Bio Lab Report

Ye Tao BISC220-13155 The Effect of Temperature on the Digestion of Starch by Activity of Enzyme ? -Amylase: Observation of Rate of Starch Disappearance through Iodine Test Introduction An enzyme is a type of protein that, through its own structure including hydrogen bonds, acts like a biological catalyst and is able to accelerate the biochemical reaction rate by lowering the activation energy of the whole process, without which cells could hardly practice any physiological functions within human bodies (Sizer, 1943).Found in the saliva and pancreatic secretions of animals including human beings as well as the plant seeds, bacteria and fungi (Siddiqui et al. , 2010), the enzyme ? -amylase that was studied during the experiment has significant impact on the hydrolysis of starch. By breaking the alpha, 1-4 glycosidic linkages in the carbohydrates, amylase hydrolyzes the starch, a polysaccharides that is stored in plants and cannot be directly digested by animal cells, into maltose, a di saccharide that later generate two units of glucose to undergo metabolisms and provides necessary energy (Slaughter et al. , 2001). The enzymatic activity of ? amylase is facilitated by calcium and chloride ions during the hydrolysis (Marini, 2006 and Siddiqui et al. , 2010). The complete digestion of starch and formation of maltose and glucose can be examined through the iodine test when I2KI reagent is added into the solution and remains brown instead of turning into dark blue, marking that all the molecules of starch have been fully hydrolyzed (Hanes, 1932). While amylase effectively activates the hydrolysis of starch, the efficiency of the catalytic process is influenced by several factors including temperature, pH level and the concentration of the substrates etc.In this experiment, as the ? -amylase is a type of protein, the efficiency of enzyme is highly related to its hydrogen bonds which are affected by the temperature. Though the enzyme is collected from the porcine pancre as, due to its structural similarities to amylase in human bodies, the behaviors of two amylases should resemble each other. Given that under extreme temperature enzymes will be denatured and unable to function and the constant temperature of pigs is around 39 °C, the hypothesis of this experiment is that at 37 °C amylase will catalyze the hydrolysis with the highest speed, followed by amylase at 22 °C.Amylase at 0 °C will react extremely slowly due to the crystallization of hydrogen bonds and at100 °C, amylase will lose its function since it will be denatured. Materials and Methods Four test tubes were marked from A1 to A4. Then, 2mL of 1% starch solution from Carolina Biological Supply Company, 4mL of deionized water and 1mL of 6. 8 hydrion buffer from VWR International/ Micro Essential Laboratories were added into each tube. Another four test tubes were also labeled from B1 to B4 and added 1mL of 1% ? -amylase from porcine pancreas from Sigma Aldrich. Eight tubes were p aired according to the same number (A1and B1 etc. and assigned to environments at different temperature: Tube A1 and B1 were placed into a water bath at 100 °C; Tube A2 and B2 were placed into a water bath at 37 °C; Tube A3 and B3were placed on the tube rack (at about 22 °C); Tube A4 and B4 were placed into an ice bath at 0 °C. All test tubes were kept at different temperatures for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, a control group of starch solution was prepared without amylase. (Bio Lab Manual, 2013) At the same time, a test plate was added 2 drops of I2KI reagent (1% Iodine and 2% KI) from Carolina Biological Supply Company per well.After 10 minutes, when test tubes were still in the original environments, solutions in Tube A1 with B1 were mixed and a timer was started. At each 30-second-inteval, a drop of the mixture was released into the well on the test plate until the solution in the plate did not change into dark blue and remained brown, indicating the end of the reaction by sho wing no presence of starch and presence of maltose and glucose. The experiment was repeated on the tubes at other temperatures. Slow reactions were observed and recorded up to 420 seconds due to time limit.Data were pooled from each bench and average and standard deviation were calculated. The data of the control group were also obtained. Results Figure 1 The test plate of iodine test under different temperature. Dark blue wells indicated the presence of starch while the brown ones indicate the completion of starch hydrolysis. (Upper half: 37 °C; Bottom Half: 0 °C) The rate of reaction was fastest at 37 °C (n=4, mean=212. 5s, SD=66. 1s) while the rate of reaction at 22 °C was only slightly less than it (n=4, mean=217. 5s, SD=61. 8s).Though the previous two groups underwent starch hydrolysis relatively fast, the tubes at 100 °C and 0 °C reacted so slowly that it took more than 420 seconds for their completions (time was only recorded before 420s). There was no hydrolysis in the control group. The time of the reaction completions as the function of different temperatures was shown in the table and graph below. The Effects of Temperature| Temperature (? )| Time of Starch Disappearance(s)| | Bench 1| Bench 2| Bench 3| Bench 4| Mean| SD| Control| >420| >420| >420| >420| 420| 0| 0| >420| >420| >420| >420| 420| 0| 2| 210| 210| 300| 150 | 217. 5| 61. 84658| 37| 270| 180| 265| 135 | 212. 5| 66. 14378| 100| >420| >420| >420| >420| 420| 0| Table 1. Time of Starch Disappearance with Porcine Pancreatic ? -Amylase at Different Temperatures (Time was recorded up to 420s). Graph 1. Time of 1% Starch Disappearance with Porcine Pancreatic ? -Amylase as the Function of Different Temperature Discussion and Conclusion As the data obtained from the experiment, all parts of the original hypothesis were confirmed by the result. Temperature plays an important role during the activation of ? amylase that only during certain temperature range can the enzyme function properly to catalyze biochemical reactions. On one hand, at 37 °C the amylase showed the greatest efficiency in catalyze the hydrolysis of starch. At the same time, the amylase also showed considerable catalytic efficiency at 22 °C. But on the other hand, when temperature dropped or rose to extreme value such as 0 °C or 100 °C, the function of amylase was inhibited and such biochemical transformation of substances could hardly process. This result obtained is consistent with the reality that during normal body temperature, regardless of pig or human beings, mylase is able to catalyze the hydrolysis of starch with the highest speed. Therefore, we may conclude that even taken out from where it was found, the amylase still maintain its original biochemical properties. The experiment did not show the biochemical mechanism of the modification from temperature to amylase activity. However, according to the scientific research done by other scientists, a temperature that ranges from 20-50à ‚ °C could make structures including weak interactions, hydrogen bonds and disulfide bridge exist within and stabilize the enzyme molecules to maximize their activities.At the water freezing point (0 °C), the hydrogen bonds are crystallized and become more constrained and less flexible while at high temperature like 100 °C, the bonds consume certain energy to become unstable and fragile, neither of which contribute to the proper functions of amylase (D’Amico et al. , 2003). While the result of the experiment perfectly matched what was expected, however, such conclusion could only be made at qualitative phase and it is obvious that weakness of this experiment existed and prevented the further understanding of amylase at quantitative level.Several modifications to the current experimental designs could be made to enhance its accuracy. Firstly, the sample size needs to be expanded. With only four groups, the data was so limited. As a result, the data had great standard devia tions of more than 60 seconds. Simultaneously, the random errors were at high possibility to take place. Therefore, with the increase of sample size, the data can be more accurate and stabilized and potential random errors could be discarded to ensure the coherence of the data.Furthermore, even though neither the test tube at 0 °C and 100 °C enabled the completions of starch hydrolysis, the reasons of the two groups are not the same. Therefore, in order to detect the reason of the loss of catalytic ability, follow-up experiments need to be practiced. A possible design might be to change the test tubes from 0 °C or 100 °C into 37 °C for another 10 minutes then redo the iodine test to see this time whether the amylase can function well or not.This manipulation will convince the hypothesis about the reason behind the superficial phenomena that was shown in the original experiments and present the difference between denaturing of protein and crystallization of hydrogen bonds. It is important for people to thoroughly understand the amylase activity and all the factors that are potentially capable of influencing such activity through which people can understand how human bodies work as well as the physiology of other organisms. At the same time, the research in amylase activity could potentially bring economical benefits to industrialized starch products manufacturing.And finally, the amylase activity has shown its significance in medical clinical trial that diseases including hyperamylasemia  or hyperamylasuria are proven to be related to the amylase in the human serum and urines (Salt 2nd, 1976). References General Biology BISC 220 Laboratory Manual. (2013). University of Southern California. Lab2, pp33-36. D'Amico, S. , Gerday, C. , ; Feller, G. (2003). Temperature adaptation of proteins: engineering mesophilic-like activity and stability in a cold-adapted ? -amylase. Journal of molecular biology,  332(5), 981-988. Hanes, C.S. (1932). Studies on pla nt amylases: The effect of starch concentration upon the velocity of hydrolysis by the amylase of germinated barley. Biochemical Journal,  26(5), 1406. Marini, I. (2005). Discovering an accessible enzyme: Salivary amylase: Prima digestio fit in ore: A didactic approach for high school students. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education,  33(2), 112-116. Salt 2nd, W. B. , ; Schenker, S. T. E. V. E. N. (1976). Amylase–its clinical significance: a review of the literature. Medicine,  55(4), 269. Siddiqui, Z. S. , & Khan, M. A. 2011). The role of enzyme amylase in two germinating seed morphs of Halopyrum mucronatum (L. ) Stapf. in saline and non-saline environment. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum,  33(4), 1185-1197. Sizer, I. W. (2006). Effects of temperature on enzyme kinetics. Advances in Enzymology and Related Areas of Molecular Biology, Volume 3, 35-62. Slaughter, S. L. , Ellis, P. R. , & Butterworth, P. J. (2001). An investigation of the action of porcine pancreatic ? -amylase on native and gelatinised starches. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-General Subjects,  1525(1), 29-36. Bio Lab Report Biology lab report Estimating glucose concentration in solution Done by : Hasan Al-jowder 11E KC Introduction: The purple pink solution of potassium permanganate (MnO4 -) is reduced by glucose to a colourless solution of manganese ions (Mn2+). MnO4- + 8H+ + 5e- Mn2+ + 4H2O The time taken for the loss of colour from a standardised solution of permanganate is directly related to the concentration of glucose present in solution. Research question:How does the different concentration of glucose solution which have the same volume affects the time taken for the pink color of the potassium permanganate to turn into colorless? Hypothesis: The higher the concentration of glucose, the shorter time taken for the reduction of potassium permanganate, hence resulting in shorter time taken for the pink color of potassium permanganate to decolorize. This is because the concentration of glucose molecules in glucose solution is high thus more electron are donated to the permanganate within a constant period.Variables: †¢Independent: The concentration of the glucose solution †¢Dependent: The time taken for the pink color of the potassium permanganate to turn into colorless †¢Controlled: Volume/Units Materials list : †¢Eye protection †¢A timer †¢a glass rod †¢a boiling tube and a rack †¢3 beakers †¢3 syringes †¢6 labels †¢glucose solutions (2%,4%,6%,8%,10%,12%) †¢3 solution of unknown glucose concentration (A,B,C) †¢sulphuric acid †¢potassium permanganate Procedure: 1. label your three beakers sulphuric acid PP- for potassium permanganate G- for glucose 2. abel your syringes in the same way. 3. add about 25 cm3 of sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate to the beakers – this will be your stock to use throughout the experiment. note which glucose solution you are testing first. 4. use the correct syringe to place 10 cm3 of the first glucose solution into the boiling tube. 5. add 5 cm3 of sulphuric acid. 6. add 2 cm3 of potassium permanganate and start the clock. 7. stir with a stirring rod and stop the clock as soon as the pink color disappears. 8. record the time and the glucose solution used. . rinse the syringe you used for the glucose solution. 10. repeat using the other glucose solution. 11. repeat for a solution of unknown concentration (A B or C) 12. record your own results and if possible class average results in a table. Table: Glucose concentrationsTime taken to change color 2%1 minute 41 seconds 4%1 minute 13 seconds 6%45 seconds 8%41 seconds 10%35 seconds 12%32 seconds Unknown A48 seconds Unknown B1 minute 13 seconds Unknown C2 minute 56 seconds Graph : conclusion: Evaluation: sources of error= the temperature of the water was not the same with all the concentrations †¢minor inaccuracy in watching the exact time that the color changes absolutely †¢inaccuracy in using the stop watch Reference: https://www. google. com. bh/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=estimating+glu cose+concentration+in+solution+lab+report+hypothesis&oq=estimating+glucose+concentration+in+solution+lab+report+hypothesis&gs_l=hp. 3†¦ 3351. 18905. 1. 19921. 11. 11. 0. 0. 0. 0. 421. 2839. 2-10j0j1. 11. 0†¦ 0. 0†¦ 1c. 1. 7. psy-ab. csPQdc8wzZA&pbx=1&bav=on. 2,or. r_cp. r_qf. &bvm=bv. 44011176,d. d2k&fp=34c3fbe89c60be0d&biw=1366&bih=629

To kill a mockingbird book vs. movie

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Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

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Sustainable Supply Chain Management Assignment Discussion Essay

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Rodney King Essay Example for Free

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The Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner Essay The Kite Runner focuses on the life of Amir, a cowardly young boy part of the ruling caste of Pashtuns, and the son of a wealthy merchant residing in the outskirts of Kabul. At his side we see Hassan, his servant and best friend who is a member of the Hazara caste, a cultural group long persecuted in Afghanistan. As Amir tries to meet his father’s demands, we see the close relationship between the boys diminish, as ethnic and political tensions arise in Afghanistan. One day, a savage yet preventable attack is bestowed upon Hassan, an act that could have been prevented had Amir stepped in. Overcome with guilt and shame, Amir convinces his father to get rid of Hassan and his father, as he finds it almost impossible to confront them. Upon the beginning on the Soviet invasion, Amir and his father leave for America, leaving Hassan and his father behind. Years later, Amir is finally beginning to loose his feeling of guilt when he receives a call from an old friend residing in Pakistan. The dying wish of this friend requires Amir to go on a mission to Afghanistan, a mission which will finally allow him to face his demons and overcome his guilt once and for all. This book was written by Khaled Hosseini, a 40 year old Afghan American writer. Born in Kabul, his family moved to France in 1976 where his father worked in a government position. Hosseini’s family was suppose to return to Afghanistan in 1980, but was weary about the Soviet invasion. Instead, they requested political asylum and moved to the United States. Hosseini completed medical school at the University of California in 1993 and has kept a job as an internist since. The Kite Runner is loosely based on his life and his direct experiences with Afghan culture. Modern World Nations: Afghanistan Modern World Nations: Afghanistan is an informational text that covers the different cultural, social, political and historical aspects of the nation. In the book, we learn of the different racial groups that reside in the country as well as the different conflicts that arise within them. Different languages are explored such as Dari (a language that derives from Farsi) and Pashtun, a native language exclusive to Afghanistan and western Pakistan. The book also shows an in-depth look into the politics of Afghanistan, discussing the fallen monarchy of the past and the pro-Islamic policies of the Taliban of more recent times. The book concludes by covering the last two decades, primarily the Soviet Invasion and the rule of the Taliban, along with the horrors and harsh conditions they afflicted on Afghanistan. Jeffrey A. Gritzner, the chairman of the Department of Geography and the Asian studies program at the University of Montana, wrote this text. He is also an active member of the Association of American Geographers and has a great interest in world religions as well as global traditions and customs. B. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The Kite Runner The writing style of The Kite Runner is truly amazing, as it makes the reader feel as if they are witnessing the events firsthand. Written in first person, the reader joins Amir on his many journeys throughout his childhood and adult life. This point of view is particularly effective in this novel since Amir often has personal thoughts that we may not be aware of normally. For example, Amir is very fond of writing and story telling, a hobby that his father looks down upon. As result, Amir keeps his hobby a secret and writes his stories privately. In my opinion, the first person perspective is especially effective when a novel wishes to focus on its main character in detail and tries to reveal more then we would normally know. It is also effective when reflecting on how Amir feels about a particular event or situation as we can directly observe his inner thoughts and reactions which give us a more clear reflection of his personality. Another interesting technique used in this novel is the use of foreign words. In many conversations throughout the book, we see many of the characters speaking Farsi or using a Farsi word during a conversation or when referring to someone. In fact, Amir refers to his father as â€Å"Baba† throughout the entire novel (the equivalent of â€Å"dad† in Farsi). This technique is useful as it gives the reader a more realistic view on the story since all of the events are occurring in a foreign country where English is not the native language. Amir travels to a variety of places throughout the book and comes into contact with different ethnicities and cultures so it gives us a feeling of realism when we see the portrayal of accents or foreign words, since English is not the first language of many of the characters. Modern World Nations: Afghanistan This informational text is presented in a very clear-cut, direct manner. This is a positive attribute of such a book since it allows the reader to comprehend the facts without being sidetracked by colourful language or fancy terms. The author uses many statistics and graphs, along with maps and pictures to give the reader a true understanding of the cultural, geographical, and political aspects of Afghanistan. The book is written in a third-person perspective, the way most informational texts are since the author’s information in the book are not based on his first hand experiences. D. BOOK REVIEW AND PERSONAL RESPONSE * Since my non-fiction is an informational text, I was not able to find a review for it. As result, I will be doing a personal response on 2 articles for the Kite Runner. Article 1 The author of this review explains the happy beginning of Amir’s childhood, one where he and his friend and servant Hassan live together in harmony despite racial and socioeconomic differences. He goes on further to say that the book is very straightforward, since there are few plot twists and little use of complex language. I agree with this statement and feel that in the case of the novel, direct language allows the reader to focus more on the horrendous and tragic events that occur to not only Amir and his close family, but also the Afghans as a people. The review goes on to say that the contrast of pre-Soviet Afghanistan and the post-Soviet Afghanistan is an important and dramatic change. I agree that this distinction is a very important part of the novel since it demonstrates the vast changes that can occur due to a damaging and dominating political rule. The review also explains how the power of racism can affect children of young ages and tear apart long-term friends. Social pressures and a cultural attitude towards certain ethnic groups can poison a child’s mind at an early age and the novel does an excellent job of demonstrating the scars that are created due to these beliefs. Overall, I found this review to be insightful and interesting however, I think the author should have emphasized that the reader will learn a great deal about Afghan culture and traditions from reading this book rather than solely the tragic events that occur. It is important to note that since it gives the reader not only an interesting story, but an educational aspect as well. Article 2 The reviewer of this article, Tim Miller is a former history professor. As result, he includes the fact that this novel depicts the exotic and mystical culture of Afghanistan pre-Soviet invasion, which I think, is an essential point to mention. Another important thing he does is give a little background history on the author, Khaled Hosseini which is interesting to observe since the reader of the review will now have a better understanding of the author’s history and how and why he chose to depict the events in his novel. The reviewer goes on to explain a plot summary of the book without giving too much detail or information to spoil it for the reader which I think is an important skill when writing a book review. The style he wrote his review in is excellent as he makes the novel seem lively and interesting. Overall, I think this is a quick, insightful article that will get the reader interested and eager to pick up The Kite Runner. The fact that he explained the cultural aspect o the book alongside with a quick biography of the author is what makes this article better and more informative than the first E. LITERARY ESSAY The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is an epic tale that covers a variety of unforgettable and shocking events. The story begins with Amir, a well-off Pashtun boy who spends much of his childhood with his friend and servant Hassan, a boy of Hazara heritage. The boys are happy and the land of Afghanistan is happy; life is safe and prosperous for many Afghans. Amir’s father runs several successful businesses along the country and despite the difference of social class and ethnicity, the boys remain good friends. After the fall of the Afghan monarch, things begin to change. Pashtuns and Hazaras are beginning to act in violent conflict and the ways of Kabul become vulgar and grim. As cultural and political tensions grow in Afghanistan, Amir and his friend begin to grow apart. As a result of the deterioration of their relationship, Amir his father seek refuge in the United States upon the Soviet invasion, leaving Hassan and his father to fend for themselves in Afghanistan. Many of the events within the novel are the result of many realities that took place within Afghanistan during this time period. A prominent theme we see in both books is the contrast of life before and after the destructive Soviet invasion. Before the invasion of Russia, many Afghan residents were happy and the cultural differences between the Pashtun and Hazara people remained limited. After the Soviet’s began full-out war on the country, many Islamic groups recruited soldiers to fight in the war, excluding young men of Hazara descent. This form of isolation certainly can be seen as a cause for the discrimination against Hazaras since many Pashtun boys were brainwashed by their military leaders. Furthermore, many of the foot soldiers remained unaware that the Hazaras were not allowed to help join their groups and as result, felt that the Hazara were depending on them to save the country without contributing any form of help of their own. This issue is addressed differently in The Kite Runner since we do not see Amir or Hassan being faced with a situation that requires them to take part in any war. In the Kite Runner, a boy named Assef (who ironically, later becomes a Taliban leader), attempts to brainwash Amir into disassociating with Hassan. This is a different method of portraying how many Pashtuns pressured and brainwashed others into mistreating people of the Hazara race during and after the war. Another central theme that is dominant in both books is racism, and the negative impact racism within a society can have even among a very close-knit community. To understand that nature of racism in Afghanistan, it is important to understand the origin and physical traits of the two dominating ethnic groups in Afghanistan: the Pashtuns and the Hazaras. According to the informational text â€Å"Modern World Nations: Afghanistan†, the Pashtuns are a people of Indo-Iranian stock who reside in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. The Pashtuns tend to have Aryan features which include high cheek bones, pointy nose, and round eyes. The Hazara however, are of Mongolian heritage and have Oriental-like features. In addition to the differences in physical appearance, Pashtuns tend to be Sunni Muslims while Hazaras tend to be S’hiat. The racism also derives from the fact that Hazaras traditionally tend to be poorer and are considered a laborer class of people. We see how The Kite Runner demonstrates this fact by having Hassan and his father work as servants for Amir’s family. The Soviet invasion did not discriminate on these ethnic groups but upon the Russian’s depart; the Taliban took over the nation. Almost immediately, speakers within the Taliban government began to make outrageous statements against the Hazara people, claiming they are not â€Å"real Afghans†. The Taliban implemented a mass genocide of the Hazara people and ethnic cleansing went through with little intervention from outside sources. This historical genocide was portrayed in the Kite Runner, as Amir returns to the country years later to find the Hazara village Hassan was living in had been massacred. Overall, The Kite Runner is an accurate portrayal of life in Afghanistan during this time period. We see the many of the central characters in the novel torn apart by hate and bigotry, an unfortunate and true reality that has plagued modern day Afghanistan. We see the negative effects that a war has on a people and the harsh realities it can have on a nation and people. Brainwashing and negative propaganda can tear apart even the closest of friends and companions, a lesson that is thoroughly taught yet forgotten in history. Both novels also show how poverty and socioeconomic class can also influence the way we treat our fellow man. If the Afghans could have looked past the question of religious and cultural differences and unified during times of war, perhaps the nation could have pulled through and been one of success, rather than what it is today.

Project report on construction

Project report on construction CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The performance of the construction industry has a major influence on the economic, infrastructure, agricultural and technological development of a country (R. Chudley, 1995). Construction is increasingly becoming highly technical and sophisticated with high standard of quality and specification. These coupled with clients demand for value-for-money requires the efficient employment of equipment which can largely improve productivity in the construction industry. The general aim of every construction is to produce a structure that can provide the required functions at the most reasonable cost, within a given time frame and at the required level of quality. Mechanization is one of the ways by which these could be achieved. The fast developing construction industry now heavily depends on equipment to achieve the high demands of quality project delivery. Equipment implies the machinery, tools (other than craftsmens personal tools) used in the contractors yard, workshop or site. Generally, equipment are introduced to contracts to increase the rate of output, reduce overall building cost, achieve high output standards often required by present day designs and specifications, eliminate heavy manual work thus reducing fatigue and carry out activities which cannot be done manually or do them more economically ( R. Chudley, 1995). The introduction of equipment to a contract does not however necessarily result in economic savings unless the contract work is so organized that machines are fully utilized or operate for continuous periods at full capacity that is about 85% of its on-site time, their use will not be economical. To be economic, equipment must be fully utilized and not left standing idle since equipment, whether hired or owned, will have to be paid for even if it is non-productive (R. Chudley, 1995). Heavy equipment will be needed for excavation, haulage, lifting and transportation of materials and people during the construction of a project in order to meet all the clients specifications. Contractors stand to gain from the use of equipment in the form of increased output per employee, increased productivity from equipment leading to overall profits. Unfortunately, performance of construction firms in the industry has been affected by several constraints with lack of access to finance arguably the most critical of these constraints. At least, it prevents contractors from procuring all necessary resources for their construction works including equipment (Eyiah A and Cook P, 2003). It is against this background that this investigation has been conducted to find the equipment acquisition methods being used by Ghanaian contractors as well as the problems the contractors encounter when acquiring equipment for their construction. 1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The highly technical and standardized nature of current construction designs and high demands in terms of quality coupled with often short contract durations undeniably demands the use of equipment. They play an increasingly important role in building as well as civil engineering operations and both time and a lot of money can be saved by acquiring and using them. Heavy equipment are needed for excavation, haulage, lifting and transportation of materials and people during the construction of a project thus performing an operation faster, more economically, safely and with a better quality and finish. Notwithstanding such great achievable benefits, it requires substantial capital to procure equipment, set up plant management departments and even use the equipment. It often requires very large bank guarantees, collaterals, high interest rates on bank loans, sometimes cumbersome bureaucratic procedures to acquire funds to purchase plant or equipment. This is probably why most Ghanaian contractors still depend heavily on manual labour to execute their projects. On large and complex projects of long durations, it may be practical to purchase plant or equipment for a specific job and resell at the end of the contract. The problem here is that fluctuations in prices on our current market may make it difficult to forecast costs with certainty. Equipment holding firms often do not offer favorable and attractive conditions for the acquisition of equipment to encourage contractors to use equipment on the projects. Very few of the contractors can meet the required conditions before procuring most needed equipment. Again, equipment holding firms are usually found in the urban areas of our country which are almost always far away from most of the construction sites warranting high haulage costs from the plant depot. Purchasing a plant or equipment could also tell greatly on the finances of the firm as a very large sum of money may be locked up in purchasing the plant which then has to be worked at a good utilization level to recoup investments made into it. Finally, purchasing equipment is sound investment if there is enough work ahead to keep it fully employed. Some estimates suggest the equipment must be working regularly for three to five years to recover the capital outlay. However the situation in Ghana is that of many contractors competing for very few projects. Construction firms cannot be assured of regular projects to fully utilize their investment in equipment therefore they rather do not invest in it all or when they do, it is very minimal. All the aforementioned problems collectively contribute to the reason why most of the contractors are unable to acquire the necessary equipment for construction works and thus leaving construction in Ghana still very labour intensive. 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The main aim of this study is to investigate the existing equipment acquisition methods in use in the Ghanaian construction industry as well as the problems that the contractors encounter when acquiring equipment with the view to recommending better and more effective practices in the construction industry. Specific objectives of the investigation are to: * Find out existing equipment acquisition options used by the Ghanaian contractor. * Identify problems faced by the Ghanaian contractor in acquiring equipment for construction works. * Examine existing arrangements (if any) made between equipment hire and manufacturing companies and the construction companies. * Recommending better acquisition options as well as solutions to some of the major problems the contractors face when they try to acquire equipment. 1.3 SCOPE OF WORK A number of firms within the D1 and D2 of contractors by the Ministry of Water, Works and Housing and the Ministry of Roads and Transport in the Kumasi Metropolis will be identified, selected and studied. The equipment items that will be covered under the study will include general equipments, earth moving, lifting, transporting and excavation equipments. CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION: CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT Equipment plays an increasingly important role in building as well as civil engineering operations, and both time and money can be saved by the efficient use of mechanical aids. Equipment implies the machinery, tools (other than craftsmens personal tools) and other equipment used in the contractors yard, workshop or site. These may range from small hand held power tools to larger and more expensive equipment such as mechanical excavators and cranes. The aim of any construction activity or project is to produce a structure of the right quality and standard at an optimum cost within an acceptable time frame. The use of equipment for construction becomes necessary where using manual labour will not help achieve the projects objectives. Generally, equipment are introduced to contracts for one of the following reasons: * Increased production. * Reduction in overall construction costs. * Carry out activities which cannot be carried out by the traditional manual methods in the context of economics. * Eliminate heavy manual work thus reducing fatigue and as a consequence increasing productivity. * Replacing labour where there is a shortage of personnel with the necessary skills. * Maintain the high standards required particularly in the context of structural engineering works (R. Chudley, 1997). 2.1.2 SOME COMMON CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT USED DURING CONSTRUCTION. Presented here is a brief description of some of the important construction equipment that may be used during the construction of a building project. 2.1.2.1 EARTH MOVING MACHINES The equipment described here include the bulldozers, graders, scrappers etc that are used to move massive volumes of excavated materials during construction. BULLDOZER The primary earth-moving machine is the heavy-duty tractor, which when fitted with tracks to grip the ground and with a large movable blade attached in front, is called a bulldozer. The bulldozer as shown in fig 2.1 below may be used to clear brush, small trees, debris, remove boulders, and level ground. They may even be used as towing tractor or a pusher to a scrapper. They consist essentially of a track or wheel mounted power unit with a mould blade at the front. Many bulldozers have the capacity to adjust the mould blade to form an angledozer which can tilt the mould blade about a central swivel point. They become even very useful especially in civil engineering projects, which often require the moving of millions of cubic meters of earth. These bulldozers are however not appropriate for final leveling and cannot be used for loading thus requiring other equipment to load. TRACTOR SHOVEL These are sometimes called loaders or loader shovels and primary function is to scoop up loose materials in the front mounted bucket, elevate the bucket and deposit the material into an attendant transport vehicle. Tractor shovels are driven towards the pile of loose material with the lowered bucket. The speed and the power of the machine will then enable the bucket to be filled. To increase their versatility, the tractor shovels can be fitted with a 4 in 1 bucket enabling them to carry out bulldozing, excavating, lifting and loading activities. Like the scrapper, the tractor shovel is not suitable for work in rocks and waterlogged areas and will require a crawler tractor to work in the latter condition. GRADERS Somewhat similar to scrapers are graders which are self-propelled, wheeled machines with a long, inclined or vertically adjustable steel blade. Graders are primarily finishing equipment; they level earth already moved into position by bulldozers and scrapers. They are similar to the bulldozers in that they have a long slender adjustable mould blade, which is usually slung under the centre of the machine. The mould blade can be suitably adjusted in both the horizontal and vertical planes through an angle of 300 the latter enabling it to be used for grading sloping banks. This John Deere grader seen in Fig 2.2a below has a laser leveling unit mounted on its blade which constantly adjusts the height of the blade to ensure that the ground is made precisely flat. The low motive power of a grader does not generally allow for use in excavations. A grader cannot load nor move spoils of significant quantity over a long distance. It is bulky in size and therefore not suitable for work in small and/or confined areas and corners. SCRAPERS A scraper is a machine that may be pulled by a tractor or may be self-powered and consists of a blade and a bowl or container. The bowl is lowered to cut and collect soil where site stripping and leveling operations are required involving large volume of earth. The soil may then be released so as to form an even layer of a predetermined thickness or be carried off for disposal elsewhere. To obtain maximum efficiency, scrappers should operate downhill and as much as possible have smooth haul roads and hard surfaces broken up before scraping. Scrappers are not suitable for use in waterlogged areas and in rocky grounds. They cannot be used in loading and also would need transportation between sites. [Microsoft Encarta 2006; R. Chudley, 1997] 2.1.2.2 EXCAVATORS These form part of the main equipment items that are often used in construction. They are primarily used to excavate as well as load different types of soil. Each different type of excavator has specific soil conditions where it works best. Below is a brief description of some of the common excavating equipment found in construction. All of them can easily be classified under one of the following categories: Multipurpose, General or Universal and Purpose Made excavators. MULTI-PURPOSE EXCAVATOR Multi-purpose excavators like the one shown if fig. 2.4 are fitted with a loading and excavating front bucket and a rear backactor bucket. When in operation using the backactor bucket, the machine is raised off its axels by rear mounted hydraulic outriggers or jacks and in some models by placing the front bucket on the ground. TRENCHER A trencher is designed to excavate trenches at constant width with a high degree of accuracy and speed. It can cut trenches of widths between 250 and 450mm and up to 4.00m deep. It consists of a number of excavating buckets mounted on a continuous mechanism on a vertical boom. The boom is lowered into the ground to the required depth to be excavated. The spoil is then transferred along a cross conveyor to deposit the spoil along the side of the trench. A trencher as shown in fig 2.5 is most suitable for long and deep trench excavation and it also gives a fairly accurate and clean trench width and would therefore not require further trimmings to sides of trenches it excavates. A trencher cannot load materials it excavates and also unable to work in rock. SKIMMER Skimmers are used for surface stripping and shallow excavation work up to 300mm deep where a high degree of accuracy is required. They usually requires attendant haulage vehicles to remove the spoil and they also have to be transported between sites on a low-loader. The restricted nature of the bucket movement does not allow high output rates as compared with other over site excavating equipment. A skimmer requires a large operational area and is therefore not recommended for work in small and restricted areas. BACKACTOR Backactors are about the most common excavating equipment used in construction. They are suitable for trench, foundation and basement excavations especially in restricted areas. They can be used with or without attendant haulage vehicles since the spoil can be placed alongside the excavation for use in backfilling. Unlike the face shovel, they excavate by moving the bucket towards the chassis of the machine. It then raises the bucket in a tucked position to discharge the excavated material through the front open bucket. They can also be used to load hard but broken down materials. They require a low-loader transportation between sites and trenches excavated using the backactor may need other equipment for trimming to obtain desired smooth edges. Shown below in fig 2.6a and b are pictures of a John Deere and CAT backactors respectively. FACE SHOVEL The primary function of this machine is to excavate against a face or a bank above its own track or wheel level. It is suitable for clay and can be used in excavating and even rock which needs to be loosened, usually by blasting prior to the excavation. A face shovel has the added advantage of loading materials excavated into dump trucks. It can also be used extensively for relocating spoils within a given radius or short distance and for heaping spoils for future use. Face shovels like the one shown in fig. 2.7 above usually require attendant haulage vehicles for the removal of the spoil and a low-loader transportation between sites most especially in developed areas. They are also not suitable for deep excavations. 2.1.2.3 TRANSPORTING EQUIPMENT These are mainly used for the transportation of personnel, materials, machines and equipment from one site to the other or from one location to the other within a relatively large site. They range from conventional saloon car to the large low loader lorries designed to transport other items of builders equipment between construction sites and the equipment yard or depot. VANS These transport vehicles range from the small two person plus a limited amount of materials to the large vans with purpose designed bodies such as those designed to carry sheets of glass. The vans can be supplied with an uncovered tipping or non-tipping container mounted behind the passenger cab for use as a pick-up truck. LORRIES Lorries which are usually referred to as haul vehicles are available as road or site only vehicles. The road haulage vehicles have to comply with all the requirements of the concerning vehicle usage which among other requirements limits size and axle loads. The site only vehicles are not so restricted and can be designed to carry two to three times the axle load allowed on the public highways. They are also designed to withstand the rough terrain encountered on many construction sites. Lorries specifically designed for the transportation of large items of equipment are called low loaders and are usually fitted with integral or removal ramps to facilitate loading equipment onto the carrier platform. PASSENGER VEHICLES These can range from a simple framed cabin which can be placed in the container of a small lorry or pick-up truck to a conventional bus or coach. These vans can also be designed to carry a limited number of seated passengers by having fixed or removable seating together with windows fitted in the van sides thus giving the vehicle a dual function. DUMPERS Dumpers are used for horizontal transportation of materials ranging from aggregates to wet concrete on and off construction sites generally by means of an integral tipping skip. Highways dumpers or dumper trucks are similar but larger design and can be used to carry materials such as excavated spoil along the roads. A wide range of dumpers are available with variuos carrying capacities with hydraulic control for either a side, front or elevted tipping. They are designed to traverse rough terrain but they are not desinged to carry passengers. Shown above in fig. 2.8a and 2.8b are shown a standard site dumper and a dumper truck respectively. FORK LIFTS These are used for horizontal and limited vertical transportation of mterials positioned on pallets or banded together such as brick packs. They are generally suitable for construction sites where the building height does not exceed three storeys. They are available in three basic forms namely staright mast, overhead and telescopic boom (shown in fig. 2.9a-c) with various height, reach and lifting capacities. HOISTS Hoists are designed for vertical transportation of materials, passengers or both. Material hoists are usually mobile and they can be dismantled, folded onto the chassis and moved to another position or site under their own power or towed by a haulage vehicle. Passenger hoists are designed to carry passenger passengers although they most can be capable of carrying the load of passengers as well as materials. 2.1.2.4 CRANES Cranes are lifting devices designed to raise materials by means of rope operation and move the load horizontally. Crane types can range from simple rope and pulley to complex tower cranes but most can be placed within one of three groups namely: static (operate from a fixed position), mobile (operating position can be changed by cran under its own power) and tower (can be operated from a fixed position or rail mounted to become mobile) cranes. Several forms of cranes can be identified. Some of these are listed below: * Self propelled cranes * Lorry Mounted cranes * Track mounted cranes * Gantry/Portal cranes * Tower cranes Below in fig. 2.10 is shown the different types of cranes used in the construction industry. 2.1.2.5 Concreting equipment these equipment perhaps fall among the group of equipment that may be readily found on most constrction sites since concrete usually forms a large propotion of the materials used in construction.Concreting equipment can simply as classified under the following headings: mixing, transportation and placing. CONCRETE MIXERS These are used in mixing concrete especially in large volumes. Apart from the very large output mixers most concrete mixers in general use have a rotating drum designed to produce concrete without segregation of the mix. Most small batch mixers are of tilting drum type with outputs up to 200 lit/batch. They are generally hand loaded which makes the quality control of successive mixes difficult to regulate.Medium batch mixers can achieve outputs up to about 750lit/batch and may be designed with a tilting drum mixer or as a non-tilting drum mixer with a reversable drum. These mixers usually have integral weight bacthing loading hoppers, scrapper shovels and water tank thus giving better qualtity control than the small batch mixers. The pictures shown in fig. 2.11 and 2.12 are the very common 10/7 concrete mixer and 6m3 capacity ready mix concrete machine. EQUIPMENT FOR TRANSPORTING CONCRETE. Wheel barrows are the most common form of transporting concrete in small volumes. However for large volumes of up to about 600 litres, dumpers are more appropriate. Ready mixed concrete trucks are used to transport mixed concrete of volumes between 4-6m3 from a mixing equipment or depot to the site. Discharge can be direct into placing position via a chute or into some form of site dumper such as a dumper, crane skip or dumper. VIBRATOR After placing concrete in its formwork, excavated area or mould, the concrete must be properly worked around any insets or reinforcement and finally compacting the concrete to the required consolidation. This can be done to some degree satisfaction using tamping boards or rods but most appropritely using vibrators. Poker vibrators consist of a hollow steel tube casing in which is a rotating impellar which generates vibrations as its heard comes into contact with the casing. [Microsoft Encarta 2006; R. Chudley, 1997] 2.2 EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION Generally, a construction company has two options in acquiring equipment: it may either own machinery and equipment or hire it. Management must decide early on whether the equipment needed on site is to be hired or purchased outright, if it is not already available within the company. Purchasing equipment is sound investment if there is enough work ahead to keep it fully employed. Some estimates suggest the equipment must be working regularly for three to five years to recover the capital outlay [J.E. Johnston, 1981]. The decision to purchase will invariably have important financial consequences for the firm, since considerable capital sums will be locked up in plant, which must then be operated at an economic utilization level to produce a profitable rate of return on the investment .In recent years however, the growth of the independent equipment hire sector of the construction industry has greatly facilitated this latter option and approximately 50-60% of equipment presently used on projects is hired. Many firms however prefer to hire only those items of equipment which are required to meet peak demand or specialized duties [F. Harris and R. McCaffer, 2001]. 2.2.1 ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS The introduction of equipment to a project does not necessarily result in economic savings since extra temporary site works such as road works, foundations, hard standings and anchorages may have to be provided at a cost which may be in excess of the savings made by using the equipment. The site layout and circulation may have to be planned around equipment positions and accommodation. The full advantage of employing the equipment can only be realized if the equipment is well managed, both on and off the site, and this requires a thorough understanding of the economic aspects of using equipment and vehicles. For example, a crane will become expensive if the design does not allow a fairly continuous programme of work whilst it is on the site. To be economic, plant must be fully utilized and not left standing idle since equipment, whether hired or owned, will have to be paid for even if it is non-productive. Full utilisation of equipment is usually considered to be in the region of 85% of on site time, thus making an allowance for routine daily and planned maintenance which needs to be carried out to avoid as far as practicable equipment breakdowns which could disrupt the construction programme. Many pieces of equipment work in conjunction with other items of equipment such as excavators and their attendant haulage vehicles therefore a correct balance of such equipment items must be obtained to achieve an economic result (R. Chudley, 1995; R.E Calvert et al, 1996). 2.2.3 EQUIPMENT POLICY 2.2.3.1 OWN ALL EQUIPMENT The policy practiced by many enterprises is to purchase, or lease long term, most of the equipment needs and thereby provide availability at all times, with the added advantage of the prestige attached to demonstrating the use of owned equipment. However, much capital will be locked up in the equipment, which must become capable of generating a sufficient rate of return. A major disadvantage of this strategy is the problem of maintaining adequate levels of utilisation. Equipment holdings are usually built up to service a growing demand, and will become a heavy liability in the case of an economic recession. Any available work may then subsequently need to be undertaken to sustain the fleet, since equipment cannot easily be sold in a declining market. 2.2.3.2 HIRE ALL EQUIPMENT Many specialist hire/rental firms offer the supply of equipment now on the open market. To take advantage of this facility avoids both the responsibility of maintenance and the tying up of capital. The equipment may be hired for a specified period and often times the equipment operator also is provided by the equipment supplier. The main disadvantage of hiring is that the hire rate depends on market forces and suppliers are largely beyond the control of the hire, except for limited negotiation between competing firms. 2.2.3.3 A COMBINATION OF HIRE AND OWN A mixed policy of owning and hiring equipment may be the preferred option. For example, regularly required items might be purchased and hiring adopted only to smooth out demand (Edwards D.J, 2003). F.T. Edum-Fotwe (1990) writes that serious consideration should also be given to the extent to which the equipment is to be operated before an acquisition decision is made. He outlines the following factors concerning the level of operation of a equipment: 1. Acquire equipment new and operate to a down value and sell it. 2. Acquire second-hand equipment and operate to scrap value. 3. Acquire equipment new and operate to scrap value. 4. Acquire a second-hand equipment and operate to a down value and resell. 2.2.4 FINANCING OF EQUIPMENT A firm, having decided to buy a equipment instead of hiring, has the following methods of paying for the equipment. 1. Cash or outright purchase 2. Hire Purchase 3. Credit Sales 4. Leasing 5. Hiring 2.2.4.1 CASH OR OUTRIGHT PURCHASE When using this option, the buyer pays cash or immediately at the time of purchase, thereby providing tangible asset on the balance sheet. Obviously, this option is only possible if cash is available and therefore presupposes that profits have been built up from investors such as shareholder, bank loans, etc. Also, some large or technically unusual contracts sometimes include monies to permit the contractor to purchase the necessary equipment at the start of the project [F. Harris and R. McCaffer, 2001]. R. Chudley, 1997 simply identifies some of the advantages of outright purchase as: 1. Equipment availability is totally within the control of the contractor. 2. Hourly cost of equipment is generally less than hired equipment. 3. Owner has choice of costing method used. J.E. Johnston, 1981 however advices that besides the purchase price of a equipment, consideration should be given to the following points: 1. Capital outlay and interest charges 2. The cost of maintenance and repairs 3. The cost of transporting equipment between sites 4. Insurance premium and 5. Standing time on site. When examining the need to own equipment, the following points must be considered: 1. Will the item of equipment generate sufficient turnover to provide an adequate rate of return on the capital employed? 2. Is ownership of the equipment, rather than obtaining it by some other method, absolutely necessary for the business? 3. Is outright purchase the only way of acquiring the equipment? [F. Harris and R. McCaffer, 2001] 2.2.4.1.1 COST OF OWNING AN EQUIPMENT The cost of owning and operating construction equipment is affected by factors such as the cost of the equipment delivered to the owner, the severity of the conditions under which it is used, the cares with which the owner maintains and repairs it and the demand for used equipment when it is sold which will affect the salvage value. In his report, Effects of equipment breakdown on civil and building construction works, Markus S. Clarke (2001) identified the costs involved in owning and operating equipment as: i. Depreciation When a unit of equipment is placed in operation, it begins to wear out. Regardless of the care in maintaining and repairing it, the equipment will wear out or become obsolete and has to be replaced. The owner of the equipment has to provide a reserve fund to replace it when it is worn out. Where the contractor fails to include an appropriate allowance for depreciation of his equipment in his estimate, there will be no funds available to replace the equipment when they become aged or obsolete. ii. Maintenance and repairs The cost of maintenance and repairs varies considerably with the type of equipment, the service to which it is assigned and the care it receives. The annual costs of maintenance and repairs is expressed as a percentage of the annual cost of depreciation or independent of depreciation and it must also be sufficient to cover the cost of keeping the equipment operating.

Analysis of Royal Caribbean Internationals Operations in Singapore Ess

1. Introduction Deep-sea passenger transportation are amongst the most rapidly growing and evolving sectors in the hospitality industry(Wie, 2004, Douglas et al., 2010). As such, there underscores the need for strategy development to ensure the long-term success of firms in this industry. This report would focus on Royal Caribbean International's operations in Singapore, and analyze it based on its external and internal environments, while concluding with a recommendation of strategies that could be adopted as part of the organization's long-term strategic trajectory. Founded in 1968, the firm is part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. which provides one-stop vacation services that includes hotel, dining and entertainment. Additionally, land tours, stopovers and airport transfer services have also been offered in recent years to maximize the customer experience(Royal Caribbean International, n.d.). 2. External Analysis 2.1 PESTLE Analysis Various academics have highlighted the critical role that the PESTLE framework plays in aiding organizations to analyze its external environment(Johnson et al., 2012; Senior and Swailes, 2010; Gomez-Mejia and Balkin, 2011). Political: Owing to the welcoming attitude maintained towards foreign firms, low levels of corruption, stable political climate, and good relations with neighboring countries (MarketLine, 2013), there is little political risk faced in Singapore. Economy: Singapore's economy is relatively stable and growing, albeit being slightly affected by global economic woes. As a whole, there are low levels of unemployment and GDP per capita is high(Worldbank,2013), hence implying more disposable income that nationals have to spend. Nonetheless, spurred on by soaring ... ... Recruiting in the Cruise Industry', Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism, 9: 17-32 Gibson, P. and Papathanassis, A. (2010): 'The Cruise Industry – Emerging Issues, Problems and Solutions: Review of the 2nd International Cruise Conference, Plymouth, UK, 18-20 February 2010', International Journal of Tourism Research, 12: 405-7 Thor, J.C. and Barclay, L.A. (2012): 'Art Auctions on the High Seas', Journal of Critical Incidents, 5: 59-61 Wei, Y., Samiee, S., and Lee, R.P. (2014): 'The Influence of Organic Organizational Cultures, Market Responsiveness, and Product Strategy on Firm Performance in An Emerging Market', Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 42: 49-70 Wilson, R.H. (2012): 'The Legal Strategy of the Cruise Industry: An Effective Use of Terms and Conditions to Manage Disputes', Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 53(4): 347-56

Urban Legend of Car Headlights Essay -- Urban Legends

Lights Out In preparation for this writing assignment, I interviewed about 15 students at the University to collect their urban legends. One legend, often called â€Å"Lights Out,† was mentioned by just about all of the students I interviewed. Those who did not mention it on their own recognized it when I described it. I interviewed a 19-year-old male sophomore who anticipates getting into the School of Business. He transferred from Community College this past fall, and currently lives with a relative in a nearby off-campus home. He went to a small Catholic high school. He recalls first hearing this legend early in high school, probably between freshman and sophomore year. After telling him the purpose of the interview, I began the conversation by asking if he knew any urban legends, to which he replied: Ummm, maybe (pensive)†¦ you mean like the gang killer story? (looks excited)... It’s something like, (change to more serious tone) if you see a car driving on the road, coming toward you with no headlights on, and you flash your headlights at them, they will turn around and chase you down and kill you†¦ I think gangs really do that though (slight smile), so I guess it’s a non-urban legend. He told me the story rather quickly, but in an uncharacteristically serious tone, and maintained eye contact during the performance. The story he told is not really very long or involved with characters and exact places, but I interpret that as an element that makes the story more likely to circulate, since the lack of specificity implies it could happen to anyone, anywhere. Normally, this individual cannot say a single sentence without laughing, joking, or including some kind of sarcasm, but his tone while he quickly reviewed this ... ...ecause those who do get screwed.† It could mean that people who worry about the safety of others instead of their own are at the greatest risk. Works Cited Armstrong, David. (1994, January 23). "Police label gang story a hoax; Rumors of motorists killed in initiation rite spread from coast to coast." The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 7, 2006 from LexisNexis; keyword â€Å"gang headlights legend.† Emery, David. â€Å"Flash Your Headlights and Die!, Netlore Archive: Resurgence of a terrifying urban legend about aspiring gang members opening fire on oncoming drivers who innocently flashed their headlights† (10 paragraphs). Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.urbanlegends.about.com/library/blbyol.htm. Mikkelson, Barbara. (2005, October 29). â€Å"Lights Out!† (31 paragraphs). Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/lightsout.asp.

Company Layoff

Historically, layoff is often associated with bad publications for companies performing it. Furthermore, there are various other negative effects that are associated with the application of layoffs. Sometimes, layoff is the only way that the company must perform, in the sense that managers of the company have no other solution to cope with problems of the company. Despite the comments of observers and researches revealing the bad effects of massive layoffs, company layoff still becomes a part of modern companies’ daily lives.Concerning the issue, this paper will review articles about layoff and several important factors. The review aims at creating a simple conclusion regarding the practice of layoffs and their tendencies. Afterwards, the paper will use one of the latest layoff policies to justify the conclusion and also to evaluate the layoff within a company. The focus of the paper is to describe the effects of company layoffs and present a practical example of the conclusio n.Company LayoffDefinitionBy definition, layoff refers to a termination of employment of an employee or group of employees due to unfavorable business situation. The term is common in the business environment and does not often generate uneasiness.However, mass layoffs often become the source of debacle and confrontation in the workplaces. Firing employees in individual manner does not generally raise too much problem because they generally contain justified reasons of why the employees’ employment must be terminated.In addition, mass layoffs often generate trouble due to the fact that mass layoffs are performed solely due to economic reasons. In other words, employees being laid off could have performed no mistake in hi/her job that deserves the termination of employment. Within this paper, the discussion is focused more on mass layoffs rather than individual layoffs (Layoffs, nd.).Why Layoff  Researchers identify two reasons concerning layoffs. The first category relates to the internal condition of the company in which layoffs are performed. Companies perform layoff because of profitability reasons. The goal of performing mass layoff is to reduce the labor cost of the company. This is true since in most manufacturing companies, labor costs become significant parts of the operational costs of the company. Therefore, reducing the labor cost without hurting revenues could mean enhanced profitability (Layoffs, nd.).However, some layoffs occur because management believes that revenues in future periods will go down. This could be the result of enhanced competition, problems with corporate supply chain, changes in managerial structure, etc. In order to maintain profit, management often decides to cut labor costs (Layoffs, nd.).Another reason of performing mass layoffs is external reasons. A downturn in macroeconomic conditions could result in financial problems for most companies. This macroeconomic downturn could have effects limited to certain industri es or could happen nationally. In order to cope with such problem, companies could decide to cut labor costs and saves some level of profitability. This type of mass layoffs generally costs less debacles because ’everyone is going through the same problem’ at the time. However, there are also records that macroeconomic downturn and mass layoffs in some countries result in widespread class actions and public protests.General Effects of Layoffs  Layoffs are often performed as the last solution. In other words, layoffs are seen as the last solution to save a company from a terrible fall. Nevertheless, the fact often denies that premise. Layoffs often decrease corporate value rather than enhance it. Researchers state that this is due to the poor tendency of managers and business owners to look only to the financial aspect of the layoffs. In other words, they often neglect the intrinsic effect of the layoffs. The financial aspects of layoffs are generally easy to calculat e, however, managers generally fail to assess the value generated by employees that must be laid-off. Thus, managers could well be loosing more value from the layoff compare to the financial savings they gain from the process (Hymowitz, 2007).Another bad effect of layoffs generally comes from the layoff that influence working environment. Layoffs often reduce employees’ motivation. Surviving employees generally becomes more wary and possess the feeling of unsafe which reduces the working performance of employees. Moreover, the feeling of unsafe could generate the decision to seek for new jobs rather than waiting with uncertainties (Hymowitz, 2007).How to Make the Best LayoffsLayoffs are generally correlated to bad business. The term generates negative atmosphere for most people in the working environment. Therefore, business owners and managers generally place layoff decisions as a last resort rather than a preferable alternative. Some alternatives to layoffs are: establishin g a hiring freeze, relocate employees to other sections or departments, cutting managerial and administrative salaries, shortening the work week, offering early retirements, etc. However, if layoffs are imminent, there are some activities that could reduce the negative effect of mass layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The first step in making the best of corporate layoffs is planning the layoff strategy. This includes identification of common problems that could happen during layoffs. Managers of the company are suggested to perform researches and benchmarking to the best practice of company layoffs. Identification and evaluation of all alternatives to layoffs must be performed prior to deciding any layoff decisions. Planning the layoff strategy also involves preparing the budget for layoffs, notifying everyone involves and affected by the layoffs, etc.The second step of managing layoff is making sure that we involved all the people that should be involved in the layoff decision, like CFOâ₠¬â„¢s, HR officers, the corporate attorney, senior managers, etc. The company must them select a layoff expert, this person is responsible for the layoff process and to educate others on how to perform effective layoffs. In addition, the worker’s union must be involved within the process. Lack of educating the union leaders about the necessity of the layoffs could mean failure in performing effective and successful layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The third step is managing the process carefully, this includes the preparation of a worst case scenario and socialization of involve people, setting the layoff criteria and maintain the credibility of the criteria during the process, identification of top performers, the people that the company cannot afford to loose and protecting them, etc (Sullivan, 2001).RadioShackRadioShack Corporation is a chain of electronic retail stores in the United States, Europe, Central America and South America. The company has 6,000 stores in USA and has rep orted sales of $ 4.6 billion in 2006. In August 10, 2006, the company announces the layoff of 400 to 450 employees at the company headquarters. Company officials assert this action is necessary to reduce company’s overhead expense and enhance competitive position in the marketplace in the long term. The action is also decided to support small number of stores having financial trouble. In the company headquarters, 1 out of 5 positions are eliminated which affected employees of all levels in RadioShack.The layoff decision by the company is widely understood by many observers; however, the layoff generates significant controversy because of the manner in which the layoffs are performed. The 400 employees are notified of the layoff 10 days in advance of the actual layoff. Email notification was delivered to employees who were terminated. In August 10, 2006, employees were sent the emails and they were given 30 minutes to pack up and say goodbye to co-workers and then meet their s enior supervisors. After the meeting, a larger meeting was held to deliver the employees with their benefit packages and ask their questions.This manner of layoffs generates a widespread public attention. Many state that they have never seen such amount of employees laid off by emails. According to the general practice of corporate conduct, this demonstrates the lack of sensitivity by corporate management. The company has performed various efforts to delete reportage of this incident. According to some observers, this is one of the worst practices of corporate layoff in the history of corporate social responsibility. There are many articles that respond with cynicism in reaction of the poor methods of firing people who have been contributing to the company’s success, some even for many years.I believe that the company will not obtain the value they aim for when they decided to perform this layoff decision. As discussed above, there should be various measures to face the negat ive effects of layoffs to employee morale. Insensitive behaviors like one performed by RadioShack will significantly hurt employee morale and their respect to the managers of the company. In result, working productivity could be seriously affected.BibliographyHymowitz. Carol. 2007. ‘Why Layoffs Could Cost More Than They’. CareerJournal. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.careerjournaleurope.com/columnists/inthelead/20010725-inthelead.html‘RadioShack lays off employees via e-mail’. 2006. USATODAY. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-08-30-radioshack-email-layoffs_x.htmSave‘Layoffs Common but Still a Company’s Last Resort’. N.d. Jobwerx. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.jobwerx.com/HR/layoffs_common.htmlSlaggle, Matt, 2006. ‘RadioShack to offer free online training’. USA TODAYRetrieved   March 24, 2007 frrom http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-10-18-radio-shack-classes_x.htmS ullivan, John. 2001. ‘Key Steps in Effective Layoffs’. ERE.net. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.ere.net/articles/default.asp?d=H&CID={B6BCB155-2D2F-4C2E-82EC-CB33C6D1E3F9}

Evolution of Gillette Razor Blades Essay

Marketing, design and innovation is the study of how an organisation’s competitive advantage forte is indomitable and shaped by its marketing, design and innovation prowess. In addition, it is as a critical factor to the growth and success of the organisation and to the global community. This study seeks to reconnoitre the Gillette’s Power Razor through the lens of organisational marketing, design and innovation. It will look at the way in which Gillette Power Razor and its brand prospers in those areas and how it impacted on the competiveness in the marketplace. The objectives of the study are, firstly to display how the characteristics of the Gillette Power Razor have evolved over time to meet customer’s needs. To show the benefits and value derived by the users. To show the uniqueness of its design elements. Finally, to show the Gillette’s brand appeal in contemporary markets. In this research the investigator will be taking the view of epistemology. The investigator selected the Gillette power razor as the product to critique within the context of marketing, design and innovation. The razor took a very long time to evolve into its present multidimensional use. Therefore, true innovation always begins by investigating the historic footprint. Analysis will be used shows how the characteristics of the item has altered over time what drove the changes in the market and which it exists from the benefits and value derived by the clients, customers or recipients. Furthermore, the uniqueness of its design elements – shape, colour, design, imagination, relevance and usefulness. Finally, its appeal as brand in contemporary markets. In industry, methods and tools are developed on how to organize and manage innovation processes with the objective to better control added – value, cost and risk. † Additionally, Marketing is the process of determining customer needs and wants and then providing customers with goods and services that meet or exceed their expectations (Nickels et al, 2002). Nevertheless, the Danish Government describes design as â€Å"the power to make products and services more attractive to customers and users, so they are able to sell at a higher price by being differentiated from the competition by virtue of new properties, values and characteristics. Marketing, design and innovation is the study of how an organisation’s competitive advantage forte is indomitable and shaped by its marketing, design and innovation prowess. In addition, it is as a critical factor to the growth and success of the organisation and to the global community.

Brandywine Homecare Essay

1. Construct a Brandywine’s Income Statement.  This income statement summarizes the company’s performance during 2007. It reflects how much money the company brought in as revenues, how much spent on expenses, and the difference between the two is the net income profit. All figures above are in terms of millions. Excel rounded the depreciation value which was 1.5 to 2 and net income of 1.5 to 2 as well which gave total expense of 11 which is actually 10.5 million. I will attempt to explain the major components of this Income Statement. Revenue is the first major component. The primary goal of a not-for-profit corporation is financial viability which is generally given in a mission statement in terms of service to the community (Gapenski, 2008). Because most not-for-profit establishments follow a tedious set of requirements, they usually have a tax-exempt status and can accept and or issue tax-exempt bonds (Gapenski, 2008). Revenues usually represent sales, but because there isn’t any clientele or shareholders, revenues must be re-invested into the company. In this case, revenues can be represented by donations, cash received, payer obligation, net patient service, interest earned on investments, and or rental income. Expenses would be the second component of my income statement. It is simply the cost of doing business. A company has to spend money in order to make money (Gapenski, 2008). Some examples of Brandywine expenses could include cost of sales such as utilities, buildings, salaries, labor, maintenance, administration expense, and depreciation and amortization. Net income is the last, but certainly not least. It is what is left after all expenses have been accounted for (Gapenski, 2008). It is often referred to as a company’s bottom line (Gapenski, 2008). Again, being that this is a not-for-profit establishment, all profits have to be re-invested into the corporation. 2. What are Brandywine’s 2007 net income, total profit margin, and cash flow? To interpret the income statement, revenues for 2007 were 12 million. Expenses other than depreciation totaled 75% of total revenues which is 9 million. Showing my work, I know that revenue minus total expenses equals net profit. To get the expense amount, I simply multiplied 75%*12 million to get 9 million plus 1.5 million of depreciation equaled 10.5 million of total expenses. Now, I subtract 10.5 million from 12 million of total revenue to get a net profit of 1.5 million. The equation for profit margin is net income of 1.5 million divided by 12 million of total revenues equal 0.125 * 100% equal 12.5 % profit margin. Cash flow equals net income of 1.5 million plus non cash expenses or depreciation of 1.5 million totals 3 million. Depreciation has to be added back to get cash flow even though there is no cash value (Gapenski, 2008). 3. Supposed the company changed its depreciation calculations such that its depreciation expensed doubled. How would this change affect Brandywine’s net income, total profit margin, and cash flow? If we doubled the depreciation amount, it would give us 3 million. Recall that the equation for net income is total revenue minus total expenses, so we subtract total expenses of 12 million from 12 million of total revenues leaving a 0 net profit. We would experience a big difference of 1.5 million of net profit if the depreciation value doubled. For the profit margin, the equation is net profit of 0 divided by 12 million of total revenue is 0 % profit margin. Note that we have gone from a 12.5 % profit margin to 0%. Cash flow is net income plus non cash or depreciation value, so we add 0 plus 3 million to give us a cash flow of 3 million which is no change from initial figure. 4. Explain the difference between cash and accrual accounting. Be sure to include a discussion of the revenue recognition and matching principles. According to Gapenski 2008, the cash method is the process by which an economic event is recognized when a cash transaction actually takes place. It is considered simple and easy to use. Some might want to use this method when just starting a small business. Cash accounting does a good job of tracking cash flow, but does a poor job of matching revenues earned with monies laid out for expenses (Epstein, 2011). The accrual method is recognized when an obligation is created. This method is considered more complicated, yet it provides a better picture of true economic status of a business. Most would say that this is the preferred method according to generally applied accounting principles (Gapenski, 2008). It has two key components such as the revenue recognition that requires that revenues be recognized in the period in which it was earned while the matching principle requires that an organization’s expenses be matched with revenues in which it is connected to. One might want to use this principle once a small business has gotten on its feet. The accrual method does a good job of matching revenues and expenses, but it does a poor job of tracking cash (Epstein, 2011). Because you record revenue when the transaction occurs and not when you collect the cash, your income statement can look profitable even if you don’t have cash in the bank (Epstein, 2011). 5. Explain the difference between equity section of a not for profit business and an investor-owned business. According to Gapenski 2008, the financial statements of investor- owned and not-for-profit firms are similar except for transactions such as tax payments that are applicable only to one form of ownership. They both strive to increase assets and decrease debts and other liabilities; however, the difference lies within the line of business (Gapenski, 2008). One difference in the balance sheets of a not-for-profit organization and a for-profit business is the name or title shown in its heading. In a nonprofit, the name of this financial statement is the statement of financial position. In the for-profit business this financial statement is the balance sheet (Accounting Coach, 2011). Another difference is the section that presents the difference between the total assets and total liabilities. The nonprofit’s statement of financial position refers to this section as net assets, whereas the for-profit business will refer to this section as owner’s equity or stockholders’ equity (Accounting Coach, 2011). The two types of equity shown on a business balance sheet are retained earnings and new stock sales whereas on a not-for-profit financial statement there can be retained earnings, but it can’t sale common stock to raise funds (Small Business, 2011). Non profit establishments raise funds through grants and donations for specific causes such as needs, healthcare, and education (Ramjee, 1999). Assets for investor-owned firms include furniture, computers, equipment, investments and security deposits; however, a not-for-profit organization’s assets are not as complex (Ramjee, 1999).

Why Significant Changes Were Made to the Plot

Why Significant Changes Were Made to the Plot in The Big Sleep Movie After reading the novel â€Å"The Big Sleep† by Raymond Chandler, then watching the 1946 movie version starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, I found myself asking why are there so many changes to the plot in this movie as compared to the novel. Many significant pieces of the plot were drastically different and there were even certain scenes that had been made up for the movie that were never in the book. After doing some research I was able to come up with many reasons for these significant changes.Some of the main reasons for there being significant changes is the Hays Code which was a code of rules that all movies were to follow, as well as the chemistry that Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall had together. Many of the changes in the movie version of â€Å"The Big Sleep† can be credited to the Hays Code. The Hays Code was a set of rules that movies were to follow. Will H. Hays was not the creato r of this code however he was the first person to be in charge of enforcing it therefore his name became attached to it (TV Tropes).Some smaller changes the Hays Code affected are the dealings that go on at Geiger's Book Store as well as Geiger's love interest. In the novel we are told that the book store is actually a front for a pornography store. We are also told in the novel that Arthur Geiger is gay and has a male partner. In the Hays Code it is stated that â€Å"The sanctity of the institution of marriage and the home shall be upheld. Pictures shall not infer that low forms of sex relationship are the accepted or common thing. (Arts Reformation). Given this the writers of the screenplay were forced to leave out the fact that the book store was actually a front for a pornographic store. As for the fact that Arthur Geiger was gay and had a male partner, it is stated in the Hays Code that â€Å"Sex perversion or any inference to it is forbidden. † (Arts Reformation). Alth ough a homosexual couple is more widely accepted nowadays, back in the time of the Hays Code it was considered perverse (TV Tropes) and had to be taken out of the movie.Two more significant changes that were made to the plot were both of the scenes where Carmen Sternwood was found naked. In the novel when Marlowe goes to Geiger's house he finds Carmen naked in a chair and drugged up. In the movie she has only been drugged, her clothes remain on. The other time that Carmen Sternwood was found naked in the novel was when she was waiting for Marlowe to come home and she was naked in his bed. In the film she is simply sitting in his room waiting for him fully clothed.Both of these changes can be attributed to the Hays Code. A rule in the Hays Code states â€Å"Complete nudity is never permitted. This includes nudity in fact or in silhouette, or any lecherous or licentious notice thereof by other characters in the picture. † (Arts Reformation). Since the filmmakers were not allowe d to show nudity they were forced to change the plot which also lead to the photos of Carmen Sternwood that were used to blackmail her not being nude photos of her. A huge change that is made to the plot of the story is how the movie ends.In the book the climactic scene is where Marlowe is being held at gunpoint by Carmen Sternwood. This is also where Marlowe realizes that Carmen was the murderer. A rule about crime in Hays Code states â€Å"Crimes against the law: These shall never be presented in such a way as to throw sympathy with the crime as against law and justice or to inspire others with a desire for imitation. † (Arts Reformation). If Carmen Sternwood had been the murderer then this would have made Marlowe's love interest, Vivian Rutledge, an accessory to murder (Wikipedia).If Vivian were an accessory to murder she would be committing a crime but the audience may feel sympathy for her since she is in love with the main character. Because of this the writers of the s creenplay had to change this. By changing the ending of the movie to having Eddie Mars be killed the writers also solve another conflict with the Hays Code. In the novel Eddie Mars does not actually kill anyone however he was the one who made the murders happen so he was in fact a very bad man who had committed serious crimes.At the end of the novel Eddie Mars does not come to justice for his crimes. Since the Hays Codes doesn't allow crime to be presented in a way that it will inspire others with a desire for imitation (Arts Reformation), Eddie Mars had to be brought to justice. If people had seen the movie and saw that Eddie Mars had been a murderer and gotten away with it, it could inspire them to imitate him. This is why the writers had to change what happens to Eddie Mars.A very significant change made to the plot, which is more of an addition to the plot than anything is the fact that Marlowe and Vivian Rutledge have a love interest. In the film Marlowe lets the reader know ma ny times that he is not fond of women. Because of this love interest many scenes were added to the film in which Marlowe and Vivian have conversations of the sexual nature. Before â€Å"The Big Sleep† movie was made both Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall had starred in a movie called â€Å"To Have and Have Not†.This film had a great success with their scenes together and this made the filmmakers want to add more scenes between the two (William Ahearn). When it comes down to it, making Marlowe and Bacall have a relationship is just adding a Hollywood perspective on a novel. Many changes were made to the plot in â€Å"The Big Sleep† film. But none of them were made without reason. The Hays Code limited filmmakers to what they could put into movies and changes were made so that the film would be more appealing to the general public.Works Cited – Ahearn, William. â€Å"The Big Sleep (1946)† 2008. November 2012. http://www. williamahearn. com/bs1945. ht ml – â€Å"The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code)†. Arts Reformation. April 2006. November 2012. http://www. artsreformation. com/a001/hays-code. html – â€Å"The Big Sleep (1946 Film)†. Wikipedia. November 15 2012. November 23 2012. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Big_Sleep_(1946_film)#Cast -â€Å"Hays Code†. TV Tropes. November 2012. http://tvtropes. org/pmwiki/pmwiki. php/Main/HaysCode