Conflicting Perspectives Essay Example for Free

Conflicting Perspectives Essay Composers are able to evoke in the audience certain reactions to characters or events in their texts by presenting conflicting perspectives on different issues through the manipulation of the language forms and features of their medium, often communicating their own ideas about issues in question, which results in the creation of meaning within their texts. (?). David Guterson in his 1995 novel Snow Falling on Cedars (Snow) and Henry Bean in his 2001 film The Believer (Believer) demonstrate conscious choices made regarding structure and techniques in the construction of their texts in order to represent conflicting perspectives exploring ideas on racial prejudice and hatred and cultural contrasts and thus engage the audience. Composers can examine racial/religious prejudice brought on by war by using form specific techniques to present conflicting perspectives on the same event, designed to incite certain audience responses. Guterson, in Snow, purposely presents conflicting perspectives between Arthur Chambers and Hatsue and other members of the white community on San Piedro, particularly Etta Heine, in order to draw sympathy for the treatment of the Japanese after Pearl Harbour is bombed. Arthur is empathetic towards them, saying in his local paper the San Piedro Review, â€Å"†¦ those of Japanese descent on this island are not responsible for the tragedy at Pearl Harbour. Make no mistake about it.† The high modality language and short, direct sentences used by Guterson highlights Arthur’s deeply-held opinion of the innocence of the Japanese on the island. In support of Arthur’s argument, Hatsue, through the narrative’s non-linear structure, recalls her pain and confusion at the treatment of her people, saying, â€Å"It just isn’t fair – it’s not fair. How could they do this to us, just like that?† The emotive appeal in addition to Arthur’s article triggers audience support of the Japanese community. Guterson, however, also presents the contrasting racial hatred of the white islanders towards the Japanese. Etta Heine justifies the deportation of the Japanese with blunt, monosyllabic sentences – â€Å"They’re Japs†¦ We’re in a war with them. We can’t have spies around.† The use of the derogative term â€Å"Japs† and the distinct differentiation between â€Å"them†, the Japanese, and â€Å"we†, the white people, illustrates her bigoted hatred of the Japanese. Through the conflicting perspectives of Etta against Arthur and Hatsue, Guterson sways the audience to feel for the ill treatment of the Japanese, and shows them his own opinion on the negative effect of racism in wartime on the perceptions and conduct towards certain groups. Conflicting perspectives are established by Bean in Believer between Daniel, a neo-Nazi who is paradoxically a Jew himself, and a number of Holocaust survivors pertaining to the strength of their actions during WWII which aims to convey a pro-Jewish sentiment to audiences. At a sensitivity training session, Danny is enraged at a Jewish man’s lack of action while watching his son being murdered by a Nazi during the Holocaust. Rapidly cutting over-the-shoulder shots between Danny and the Jews indicate their opposing views. A close-up of Danny when he is asked by the Jews what he would have done in the situation shows his contempt and incredulous disbelief of the Jews’ weakness as he replies â€Å"Not what he did. Just stand there and watch?† Bean immediately employs a close-up reaction shot of the female Jew who rebuts with, â€Å"How do you know? You’ve never been tested like he has. Here in his rich, safe, stupid country it is so easy to imagine oneself a hero.† The personal address through 2nd person and the accumulation of adjectives to build a negative image of America strongly opposes Danny’s prejudiced conviction that Jews are pathetic, and also appeals to audiences the idea that religious prejudice towards Jews is unjustified. As Guterson does in Snow, conflicting perspectives are represented by Bean in order to sway his audience to respond negatively to unfounded sentiments of prejudice. Conflicting perspectives between characters can be used by composers to control the way in which an audience perceives them by exploring the cultural clashes that exist in the text as a reflection of societal (or social?) behaviour. In Snow, Guterson presents conflicting perspectives between Kabuo and the jury during his murder trial. In the opening chapter, a vivid description of Kabuo’s posture and expression is given from the jury’s perspective; he is shown as â€Å"proudly upright†¦ rigid†¦ detached.† This initial portrait portrait of Kabuo makes him suspicious not only to the jury but also to the audience, as Hatsue tells Kabuo using a simile that he â€Å"looks like one of Tojo’s soldiers.† However, Guterson, through the novel’s non-linear structure, refutes this perspective by explaining Kabuo’s behaviour to the audience via a flashback. Through his father’s teachings that â€Å"the greater the composure, the more revealed one was†, the audience learns the reason behind Kabuo’s unemotional stance. Third person omniscient allows the audience to sympathise with Kabuo’s emotive explanation that â€Å"he sat upright in the hope that his desperate composure might reflect the shape of his soul.† Guterson, through conflicting perspectives, influences his audience to understand Kabuo and the impact of contrasting cultural values on the perception of an individual. In Believer, Bean likewise shows contrasting opinions between Danny, who cannot fully repress his secret Jewish identity, and his anti-Semitic ‘skinhead’ friends to create audience sympathy for Danny’s inner struggles with the opposing aspects of his identity. When Danny and his friends break into a synagogue, Daniel shows a surprising respect for his religion which clashes with those of the other neo-Nazis. This directly conflicts with Danny’s character established at the film’s opening, when he violently beats up a Jew for no apparent reason. Wearing a brown shirt symbolising the Nazi SA (brown-shirts), Danny’s dark costuming contrasts with the light coloured one of his Jewish victim, highlighting the evil in his nature. Bean, however, challenges the audience’s view of Danny in order to allow them to understand his conflicting identities. In one frame, Danny is in the foreground walking down an aisle, which is juxtaposed with the othe r Nazis vandalising the synagogue. Their loud, raucous whooping contrasts to that of Danny’s respectful silence, highlighting their different treatments of the Jewish culture. When one of the Nazis tears up a Torah, a sacred Jewish text, after much opposition from Danny, a reaction shot of him shows sadness and pain accompanied by melancholy music, underlining Danny’s unspoken deference for Judaism. Bean’s portrayal of conflicting perspectives on Jewish culture incites the audience to respond more sympathetically towards Danny, and to understand that his veneer is a product of cultural differences in his society. The composers in Snow and Believer have effectively utilised techniques within their medium to represent conflicting perspectives about racial or religious prejudice and cultural differences in order to provoke certain audience responses to the characters, events or situations in their story. This includes reactions of sympathy for a certain perspective or disbelief and even dislike of opposing perspectives. In this way, the composers connect to the audience and generate meaning within their texts. In Snow, Hatsue is confined by the traditions of her culture, as shown when her mother Fujiko says to her â€Å"don’t allow living among the hakujin to become living intertwined with them. Your soul will decay†¦ rot and go sour.† The change in language to refer to the Americans as hakujin and the emotive metaphor of Hatsue’s breakdown of purity highlights Fujiko’s dislike of American culture. This

Application of Pinch Technology and Analysis

Application of Pinch Technology and Analysis INTRODUCTION: The term Pinch Technology was introduced by Linnhoff and Vredeveld to represent a new set of thermodynamically based methods that guarantee optimum energy requirements in design of heat exchanger networks. The application of Pinch technology to study industrial process is called Pinch Analysis. Applying first and second Laws of thermodynamics is essential in Pinch Analysis method. The first law of thermodynamics enables us to use the energy equations in order to calculate the enthalpy change in the streams passing through heat exchangers and the second law decides the direction of heat flow because according to second law heat may only flow in the direction from hot to cold regions but there conditions in heat transfer in heat exchanger like: 1) No temperature crossover should be done: since in a heat exchanger, a hot stream cant be cool down below the cold stream inlet temperature nor the cold stream can be heated up above the hot stream temperature. 2) In reality the hot stream can be cooled down to a temperature defined by the temperature approach of the heat exchanger. The temperature approach is the minimum allowable temperature difference (DTmin) in the stream temperature profiles. The temperature level at which DTmin is observed in the process is referred to as pinch point. Pinch Analysis There are 8 steps in pinch analysis which are: Steps of Pinch Analysis Identification of the Hot, Cold and Utility Streams in the Process Thermal Data Extraction for Process Utility Streams Selection of Initial DTmin value Construction of Composite Curves and Grand Composite Curve Estimation of Minimum Energy Cost Targets Estimation of Heat Exchanger Network ( HEN ) Capital Cost Targets Estimation of Optimum DTmin Value by Energy-Capital Trade Off Design of Heat Exchanger Network 1. Identification of the Hot, Cold and Utility Streams in the Process * Hot Streams: Hot streams that are required to be cooled down. * Cold Streams: Cold streams that are required to be heated up. * Utility Streams are used to heat or cool process streams, when heat exchange between process streams is not practical or economic. 2. Thermal Data Extraction for Process Utility Streams For each hot, cold and utility stream identified, the following thermal data is extracted: * Supply temperature (TS oC) : the temperature at which the stream is available. * Target temperature (TT oC) : the temperature the stream must be taken to. * Heat capacity flow rate (CP kW/ oC) : the product of flow rate (m) in kg/sec and specific heat (Cp kJ/kg 0C). CP = m x Cp * Enthalpy Change (dH) associated with a stream passing through the exchanger is given by the First Law of Thermodynamics: First Law energy equation: d H = Q  ± W In a heat exchanger, no mechanical work is being performed: W = 0 (zero) The above equation simplifies to: d H = Q, where Q represents the heat supply or demand associated with the stream. It is given by the relationship: Q= CP x (TS TT). Enthalpy Change, dH = CP x (TS TT) 3. Selection of Initial DTmin value As discussed before and according to second law of thermodynamics no temperature crossover can be done. Thus the temperature of the hot and cold streams at any point in the exchanger must always have a minimum temperature difference (DTmin). In mathematical terms, at any point in the exchanger Hot stream Temp. ( TH ) ( TC ) Cold stream Temp. >= DTmin For a given value of Q, if smaller values of DTmin are chosen, the area requirements rise. If a higher value of DTmin is selected the heat exchange between the exchangers will decrease and the use of utilities will increase. Thus, the selection of DTmin value has an imprtants and significant implications for both capital and energy costs. This table shows a typical DTmin of some industrial processes: No Industrial Sector Experience DTmin Values 1 Oil Refining 20-40 °C 2 Petrochemical 10-20 °C 3 Chemical 10-20 °C 4 Low Temperature Processes 3-5 °C 4. Construction of Composite Curves and Grand Composite Curve * COMPOSITE CURVES: Composite curves consist of temperature (T) enthalpy (H) profiles of heat availability in the process (the hot composite curve) and heat demands in the process (the cold composite curve) together in a graphical representation. To construct the composite curve, a stream with a constant heat capacity (CP) is represented on a T H diagram by a straight line running from stream supply temperature to stream target temperature. When there are a number of hot and cold streams, the construction of hot and cold composite curves simply involves the addition of the enthalpy changes of the streams in the respective temperature intervals. For heat exchange to occur, the hot stream cooling curve must lie above the cold stream-heating curve. This point of minimum temperature difference represents a bottleneck in heat recovery and is commonly referred to as the Pinch which is DTmin. Increasing the DTmin value results in shifting the curves horizontally apart resulting in lower process to process heat exchange and higher utility requirements. In summary, the composite curves provide overall energy targets but do not clearly indicate how much energy must be supplied by different utility levels. The utility mix is determined by the Grand Composite Curve. GRAND COMPOSITE CURVE (GCC): In selecting utilities to be used, determining utility temperatures, and deciding on utility requirements the Composite curve doesnt provide so much information, thats why Grand Composite Curve (GCC) is used. The GCC (Figure 3) shows the variation of heat supply and demand within the process.Using this diagramthe designer canfind which utilities are to be used. The aim is to maximize the use of the cheaper utility levels and minimize the use of the expensive utility levels. Low-pressure steam and cooling water are preferred instead of high-pressure steam and refrigeration, respectively. To construct GCC the information required comes directly from the Problem Table Algorithm. The method involves shifting (along the temperature [Y] axis) of the hot composite curve down by  ½ DTmin and that of cold composite curve up by  ½ DTmin. The vertical axis on the shifted composite curves shows processinterval temperature. In other words, the curves are shifted by subtracting part of the allowable temperature approach from the hot stream temperatures and adding the remaining part of the allowable temperature approach to the cold stream temperatures. The result is a scale based upon process temperature having an allowance for temperature approach (DTmin). The Grand Composite Curve is then constructed from the enthalpy (horizontal) differences between the shifted composite curves at different temperatures. On the GCC, the horizontal distance separating the curve from the vertical axis at the top of the temperature scale shows the overall hot utility consumption of t he process. The utility can be divided into many temperatures. The GCC indicates that we can supply the hot utility over two temperature levels TH1 (HP steam) and TH2 (LP steam). Recall that, when placing utilities in the GCC, intervals, and not actual utility temperatures, should be used. The total minimum hot utility requirement remains the same: QHmin = H1 (HP steam) + H2 (LP steam). Similarly, QCmin = C1 (Refrigerant) +C2 (CW). The points TH2 and TC2 where the H2 and C2 levels touch the grand composite curve are called the Utility Pinches. The shaded green pockets represent the process-to-process heat exchange. 5. Estimation of Minimum Energy Cost Targets Once the DTmin is chosen, minimum hot and cold utility requirements can be evaluated from the composite curves. If the unit cost of each utility is known, the total energy cost can be calculated using the energy equation given below. 6. Estimation of Heat Exchanger Network (HEN) Capital Cost Targets The capital cost of a heat exchanger network is dependent upon three factors: 1. The number of exchangers. 2. The overall network area. 3. The distribution of area between the exchangers. * AREA TARGETING: To calculate the HEN minimum total area Amin ,divide the composite curve into a set of adjoining enthalpy intervals such that within each interval, the hot and cold composite curves do not change slope. The total area of the HEN (Amin) is given by the formula below, where i denotes the ith enthalpy and interval j denotes the jth stream and dTLM denotes LMTD in the ith interval. NUMBER OF UNITS TARGETING: For the minimum number of heat exchanger units (Nmin) required for MER (minimum energy requirement or maximum energy recovery). The minimum number of units (NminMER) is the sum of the targets evaluated both above and below the pinch separately. NminMER=[Nh+Nc+Nu-1]AP +[Nh+Nc+Nu-1]BP Where : Nh = Number of hot streams Nc=Number of cold streams Nu = Number of utility streams AP / BP : Above / Below Pinch HEN TOTAL CAPITAL COST TARGETING: HEN capital cost (CHEN) is the capital cost is annualized using an annualization factor that takes into account interest payments on borrowed capital. The equation used for calculating the total capital cost and exchanger cost law is given below. C($) HEN=[Nmin{a+b(Amin/Nmin)c}]AP +[Nmin{a+b(Amin/Nmin)c}]BP Where a, b, and c are constants in exchanger cost law For the Exchanger Cost Equation shown above, typical values for a carbon steel shell and tube exchanger would be a = 16,000, b = 3,200, and c = 0.7. 7. Estimation of Optimum DTmin Value by Energy-Capital Trade Off To select an optimum DTmin value, plot the total annual cost which is the sum of total annual energy and capital cost versus values of DTmin. After plotting three important key features can be concluede: 1. If DTmin increases, the energy costs will increase but capital costs will decrease. 2. If DTmin decreases,t he energy costs will decrease but capital costs will increase. 3. Theoptimum DTmin is where the total annual cost of energy and capital costs is minimized. 8. Design of Heat Exchanger Network In designing the heat exchanger network it is essential to know which hot stream match which cold stream. Every match brings one stream to it target temperature. As mentioned before the pinch point divides the network into two separate regions, and each region is designed separeatley.When the heat recovery is maximized the remaining thermal needs must be supplied by the utilities. The graphical method of representing flow streams and heat recovery matches is called a grid diagram . All the cold (blue lines) and hot (red line) streams are represented by horizontal lines. The entrance and exit temperatures are shown at either end. The vertical line in the middle represents the pinch temperature. The circles represent heat exchangers. Unconnected circles represent exchangers using utility heating and cooling. To design the network and construct the grid diagram we use the CP Inequality Rule which states that the heat capacity flow-rate (CP) of the stream leaving the pinch needs to be greater than the CP of stream approaching the pinch, or CPout à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ CPin So above the pinch: CPhot à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ CPcold And Below the pinch: CPhot à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ CPcold After making all the possible matches above and under the pinch separately, the two designs are then brought together and usually refined to further minimize the capital cost. After the network has been designed according to the pinch rules, it can be further subjected to energy optimization.

Apple inc.

Apple inc. Background of Apple Inc Apple inc. is a based American corporation that manufactures and designs Smart electronic products ranging from computer software, hardware to other consumer electronics. The company has a an outstanding Macintosh personal computer line, Mac OS X, for its exceptional dependable user base which makes them significantly stand out, the iTunes media application and the iPod personal music player. The company has its base in Cupertino, Califonia, having its CEO and founder to be Steve Jobs, the company can beat its chest to having 284 retail locations spreading across 10 different countries. On the1st, of April 1976 Apple was established by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. Steve Jobs was said to own 45% of the company, Steve Wozniak with 45% and Wayne with the remaining 10% Apple with time has brought about a significant reputation in the consumer electronic aspect. The users of Apple electronics tend to be fascinated about and loyal to the products and on the other hand those who have no experience with Apples product most times criticize them an being too expensive. On August 15, 1998 Apple released the iMac and was able to cover up its past failures which includes the first Apple portable, which was to wrong looking and bulky and the Newtons, Apple in entering the PDA market. In 2001, after several years of rigorous developments, Apple came up with Mac OS X a universal operating system targeted at both consumers and professionals. The Mac OS X was a different re designs from its previous the Mac OS 9 which could not constrain the power of UNIX while offering a streamlined user experience with a simplified GUI (Graphical User Interface). The iMac line of professional computers combined with the Mac OS X regained Apples profitability coupled with the r elease of the iPod portable digital audio player, later in the year which was just to crown its productions. The historical success of the iPod created a platform for future product, including the best mobile device in history, the iPhone and the Mac Book line of portable computers and the latest release of the iPad on the 27th of January 2010. Introduction This report is based on carrying out a strategic logistic analysis of Apple Inc. with a view to developing opportunities to develop logistic capabilities of Apple Inc. in this cognizance to the swot analysis, five forces analysis and Porters Generic strategy, Apples frame work. Virtually all these strategic models were done from the logistic perspective. This report addressed the main strategic approaches to logistics that can be done by Apple Inc. This report also look into management issues with regards to the implementation of a new logistics strategy especially from the perspective existing capital, technical and human resources. Finally, this research also helped to evaluate trend and the importance of new technology especially with respect to the future logistics strategy of new companies, critically evaluative the strategic significance of new technology developments and business trends on future logistic strategies for Apple Inc. Its Business Apple Inc. success in the IT world is as a result of the wide range of products varieties portfolio and the strength of the Mac OS X technology. Good brand loyalty. Giving a face-lift to desktop and notebook lines. Well known hardware and software products, the iPod, iPhone, Macintosh Computer, Mac operating system, iTunes. Apple Inc. sells a wide range of third-party Macintosh (Mac), iPhone and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and different other accessories and peripherals via its online and retail stores, and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. Apple Inc. sells to consumer, small and midsized business, education, enterprise, government and creative customers. Swot analysis The Apple SWOT Analysis the source for the top level management and data information. The analysis puts in view the organizations essential business structure and all its activities and gives the update of the revenue lines and strategy. (Data monitor April 2009,page 30) Strengths Apple Inc. major in developing its own software and hardware. iTunes Music store generates more revenue and the iPod which has easy accessibility on the Windows platform. Apple has an alcove audience that gives the organization some deceleration from the direct price competition. Providing a whole new dimension to desktop and computer lines. Its online access technology can be used to promote product awareness and sales. Has more maneuverable low debt ability. Excellent brand loyalty is associated with Apple Inc. Affiliation with Intel computers in 2006 till date. Powerful research and development department. Weaknesses No strong connection between Intel and Microsoft. Weak domination in business sector. Most Apple product has a very short life cycle which causes revenues to focus on the release of new products and services. Having to major its market in the education and publishing not in other markets. Slow turn around on high demand products. Its market is lacking way behind its Major competitor Microsoft. Past communication between the founder and employee which brought about its loss of reputation. Opportunities Large market population which tend to be brand driven. High rate of virus on personal computers to provide a constant market for its anti virus softwares. The ties of apple other companies are weak, Apple can develop good relationship for joint ventures. The high rate of music downloads and Mp3 are increasingly marketable. The sale of computer via the online platform are on the increase. The laptop market growth is increasing so Apple Computers should concentrate on the improvement and development of new models to satisfy the needs of individual customer. Threats Incompatibility with other organizations softwares. Dell, HP, Sony and Toshiba are major competitors facing Apple in the laptop sector. Free download of music and other software is common with other sites which has high impact on sales for online store sales of music and MP3 download. High prices of its product compared to its competitors which make them loose their market. The long lasting recession may impact the sales of the company due to higher prices of the products and services. The launching of the new Microsoft vista windows 7 which is gaining market share. Speedy change in technology is on the increase. The SWOT analysis above gives us a view that Apple Inc. has strengths that it can use to further develop the brand and invariably increasing its market and gaining an edge over its major competitors. Apple is a company with great success, the iPod music player sales increased its second quarter profit to $320in June 2005 same with its Macintosh computers. The iPod allows the company to in viewing other segments to go into. Apples Mac note books also contribute to the Apples high income. The brand name is one of the most popular brand names in the world, which offers good customer views of its products in the customers satisfaction. Early in 2005 Apple made an announcement on the putting an end to its relationship with IBM the supplier of their micro chips and switch to Intel specialists commented on saying it may make them loose their customers confusion. There is weight on the company to pump up the price of its Mp3 and music download from the music industry since most other company make their income from iTunes than selling their compact discs, |Apple has made sales of 22million on sales of its music player the iPod and further sales of 500million on the downloading of songs from its iTunes store. This shows a statistic of 82% of legitimate downloaded music in the US. The development of the iTunes music store to ease users on tracking their music and downloading it, this was made available, and by the use of the USB cable. Software was made in such a way it allows the pausing of music on incoming calls. There is a great deal of new technological strategies alliance opportunity for Apple. another new software is the Podcast which are downloadable media which is done via the internet and plated back on later events that suits the user. It has a free subscription which Apple can make it a paid subscription to generate more income The biggest fear of Apple Inc is the high level of competition in the IT markets. As a successful company the rate of competition is high so the company has to work rigorously on its market research in order to maintain and retain its position in the market The vast popularity of iPod and Apple Mac are on high demand, and will be affected if economies begin to falter and demand falls for their products. The level of close product substitution effect in the innovative and fast moving IT market. There for the iPod and MP3 are in the trend today, but only yesterday it was CD, DAT, and Vinyl. The future technology might be completely different and the music player could be displaced by the Wireless technologies. Five forces analysis The five forces strategic analysis was developed by Michael Porter. The Five forces framework is widely used as a type of industry analysis b (Johnson et al., 2005). The understanding of the way each of the five forces allow organizations have the basic insight in allowing them model the best fit strategies to be successful in their market (Thurlby, 1998). Apple operates in two primary industries: Computing Hardware and Software Delivery of Entertainment and Media Apple has always been under intense competition within the computer, software, and entertainment industries. Figure 1: Five forces analysis for Apple Inc Competitors Apple Inc top competitors include Dell, Microsoft, HP, Alien ware, Gateway, IBM. Strategic positioning Strategic position is aimed at achieving profitability and competitive advantage. Apples strategic position is to offer users the best computing experience by innovating in hardware, software, and Internet offerings. Environmental Analysis of Apple Inc. Apple, Inc operates as a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures consumer electronics and computer software products. The external environment is the institutions and people outside a business organization that affect it; these include national and local government, trade unions, competitors, customers, suppliers, etc. The external environment is one of the contingency factors that has to be taken into account in designing an organization.( Ed. Jonathan Law.) The external environment has three components: the remote macroeconomic environment, the industry environment, and the operating environment within the organization itself. There are key macroeconomic variables that affect Apple: inflation, unemployment, and competition. The first key macroeconomic variable that affects Apple is inflation. Inflation in an economy can be the result of an increase in aggregate demand that is unaccompanied by an increase in aggregate supply. A rise in any component of aggregate demand can bring about inflation. One reason for a sudden, unanticipated rise in aggregate demand can be an unanticipated rise in the supply of money. Inflation can also result from a decrease in aggregate supply that occurs when businesses find that production inputs have risen in price. Such occurs when labor costs and the price of raw materials such as plastics or metals. Decreases in productivity can also have a negative impact on aggregate supply and, therefore, cause a rise in prices. Apple has been in a situation where the aggregate demand for the iPod touch and the iPhone have been really high but the prices for these products it as a reasonable cost to the consumer. Another key macroeconomic variable that affects Apple Inc is unemployment. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people who are not working but who are actively seeking employment. Shifts in labor market that can create unemployment. At any given time the unemployment rates may differ greatly among nations. Two reasons for the difference are Different natural rates of unemployment and Nations may be in different phases of business cycle. McConnell C.R. and Brue S.L. (2004, p. 140). Between 2001 and 2006 the United States unemployment rate was considerably lower than that of Canada. If the unemployment rate is high then that means Apple may have had to lay off a bunch of employees because of the economy. If there arent many employees working at Apple then productivity will go down. Wages are an industry variable that is determined by the unemployment rate. If the economy is bad and Apple had to lay off employees then the wages of the existing employees may not go up for a long period of time or may even go down. The last key macroeconomic variable that affects Apple is gross domestic product (GDP). The gross domestic product (GDP) is a basic measure of a countrys economic performance and is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a nation in a year. It is a fundamental measurement of production and is very often positively correlated with the standard of living. If there is an announcement in the news that there has been an increase in the GDP this will be an indication that the economy is, in all likelihood, in a growth phase. If the GDP number is comparatively weak or declining, this reflects a negative economic environment for the country, indicating a depressed economy. The world economy is depressed and facing a great recession. These facts will lead consumers finding themselves with less disposable income which will eventually cause them not to spend much consumption on luxury products. Apple will be largely influenced by the reluctant consumption ne eds. However, Apple has better positioned itself in the market. The introduction of new iPhone with a relatively cheap price is reflecting a very good sales strategy to accelerate consumption. Apple has successfully sustained a better profit rate in the last three years despite global economy slow down. However, there is no company that can always increase its profit while the national GDP is decreasing. There are many opportunities and challenges that exist for Apple, Inc. A big opportunity that Apple has is they open their stores in a slow, even-handed way to make sure each one is profitable. Other companies that over extended themselves in the boom could have to pull back drastically as their customers are reluctant to spend. That opens opportunities for Apple to negotiate more favorable lease terms in struggling shopping malls. Another opportunity would be that as Apple opens more and more international stores, that sector of Apples business will be less and less affected by financial troubles in the U.S. An ongoing challenge that Apple faces is keeping the price of their products affordable. Apples business plan includes pricing their products so the consumer can afford them. Even with the current recession Apple is still making a high profit from their computers and electronics. Another challenge according to( www.macobserver.com), Apples Mac growth is three times the average P C sales growth, and theyve sold 120 million iPods, burying the competition. Apple has branched out into the mobile phone market gaining even more consumer awareness. As a result, Apple has had to invest heavily in customer service. Some wonder if they can keep up the pace. Implementing a new logistics strategy within an organization Apple has historically taken a far different path than the traditional Windows and Intel combination. Microsoft provides the Windows operating system to separate downstream hardware producers such as Dell. Apple vertically integrated both the operating system software and hardware completely under Apple. A consumer running Microsoft Windows can choose from a myriad of systems based on the Intel processor, while a consumer running Apples OS X must purchase Apple hardware. Apple is adjusting this strategy by migrating their microprocessors from IBM and Motorola PowerPC to Intel. Analysts believe that the Intel-based Macintosh may be able to run Microsoft Windows applications by the end of 2006. (Burrows) In addition to switching processors, Apple positioned their computers as an immediate option for the traditional Microsoft Windows user. With Apple Boot Camp, users may now use Mac OS X or Windows on an Apple computer. (Sutherland).By allowing users to run Windows on an Intel Mac, Apple reduced the switching costs for traditional PC users. Apple may steal away customers that are willing to pay a premium for a system that runs both Windows and Mac OS X. Apple continues to retain a strategic option to license its technology to clone makers such as Dell. Past attempts at licensing Apple technology (to IBM, Gateway, and others) failed on accord of Apples rigid demands. Many technology leaders (such as a 1985 letter by Bill Gates to Apple CEO John Sculley) criticized Apple for keeping a closed architecture. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak criticizes this strategy, We had the most beautiful operating system, but to get it you had to buy our hardware at twice the price. That was a mistake.Whether Apple would be willing to pursue this reversal of vertical integration is unclear. Although such a move would cannibalize a portion of Apples own hardware sales, it would also provide royalty-based revenue that could approach $1 billion annually. (Burrows) Jobs traditionally sided against licensing Apple technology. He referred to Mac clone producers as leeches and he personally killed Power Computing by terminating their license in 1997. Increasing inventry Despite a weakening economy and a need to meet customer demand, Apple has been able to maintain a fast inventory turnover rate. The Mac and iPhone maker is sitting at five days worth of inventory on any given day, beating Dells seven days worth of inventory, according to data from UBS. Other PC makers are having even more trouble matching Apples inventory efficiency. Lenovo, for example, is averaging 15 days of inventory, and HP is sitting at 32 days. Intel, however, is showing a much slower inventory turnover rate at 89 days, and D-Link is sitting on a staggering 131 days worth of inventory. Apples quick turnover rate may have been due in part to preparing for its just announced iMac, Mac mini and Mac Pro updates. The company released new desktop computer. Models on March 3, and keeping inventory low helped assure that there would be fewer of the previous model machines sitting on store shelves. While maintaining a higher inventory level can help a company cope with sudden increases in demand, it can also show a companys inability to adequately gauge market interest in their products. For now, it looks like Apple is managing inventory better than its competition. (Jeff Gamet) Future logistic strategies for Apple Inc The development of Apples coverage device and Once developed the Apple convergence device will provide a wide range of functions and powerful processing capability that can be applied to the field of medical care to enhance efficiency and modernize the industry. Apple should work with medical device companies and care providers to develop a set of criteria for necessary capabilities for consideration in developing the platform. The device will function as an integral part of an overhauled recordkeeping, care giving, and medical administrative system modernized for the twenty-first century. The device and software it runs will make use of compatible equipment to measure, document, and file measurements, symptoms, and diagnosis in an easily accessible and fully-portable medical files system. The system will help to streamline care giving, administration, and claims filing, by eliminating mountains of paperwork and cumbersome filing systems. Conclusion This research will give the reader an overview of the logistics implementation strategy adopted by Apple Inc and how the organisation can help improve its supply chain network now and in the nearest future. Reference http://www.brighthub.com/computing/mac-platform/articles/65346.aspx#ixzz0jRgxpiYB Michael Dougherty http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/555326 Data monitor April 2009,page 30 Apple SWOT Analysis. November 23rd, 2009 | Adam | Posted in Marketing www.mba-tutorials.com/marketing/273-apple-swot-analysis.html Jeff Gamethttp://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_beats_competitors_at_inventory_turn_over/ http://marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_fivefoces.htm Thurlby B (1998) Competitive forces are also subject to change, Management Decision London Johnson, G., Scholes, K. Whittington (2008) Exploring corporate strategy: text and cases. London: Prentice Hall McConnell, C.R. and Brue, S.L. (2002).. Economics: Principles, Problems http://www.macobserver.com. http://www.spoke.com/info/pY9wQEu/KarenBurrows

How Did The Environment Affect The Native American Indians With Particular Reference To The Woodlan :: American America History

How Did The Environment Affect The Native American Indians With Particular Reference To The Woodland Indians? The environment hugely affected the Native American Indians in many different ways. This is because of the way in which the Indians used the environment and the surrounding land. The Indians were very close to nature, and so that meant that any changes in nature would be changes in the Indians. Land The Indians thought of land very differently to the white man. The land was sacred, there was no ownership, and it was created by the great spirit. They could not sell their land to others, whereas the white people could fence off the land which belonged to them, and sell it freely to whoever they wanted. The Europeans didn't think that the Indians were using the land properly, so in their eyes, they were doing a good favour to the earth. To the Indians, the land was more valuable than the money that the white man had brought with him, even though it didn't belong to them. Indians lived all over America, in many different environments including the flatlands, the forests, the mountains, the deserts, the prairies, on the coast, and even in the arctic. All these Environments affected the different Indians in different ways, so that different Indians evolved over time. Religion Religion was a very big part in many Indians life. Almost every part of Indian life is related to religion, the land is sacred, and religion plays a part in what can be done with it, the first Indians had many different religions, and they continued to have religion for the whole of their lives. Dress was affected, many Indians wore special clothes and jewellery of religious importance. Religion often changed family life, the children respected their elders, especially their grandparents, and the Indians believed in divorce and marriage. Education was religious, the boys were taught to hunt, and the girls to treat leather and prepare food. The Indians believed all life to be sacred, but it could be hunted, as long as it was treated with respect, so this affected the way they hunted, and what food they had. Shelter The environment also affected the Indians shelter in many ways. Depending on where they lived, the Indian tribes had different ways of protecting themselves from the elements using the available resources, and different designs for the general climate. For example, the Indians living in the mountainous and semi-desert areas of the south west lived in light twig shacks and log huts, whereas the Inuits of the sub arctic north America built igloos, and the woodland Indians lived in bark covered houses. How Did The Environment Affect The Native American Indians With Particular Reference To The Woodlan :: American America History How Did The Environment Affect The Native American Indians With Particular Reference To The Woodland Indians? The environment hugely affected the Native American Indians in many different ways. This is because of the way in which the Indians used the environment and the surrounding land. The Indians were very close to nature, and so that meant that any changes in nature would be changes in the Indians. Land The Indians thought of land very differently to the white man. The land was sacred, there was no ownership, and it was created by the great spirit. They could not sell their land to others, whereas the white people could fence off the land which belonged to them, and sell it freely to whoever they wanted. The Europeans didn't think that the Indians were using the land properly, so in their eyes, they were doing a good favour to the earth. To the Indians, the land was more valuable than the money that the white man had brought with him, even though it didn't belong to them. Indians lived all over America, in many different environments including the flatlands, the forests, the mountains, the deserts, the prairies, on the coast, and even in the arctic. All these Environments affected the different Indians in different ways, so that different Indians evolved over time. Religion Religion was a very big part in many Indians life. Almost every part of Indian life is related to religion, the land is sacred, and religion plays a part in what can be done with it, the first Indians had many different religions, and they continued to have religion for the whole of their lives. Dress was affected, many Indians wore special clothes and jewellery of religious importance. Religion often changed family life, the children respected their elders, especially their grandparents, and the Indians believed in divorce and marriage. Education was religious, the boys were taught to hunt, and the girls to treat leather and prepare food. The Indians believed all life to be sacred, but it could be hunted, as long as it was treated with respect, so this affected the way they hunted, and what food they had. Shelter The environment also affected the Indians shelter in many ways. Depending on where they lived, the Indian tribes had different ways of protecting themselves from the elements using the available resources, and different designs for the general climate. For example, the Indians living in the mountainous and semi-desert areas of the south west lived in light twig shacks and log huts, whereas the Inuits of the sub arctic north America built igloos, and the woodland Indians lived in bark covered houses.

Practical Cognition :: essays research papers

Practical Cognition Theories of Knowledge (Karl Marx) In his early years of writing, Karl Marx's ideas were similar to American Pragmatism, especially his ideas about epistemology. He defines truth in a pragmatic fashion and explains cognition in terms of practical needs of the human being. While some of his ideas were not followed to their logical conclusion, nor made sense, the fundamentals of his epistemology contain valuable ideas which can be viewed as furthering pragmatism as a respectable philosophy. His theory of cognition states that cognition is a biological function of the human which is used as a tool for his survival. Marx defines truth in a pragmatic way. The truth value of a judgement is due to the usefulness of accepting or rejecting the judgement. A statement is true if accepting it makes a positive difference or has a helpful influence and it is false if accepting it causes difficulty or dissatisfaction. The meaning of a statement is the practical result of accepting the statement. In general, then, the truth or falsity of a statement is relative, not only to the individual accepting or rejecting the statement, but also to the circumstances in which that person finds himself. Truth is relative, but Marx is not an extreme relativist (no one to be taken seriously is) because there is a constraint to how relative the truth can be; Humans are making the truth judgements, and humans have a common element, viz . their needs, which do not vary greatly between people. Humans are in contact with nature at a fundamental level. The human understanding of nature is a consequence of the fact that nature confronts humans when they try to fulfill their needs. This is the case with any organism, and each species reacts according to the tools of that species. One of the human tools is the intellect, and it works through the cognition of the perception of elements of nature. Cognition occurs as the organizing of sensory data into categories. Without the ability to make generalizations, man would not be able to think. Moreover, the human capacity to think is exactly the same as making abstractions about experience. There is nothing more to descriptions of the world than those abstractions. Details about the world are described only in terms of generalizations, for if there were a word for a specific detail unique to only one event, then that word would be nothing but a name -an abbreviation for the term, the specific detail x , unique to only this one event, y . The assimilation of the external world, which is at first

Physics of Projectile Motion in Computer Games :: physics video game computer

Introduction Physics define the rules by which we live our physical existence. Many of us go about our day to day lives without any true understanding of the Laws which govern how we interact with our surroundings. Physics is our way of making sense of the forces which act upon us and shape the way we accomplish even the most menial of tasks. From walking to driving to playing a game of catch, anyone can see physics in action. A computer game programmer must take a special look at the forces at work around us. The programmers who code flight simulators, first person shooters, and similar games, often need to model their virtual world as closely as possible to our own. In this project we will look at the first person combat simulator called "Tribesâ„ ¢", by Dynamix. We will focus mainly on projectile motion, but we will also discuss the challenges the programmers had in computing ranges for projectiles, friction, and momentum. Also touched on, will be how they succeeded and failed in their efforts. Challenges In Tribesâ„ ¢, the programmers had to create an environment for the players. The challenge is to model our real life Laws of physics as accurately as possible. However, programmers are not physicists and it would take a super computer to accurately model all physics in a real world environment. This environment includes a variable gravity. This was important to game play in that the programmers could now make different worlds for the players to fight in. A planet of different mass will obviously have a different gravity. The following equation shows the horizontal range of a projectile, R = (VÂ ²o / g) * sin(2Ø) (Halliday, et al 60-64). Where R is the range, Vo is the initial velocity, g is gravity, and Ø is the angle the projectile is fired at. It is easy to see from the equation that a change in gravity will affect the total horizontal range achievable by a projectile. An interesting note is that a 45 degree angle will provide the maximum horizontal range for the projecti le, no matter what the force of gravity is. (Assuming gravity does not equal zero). We are neglecting air resistance in our calculations, as did the makers of Tribesâ„ ¢. When the programmers did this however, they got some unexpected, yet fun results. While projectile motion was not affected greatly, a person flying in the game could reach insane speeds, as there was no terminal velocity.

Human Resources Functions at Next Essay

Introduction: Next is one of the UK’s largest fashion and home retailers. Their ongoing success is built upon a passion for the Next brand that is shared by the whole organisation. This involves a commitment to providing excellent product in well run stores and through an attractive Directory. Head Office Located in an award-winning complex near Leicester, their Head Office in Enderby is home to a multi-skilled population. There you’ll find a comprehensive infrastructure including Product, Sales and Marketing, Finance, IT and HR teams. Stores At Next they have over 340 stores spread throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. Over 20,000 people work in these stores which are heavily supported by their Head Office and a network of warehouses. These stores range from stand-alone units to much larger flagship stores offering the full Next range. Next Directory The Next Directory provides a facility for people to shop from home and has over I million customers and 1,000 employees. The Next Directory customer services call centre is situated at two sites close to Leicester City Centre. Warehouses Next warehouses are among the most modem in Europe and employ around 2,200 people. Located principally in West York and distribute stock to stores and Directory customers right across the United Kingdom and Ireland. E1 * Human Resources Planning: At Next they undertake human resource planning to determine a course of action which helps them to function more efficiently by having the right labour, in the right place, at the right time and cost. This requires accurate forecasting: organisations need to forecast their manpower needs, both in terms of the number of employees needed and the types of skills and qualities required. It is also important for them to monitor and assess the productivity of the existing and available workforce and recognise the impact of technological change on the way in which jobs are carried out. Human resource planning at Next takes place over different time frames, though for simplicity they can consider is two time horizons: there is planning to meet short-term needs and planning to satisfy long-term intentions. Short-term plans are referred to as tactical plans and usually contain precise, detailed, measurable objectives. Short-term planning is carried out at lower levels in an organisation like Next, at middle manager and supervisor levels. Long-term plans are not as detailed or measured as short-term plans. The longer the time horizon of the plan, the less certain managers can be about outcomes. They are usually made at higher levels of management Long-term plans are also known as strategic plans. Next has to plan carefully to ensure they have the right number of suitable employees for their needs. To do this Next need a good understanding of the labour market in the areas where they operate. Next need to be able to consider the effects of the following labour market factors for human resources planning in a business: * Employment trends * Skills shortages * Competition for employees * Availability of labour (internal and external; to the business). HR palnning also involves looking at how labour is organised within the business. You need to understand the need for businesses to take account of a arrange of factors when making decisions about their internal staffing. Such factors include: * Labour turnover (stability index, Wastage rate) * Sickness and accident rates * Age, skills and training * Succession. You need to know how to use statistics to analyse these factors when appropriate. * Recruitment and Selection: Next’s human resource planning team also needs to be able to identify and analyse the factors influencing and shaping the labour markets from which the organisation recruits staff to satisfy its manpower needs. Human resource specialists have to work in Next within these labour markets to acquire sufficient resources to meet the productive needs of the organisation. At Next Head Office you’ll find an environment, where each employee’s personnel contribution is encouraged. They believe strongly that, although qualifications can give you a head start, its initiative and self determination is what makes all the difference. This is why they don’t always insist on degree qualifications. If you can show that you have good experience and great potential in a relevant discipline, you’ll be considered. People do well at Next and seize the opportunities presented to them. This is why they look for motivated graduates with drive, commercial acumen and a passion for fashion. Individuals who will thrive in an open and creative environment where teamwork is valued. It is a fast-paced environment and it can be demanding. But the people that work there at Next take real pride in their work, and it’s their commitment that has made them what they are today. In return, they offer generous rewards and bonuses. For e.g. Staff Shop access and cut price clothing. Not to mention training and development. Businesses such as Next recruit staff for a variety of reasons. The reasons for why and how they recruit staff are: * The growth of the business * Changing job roles withtin the business * Filling vacancies created by resignation, retirement, dismissal * Temperorary staff holidays * Internal promotion The recruitment process can be very costly, in terms of resources devoted to the recruitment process and costs associated with recruiting poorly performing staff, due to the lack of motivation. It is important therefore to accurately select the right candidates for the interview or you could lose the right one before even the first process. Next are often straight to he point and make it very clear about the requirements of the job and about the person they are looking for. The way in which they do this is through: * The preparation of personal specifications and job descriptions * Carefully planning how, where and when to advertise * Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of job applications curriculum vitae and letters of application * Shortlisitng candidates. * Training and Development: To join Next as a Trainee Buyer, you’ll need either a fashion/clothing/textile/design related degree or HND. They prefer relevant retail experience with strong evidence of fashion awareness. For Trainee Merchandisers, you’ll need a business related or numerically biased degree/FIND or relevant retail experience as a Trainee Fabric Technologist or Trainee Garment Technologist, you’ll also need a relevant degree or an HND in textiles, fashion or clothing design. It is important to have these qualifications due to the demanding customers Next have. Computers have become an integral part of modem day life and are becoming increasingly important as teaching and training tools. In the work place and many other educational institutes computers and networks have become commonplace. This allows companies such as Next and educational establishments to utilise many possible computer training and education techniques. Today the use of computer based training and education covers a very broad spectrum of uses. Many companies now use computers in staff training and education. Computers are used as both a resource to present information and as a tool to develop practical expertise in staff. Computers can be used as a resource to present information because of presentation programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint. This presentation package can be used for basic training such as an employee induction; the presentation could give information about the company and what the employees will be doing. Computers can also be used as tools because they can help develop employees practical skills e.g. an employee who would be working with the companies database would probably be trained on a â€Å"dummy database† this would allow the employee to build up practical skills. Among the many benefits of computer-based training the major benefit to an employer is the reduced cost. As they do not have to send people away on courses which mean they don’t have to pay for travel or accommodation. So the investment in a suitable training scheme often pays for itself, as the computers are already available. The only drawback is that the computer based training courses can be impersonal and the employee may have to be a computer literate to do the course. One of the other advantages is that staff can train when they like at there own desks on the computer. The downside to this is that they are being taught by a computer, which cannot explain to the employee what they did wrong when they make a mistake, although some training packages may be able to do this to an extent. The major benefit to the people being trained close to Next is the convenience as they do not have to travel away and can learn in there own time. They can also get immediate feedback on how well they are doing. The only real disadvantage to using computer-based training is the impersonal touch of being taught by a computer. * Performance Management: A need to manage the performance of its employee’s effectively if Next is to remain competitive. This means that they must use effective management control exercised at both individual and organisational level. A range of processes and techniques need to be in place which allow individual employees to know how well they are doing and for managers to be able to monitor how well their subordinates are performing. At Next they monitor their employees whilst they are working. For e.g. they monitor your call with a customer if you are working in the directory and they observe you when you are serving customers on the shop floor. They do this because they wish to maintain the high standards people think they are at and their value in the market would increase.