, however, deceptive on the surface with underlying sexual messages in their context. A comparison of â€Å"Come, My Celia, Let us prove† by Ben Jonson and â€Å"Wild Nights-Wild Nights† by Emily Dickinson shows that love and desireRead MoreThe Themes of Emily Dickinsons Poetry3970 Words   |  16 PagesThemes of Emily Dickinsons Poetry Emily Dickinson was a great American poet who has had a lasting effect on poetry, yet she was a very complicated poet in the 1860s to understand, because of her thought patterns. Dickinson wrote from life experiences and her deepest thoughts. She wrote for herself as a way of letting out her feelings. Dickinson Wrote 1,775 hundred poems but only published seven in her life time because she did not write poetry for publishing. In fact, Emily Dickinson left a letterRead MoreEmily Dickinson s Death And Made1091 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Dickinson was a writer that had a morbid, yet beautiful way of expressing her thoughts. It takes many times to read her work and finally grasp some of what she means. Her poems leave the reader questioning and wondering why exactly a certain stanza was written that way. Dickinson wrote about death and made it seem as though she knew what it was really like, those very last moments of life. Then on the other hand, she wrote about happy experiences in li fe, sexual ones, and some that make insaneRead MoreConcept Of Death in ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night versus ‘Because I Could Not Stop For Death1167 Words   |  5 Pagesdying. In examining the poem Because I Could Not Stop For Death? by Emily Dickinson and Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night? by Dylan Thomas, it is evident that the poets use contrasting and comparative techniques in their unique presentations of the concept of death. In the poem Because I Could Not Stop For Death? Emily Dickinson presents the idea of acceptance of death, whereas in the poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night? Dylan Thomas presents the idea of refusal and opposition to deathRead MoreAmbiguity of the Concept of Death: a Comparison of ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night?and ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death1201 Words   |  5 Pagesdying. In examining the poem Because I Could Not Stop For Death? by Emily Dickinson and Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night? by Dylan Thomas, it is evident that the poets use contrasting and comparative techniques in their unique presentations of the concept of death. In the poem Because I Could Not Stop For Death? Emily Dickinson presents the idea of acceptance of death, whereas in the poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night? Dylan Thomas presents the idea of refusal and opposition to death

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

7 Lies All Students Tell Themselves †Yes, Even YOU! Free Essays

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first year Fresher or a Post-graduate veteran, there are some universal ‘truths’ to being a student that we are all guilty of committing. In fact, these are less ‘truths’ and more ‘lies’ that we tell ourselves every year! Do any of these sound familiar: this term I’ll be more organised, I’ll work harder, spend less and say no to the bar crawl†¦. Yeah, that’s what we thought. We will write a custom essay sample on 7 Lies All Students Tell Themselves – Yes, Even YOU! or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1. I’ve got loads of time Certainly the art of procrastination is a students’ most loved past time – listening to music, tidying the room – it’s all seemingly very important. But guess what, the longer you procrastinate and put off starting work, the less time you will eventually have when you decide that it is time to work. So stop checking Facebook and start looking at that textbook! 2. Grammar, spelling and referencing doesn’t matter. These things always count. Even if they aren’t included as points, your lecturers are influenced, either consciously or unconsciously, when they can’t stay focused on your ideas because of all of the typos or when they can’t follow you because your papers have no organization to speak of. If you need help with your grammar, spelling or referencing skills then our site can help – find out how. 3. This term I’ll be more responsible with my money Managing your finances as a student can be stressful – prioritise your studies and not your nights out and you will not only be surprised of the money you save, but how much more productive you are with your revision – after all, it’s hard to study when you’re in a bar. You can also check out our Top 10 Ways for Students to Save Cash for helpful tips. 4. I can do this essay in one night The deadline is looming and not one word has been written, and before you know it, you are confidently telling yourself ‘ it’s fine, I’m going to finish my assignment tonight’. Except that never happens. Don’t make this mistake and plan ahead. If you’re really struggling to write your essay, then our site’ Essay services might be able to help – check them out here. 5. I don’t need to take notes, I’ll remember this point You might convince yourself that you’ll remember something important your lecturer said. However, come exam time you’ll be staring, confused, at a blank sheet of paper, cursing your over-confidence. Don’t make the same mistake; always take as many notes as you can when in your lectures. Our Essential Life Hacks article has some fun ways you can manage your note-taking! 6. I know this topic like the back of my hand, I don’t need to check my essay Take responsibility for your time and make sure you allow time for revisions†¦not just a first draft and then a quick proofread. Be thorough – this is what is standing between you now and getting top marks tomorrow. If you need help proofreading your essay or need an Academic Edit to help boost the quality of your work, our site can help. Click here to find out how. 7. I will attend more, ALL seminars and lectures You might have 9AM lectures, but when it’s cold and wet outside, it’s just so hard to remove the duvet and get out of bed. We know it can be hard – in fact, for some of you this is a feat with comparable difficulty to running a marathon – but avoiding your lectures is not going to help you pass your degree! This is something that needs to change. How to cite 7 Lies All Students Tell Themselves – Yes, Even YOU!, Essay examples

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Basics of Strategic Planning and Management

Question: Discuss about the Basics of Strategic Planning and Management. Answer: Introduction The company, Fortescue Metals Group Limited is situated in the Pilbara area of Western Australia. The company is primarily involved in the business of shipping iron ore to China. The partnership has been a win-win situation for all concerned parties. The Chinese government is heavily dependent on the iron ore being exported from Australia by the Fortesxue metal groups limited. The company has also grown significantly since inception in 2003, owing to the volume of iron ore being exported to the peoples republic of china. The Australian Economy has benefited from the huge employment opportunities provided by the company as well as through the royalty revenues being paid to the government. Company Positioning The company is a start-up that commenced operations in 2003. It has positioned itself to tap into the market for exporting the iron ore to China. The increasing demand for iron ore in China, has fueled several exciting opportunities for the company which is also helping to improve the employment opportunities for residents of Western Australia. BHP Billiton Ltd, Rio Tinto Ltd and Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd are the primary operators in the Pilbara area of Western Australia. Fortescue Metals Group Limited is a start-up that has been able to capitalize on the extensive market for Australian Iron ore in China. Industry Analysis The mining industry in Western Australia is one of the biggest contributors of revenue as well as employment opportunity provider in the country (Australianmining.com.au, 2016). The huge potential for iron ore in various parts of Western Australia is helping several start-ups like Fortescue Metals Group Limited to emerge as the centre of the economic growth story being charted in Western Australia. The Under the guidance of its chairperson Mr. Andrew Forrest, the Fortescue Metals Group Limited, aims to carve a niche in the iron ore export industry. The Company is catering to the increased demands of Australian iron ore in China and anticipates a significant growth in exports in line with the Chinese initiatives to improve the living conditions of its rural population and relocate them to urban areas with improved conveniences and infrastructure. Mission The company mission is to increase its exports of iron ore and thus improve the profits of all stakeholders. The company looks at increasing its employment base in tune with its growth and thus providing greater employment opportunities for people in Australia. Since Australians employed in the Mining industry tend to be less mobile, the employment opportunities offered by the Fortescue Metals Group Limited would be vested with the natives of Western Australia. The company intends to grow significantly by tapping into the huge mineral reserves in Western Australia. In line with its present growth trajectory, the company is expected to continue with its significant contribution to the GDP of the country through the royalty reserves that it pays the government for use of the mineral basin. Porters 5 Force Analysis The five forces analysis looks at the five significant forces to help determine the competition in the current business scenario. The factors that need to be considered includes supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, threat of substitution and the threat of new entrants (Fitzpatrick, Nguyen and Cayan, 2015). The force, scale and size of the impact of these factors is seen in the scenario analysis carried out on the basis of the five forces theory by Porter. Supplier Power: This refers to the manner and ease with which suppliers can influence the prices of the end products (Mindtools.com, 2016). In the case of the Fortescue Metals Group Limited, the suppliers are the mines of Western Australia that are mined by the company. The primary factor that contributes to the supply of iron ore are the mining capacity of the company as well as the allowances ad restrictions placed on the company by the Australian government. Buyer Power: Buyer power refers to the ease with which buyers can influence the prices of the commodity (Mindtools.com, 2016). Since the Fortescue Metals Group Limited are catering only to the Chinese demand at present, the sales and exports are dependent on a single buyer. This places the company in a precarious position since the company would be easily influenced by the demands of China. The possibility of them dictating prices and driving the process southwards is a major failing of the marketing strategy being employed by the company. Competitive Rivalry: The number as well as the capability of competitors is a major concern for all companies. This is because these competitors may erode the companys customer base and this would have adverse effects on the financial position of the company (Mindtools.com, 2016). For the Fortescue Metals Group Limited, the competitors are all older and larger companies like BHP Billiton Ltd, Rio Tinto Ltd and Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd. While these companies are highly diversified and have a larger customer base, Fortescue Metals Group Limited by its nature of operations has limited itself to a single client. The possibility of being edged out by these larger companies as well as the possibility that the buyer would shift loyalties if offered a better deal by any or all the competitors is a matter of grave concern for the company headed by Mr. Forrest Threat of Substitution: This refers to the possibility of the client to find a better alternative for the product or services being offered by the company. The possibility of easy and viable substitution is an important factor that would impact this factor (Mindtools.com, 2016). For Fortescue Metals Group Limited, the threat of substitution would arise not only from competitors and rivals in its own country but also from the possibility of China being able to procure a similar or even better quality ore at cheaper prices from alternate countries like India or Africa. Since China is looking at huge volume of exports it is in a position to dictate terms to not just Fortescue Metals Group Limited but also to negotiate better process with countries that would not have to incur similar costs in procuring and processing the iron ore. Threat of New Entry: This refers to the possibility of newer companies entering the same market (Mindtools.com, 2016) on similar lines as Fortescue Metals Group Limited entered the mining segment even when there were bigger players like BHP Billiton Ltd, Rio Tinto Ltd and Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd. The possibility of these newer players adopting tactics like undercutting prices to make inroads into the market cannot be discounted. Summary Of Strategy Plans The company strategy is to maximize its contribution to the employment market and national GDP through its exports. While the efforts put in by the Fortescue Metals Group Limited are commendable, the same cannot be deemed sufficient in light of its current financial statements. The strategy to concentrate on a single market and reduce its diversification into other markets is a strategy that calls for urgent measures to counteract the expected fall in profits and decline in exports (Balancedscorecard.org, 2016). The company projects are too optimistic given the analysis of its latest annual reports. Market Share And Size Fortescue Metals Group Limited based in Western Australia is into the business of exporting Iron ore to China. The company primarily caters to the Chinese markets. Unfortunately, while the company is looking at expanding its mining capacity, it is faced with the ground reality of its declining market share in the Chinese markets. The market size of Fortescue Metals Group is presently at US$ 7083 million due to its overall decline in revenues from all markets (Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report, 2016). Current Situation The company is presently well placed in terms of its commitment and capability to meet the projected exports for the coming year. However, it is important to consider the fact that the company is entirely optimistic in its projected figures and has not put into place any alternative mechanism in case it is unable to continue exporting to China. On the basis of Porters five forces analysis, it would be accurate to state that Fortescue Metals Group Limited is liable to competition from rivals, threat of substitution as well as the impact of buyer power in lowering prices (Pearce and Robinson, 2011). Any or all these factors would impact the profitability of the company and its ability to service the current debt position, as well as its ability to take on further debts as indicated by the CFO. The financial statements show that the revenue from China is US $ 6,789 million and forms the major part of its revenue of US $ 7,083 million. However, the year on year figures show that Chinas c ontribution has come down from US$ 8047 million to the current figure of US$ 6,789 million (Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report, 2016). Comments And Recommendation Based on the current position, as well as Porters five forces analysis, Fortescue Metals Group Limited should consider exploring its export options and consolidating its position as a important exporter of iron ore. While the company has made significant inroads into the industry and boasts of good growth, as well as the guidance of persons like Andrew Forrest; it is imperative that the company looks at not only consolidating its position in exporting iron ore to China, but also to expand both its customer base as well as make efforts to enter newer markets in developing countries which would need iron ore for their infrastructural improvements (Kach et al., 2016). Annual Report The annual report of the company shows a robust growth. The company as posted a Net Profit after Tax of US$ 985 million, which is a significant growth of US$699 million over the previous year. The company was able to give an interim dividend of 3 cents per share and a final dividend of 12 cents per share, taking the total dividend paid during the year to 15 cents; an increase of 10 cents, over the dividend payout during the previous year. There is a marginal increase in retained earnings which has contributed to the increase in total equity of the company (Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report, 2016). The net profit before tax in the current year shows a significant increase of US$ 934 million, year on year. Unfortunately, the income statement of Fortescue Metals Group Limited shows a marginal decline in assets, both current and non-current over the previous year, with cash and equivalents as well as inventories contributing to the decline. This means that the liquidity of the company has reduced significantly. On the liabilities side, the current liabilities are not affected to a great degree. However the non-current liabilities show a sharp decline in borrowings as well as an increase in the deferred tax liabilities of the company (Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report, 2016). The cash flows statement shows both the cash receipts from customers as well as payments to suppliers have fallen drastically. However, the fall in income tax payable has helped improve the net operating cash inflow. The investments made have also sharply declined and this has contributed to the overall profitability of the company. There has been a huge decrease in cash and cash equivalents which reflects on the current liquidity of the company (Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report, 2016). Conclusion The Fortescue Metals Group Limited is looking at a long term decline in growth on the basis on the data contained in its financial statements. Despite the increase in profits posted by the company, the decline in liquidity as shown by decline in inventory levels as well as the cash position is an indicator of the long term viability of the company. It is suggested that Fortescue Metals Group Limited look at entering newer markets in order to overcome the expected fall in demand from China. The companys decline in revenues from other markets by close to 50 per cent is also a indication of its inability to increase its market penetration in other countries and this needs to be addressed on priority (Bradley, 2016). References Australianmining.com.au. (2016).Australian Mining | Australia's home for mining industry news. [online] Available at: https://www.australianmining.com.au/ [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016]. Balancedscorecard.org. (2016).The Basics of Strategic Planning, Strategic Management and Strategy Execution. [online] Available at: https://balancedscorecard.org/Resources/Strategic-Planning-Basics [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016]. Fitzpatrick, B., Nguyen, Q. and Cayan, Z. (2015). An Upgrade To Competitive Corporate Analysis: Creation Of A Personal Finance Platform To Strengthen Porters Five Competitive Forces Model In Utilizing.Journal of Business Economics Research (JBER), 13(1), p.54. Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report. (2016).Fortescue Metals Group Limited Annual Report 2016. [online] Available at: https://fmgl.com.au/media/2862/fy16-fortescue-annual-report-final-with-cover.pdf [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016]. Kach, A., Busse, C., Azadegan, A. and Wagner, S. (2016). Maneuvering through Hostile Environments: How Firms Leverage Product and Process Innovativeness.Decision Sciences, 47(5), pp.907-956. Mindtools.com. (2016).Porter's Five Forces: Assessing the Balance of Power in a Business Situation. [online] Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016]. Pearce, J. and Robinson, R. (2011).Strategic management. 1st ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Bradley J. (2016).Why Is Strategic Management Needed?. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/strategic-management-needed-61313.html [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016].

Monday, March 30, 2020

10 Amazing High School Senior Pranks

It’s that time of year. You know, the time when high school seniors all across the country are scheming to find out the best ways to leave their mark on campus. Some are folklore, others are legend - but plenty of senior pranks are just harmless fun. From the super creative to the hard-worked surprise, here are some of the most epic senior pranks ever pulled:1. Literally parking a car in the lobby of the school. A video posted by Josie Perhus (@josiebperhus) on Dec 30, 2013 at 9:19am PST 2. Bring your†¦ camel to school day? A photo posted by Joanie Kabbes (@j_kabb) on May 6, 2015 at 5:09pm PDT 3. These students turned the hallway into a slip-n-slide. A photo posted by Madison Patten (@paddymatten) on May 7, 2015 at 9:17am PDT 4. Speaking of water and hallways†¦ hard to avoid knocking any cups of water over.5. More water? These seniors put goldfish in every water bottle in the vending machine. 6. Fill up the teacher’s lounge with balloons A photo posted by Katie (@redglasses004) on May 9, 2015 at 10:42am PDT 7. ...or block the entire upstairs with balloons. A photo posted by @katelynroseyyy on Jun 17, 2014 at 3:28pm PDT 8. Saran Wrap the entire stair well. 9. And if you don’t have Saran Wrap, just use aluminum foil to cover everything in sight. A photo posted by Delaynie Letrud (@delaynie_michelle) on Jun 17, 2014 at 8:55am PDT 10. Why not? Hire a mariachi band to follow your principal around for the day. Class of 2015 Senior prank is a success! #RHSmariachi2015 pic.twitter.com/7krcNUERpI R News (@Romeo_News) May 13, 2015 Happy Senior Prank Day! Share your with us and help others who are interested in your school better understand the application process. Plus, you get to cash out your$10 signup bonusand earn extra money for college! What are you waiting for?

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Admiral Graf Spee - World War II - Kriegsmarine

Admiral Graf Spee - World War II - Kriegsmarine Admiral Graf Spee - Overview: Nation: Germany Type: Heavy Cruiser/ Pocket Battleship Shipyard: Reichsmarinewerft , Wilhelmshaven Laid Down: October 1, 1932 Launched: June 30, 1934 Commissioned: January 6, 1936 Fate: Scuttled on December 17, 1939 Admiral Graf Spee - Specifications Displacement: 14,890 tons Length: 610 ft., 3 in. Beam: 71 ft. Draft: 24 ft. 1 in. Speed: 29.5 knots Complement: 951-1,070 men Admiral Graf Spee - Armament Guns (as built) 6 Ãâ€" 28 cm (11 in.) SK C/28 (2 x 3)8 Ãâ€" 15 cm (5.9 in.) SK C/288 Ãâ€" 53.3 cm (21 in.) torpedo tubes Admiral Graf Spee - Design Construction: A Deutschland-class panzerschiffe (armored ship), Admiral Graf Spees design was intended to nominally conform to the naval restrictions set forth by the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. These limited future German warships to 10,000 long tons. Though the vessels of Deutschland-class exceeded this displacement, the German designers devised numerous methods to reduce weight. These included the incorporation diesel propulsion and the large-scale use of welding. The class armament centered on six 11-inch guns mounted in two triple turrets. As a result, the Deutschland-class ships were able to deliver a potent attack despite their relatively small size. As a result of this, they became know in other navies as pocket battleships. Capable of around 28 knots, they were able to out-gun many of the foreign warships that were fast enough to catch them. Laid down at Reichsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven on October 1, 1932, the new panzerschiffe was named for Vice Admiral Maximilian Reichsgraf von Spee who had defeated the British at Coronel on November 1, 1914, before being killed at the Battle of the Falklands a month later. Launched on June 30, 1934, the vessel was sponsored by the late admirals daughter. Work continued on Admiral Graf Spee for another eighteen months. Commissioned on January 6, 1936, with Captain Conrad Patzig in command, new cruiser drew much of its crew from the old battleship Braunschweig. Departing Wilhelmshaven, Admiral Graf Spee spent the early part of the year conducting sea trials. Upon their completion, it was designated flagship of the German Navy. Admiral Graf Spee - Prewar Operations: With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, Admiral Graf Spee entered the Atlantic Ocean and commenced non-intervention patrols off the coast of Spain. After conducting three patrols over the next ten months, the cruiser put into Spithead in late May 1937 to take part in the Coronation Review for King George VI. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Admiral Graf Spee returned to Spain where it relieved its sister ship, . Returning home late in the year, it participated in fleet maneuvers and made a goodwill call to Sweden. Following a final non-intervention patrol in early 1938, command of the ship passed to Captain Hans Langsdorff in October. Embarking on a series of goodwill visits to Atlantic ports, Admiral Graf Spee also appeared in a naval review in honor of Hungarian regent Admiral Miklà ³s Horthy. After visits to Portuguese ports in the late spring of 1939, the ship returned to Wilhelmshaven. Admiral Graf Spee - World War II Begins: Anticipating the beginning of World War II, German leader Adolf Hitler ordered Admiral Graf Spee to sail for the South Atlantic to be in position to attack Allied shipping. Departing Wilhelmshaven on August 21, Langsdorff steered south and rendezvoused with his supply ship, Altmark, on September 1. Alerted to the beginning of hostilities, he was directed to stringently adhere to prize law when attacking merchant vessels. This required the raider to search ships for war materials before sinking them and ensuring the safety of their crews. On September 11, one of Admiral Graf Spees floatplanes spotted the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland. Successfully evading the British ship, Langsdorff received orders on September 26 directing him to initiate a campaign of commerce raiding against Allied shipping. On September 30, the cruisers floatplane sank the steamer Clement. To ensure the crews safety, Langsdorff radioed Brazilian naval authorities and informed them of the attack. Alerted to the pre sence of a German raider in the South Atlantic the Royal and French Navies formed eight groups consisting of four carriers, two battleships, one battlecruiser, and sixteen cruisers to hunt down Langsdorff. Admiral Graf Spee - Raiding: On October 5, Admiral Graf Spee captured Newton Beach and two days later sank the cargo vessel Ashlea. Though the former initially was used as a prisoner transport, it proved too slow and was soon discarded. Taking Huntsman on October 10, Langsdorff retained the steamer and took it to a rendezvous with Altmark a week later. Transferring prisoners to his supply ship, he then sank Huntsman. After sinking Trevanion on October 22, Langsdorff steered for the Indian Ocean in an attempt confuse his pursuers. Sinking the tanker Africa Shell on November 15, Admiral Graf Spee turned for the Atlantic in order to refuel from Altmark. While rendezvousing on November 26, the cruisers crew made efforts to alter the ships silhouette by building a fake turret and a dummy funnel. Continuing his campaign, Langsdorff sank the freighter Doric Star on December 2. In the course of the attack, the Allied ship was able to radio for aid and relay its position. Receiving this, Commodore Henry Harwood, commanding the Royal Navys Force G, steered for the River Plate anticipating that this area would be Admiral Graf Spees next target. Harwoods command consisted of the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter and the light cruisers HMS Ajax (flagship) and HMS Achilles. Also available to Harwood was Cumberland which was refitting in the Falkland Islands. The sinking of Doric Star was quickly followed by an attack on the refrigerator ship Tairoa. Meeting a final time with Altmark on December 6, Langsdorff sank the freighter Streonshalh the next day. On board, his men found shipping information that led him to decide to move against the River Plate estuary. Admiral Graf Spee - Battle of the River Plate: On December 13, Admiral Graf Spee spotted masts off the starboard bow. While Langsdorff first believed these to be convoy escorts reports soon informed him that it was a British squadron. Electing to fight, he ordered his ship to maximum speed and closed with the enemy. This proved a blunder as Admiral Graf Spee could have stood off and hammered the out-ranged British warships with its 11-inch guns. Instead, the maneuver brought the cruiser within range of Exeters 8-inch and the light cruisers 6-inch guns. With the enemys approach, Harwood implemented a battle plan which called for Exeter to attack separately from the light cruisers with the goal of splitting Langsdorffs fire. At 6:18 AM, Admiral Graf Spee opened the Battle of the River Plate by firing on Exeter with its main guns while its secondary armament targeted Ajax and Achilles. Over the next half hour, the German vessel hammered Exeter disabling both its forward turrets and starting several fires. In return, the British cruiser hit Admiral Graf Spees fuel processing system with an 8-inch shell. Though his ship appeared largely undamaged, the loss of the fuel processing system limited Langsdorff to sixteen hours of usable fuel. To aid their compatriot, the two British light cruisers closed on Admiral Graf Spee. Thinking the British ships to be making a torpedo attack, Langsdorff turned away. The two sides continued the fight until around 7:25 AM when the action came to an end. Pulling back, Harwood decided to shadow the German ship with the goal of attacking again after dark. Admiral Graf Spee - Scuttling: Entering the estuary, Langsdorff made a political error in anchoring at Montevideo in neutral Uruguay rather than the friendlier Mar del Plata, Argentina to the south. Putting in a little after midnight on December 14, Langsdorff landed his wounded and asked the Uruguayan government for two weeks to make repairs. This was opposed by British diplomat Eugen Millington-Drake who argued that under the 13th Hague Convention Admiral Graf Spee should be expelled from neutral waters after twenty-four hours. Advised that few naval resources were in the area, Millington-Drake continued to press for the ships expulsion publically while British agents arranged to have British and French merchant ships sail every twenty-four hours. This action invoked Article 16 of the convention which stated A belligerent warship may not leave a neutral port or roadstead until twenty-four hours after the departure of a merchant ship flying the flag of its adversary. As a result, these sailings held Admiral Graf Spee in place while additional naval forces were gathered. While Langsdorff lobbied for time to repair his ship, he received a variety of false intelligence which suggested the arrival of Force H, including the carrier HMS Ark Royal and battlecruiser HMS Renown. While a force centered on Renown was en route, in reality Harwood had only been reinforced by Cumberland. Completely deceived and unable to repair Admiral Graf Spee, Langsdorff discussed his options with his superiors in Germany. Prohibited from allowing the ship to be interned by the Uruguayans and believing that certain destruction awaited him at sea, he ordered Admiral Graf Spee scuttled in the River Plate on December 17. This decision infuriated Hitler who l ater directed that all German ships were fight until the end. Taken to Buenos Aires, Argentina with the crew, Langsdorff committed suicide on December 19. Selected Sources Panzerschiffe Admiral Graf SpeeGerman Navy: Admiral Graf SpeeLangsdorff of the Graf Spee

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Bank Financial Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bank Financial Management - Case Study Example bank has also increased its investment into the Federal Funds which may indicate that the bank’s overall policy may be to invest into risk free investments. Net interest income has shown consistent trends for three years however, non-interest income has declined too in year 1992. The overall risk profile of the bank therefore may be assessed through the mix of investment as well as lending made by the firm. Lending to high risk areas such as lending to companies etc. further investment into more secured avenues such as investing into government securities. The discussion on the interest rates by Mr. Jamison may not be entirely indicate the true assessment of the facts given the fact that it is relatively not known whether the lending made by the Bank is short term or long term in nature. Further the comment on the lack of high quality loans really need to be viewed from the perspective of the overall risk and return appetite of the bank. If the focus is on achieving the consistent returns, Bank may afford to have high quality loans however if the bank is willing to earn higher profitability its portfolio risk may need to be increased. Further, the overall rate sensitivity of the deposits also need to be discussed in much broader concept as it is not only limited to the interest rates but rather its impact on the lending shall also be taken into consideration which has not been discussed at length by various members of the ALCO. The present yield curve indicate the steep increase in the rates and as such there is an indication of increase in short term interest rates what is however, critical to note that the Bank shall focus on acquiring long term deposits rather than making investments into the long term securities. Since short term interest rates are anticipated to change therefore bank shall also focus on making short term loans. This therefore would further require the bank to look for more of working capital and consumer loans rather than increasing its

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

No particular topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

No particular topic - Essay Example ersight Service (IOS) was created in 2001 so as to improve not only the practice of governance but also the practice of internal control and risk management (UNESCO, 2015d). Therefore, aside from forming the â€Å"Internal Audit† branch, the IOS is also composed of two (2) other branches such as the â€Å"Investigation† and the â€Å"Evaluation† (UNESCO, 2015d). In general, UNESCO’s â€Å"Internal Audit† aims to improve its main operations by creating a systematic approach in improving the effectiveness of objectives (i.e. governance, internal control, and risk management) (UNESCO, 2015e) whereas the â€Å"Investigation† branch aims to investigate any conflict or any misconduct or violation of laws such as fraud and corruption that arises in different departments (UNESCO, 2015f). The main purpose of creating the â€Å"Evaluation Section† (EVS) is to ensure that the organization will be able to come up with a much better policy development (UNESCO, 2015g). Often times, improvements in evaluation practices can be done by implementing strict accountability and transparency as well as creating new strategies on how to effectively improve the existing evaluation and management practices (UNESCO, 2015g). ‘effectiveness’, ‘impact’, and ‘sustainability’ (Parsons, 2007, p. 8). In relation to the UNESCO evaluation criteria, this essay seeks to evaluate its impact on how to reduce the habit of smoking. As part of going through the main discussion, the key policy drivers behind the anti-smoking policy will be first identified followed by critically evaluating its effectiveness in terms of meeting the goal of reducing people’s smoking habit. Eventually, the effectiveness of the key policy drivers will be criticized not only within the local but also within the national and international level. The concept of policy development is all about being able to create â€Å"evidenced-based recommendations† that can be used as a guide in educating people through health

Monday, January 27, 2020

Solid waste management the most important element constituting the environmental health

Solid waste management the most important element constituting the environmental health Abstract Solid Waste Management is perhaps one of the most important element constituting the environmental health and sanitation of urban developing sector. The management system has several components which are integrated as well as interdependent thus the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire system is affected when any of its functional component fails or does not perform up to the level mark of operation. Karachi metropolis has been growing in population and expanding in area since mid 1800s. The present estimated population has reached over 18 million with approximate daily generation of solid waste reaching quantities up to 9000 tonnes. There are 18 municipal administrative divisions (TMA) and in addition 4 cantonment areas in Karachi which are responsible for managing solid waste in their respective jurisdictions. Prior to administrative devolution (2001) Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) was responsible for the management of solid waste of the entire city. It is estimated that nearly 80% of the municipal solid waste is being collected and transported to the two designated disposal sites as proper sanitary landfill sites are yet to develop. Hence there has been an improvement in the waste collection and transportation system since 90s when only 2/3rd of the municipal waste was managed. The transportation mechanism is through garbage vehicles using either hauled or fixed container system employing crew for mechanical or manual loading. The number of garbage vehicles is inadequate and due to comparatively long haulage to disposal sites there are certain problems of frequent vehicular maintenance and high fuel costs. The role of informal sector in collection of waste from streets and removal of recycling items from the solid waste stream is significant. However this unaccounted component needs to be acknowledged and integrated in the formal solid waste management system. Hospital waste is another significant component to have environmental and health impact on the urban society. In Karachi around 30% of the total MSW may be regarded as of hospital origin out of which 0.6 tons per day is infectious. At source segregation practice is exercised at most hospitals and laboratories with few large private and public hospitals having their own in-house disposal facilities, incineration units. City district government has also facilitated centralised incineration operation for public and private hospitals (health care units) through private contract having a capacity of 1000 kg/hour. Improvement schemes have been proposed for Karachi solid waste management system. There is a need to adopt engineered approach in the redesigning of existing system such as; community bins and receptacles have to be designed and constructed for adequate storage capacities according to the generation rates, collection frequencies and safety requirements to control disease vector, over spilling and check unwanted access of waste-pickers. In most of the towns street sweeping operations have been mechanised and done by machinery operated by vehicles. Construction of Garbage Transfer Stations (GTS) at number of locations within the city will cut the cost of transportation of waste to disposal sites as long haulages will be reduced. Material processing, recovery of recyclables, compaction, volume reduction, and increase in density will enable transportation of waste to disposal sites / landfills via long vehicles (bulk transport), minimising transport/traffic and environmental pollution re lated issues. Development of disposal sites into proper sanitary landfill sites are being considered and appropriate budgeting and planning is underway. Integration of informal (micro level) and formal (macro level) waste management system is envisaged to be a plausible working solution for an efficient and sustainable system achieved through integration of primary collection system and waste recycling adopted from informal system. It may be concluded that solid waste management system is undergoing a change over time due to constructive approach, positive policy and decision making. However more concrete steps are to be taken beyond planning stage. The impact of SWM on the environment and aesthetics of Karachis urban scenario have been significant due to growing and expanding city and also owing to administrative transformations occurring over decades. The shortcomings in the SWM system of Karachi are being gradually met and it is envisaged that if the political will is sustained it will soon meet its present requirements as well as shall be able to cater the future demands of the city. Introduction The title of this research paper is very profound, diversified and intricate when addressed particularly in context to the demographic features of the Karachi metropolis, quantities and characteristics of solid wastes, the prevailing issues of management system and practices of solid waste disposal in the city. Though it is difficult to encompass and comment on all the aspects in detail but an attempt has been made to highlight the most critical issues and recommend possible measures for improving the existing solid waste management system. Statement of the Research Problem Solid waste management (SWM) is an integral component of urbanisation and infrastructure development of cities and becomes more essential and critical in the domain of mega cities which are rapidly growing and expanding. The planning and design of solid waste management system which comprise of its components; storage, collection, transfer, transport, processing and disposal requires detailed studies, extending from physical surveys, demographic and socioeconomic data collection, solid waste generation estimates and characterisation analyses, various options for processing and disposal and finally technical and financial analysis for implementation and operation of the system. The present study is limited to defining basic components of SWM system that are functioning in Karachi. The problems and issues of the existing SWM of Karachi need to be identified with the suggestions of possible solutions for the improvement in functioning and effectiveness of the system. Hypothesis The hypothesis of the issue of solid waste management of Karachi can be expressed as sustained deficit in meeting the physical requirement of resources due to unprecedented growth in urban population resulting in uncontrolled and increasing quantities of solid waste continuously requiring restructuring of the management system, procurement and reallocation of physical and human resources and development of infrastructure which has not yet been achieved due to lack of priority and financial constraints. Significance of the Research The paper provides an overview of the general aspects of solid waste management in urban sector. The case study of Karachi shall be discussed in context to the functions of the SWM components and their infrastructure in effective removal and disposal of solid waste. The issues and problems associated with the management, operations and policy making is highlighted which will be significant to serve the purpose of this research document as well to serve as a baseline for further research in the area. Research Methodology The adopted methodology is simple yet comprehensive in defining and achieving the objectives of the research. The research statement has been laid so as to address the problem, issues and objectives of the research study. The scope of the study has been clearly delineated based on the objectives of research. A brief review of relevant literature encompassing scope and its research has been undertaken leading to identification of paramount issues with an analytical approach to problem solving in solid waste management. The conclusion outlines remedial measures, solution and recommendations for an integrated approach to Solid Waste Management in Karachi. Historical Background and Existing Scenario A substantial increase in the solid waste production, particularly municipal solid waste (MSW) has been observed over the past few years from nearly 6,600 tons per day in late 90s to 9,000 tons/day of solid waste being generated in the city of Karachi in 2005 (KSDP 2020). For over a half century, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has been administering the management of municipal solid waste of Karachi. After the devolution of the administrative structure in August 2001, the above service fell under the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK). Solid Waste Management within the City District is the combined responsibility of CDGK, the Town Municipal Administrations (TMAs) and Union Councils. Present City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has 18 towns and altogether 178 union councils. Each union council is responsible for providing waste collection services to an average of 9,500 households which is considered to be an ideal load for the management of municipal solid waste efficiently and effectively within its jurisdiction. In addition, the Cantonment Boards, Karachi Port Trust and Pakistan Steel Mills carry out their own waste collection and transfer. The key agencies responsible for collection are the TMAs, who either use their own equipment or contract private sector operators in managing and operating the primary collection system. In many low income areas community based organisations (CBOs) are active in collection from households and transfer of MSW to community bins or katchra kundi. Also in many areas sweepers are operative and have organised to collect garbage from residences, neighbourhood and communal streets. Few high-income areas have house-to-house colle ction organised by appropriate garbage vehicles that transport refuse to disposal sites. There is an average population of about 560,000 coming under town administrations that are responsible for collecting and transporting solid waste to designated landfill site. District government is liable to provide and develop landfill site(s) for the city of Karachi at appropriate locations. It should also manage and operate those sites. Presently, there is as such no sanitary landfill site for Karachi. Only couple of designated pieces of land have been allocated for dumping of solid waste on daily basis. The CDGK is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the two official open disposal sites at Jam Chakro and Gond Pass each 35 km from the city centre. Any landfill developmental activity or standard sanitary operation practice on these dumping sites is yet to be carried out. it is estimated that of the total household solid waste generated daily within the City District around 4,500 tons is lifted and of this, not more than 2,000 tons makes it to one of the two designated city landfill sites actually open dumping sites. The remainder is either recovered for recycling (an estimated 1,500 tons per day) or is disposed of by burning or by illegal dumping into open drains or onto roadsides or open land (an estimated 1,400 tons)[1]. It is estimated that some 55,000 families depend on the informal solid waste recycling industry for their livelihood and with more than 1,000 operating units that the industry is worth some Rs 1.2 Billion per annum[2]. Hospital (infectious) wastes are co-disposed with the regular solid waste stream. The availability of incineration facilities is on a very limited scale hence most hospital waste is co-disposed with general waste, representing a significant health risk. Onsite incineration facility is available in 3 to 4 major hospitals operating in public and private sector. However CDGK has facilitated collection and incineration facility to hospitals through private contractor(s) operating at one or two incineration plants[3]. Literature Review Concept of Solid Waste Management The source of waste; the producer, its generation; quantities, volumes and characteristics of wastes all are essential to determine and critical for the designing, planning and operation of solid waste management system. Definition of Solid Waste It includes all types of semi-solid and solid waste arising due to human or animal activity as well as due to natural calamity(s) that is useless / undesirable / unwanted or regarded as discarded material requiring removal and subsequent disposal. Usually if not removed from the source of generation or disposed off properly may of potential hazard to environment (life and property). Waste is a relative term i.e. for one it may be useless or unwanted but for someone it may be a useful item (a commodity recovery, reuse, recycling) Defining Solid Waste Management It is the integration of various activities associated with solid waste into well defined and coordinated manner to optimise the use of human, physical and economic resources and to prepare for the future needs. Solid waste management are the principles and practices comprised of effective management tools applied to different components of solid waste processes which include; collection, storage, transportation, treatment and safe disposal. A comprehensive definition of SWM may be given as: It is a discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal of solid wastes in a manner that is in accord with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics, and other environmental considerations, and that is also responsive to public attitudes. There are a number of concepts about waste management which vary in their usage between countries or regions. Some of the most general, widely-used concepts include: Waste hierarchy refers to the 3 Rs reduce, reuse recycle, which classify waste management strategies according to their desirability in terms of waste minimization. The waste hierarchy remains the cornerstone of most waste minimization strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and to generate the minimum amount of waste. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a strategy designed to promote the integration of all costs associated with products throughout their life cycle (including end-of-life disposal costs) into the market price of the product. Extended producer responsibility is meant to impose accountability over the entire lifecycle of products and packaging introduced to the market. This means that firms which manufacture, import and/or sell products are required to be responsible for the products after their useful life as well as during manufacture. Polluter pays principle (PPP) is a principle where the polluting party pays for the impact caused to the environment. With respect to waste management, this generally refers to the requirement for a waste generator to pay for appropriate disposal of the waste. Hierarchy of Solid Waste Management in Karachi Metropolis As defined above waste hierarchy means classification, according to the facet of desirability, of waste management strategies. The strategies could be to reduce waste or to reuse, recovery waste or intention to recycle waste, the 3 Rs of waste management. Another recent strategy is to rethink or review the present system for an improved system. Whatever the classification, the main and sole object of waste management is to treat and dispose waste completely or minimize it from the environment, to safeguard the health of the community. Concurrently, the supplementary object is to extract maximum benefits from the waste by turning it in to a useful product. In case of Karachi these elite goals are still to be defined and strategies laid as the primary task of cent percent collection of solid waste and its disposal i.e. providing waste management services to entire metropolis area is yet to achieve. Waste Source Reduction and Segregation No information from official sources is available on this subject. There is no scheme launched by the solid waste management department of the district government to promote waste reduction of municipal solid waste at household level neither citizens are encouraged to segregate the waste into recyclables or non-recyclables at source. However public in their own interest for some financial gain with collaboration and cooperation of informal sector domestic commercial waste producers segregate and sell their disposable or recyclable waste items to door-to-door collectors kabadis. Similarly, industries sell and dispose their waste to middle dealers and recyclers. Also a large volunteer force of waste pickers on mobilised on streets is operational as scavengers. These are mainly self employed labour of Afghan origin who collect recyclables from streets, community bins and open areas on daily basis sale to middle dealer to onward sale to recyclers. Hence a very strong system of waste rec overy from general solid waste stream and subsequent recycling exists in the informal sector which is playing its part in the management of solid waste and reducing the burden on the overloaded formal sector of SWM but unfortunately its role has neither been recognised nor acknowledged. Integrated Solid Waste Management System It is a methodology for solid waste management applied to all of the activities associated with the management of societys waste. The term integrated implies that the activities are interdependent and inter-related so as to formulate a comprehensive and effective waste management system. Integrated Solid Waste Management may be defined as: It is the selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies, and management programmes to achieve specific waste management objectives and goals. The basic aim of the integrated solid waste management is to manage solid waste in a manner that meets public health and environmental concerns and the publics desire to reuse and recycle waste materials. Hierarchy of Integrated Solid Waste Management A hierarchy (arrangement in order of rank) in waste management can be used to rank actions to implement programmes within the community. The integrated solid waste management hierarchy used may be sequenced as; Source reduction, Recycling, Collection Waste transformation and Disposal ISWM programmes and systems should be developed in which the elements of hierarchy are interrelated and are selected to support each other. The Functional Elements of Solid Waste Management. The Functional Elements of a Waste Management System may be classified as those activities which take place within the system to meet the targets and objectives defined for the effective management of the solid waste. The components are those which are acquired and or physically developed (work force, infrastructure facilities, resources, etc.) to facilitate the functions of the SWM system. The typical functional elements of SWM in an urbanised developed sector may be listed as follows: Waste generation Waste handling and separation, storage and processing at source Collection Separation and processing and transformation of solid wastes Transfer and transport Disposal Waste Generation It encompasses activities in which materials are identified as no longer being of value and are either thrown away or gathered together for disposal. It is important in waste generation to note that there is an identification step and that this step varies with each individual waste. At present waste generation activity is not very controllable, however, it is expected that more control will be exercised over waste generation in future. As already mentioned that waste generation phenomenon is dependent upon the demographic characteristics of town or city particularly the changing demography i.e. the population due to growth and expansion with modernisation and urbanisation process. Solid Waste Generation in Karachi In case of Karachi the devolution of city administration in towns though ease off the administrative bottle necks to certain extent particularly in context to management of public services but with solid waste management which is more or less demographically controlled system the magnitude of the problem is not much reduced. It would therefore be appropriate to present the generation rates municipal solid wastes of different towns of Karachi in perspective of their respective populations for certain year of study and projected likewise. As established the quantities of solid wastes depend upon the demographic characteristics and its composition is highly variable factor attributed to socioeconomic features as well as waste management practices. The overall composition of solid waste determined at household level is given as follows: Estimated Per Capita Waste Generation Rate in Karachi According to survey carried out in 2005 waste generation rate is estimated as 0.3 to 0.5 kg/capita/day. It is to be understood that generally the waste generation rate depends upon a number of factors such as: Income level of waste producer Socioeconomic and living style Festive occasions Waste management policies and programmes Awareness education about environment and waste concerns Sources of waste generation in Karachi In case of Karachi, sources of waste generation may be categorized as under: Domestic Commercial, Green wastes Hospital Industrial The types of wastes or garbage generated are: household, commercial, institutional and street sweepings. On the basis of nature of waste it is classified as degradable (organic), non-degradable (recyclable / non-recyclable). The estimated figures given in the SWM document of Karachi Master Plan 2020 draft report 2005 are as follows: Major markets where organic waste is generated are: Vegetable market: 100 ton per day, Empress market: 70 tons per day High-income localities generate garbage: Organic Waste: 60% Garden Waste: 12% Recyclables: 8% Low-income localities generate garbage: Organic Waste: 40% Garden Waste: 5% (max) Recyclables: 15% The solid waste generate that is recovered at; Household level, Community bin level (prior to transfer / transportation) and Disposal site Waste Handling and Separation, Storage and Processing at Source Waste handling and separation involves the activities associated with management of wastes until they are placed in storage containers for collection. Handling also encompasses the movement of loaded containers to the point of collection. Separation of waste components is an important step in the handling and storage of solid waste at the source. The best place to separate waste materials for reuse and recycling is at the source of generation. Processing at the source involves activities such as compaction and yard waste composting. Collection Collection includes not only the gathering of solid waste and recyclable materials, but also transport of these materials, after collection to the location where collection vehicle is emptied. This location may be materials processing facility, a transfer station, or a landfill disposal site. In small cities, where disposal sites are nearby, the hauling of wastes is not a serious problem. In large cities, however, where the haul distance to the point of disposal is often greater than 15 miles, the haul may have significant economic implications. Where long distances are involved, transfer and transport facilities are normally used. Collection and Transportation of Solid Waste in Karachi Stages of collection of garbage is from house hold to community bin sites, (kachra kundi) and then to disposal sites. This is done in the following ways: Stage 1: From house MSW is collected by private sweepers and resident brought to temporary storage / communal waste transfer facility i.e. community bins. Stage 2: From dust bins municipality vehicles transfer and transport solid waste to disposal sites OR to unofficial dumping ground (Primary transportation, 2-3 trips a day which by definition are long trips) Problem Analysis This is the most uneconomical way of SWM because the haulage is extraordinarily long and several vehicles have to make this long trips several times a day. Hence due to shortage of infrastructure and physical human resources with handling of large quantities of waste required the SWM becomes inefficient in handling, transporting and disposing waste effectively. The following problems arise in Karachi in primary collection: Poor attendance of sanitary workers. Estimated number of employed sanitary workers employed in CDGK is 12000. Gradual decrease in number of community bins (4100), as a large number of garbage containers Katchra Kundi are in the workshop for repairs. Haphazard accumulation of garbage on streets, in open spaces and in drains. Uncollected waste usually finds it way in sewers, is eaten by the cattle, or left to rot in the open, or burnt on roadsides 15 to 20% garbage vans remain out of order. Total number of waste vehicles estimated is 560. Landfill sites are situated at long distance ranging from 10 to 70 km (up down) Hardly 300 to 400 trips of garbage vehicles are off loaded daily at landfill sites out of 1500 trips. Transfer and Transport This involves two steps; the transfer of waste from the smaller collection vehicle to the large transport equipment, and the subsequent transport of the wastes, usually over long distances, to a processing or disposal site. The transfer usually takes place at a transfer station. Although motor vehicle transport is most common, rail cars and barges are also used to transport waste. The two systems for transfer and transporting solid waste through roads comprises of hauled and stationary container system. Transfer and Transport of Garbage in Karachi Past Experiences In mid 90s an experiment of using train carriages was done for hauling MSW of Karachi by the name of Garbage Train project. The project was launched by defunct KMC in 1995-1996. Garbage from Saddar, Lyari and other adjacent areas was brought to Wazir Mansion Railway station for onward transportation to Dhabeji through railway. The system ran for about 4 to 5 months. Rs 27 Million were spent on the project. The system failed due to: High charges levied by railway authorities Wagons provided by the railway authorities were obsolete (not in good service condition) No proper infrastructure for loading unloading of garbage could be developed at transfer stations. Processing and Recovery of Solid Waste It includes the recovery of separated materials, the separation and processing of solid waste components, and transformation of solid waste that occurs primarily in locations away from the source of waste generation. The types of means and facilities that are now used for recovery of waste materials that have been separated at source include kerbside collection, drop off, and buy back centres. The separation and processing of wastes that have been separated at source and the separation of commingled wastes usually occur at a materials recovery facility, transfer stations, combustion facilities, and disposal sites. Processing often includes the separation of bulk items, separation of waste components by size using screens, manual separation of waste components, size reduction by shredding, separation of ferrous metals using magnets, volume reduction by compaction and combustion. Transformation processes are used to reduce the volume and weight of waste requiring disposal and to recover conversion products and energy. The organic fraction of MSW can be transformed by a variety of chemical and biological processes. The most commonly used chemical transformation process is combustion which is used in conjunction with the recovery of energy in the form of heat. The most commonly used biological transformation process is aerobic composting. The selection of a given set of processes will depend on the waste management objectives to be achieved. Processing of Organic Waste in Karachi An experiment A compost plant was established in the early 80s by a private contractor in North Karachi which remained operative for a short period and then was closed down due to following reasons: Supply of non-segregated refuse, gradually damaged the plant. Heavy operational losses. Gained favour during import of plant machinery and also acquisition of land for installation of the plant, as such there was not much financial stake of the contractor was involved. Deployment of untrained and unskilled staff. Non-cooperation from the municipal administration (informal sources). Disposal of Solid Waste It is the final functional element in the solid waste management system. Nowadays, the disposal of wastes through landfill or land-spreading is the ultimate fate of all solid wastes, whether they are residential wastes collected transported to a landfill site, residual materials from materials recovery facilities (MRFs), residues from the combustion of solid waste, compost, or other substances from various solid waste processing facilities. A modern sanitary landfill is not an open dump; it is an engineered facility used for disposing of solids on land or within the earths mantle without creating nuisances or hazards to public health or safety. Landfill or more specifically sanitary landfill is an engineering term, which may be defined as: An engineered facility developed on a designated piece of land that principally receives waste as a fill over a period of time until the designated area is fully utilised. The development and operation of facility is usually cost effective while maintaining appropriate health, safety and environmental standards. Sites for Solid Waste Disposal in Karachi Only two official landfill sites available and are in use in the city are: Jam Chakro near Surjani Town (500 acres) Gondpass near Hub river Road (500 acres) In addition to the above two marked sites, CDGK also acquired Dhabeji Landfill site (3000 acres) through notification of 2006 for the purpose of landfill operations in 2007 but the operations could not commenced due to administrative and financial constraints. Earlier the project of the Transfer and Disposal of Karachi City through Garbage (Kachra) Train started in mid 90s which used open and closed cargo wagons to transfer collected MSW from garbage transfer station (Wazir Mansion) hauling it to Dhabeji site for open dumping / disposal. The project was also not successful and ceased due to administrative issues and financial

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Demand & Forecasting

DEMAND & FORCASTING Founded as a single store in 1960, Domino’s Pizza today stands as the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. From the beginning, we have been dedicated to the best of service, quality products and delivery excellence. They currently have over 9000 stores worldwide, all dedicated to providing great-tasting pizza delivered directly to your door or available for carryout. They have pioneered the pizza delivery business, and sell more than 400 million pizzas worldwide every year.Domino’s Pizza is recognized as a Megabrand by Advertising Age magazine, and has been named â€Å"Chain of the Year† by Pizza Today, the leading publication of the pizza industry, three times (Dominos). Metuchen is a very small town in Middlesex County, NJ. It is located right in the middle of Edison, NJ. It is only 2. 76 square miles with a population of over 13000. The median income is around $90000. There is approximately 5300 household consisting of 2. 56 people. A nd 30% of the population is under 18 years old (US Census). This can be interpreted as there are mostly families with kids in this community.Currently, there are no fast food pizza stores or any other fast food restaurants in the town. Edison does have many restaurants including two Dominos, one in South Edison and one in North Edison. However, neither of them delivers to Metuchen. The only direct competitor in the area is Pizza Hut. Metuchenites often get to know their local merchants and get personalized service they find missing at large chain stores in the nearby shopping malls Metuchen). Based on the Metuchen demographic information, I chose the following variables: households, income, and price of complimentary goods.I believe households to be more relevant than population based on the fact that the town consists of families with one or more children. A household will consume one or more pies per visit. And people with children are more likely to buy fast food. I chose to use income because income along with the fluctuation of price is a major factor for the demand of pizza. Also we used the variable for the price of the complimentary good Soda. People almost always buy soda or some other drink with their pizza. Although, there are some family owned competitors, I did not include them in this analysis because they are a ifferent type of pizza store. Dominos specializes in fast food delivery. And many of the family owned does not. VARIABLES Year| Qd| price/pie| soda/ liter| population| households| Income| 2010| 125000| 5| 1| 13,574| 5,249| 88,241| 2011| 127000| 5. 49| 1. 25| 13,648| 5,376| 91365| 2012| 129000| 5. 99| 1. 5| 13795| 5491| 94,410| Elasticity refers to the magnitude and the direction quantity demanded changes in response to a percentage change in the variable. Based on the information collected, we determined that all of the variables are inelastic. The price elasticity is 0. 163 and the price elasticity of soda is 0. 64. This means that the c hange in price will result in a lesser percentage change in quantity. Basically this shows that the fluctuation in price will not affect the demand too much. This is also true for the income. The income elasticity is 0. 452. This shows that if income increases, the demand for pizza will increase at a lower rate also. When price goes up, the Qd will go down based on the disposable income of the families. The income is high enough to withstand the price increase. This is also true for the number of households. Household elasticity is 0. 661. ELASTICITY rice/pie| soda/ liter| population| households| Income| 0. 163| 0. 064| 2. 935| 0. 661| 0. 452| 0. 173| 0. 079| 1. 462| 0. 736| 0. 473| Inelastic| Inelastic| Elastic| Inelastic| Inelastic| Smoothing techniques assumes that a repetitive underlying pattern can be found in the historical values of the variable being forecasted. The moving average is calculated by taking an average of past observations. The more observations included, the gr eater the smoothing effect. It gives the same weight to all the observations. The exponential model allows you to determine the weight of the observation between 0 and 1.Below we used four different smoothing techniques to forecasts the demand for pizza for years 2013-2015. The four models show the demand to be between 127500 and 128500. DEMAND FORECAST Year| Actual Demand| 5 year Moving Average| 3 year Moving Average| Exponential Smoothing w=0. 9| Exponential Smoothing w=0. 3| 2007| 126000|   |   | 126000| 126000| 2008| 129000|   |   | 126000| 126000| 2009| 131000|   |   | 128700| 126900| 2010| 125000|   | 128667| 130770| 128130| 2011| 127000|   | 128333| 125577| 127191| 2012| 129000| 127600| 127667| 126858| 127134| 2013| 128300| 128200| 127000| 128786| 127694| 014| 128100| 128060| 128100| 128349| 127876| 2015|   | 127480| 128467| 128125| 127943| The root mean square error is used to evaluate the accuracy of the forecasting model. The lower RMSE means the estimate is more accurate. RMSE RMSE|   | 811| 1933| 2790| 2377| Based on the RMSE for each of the estimates, I would estimate the 3 year moving average to be the best estimate. Although the 5 year moving average has a lower RMSE, I don’t think it is an accurate estimate because there are not enough years to get an accurate estimate. Based on the information collected, we could open a Dominos in the community and expect to do well.The forecast for demand of pizza seems to fluctuate between 127500 and 128500. Although the forecasts seems pretty stable, it doesn’t look like there will be too much growth unless the number of households and income have a larger increase that previously. The inelasticity of variables shows me that as price goes up, there will be a smaller decrease in quantity demanded. However, the income and the number of households are also inelastic. As incomes and households grow, so will the quantity demanded by a smaller increase. The price elasticity is sm aller than the income and household elasticity.So overall the quantity demanded should increase. WORKS CITED United States Census Bureau, US department of commerce, retrieved October 22, 2012 from http://quickfacts. census. gov/qfd/states/34/3445690. html Income Tax List, retrieved October 27, 2012 from http://www. incometaxlist. com/new-jersey-income-tax-by-zip-code-33. htm Domino’s Pizza, retrieved October 27, 2012 from http://phx. corporate-ir. net/phoenix. zhtml? c=135383&p=irol-homeprofile Borough of Metuchen, retrieved October 23, 2012 from http://www. metuchennj. org/brochure1999. pdf

Saturday, January 11, 2020

What is ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is software that potentially manages the various processes in business. Primarily, it works on a platform utilizing the various meanings of data within one database. Today, companies find that they have to creatively and conveniently respond to increasing globalization, critical changes in business trends, and the condition of the economy (Leyh, Gebhardt and Berton 913). Businesses need to be ready for changes in the government or society such as reducing financial compensation from both state and local governments. Therefore, organizations normally find that they have to come up with solutions that suit these conditions to enhance convenient administrative processes in business. Cloud-based ERP system Cloud-based computing gives the individuals who operate a database the access to software applications which are managed from the available computing resources like the memory through the use of the Internet. Since the introduction of this system, cloud computing has gained a massive reputation internationally. Over the past few years, several enterprises have adapted some of their resources into a cloud (Gunawan and Surendro 57). Notably, the trend is attached to the simplified accessibility to resources and easy facilitation of data sharing. In a significant number of enterprises, the management noted the system availed resources with the need of computing resources working directly in a specific system. The architecture of Cloud-Based EPR SystemCloud-based ERP system falls under the cloud software service. Typically, the average ERP involves installing the system in each terminal while the cloud-based type provides access to the resources without necessarily having the ERP installed on each computer (Gunawan and Surendro 60). Therefore, there is increased convenience on installation and ERP access although the integrity is maintained. An ERP system may also be regarded as the actualization of a blueprint availed by the framework of a business. In the case that the ERP transits to a cloud server, the architecture of the company similarly moves. As such, it is essential to provide configuration details about the technology architecture of an enterprise. Comparatively, the design needs to be defined by an enterprise as long as it uses a cloud computing model. Important to realize, this architecture should also depict better performance compared to the systems that do not entail the cloud-adaptin method. Consequently, to affirm that the ERP can migrate successfully, the blueprint proposed by the enterprise need to be critically evaluated as it is a fundamental need of the architecture. In comparison with the orthodox ERP, the cloud-based ERP comprises of a system where users can access resources through the Internet. However, the former relies on the availability of a Local Area Network (LAN) for the operation of the ERP in the enterprise. LAN connects computers from one organization within a single building by use of a network termed as an intranet. Multi-tenancy is a popular notion in software architecture mainly used in the cloud-based application. Significantly, it concerns a single set of applications used to manage the several users on one instance. The term implies that although the availed resources have a unique sole purpose, their design allows for them to remain mostly adjustable to satisfy the needs of the business. The potential to manage several users is achieved through sharing hardware and data storage. Despite the sharing of resources, the security of data needs to be upheld to avoid specific users from affecting others on the network. Therefore, there are four entities which have to be assessed. First, resource isolation is vital based on the fact that tenants make use of a similar infrastructure and code (Gunawan and Surendro 61). Second, the configuration aspects imply that data needs to have characteristics that are adaptable to suit various tenants. Third, the element of security calls for measurements to be put in place owing to the high risk sharing codes and data among tenants poses. Finally, the scalability concept appeals to the design and applicability of the software for to satiate conditions for reaching levels that can be measured. The most common approach for the multi-tenant concept is Separate Database. Arguably, it is one of the simplest models for isolating data as data for each user is kept separately. However, there is also a Shared Database approach where all tenants occupy similar database instances although they are all assigned an own schema. In this strategy, data from all users is kept in one database using a similar schema. The cloud-based ERP system allows its users to configure the service required from the host. This is necessary to fulfill individual needs and still upholding the integrity of data. The concept is entirely valid although the blueprint provided by an enterprise determines the architecture and necessary ERP modules. Such information is relevant for choosing the specific modules responsible for purchasing modules that contribute towards organizational development (Zhu and Dong 4765). The principal reason behind customization and identifying particular modules depends on the financial capability of companies. Importantly, the multi-tenancy concept allows the provider to avail specific packages in light os the needs of every tenant without having to alter the whole system software. Comparison to Recent Technological Developments While cloud computing is a significant step forward in business, many businesses have not yet adopted this technology. The ERP system focuses extensively on the infrastructure without considering the end-user. As such, it only enhances the reliability which is not as significant to businesses. The Blockchain industry is young although it is quite capable mainly since it offers solutions in the supply chain. The technology can implement logistics metrics concerning order deliveries. Unlike the cloud-based ERP system, blockchain overcomes the forth and back step issue. It empowers all members in a supply chain which fosters the development of all critical contributors within a system. A step forward in cloud-based ERP system implies two steps backward to the end user. The explanation relates to the reason why innovations are directed towards upgrading the interface and improving the performance. Companies Affected While many businesses are continually adopting the cloud-based ERP solutions, specific enterprises are employing the system given the minimal IT requirements it demands. Notably, this system is applicable for distribution, service, and nonprofit businesses. On that note, however, new startups and accomplished mid-sized companies stand a chance to benefit the most. Successful and established companies are likely to stick to the traditional technologies. Conclusion Cloud-based ERP system is one of the most successful software adopted by companies since the introduction. It allows users to access computing resources remotely although the Internet needs to be present. With a multi-tenant architecture, several users can operate a database in one instance without disruption. The enterprise specifications determine the nature of the system and the security of data needs to be sensitized. ?