Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The affect of characteristics of destinations to appeal to Assignment

The affect of characteristics of destinations to appeal to tourists.(London Scotland) - Assignment Example Furthermore, the report will also discuss the possibility for enhancing the selection as tourists’ destinations. Tourist destinations with multiple characteristics are vital for individual attraction. The characteristics help to develop a mental image in the mind of tourists through manifold sources of information. The mental image determines the selection of destination for tourists in order to spend holiday or leisure time. London is regarded as one of the leading tourism destinations. London receives considerable leisure tourists every year mostly because of its heritage characteristics. It has exclusive attractions and natural legacy with iconic buildings acknowledged all over the world. There are presently four designated heritage sites in London namely Palace of Westminster, Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and Royal Botanic Garden. These four sites have exceptional universal worth and are acknowledged to be of global significance. These characteristics of London are regarded as vital part of London’s identity and character (Greater London Authority, 2012). The tourism of London is geared toward bestowing numerous features of the city. It is a venue of important occasions in world history, comprising ancient castles, museums and other landmarks. Furthermore, entertainment is also regarded as a key attraction in London. Drama, film and music are admired forms of art in London. Apart from that, the other key feature of London is shopping. The city is characterised by shopping experience, having numerous destinations such as Tate Modern, London Eye, National Gallery and Albert Museum among others. In comparison with London, Scotland is regarded as a developing tourist destination. Compared to London, the appeals of Scotland is largely attributed into four groups namely heritage, destination towns, events and business. Concerning the nature, Scotland has theatrical landscapes along with rich and vibrant history imbibed within its culture. Scotland

Monday, October 28, 2019

Us Dollar Movements In 2008 Essay Example for Free

Us Dollar Movements In 2008 Essay The U. S dollar is the most widely used currency in the world in terms of trade and foreign exchange reserves. The US dollar is susceptible to many factors e. g. political, economic as well as financial market forces and therefore fluctuates overtime (Intercontinental Exchange Inc, 2009). The assessment of the movements in the US dollar is tracked by the US Dollar index USDX which is basically a chart showing the value of the US Dollar against the major world currencies. These major currencies are the EUN (EUR), Japanese Yen (JPY), Sterling pound (GBP), Canadian dollar (CAD), Swedish Kroner (SEK) and the Swiss Franc (CHF). The dollar index is calculated as a geometric progression weighted average of the six currencies rates against the US Dollar value relative to 1973 (base year) when the index was launched. Therefore this means that the current rate of the US Dollar index shows the average dollar value compared to 1973 which is the base year (Intercontinental Exchange Inc, 2009). Factors affecting US dollar Index over the past one year The performance of the US dollar against the basket of other major currencies (which form the biggest chunk of US trading partners) as measured by the Dollar Index is affected by many factors key among them economic, political and even financial market news. Therefore the trend in the dollar index can be an indication of the state of the economy and financial market. Economic factors The state of the US economy and the major countries around the world affects the movement of the dollar against world major currencies. An example is an economic indicator like home sales. In April this year, the home sales done released indicated that the home sales were higher than predicted. This news boosted the dollar against major currencies hence moving the dollar index previous recorded levels as witnessed in the figure 1 below (DeCarbonnel, 2009). In late 2008, the subprime mortgage crisis resulted in lack of liquidity in the financial markets which led to the credit which as we know today. The dollar index increased during this period as a result of declining factors in the financial market. The other factor that has affected the dollar index over the past year is the widening US deficit resulting from the continued borrowing by way of selling US treasuries. The US government uses the funds to fund war in Iraq and Afghanistan among other pressing issues. The US deficit has substantially grown over the recent past to an extent that the countries debt ratings were at risk. Currently the US debt rating is Aaa according to Moody’s. The fear of credit rating downgrade reduced the value of the dollar against major currencies (TheLFB-Forex, 2009). Financial factors The ballooning current account deficit was a result of buying US securities by foreign investors but now with the dollar threatening the domestic currencies of these nations they have been forced to sell off the US held assets and this will definitely affect the price of the dollar. The deficit also has the effect of weakening the dollar value and thus affects the movement of the dollar index (Randall, 2009). The selling off of treasuries will also affect the dollar in that the government will be forced to print the equivalent dollar amount if they lack a buyer in order to honor the pledge made in the treasuries. The other factor that has affected the dollar index is the continued acceptance of gold in place of the dollar. The increase in the price of gold leads to a decline in the value of the dollar. Inflation as a result of pumping a lot of money into the economy may lead to high demand for commodities e. g. gold as explained earlier on, the higher the price of gold the lower the value of the dollar as shown in figure 2 (marketoracle, 2009). The other factor that may have played a bigger part in the trend witnessed of the US dollar is that of lack of confidence wit the US dollar as the major foreign reserve currency. In fact some countries like China and Brazil are contemplating establishing a currency that is more stable. Lack of confidence is shown by the wayward performance of the dollar index. Political factors The domestic problem in the US i. e. economical and social programs announced by the new president, stimulus package, bailout of banks and also companies, programs such as Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), war in Iraq and Afghanistan are just some of the factors that have pressurized the value of the US dollar. All these programs need resources which are basically raised by selling treasuries (marketoracle, 2009). Conclusion The movement witnessed in the dollar index over the past one year has not only been attributed to the above mentioned factors but also due to the market fundamentals which keep on changing from time to time although to a large extent, the dollar index has been affected by the credit crisis in the financial market which has led to the slowing down of the world economy.Figure 1. (marketoracle, 2009) Figure 2. (marketoracle, 2009) References DeCarbonnel, E. (2009, January 2nd). Ten Major Threats facing the US Dollar in 2009. Retrieved May 26th, 2009, from market skeptics: http://www. marketskeptics. com Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (2009, May 25th). US Dollar Index Futures. Retrieved May 26th, 2009, from Intercontinental Exchange Inc: https://www. theice. com/productguide/ProductDetails. stripes? specId=194 marketoracle. (2009, May 24th). Stock Market Trend Confusion and US Dollar crackdown. Retrieved May 25th, 2009, from marketoracle: http://www. marketoracle. co. uk/Article10869. html Randall, F. W. (2009, May 21st). Gains from the Greenbacks pain. Retrieved May 26th, 2009, from Barrons: http://online. barrons. com/article/SB124285469500340755. html TheLFB-Forex. (2009, May 09th). Dollar Index Review: Post Stress Test. Retrieved May 25th, 2009, from TheLFB-Forex. com: http://www. TheLFB-Forex. com

Saturday, October 26, 2019

James Joyces Araby - Loss of Innocence in Araby Essays -- Joyce Dubli

Loss of Innocence in Araby In her story, "Araby," James Joyce concentrates on character rather than on plot to reveal the ironies inherent in self-deception. On one level "Araby" is a story of initiation, of a boy’s quest for the ideal. The quest ends in failure but results in an inner awareness and a first step into manhood. On another level the story consists of a grown man's remembered experience, for the story is told in retrospect by a man who looks back to a particular moment of intense meaning and insight. As such, the boy's experience is not restricted to youth's encounter with first love. Rather, it is a portrayal of a continuing problem all through life: the incompatibility of the ideal, of the dream as one wishes it to be, with the bleakness of reality. This double focus-the boy who first experiences, and the man who has not forgotten-provides for the dramatic rendering of a story of first love told by a narrator who, with his wider, adult vision, can employ the sophisticated use of irony and symbolic imagery necessary to reveal the story's meaning. The boy's character is indirectly suggested in the opening scenes of the story. He has grown up in the backwash of a dying city. Symbolic images show him to be an individu... ...ossibility. That sense of loss is intensified, for its dimension grows as we realize that the desire to, live the dream will continue through adulthood. At no other point in the story is characterization as brilliant as at the end. Joyce draws his protagonist with strokes designed to let us recognize in "the creature driven and derided by vanity" both a boy who is initiated into knowledge through a loss of innocence and a man who fully realizes the incompatibility between the beautiful and innocent world of the imagination and the very real world of fact. In "Araby," Joyce uses character to embody the theme of his story.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Should Members Of Congress Earn More Money Or Less? :: essays research papers

Well, it really depends on one thing; I'm talking about their reason for becoming a congressman. If I were to become a congressman, my reason would be to help Californians express their opinions better. However this is my reason. Different people have millions of other reasons. I think there are three major reasons for becoming a congressman: represent his/her state, power, or money. I don't believe that most people get into Congress for the money. I believe most people that become congressmen want their state to be heard, and they want to improve it. However not everybody is so good some people are in it purely for power, usually power means money. I do not believe their salaries should be lowered, because if they feel they don't get what they deserve, they might not do their best in the office, they might abuse their privileges, etc. If they don't get paid enough they become more susceptible to taking bribes; this is the first sign of corruption. This might explain the paying less part, however it doesn't say much about raising their salary. I've considered the idea of raising their salary, however after a careful examination of facts, I didn't think raising it would improve much. As I have mentioned before, people (the Congressmen) don't do it for the money. Basically money isn't their primary concern. What would happen if you say doubled their salaries? People are not perfect, nobody is... if you pay them a lot more, chances are they might become greedy; when the only thing a person cares about is money, nothing ever gets accomplished. Greed is a terrible "sickness," even though you have a lot of something, in this case money, you want more, and more, and more, this craving never stops. The last thing you'd want is a greedy congressman. It is very likely that a greedy congressman would take bribes, and use his office to make even more profits, any way possible. A greedy congressman would probably forget his responsibilities, and duties as a congressman; this would only make it worse for that particular state.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Education †teacher Essay

Education Education, I’d have to say it’s the one thing that many students complain about everyday but inside secretly enjoy like the song â€Å"Call Me Maybe†. Even though I might not be fond of getting up at six everyday to go learn, I know many parents around the world would kill for their child to have the opportunities I have in the society I live in. I receive a world-class education, with many opportunities to further my learning at a college or university. It isn’t only the knowledge I get from these institutions that is amazing but the teachers and fellow students that are also outstanding. These instructors are very well educated and know how to teach every class with the right style of teaching, and I believe this is the most important part in the education process. Nelson Mandela once said, â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. † Here in the United States we are lucky enough to potentially be one of the biggest changes in the world. Compared to other countries where children are arguably set up for failure, here, in America, teachers are made to hold our hands and show us the road to success. From infancy most kids are taught the importance of education, but I don’t think people in America fully understand how fortunate they are to have the privilege of nice, well-funded schools. When I went to India with my father he would tell me how they would spend countless number of hours just copying notes off of the board because they would only have one copy of a textbook and that was for the teacher at his old school in India. Students in the United States are very lucky to be able to take home a textbook home everyday if needed. High schoolers complain about how their backpacks are too heavy because of the amount of books, and how it is a hassle. Students should actually be thankful for this because other kids around the world pray everyday that they would be able to own a textbook to take home with them. Many schools around the world, including my father’s old school, do not have attendance. Many students from Palatine High School would hear this and become very jealous, and they would never show up if they didn’t have to. I believe this is actually a great rule because this exemplifies how the United States puts you on a road to success. This rule forces students to get some type of education, and education is key in moving forward in life. It isn’t only how great the knowledge we are learning is, but also how great the teachers, and fellow students are. It is incredible how nice teachers are in the United States. Teachers at Palatine High School are always willing to stay after school, come before school, meet during lunch, or do whatever they possibly can do to help you learn the material. On Tuesday my Psychology teacher came in at 7 AM just to help me and one other student prepare for a test. For only two kids my teacher came in over an hour earlier than she had to. Now that’s amazing. This is not only a few teachers, but all teachers are like this and it amazes me everyday how much our Palatine High School staff actually cares about its students. Comparing this to some other countries where teachers can hit and abuse students, it’s essentially comparing black to white. Next is the type of classroom setting and they way teaching is done, and how this helps students learn. In all of my classes if a life lesson can be taught a teacher will never think twice before taking time out of the lesson plan to help us, all the students in the long run. An example of this would be in my English class where tangent conversations about the topic at hand turn out to take the whole class period. It is amazing how my teacher facilitates these conversations to not only pertain to the topic we are learning but also life lessons. Every day and every year at school I am exposed to multiple different teaching styles and I have noticed that certain types of classes are taught the best with certain teaching styles. Personally some classes are naturally harder for me while some are naturally easier. This maybe due to the curriculum we are learning, but this is also due to how the teacher teaches. There are generally four types of teaching styles. There is formal authority, demonstrator, facilitator, and delegator. First is the formal authority teaching style. â€Å"This style is generally teacher-centered, where the teacher feels responsible for providing and controlling the flow of the content and the student is expected to receive the content† (â€Å"Teaching Styles Categories†). I believe this type of teaching works best with science and math classes because in science and math classes we learn brand new material which we don’t have much past experience with so it is necessary for the teacher to translate the information or else we would never really get to what is important. For me in physics class the formal authority teaching style works great by having the teacher give us notes to take on what is the important information on each concept which is vital to know. Next is the demonstrator. â€Å"The demonstrator teaching style run teacher-centred classes with an emphasis on demonstration and modeling. This type of teacher acts as a role model by demonstrating skills and processes. Then as a coach/guide in helping students develop and apply these skills and knowledge† (â€Å"Teaching Styles Categories†). I believe this type of teaching would work best in a world language. In a world language it is important to know the fundamental origins of what you are learning, and how what you are learning actually works. In a world language by seeing multiple examples of something complicated, you are able to analyze it and understand every part to it, which in the end helps you become at an expert at it. An example of this would be from Spanish last year where I did not understand how to use the subjunctive form, but with help from my teacher and him showing every part to it I was able learn the concept of the subjunctive form and ace the quiz. After this is the facilitator model teaching style. â€Å"Teachers who use the facilitator model tend to focus on activities. This teaching style emphasizes student-centered learning and there is much more responsibility placed on the students to take the initiative for meeting the demands of various learning tasks† (â€Å"Teaching Styles Categories†). I think this works best in an English class. I say this because in English we have learned a lot of what we need to know from past English classes. So to reach the next level in English students need to be able to pick out key concepts by themselves and argue why that concept is important. I have seen a lot of this in my English class, and I have noticed that the class has grown with this skill because our teacher does a great job facilitating class conversations se we get to what we need to know with as little interruption from the discussion. Lastly there is the delegator teaching style. â€Å"Teachers who teach with a delegator teaching style tend to focus on activities. This teaching style emphasizes student-centered learning and there is much more responsibility placed on the students to take the initiative for meeting the demands of various learning tasks† (â€Å"Teaching Styles Categories†). I believe this teaching style lends itself to the social studies because you are able to understand a lot of the key terms after seeing them in real life examples. In my psychology class you can sit through class and still get by, but to fully understand the concepts a student must apply himself during experiments and videos to be able to see the key terms in real life examples. These teaching styles are never limited to just one in a classroom and can be combined to further a student’s education and to help a student learn and retain information better. Even though we have all these nice privileges and opportunities at schools in the United States, I believe this feeds a flaw. This flaw is the lack of wanting an education in students. I think since many students don’t actually know how lucky they are to have the opportunities they do here in the United States, their respect and importance for education in their lives is decreased. This is due to the fact that the American education system has formed society to believe that education for everyone is the norm, when in reality this is far from the truth. When education should be growing in importance to future generations it is only decreasing in importance. This is shown by comparing how much money the United States spends on education funding to student performance. The United States is the country that spends the fifth most per a student on average, spending about 12,550. 24 dollars per student (â€Å"Class size, teacher’s pay and spending: which countries spend the most and pay the least in education? †). However, the United States only places 17th in the developed world for education (â€Å"Best Education In The World†). Comparing the United States’ policy of education to other countries, maybe there are some changes to be made. A country the United States could use as a role model would be Finland, the number one ranked country for education (â€Å"Best Education In The World†). Finland’s excellence is due to a succession of reforms starting in the 1970s (â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform†). These reforms were based off of five strategies which were getting resources for those who need them most, high standards and supports for special needs, qualified teachers, evaluation of education, and balancing decentralization and centralization (â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform†). First off by getting resources to the people who need them will allow all the people in the United States to get an education, which will surely increase the Untied States’ average. Many people cannot get a higher education because they cannot afford it, but by giving them the resources to get a higher education the US will be able to higher their educational level. Unlike the United States in Finland Ninety-eight percent of the cost of education at all levels is covered by government rather than by private sources (â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform†). Next, by increasing the standards and supports for special needs will enable students to increase their knowledge and give them the chance to show it. Another thing the United States needs to do is get more qualified teachers. Even though this is not really a problem in district 211, I believe this a big factor holding back students from their full potential. I believe that this is a crucial step in the nation taking a step forward because unqualified teachers are unable to help a students learn the material needed to bring the Untied States to the next level of educational success. The next thing is the United States has to do is evaluate education, everything from the purpose to how it is tested. Many small changes such as taking away honors classes and â€Å"regular† classes will force students to work harder in a normal class. This also will not discourage any students who were trying to get into an honors class and did not make it. The common curriculum will allow everyone to get a higher learning and not only a few kids who did well on one test to put them in a higher class. This will also help create a friendly yet competitive environment for school. This success of this reform has already been shown, â€Å"At the beginning of the 1970s, Finland launched reforms to equalize educational opportunity by first eliminating the practice of separating students into very different tracks based on their test scores, and then by eliminating the examinations themselves† (â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform†). Another thing that will help take the next step in education is taking away many standardized tests such as the ISAT, PSAT, ACT, and etc. Instead of trying to focus on bringing students up to a low national level, by decentralizing and giving power to more highly trained local teachers would allow the US to bring the whole national average up. In Finland, â€Å"Over the past 40 years, Finland has shifted from a highly centralized system emphasizing external testing to a more localized system in which highly trained teachers design curriculum around the very lean national standards† (â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform†). This will allow teachers to teach the way they believe the students will learn better and this makes the job easier for both the teacher and the students. All of these tactics have worked for Finland as we see the change from 1970 once it broke free of the Soviet Union to where it has come now. Even though the change in the American education system will not be immediate, I believe it is possible to bring change and to higher the level of education in the United States. In the end I believe the American Education system is one of the greatest things the nation has to offer its people. Even though it has its flaws the United States’ education system is doing something right because the US is the country with the number one GDP. The American education system is something that is very unique, and something students in the United States should use to their full potential. Works Cited Hammond, Linda D. â€Å"What We Can Learn from Finland’s Successful School Reform. † Nea. org. NEA, Oct. -Nov. 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. Rogers, Simon. â€Å"Class Size, Teacher’s Pay and Spending: Which Countries Spend the Most and Pay the Least in Education? † The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 28 Apr. 2011. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. Stein, Jennifer. â€Å"Teaching Styles Categories. † Teaching Styles Categories. 13 Apr. 2001. Web. 14 Jan. 2013. Zhao, Emmeline. â€Å"Best Education In The World: Finland, South Korea Top Country Rankings, U. S. Rated Average. † The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 27 Nov. 2012. Web. 14 Jan. 2013.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

ACT Full Fees Registration Whats the Total Cost of the ACT

ACT Full Fees Registration What's the Total Cost of the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Just like many parts of the college application process, taking the ACT (and even using your ACT scores) means an assortment of fees. Here, I'll break down every possible ACT registration cost and score fee. The good news is that a lot of these fees are unnecessary and avoidable. Read to the end for tips and strategies on saving as much as possible on the ACT. Registration Costs for the ACT (2018-2019) Registration charges are unfortunately mandatory if you are planning on taking the ACT. Registration-related fees, or add-ons that can bump up your costs, aren't required of test-takers. These extra services could be useful in special circumstances, even though you'll end up shelling out a few extra bucks. Here's a chart outlining mandatory registration fees: Fee Cost Description Registration- No Writing section $50.50 Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to 4 college choices Registration- With Writing section $67 Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to 4 college choices And here's a chart outlining optional add-on fees: Add-on Fees Cost Description Telephone Re-registration $15 Only available if you’ve previously registered for a test. Late Registration $30 Fee for registering after the regular deadline. Standby Testing $53 Fee for being placed on a waitlist for a particular test center/date. Refunded if you’re denied admission on test day. Test Date Change $30 Keep your location, change your test date. If you change your test date after the registration deadline, you'll also be charged the late registration fee. Test Center Change $30 Keep your test date, change location. International Fees $51 Mandatory fee for students taking the ACT outside the US or Canada. Score Report Analysis Costs for the ACT (2018-2019) After you take the ACT, you'll want to receive, analyze, and send out your scores. This chart outlines all possible post-test services and their costs. Service Cost Description Viewing scores score report online $0 You can check your score report online at no cost, but you still need to send official score reports to schools. Score report (first four reports) $0 Enter up to four school score report requests at no cost. You can enter this info when you register or when you test. Score report (fifth and sixth colleges) $13 each Enter up to two additional school score report requests when you register or when you test for an additional cost (but no additional speed). Score report (each additional report) $12 After the reports you order when you register or on test day, you’re charged this fee per additional score report. Priority score reporting $16.50 Priority report requests are usually processed and sent within 2 days. This fee is per score report. Test Information Release (TIR) $20 Receive a copy of your test questions, a list of your answers, and an answer key. You’ll also receive your essay prompt, scoring rubric, and scores. How to Minimize ACT Registration Reporting Costs As you can see, ACT registration and reporting costs can add up if you're pressed for time, if you want detailed score reports, or if you're applying to many schools. You can avoid a lot of these fees if you plan ahead. Planning ahead can save you hundreds of dollars; your piggy bank will thank you. Take the Test Early If you're scrambling to get official score reports to schools before their application deadlines, you might not have a choice but to pay $16.50 for a priority score report. This might happen if you take the ACT last minute, or if you procrastinate in sending official score reports. Although this is unavoidable in certain circumstances, you'll save yourself money (and unnecessary stress) if you take your test earlier rather than later. It takes about two to three weeks for your multiple choice scores to be posted, and another two weeks for your essay score to be posted. You should budget an additional two weeks at minimum for colleges to actually receive your score reports. In order to avoid rush fees, try to schedule your last ACT no later than seven weeks before your scores need to be in. Register Early If you miss the normal deadline and have to register late, you'll end up increasing your total registration costs by more than 50%. Registering months in advance won't only save you money- it will also ensure you get the test date you want before al the seats are booked. Having a hard test deadline in mind can also jumpstart your motivation to study; you'll be better able to budget your time. Take Advantage of Free Score Reports You can send up to four score reports for free if you specify the schools you'd like to send your scores to early enough. List the four schools as early as registration, and as late as the Monday nine days after the published test date. This will save you up to $48. Learn more about the pros and cons of sending the four free ACT score reports here. Apply for a Fee Waiver If You're Eligible Low-income families may find these ACT costs to be especially daunting. In an effort to mitigate this financial burden, the ACT offers fee waivers to certain students. You may qualify if you meet all of the eligibility requirements: You're currently enrolled in high school in grade or 12 You're a US citizen, or testing in the US, US territories, or Puerto Rico You meet one or more of these requirements: You're enrolled in or eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Your family income falls within guidelines for free or reduced price lunches; Your family receives public assistance You're enrolled in a federal, state, or local program for low income students (e.g. Upward Bound) You live in subsidized housing, foster care, or are homeless You are a ward of the state or an orphan If you are eligible, you can receive up to two fee waivers total. Each waiver covers registration costs, but does not cover any additional score reports or add-on fees.You have to apply for a fee waiver through your school counselor; since this can take time, make sure to apply for a fee waiver well in advance of the test dates you'd like to register for. Bonus: Looking for the very best guides to every ACT section? Check out our top guides for every single section of the ACT. Choose the score level you're aiming for: 36 Score Guides: ACT English | ACT Math | ACT Reading | ACT Science | ACT Essay Choose these guides if you're scoring a 26 or above on a section, and you want to get the highest ACT score possible. 24 Score Guides: ACT English | ACT Math | ACT Reading | ACT Science | ACT Science Choose these guides if you're scoring below a 24 on a section, and you want to boost your score to at least a 24 level. These are the very best guides available on boosting your ACT score, section by section. They're written by Harvard grads and perfect ACT scorers. Don't disappoint yourself - read these guides and improve your score today. What's Next? Because the SAT seems pretty similar to the ACT,you might be evaluating whether you should take the SAT, the ACT, or both. Learn more about how to decide which test (or tests) to take here. Of course, you want to make sure you get the best scores possible on your ACT. Check out our guide to getting the perfect score here. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Monday, October 21, 2019

Learn How to Properly Apply Gel Coat

Learn How to Properly Apply Gel Coat Applying gel coat correctly is of utmost importance to making aesthetically pleasing and long-lasting end products. If gel coat is not applied properly it ultimately can increase the cost of the product made, as often is the case, cutting corners in this process will not prove to be worth it. How Do Improperly Applied Gel Coats Increase Cost? It depends on a number of parts that get rejected and the work required to fix them. The amount of work and material saved by investing in a proper gel coat application process will pay off in the end. Proper gel coat application includes: Material preparationEquipment calibrationUse of trained spray operatorsAppropriate spray methods Gel coats should be sprayed and not brushed. The equipment used for spraying must be selected carefully and maintained well. Catalyst levels are important to the curing of the gel coat and dependent upon shop conditions. Most gel coats’ ideal catalyst level is 1.8 percent at 77Â °F (25Â °C), however, specific shop conditions may require this number to vary between 1.2 and 3 percent. Environmental factors that may require an adjustment in catalyst levels are: TemperatureHumidityMaterial ageCatalyst brand or type A catalyst level below 1.2 percent or above 3 percent should not be used because the cure of the gel coated can be affected permanently. Product data sheets can give specific catalyst recommendations. There are many catalysts for use in resins and gel coats. Proper catalyst selection is vital. In gel coats, only MEKP-based catalysts should be used. The three active ingredients in a MEKP-based catalyst are: Hydrogen peroxideMEKP monomerMEKP dimmer Each component helps the curing of unsaturated polyesters. The following is each chemical’s specific role: Hydrogen peroxide: starts gelation phase, though does little for a cureMEKP monomer: plays roles in initial cure and overall cureMEKP dimer: active during file cure stage of polymerization, high MEKP dimer typically causes porosity (air entrapping) in gel coats Achieving the correct thickness of a gel coat is imperative as well. A gel coat should be sprayed in three passes for a total wet film thickness of 18 /- 2 mils thickness. Too thin a coating can result in undercure of the gel coat. Too thick a coat can crack when flexed. Spraying gel coat onto vertical surfaces will not cause sag because of its’ thixotropic characteristics. Gel coats will also not entrap air when applied according to instructions. Lamination With all other factors normal, gel coats are ready for laminating within 45 to 60 minutes after catalyzation. The time is dependent upon: TemperatureHumidityCatalyst typeCatalyst concentrationAir movement A slowing of gel and cure occurs with low temperatures, low catalyst concentrations, and high humidity. To test whether a gel coat is ready for lamination touch the film at the lowest part of the mold. It is ready if no material transfers. Always monitor equipment and application procedures to ensure proper application and cure of the gel coat. Material Preparation Gel coat materials come as complete products and not other materials other than catalysts should be added. For product consistency, gel coats should be mixed for 10 minutes before use. Agitation should be enough to allow the product to move all the way to the container walls while preventing as much turbulence as possible. It is imperative not to over-mix. This can decrease thixotropy, which increases sag. Overmixing may also result in styrene loss that can add to porosity. Air bubbling for mixing is not advised. It is ineffective and adds for potential water or oil contamination.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Materials in Our Daily Life Essay Example

Materials in Our Daily Life Essay Example Materials in Our Daily Life Essay Materials in Our Daily Life Essay Essay Topic: Life Is Beautiful Materials in Our Daily Life : 95 : 21 Materials in Our Daily Life The basic aim of science is not only to study and understand natural phenomena but also to use this knowledge to make our lives more comfortable. Science and technology have enabled us to develop more economical and convenient methods to recover useful materials from nature and to put them to various uses. Chemistry has enabled us to synthesize new materials which have desired properties, thus, making them even better than natural materials. We need different types of materials to meet our daily needs. Some of them are obtained from nature while others are prepared by man. The materials that we get from nature are called natural materials. Wood, silk, cotton, leather, rubber, coal, etc. are natural materials. However, some materials that we use are manmade. Synthetic textiles like terylene and nylon, cement, glass, plastics, dyes, soap, detergents, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides are some man-made materials which are commonly used. In this lesson, you will learn about the ways in which various materials are used in making common household items, in construction of houses and other buildings. You will learn about different polymers and their uses in our daily life. In addition, you will learn about the various medicines that help to cure different diseases and keep us healthy. OBJECTIVES After completing this lesson, you will be able to: differentiate between natural and man-made materials; name the materials used for making some common household items and for housing purposes; state the principles involved in preparation and properties of some man-made materials in our daily life; list various medicines used in some common diseases; explain harmful effects of man-made materials on the environment. 21. COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS We use many things in our house like candles in case of emergency lighting, ink to write, soaps and detergents to wash our clothes, matchbox to light gas stove or candles and many more. Let us now learn about these items of daily use. : 96 : Materials in Our Daily Life 21. 1. 1 Candles We use candles as emergency light source and for decorative a nd ceremonial purposes. Usually they are made from a mixture of paraffin wax or some other slow-burning substance like tallow (stearic acid). They are commonly made in cylindrical form but are also made in fanciful designs. They contain a wick at their centre. When lighted with a matchstick heat from its flame liquefies the wax of the candle. This liquefied wax rises up along the wick where it is converted into vapour form, which then catches fire. Now a days, candles are made in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes. Some candles are scented and their aroma spreads in the air when lighted while some others can float on water. Nainital (in Uttaranchal) is famous for the variety of beautiful and decorative candles manufactured here. 21. 1. 2 Inks We all use inks in various writing instruments like fountain pens, ball pens, gel pens, roller pens, soft tip pens, etc. Have you ever thought what ink is? Ink is a coloured fluid or a paste that is used for writing or printing. Earlier, black ink, also called India ink, was most widely used. It was made by mixing lamp black or carbon black in water or oil to which some gum was added which stabilized the mixture and also gave it better sticking property. This ink is used even these days but more commonly used inks are solutions of water or alcohol soluble dyes. Inks used in printing are similar in nature but are in the form of thick paste, which has a better sticking property. This is an essential quality as it causes the ink to stick to the typefaces and to paper when it is pressed against it. 21. 1. 3 Soap and detergents We use soap and detergents to wash our clothes. We wash our hands and take bath with soap. Soap and detergents help in removing dirt, oil and grease. How do soap and detergents remove the dirt and grease? What are the chemicals present in them? What is the difference in soaps and detergents? 21. 1. 3a Soap Soap has been in use for at least last three thousand years. Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of long chain organic acids (called fatty acids) like stearic acid and palmitic acid. How is soap manufactured? Soap is made by heating oil with sodium hydroxide. The oil and sodium hydroxide solution are fed into an enclosed reaction vessel under high pressure and heated at high temperature. At this temperature, the reaction is completed in a few minutes. The mixture of soap and glycerol is cooled and a concentrated solution of sodium chloride is added. Glycerol dissolves readily in salt solution but soap does not. So, solid soap separates out from the mixture. It is then removed by centrifugation. While still hot it is sprayed into a hot vacuum chamber to dry it. Perfume is added and the particles are compressed into soap cake. Materials in Our Daily Life : 97 : The basic materials used to manufacture soap are animal fats (lard) or vegetable oils (olive oil, neem oil, etc. ) and an alkali, usually sodium hydroxide. Fats and oils are compounds of organic acids (containing 12–14 carbon atoms) and glycerol (commonly called glycerine). When the fat or oil is heated with sodium hydroxide solution, the acids are broken away from glycerol and are neutralized by the alkali to form soap. Soaps produce lather (foam) with soft water. With hard water, which contains calcium and magnesium salts in it, they do not produce lather. Instead they themselves are precipitated as insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium. 21. 1. 3b Detergents Animal fats and vegetable oils are important foodstuffs and ideally should not be used for making something even as important as soap. In their place, long chain sulphonic acids (usually C8 to C22) are used. Sodium or potassium salts of these sulphonic acids are known as detergents. Detergents can be manufactured in solid form (for washing powders) or in liquid form (for shampoos and liquid soaps). Unlike soaps detergents can be used with soft as well as hard water. This is because their calcium and magnesium salts are water soluble. ACTIVITY 21. 1 Aim : To compare the lather forming ability of soap and detergent in soft and hard water. What is required? Four test tubes, two small pieces of soap and detergent cakes. What to do? Take four test tubes. In two of them take some amount of ordinary tap water which is soft water. In one of them add a small piece of soap while in the other add a small amount of some detergent (a small piece or a small amount of powder). Shake both the test tubes. What do you observe? Lather is formed in both the test tubes. Now repeat the above procedure with hard water from a hand pump or a well. You will find that soap does not form lather but detergent does form lather even with hard water. 21. 1. 3c Cleansing action of soap and detergent Soaps and detergents form lather or foam with water. Lather removes grease and dirt particles from clothes. Water by itself cannot do it as it does not wet oily or greasy dirt. Addition of soap or detergents improves the wetting property of water and thus helps in removing oily or greasy dirt. 21. 1. Matchboxes In every house you will find a matchbox. Can you imagine life without it? How would you light up a candle or gas stove without it? : 98 : Materials in Our Daily Life Do you know how a matchstick catches fire? The head of matchstick consists of a mixture of potassium chlorate and antimony trisulphide bound together by glue. The striking surface on the matchbox is a mixture of red phosphorus and p owdered glass held by glue. When a matchstick is struck against the coated surface of the matchbox, some heat is produced that makes the chemicals in the match head react. The heat of this reaction ignites the wood. Be careful Matches must be used carefully. While lighting, it should not be struck so hard on the side of the matchbox that it’s burning head breaks and flies away. This can result in an accident. After using a matchstick, we should not throw it anywhere carelessly. Even when its flame is blown off, the tip of the stick continues to burn slowly as can be seen by the dull red glow at the tip. This is known as after glow. Many accidental fires may occur by this after glow. Therefore, while throwing away a matchstick you should always check that it is completely extinguished and there is no after glow. Sometimes matchsticks are dipped in a solution of borax or sodium carbonate (karborized matches) and dried as a first step in the manufacture of matches. Matchsticks thus treated are completely extinguished when blown away and are safer to use. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 21. 1 1. Give two examples each of natural and man-made materials? 2. Name the substances used for making candles. 3. What are soaps? 4. Can soap be used with hard water to wash clothes? 5. Which type of matches do we use today? 21. 2 HOUSING MATERIALS In the last section, we learned about some common household items. In this section, we will learn about two important housing materials – cement and glass. 21. 2. 1 Cement Do you know what cement is made of and how is it manufactured? a) Raw materials required: Three main raw materials required for manufacture of cement are as follows: Limestone which is calcium carbonate, CaCO3 Clay which is mainly a mixture of aluminium silicates containing alumina, Al2O3 and silica, SiO2 Gypsum which is CaSO4. 2H2O b) Manufacture: Limestone and clay are mixed in definite proportion and ground to a fine powdery state. This dry powder is used as such or mixed with water to form a paste and heated in a rotary kiln (a type of furnace). It is slowly made to pass through the kiln wherein limestone and clay combine chemically and form a mixture of calcium silicate, CaSiO3 and calcium aluminate, CaAl2O3. This mixture is in the form of small greenish black or grey-coloured Materials in Our Daily Life : 99 : hard balls known as clinkers. These clinkers are allowed to cool down and then ground to very fine powder. To this powder, 2-3% gypsum is added and the mixture is again ground to obtain a grayish coloured powder, which is cement. It is then packed in airtight bags to exclude the moisture. Gypsum is added to decrease the setting time of cement. c) Uses: Cement is one of the most important building materials. It is employed in the construction of buildings, roads, bridges, dams, etc. For general uses like plastering or laying of bricks, this powder is mixed with sand and water and the resulting thick paste is used for construction purposes. As a result of chemical reactions between water and cement this mixture sets into a hard mass. Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, gravel or small pieces of stone and water. It sets to an extremely hard structure. It is used for making floors and roads. Concrete may be further strengthened by filling it around or over a network of steel rods and allowing it to set. It is known as reinforced concrete cement or R. C. C. Such structures are very strong and are used in construction of pillars, roofs of buildings, roads, bridges and dams. 21. 2. 2 Glass Glass is used for various purposes. You must have seen glasses fitted in windows and doors, looking mirrors, windscreens of vehicles, reading glasses, sunglasses, etc. Have you ever wondered how is glass prepared? What are the raw materials required for manufacturing of different types of glasses? ) Raw materials required: The basic raw materials needed for making glass are: Washing soda which is sodium carbonate, Na2 CO3. Limestone which is calcium carbonate, CaCO3. Sand which is silica, SiO2. b) Manufacture: The raw materials are mixed in a definite proportion. These are then ground and the mixture is heated in a furnace. Sometimes scrap glass is also mixed with other raw materials. By doing so glass can be recycled and it also helps in melting of the mixture. The fused mixture is then allowed to cool. The glass so produced is transparent, non-crystalline and brittle. ) Types of glass and their uses: There are various types of glasses depending upon their composition and the purpose of their use. Soda-lime glass: The glass produced as given above is called sodalime glass or soft glass. It is used for manufacture of bottles ordinary crockery, ordinary laboratory glass apparatus like soda glass test tubes etc. Hard glass: If instead of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate is used for making glass another variety of glass known as hard glass is produced. It can withstand very high temperatures. It is used for making hard glass laboratory apparatus like hard glass test tubes, beakers, conical flasks etc. 100 : Materials in Our Daily Life Borosilicate glass: It is sodium aluminium borosilicate. It can withstand rapid he ating and cooling without breaking. It is used for making kitchenware and laboratory apparatus. It is sold under the trade names Borosil and Pyrex. Flint or optical glass: It is used for making lenses, prisms, spectacles, etc. because of its excellent optical properties. It is composed of alkalis, lead oxide and silica. It is also known as flint glass. A superior variety of optical glasses is made by adding cerium oxide. It cuts harmful ultra violet rays that are harmful to eyes. It is known as Crooke’s glass. Coloured glass: It is made by adding small quantities of oxides of different metals to basic ingredients. Blue glass contains traces of cobalt or copper oxide, green glass contains chromium ferrous oxide, red glass contains selenium oxide. Fibre glass: It is produced by passing molten glass through rotating spinners when it gets converted into fine threads. It is used as an insulating material for heat, electricity and sound in different equipment like electric ovens, geysers, refrigerators, etc. It is also used for reinforcing plastics and rubber to make bodies of cars and scooters and safety helmets. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 21. 2 1. What is mixed with cement before using it for construction purposes? 2. Which type of glass can withstand rapid heating and cooling without breaking? 3. What is the role of small pieces of stone that are added to cement when it is used to make floor or roads? 4. How is coloured glass made? 21. 3 SOME IMPORTANT CHEMICALS A large number of chemicals are used in industry and in our homes for various purposes. In this section we would learn about some such useful chemicals. 21. 3. 1 Washing soda Washing soda is used for washing of clothes. It is because of this chemical used that the clothes washed by a washerman appear so white. Chemically, washing soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate (Na2CO3. 10H2O). It is an important chemical required as basic raw material in hundreds of industries. Now let us learn about the raw materials used in its manufacture and how is it manufactured. a) Raw materials required: The raw materials required to manufacture washing soda are Lime stone is calcium carbonate (CaCO3) Sodium chloride (NaCl) in the form of brine Ammonia (NH3) b) Manufacture: Washing soda is manufactured by Solvay process. In this process, firstly, carbon dioxide is obtained by heating limestone strongly. CaCO3 CaO + CO2 lime stone quick lime carbon dioxide Materials in Our Daily Life : 101 : It is then passed through cold brine (a solution of concentrated NaCl in water), which has previously been saturated with ammonia. NaCl(aq) + CO2(g) + NH3(g) + H2O(l) NaHCO3(s) + NH4Cl(aq) Sodium chloride ammonia sodium hydrogen carbonate ammonium chloride NaHCO3 being sparingly soluble in water, crystallizes out. It is calcinated (heated strongly in a furnace) to get sodium carbonate. 2NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + CO2 H2O Ammonia used in this process is regenerated by first converting the quicklime obtained earlier with water and then reacting it with ammonium chloride obtained from carbonating tower. CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2 quick lime slaked lime Ca(OH)2 + 2NH4Cl ammonium chloride CaCl2 + 2NH3 + 2H2O calcium chloride c) Uses: Washing soda is used in the manufacture of glass, water glass, caustic soda, borax and soap powders. It is also used for the softening of water, as laboratory reagent and as a starting material for the preparation of a number of other sodium compounds. Of course, its most common use in laundry is for washing of fabrics and clothes from which it gets its name. 21. 3. 2 Baking soda You must have seen your mother using baking soda while cooking some dals. If you ask her why she uses it, she would tell that it helps in cooking some items faster which otherwise would take much longer time. Chemically, baking soda is sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium bicarbonate and its formula is NaHCO3. a) Manufacture: You have already learned in the previous section that it is the primary product of the Solvay process used to manufacture washing soda. It gives small white crystals sparingly soluble in water. Its solution in water is alkaline in nature. b) Uses: Baking soda is mainly used in the baking industry. When sodium hydrogen carbonate or its solution is heated, it gives off carbon dioxide. It is this carbon dioxide which raises the dough during baking. The sodium carbonate produced during the heating of sodium hydrogen carbonate gives bitter taste. Therefore, usually baking powder is used, which is a mixture of baking soda, NaHCO3 and an acid like tartaric acid. The latter is added to neutralize the sodium carbonate formed in the reaction given above, to avoid its bitter taste. You must have eaten cakes. They are made so soft and fluffy by using baking powder. Baking soda is also used in medicines to neutralize the excessive acidity in the stomach. Mixed with a solid acid such as citric or tartaric acid, it finds use in effervescent drinks used to cure indigestion. Another important use of baking soda is in certain types of fire extinguishers about which you have already learned in lesson 14. : 102 : Materials in Our Daily Life 21. 3. 3 Bleaching powder Have you ever wondered at the whiteness of a new white cloth? How is it made so white? It is done by bleaching the cloth at the time of its manufacture. Bleaching is a process of removing colour from a cloth to make it whiter. Bleaching powder has been used for this purpose since long. Chemically, it is calcium oxychloride and its formula is CaOCl2. Now we shall learn about the raw materials required for its manufacture and how it is manufactured from them. a) Raw materials required: The raw materials required for manufacture of bleaching powder are Slaked lime, Ca(OH)2 Chlorine gas, Cl2 b) Manufacture: It is prepared in a vertical tower made of cast iron with inlets for chlorine and hot air near the base. The dry slaked lime, calcium hydroxide, is fed into the chlorinating tower from the top. It moves downward slowly and meets the upcoming current of chlorine. As a result of the reaction between them it is converted into bleaching powder which collects at the bottom. CaOCl2 + H2O Ca(OH)2 + Cl2 c) Uses: It is used mainly for bleaching cotton, linen and wood pulp in textile and paper factories. Apart from this, it is used as a disinfectant and germicide for the sterilization of water, in rendering wool unshrinkable and for the manufacture of chloroform. It also finds use as an oxidizing agent in many chemical industries. 1. 3. 4 Plaster of Paris You must have seen beautiful designs made on the ceiling and walls of rooms in many houses. They are made with Plaster of Paris, also called POP. a) Manufacture: It is manufactured from gypsum which is hydrated calcium sulphate (CaSO4. 2H2O) found in nature. When gypsum is heated at about 325 K, it loses part of its water of crystallization to f orm CaSO4. ?H2O or 2CaSO4. H2O which is plaster of Paris. When made into a paste with a little water, Plaster of Paris sets to a hard mass, which expand with hardening. b) Uses: Plaster of Paris finds use in making casts and patterns. It is used for making plaster casts to hold fractured bones in position while they set. It is also used for making chalks for writing on blackboard. Now a days it is increasingly being used for plastering the walls, pillars and ceilings and to make ornamental patterns on them. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 21. 3 1. What is the common name of NaHCO3? 2. Name the process used for manufacture of washing soda? 3. Which chemical can be used for removing stains of ink from clothes? 4. What is the chemical formula of Plaster of Paris? Materials in Our Daily Life : 103 : 21. FIBRES: NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC Fibre is a fine thread like material, like cotton, which is woven or knitted into a cloth. We need different types of clothes, such as cotton, silk, nylon, polyester, etc. to suit different weather conditions. Fibres are made of polymers. Cotton consists of cellulose. Some of these like cotton, wool and silk are obtained from nature. They are called natural fibres. Many of them are man-made like nylon , polyester, terylene, liakra, etc. They are called synthetic fibres. 21. 4. 1 Polymers Many things that we see around us and use are polymers. We use plastic buckets, containers, electrical switches, etc. The clothes that we wear are made of polymers like cotton, wool, terylene, etc. Polymers are big molecules which are formed when a large number of small molecules join one another. The word polymer means many parts. The small molecules which make a polymer are called monomers. For example, ethene (C2H4) molecules join together and form the polymer known as polythene. a) Nylon: Nylon is a polymer of small monomeric units called amide (-CO-NH-) i. e. it is a polyamide. It is prepared by reaction of adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine. Terylene is crease resistant, durable and is not damaged by insects like moths and by mildew (fungi that form a white growth on plants and materials like cloth and paper). b) Polysters: Polyesters are another category of polymers. One important member of this family is dacron which is also known as terylene. It is prepared by reaction between terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. It is crease resistant, durable and is not damaged by insects like moths and mildew. Therefore, it is suitable for making garments because they can be set into permanent creases and pleats. It has also been used to repair or replace segments of blood vessels. In the form of thin sheets it is used for manufacture of adhesive tapes and recording tapes. 21. 4. 2 Rubber a) Natural rubber: Natural rubber is chemically poly-cis-isoprene which is formed from the monomer isoprene. It comes from the sap of the Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Trees are tapped by making a spiral cut through the bark. The sap is called latex. It is a white milky liquid. It is a suspension of tiny particles of rubber in water. These particles can be separated when acid is added to it and solid rubber is obtained. Raw rubber is soft and pliable i. e. it can be easily bent. It does not possess the main property that we associate with rubber, elasticity i. e. the ability to return to its original shape after stretching. Rubber is made elastic by heating it with a small amount (1 to 3%) of sulphur. This process is known as vulcanization. Apart from sulphur other substances are also added to natural rubber to modify its properties. Carbon black is added to make it stronger, flexible and more resistant to wear and tear. For making car tyres, 2 parts of rubber are mixed : 104 : Materials in Our Daily Life ith 1 part carbon black. If flexibility is not important fillers, such as clay or chalk, are added to make rubber hard and stiff. Rubber for floor tiles and mats contains fillers of this type. b) Synthetic rubber: Synthetic rubber supplements the natural rubber and helps save precious trees. Its properties are similar and sometimes better than those of natural rubber. The most common variety of syn thetic rubber is made from the monomer butadiene CH2CH. CH. CH2. It can be vulcanized just like natural rubber. It has particularly good resistance to wear and tear, which makes it especially useful for making tyres. Other types of synthetic rubbers are made by mixing other monomers like styrene and chloroprene (commonly known as neoprene) with butadiene. 21. 4. 3 Plastics You must be using comb, toothbrush, jars and buckets in your house. All these items of daily use are made of plastic. Plastics are synthetic or mans are divinyl ethers, cyclopropane, etc. They are used during major surgical operations. Some anaesthetics like Novocain and Xylocaine which show their effect in a limited area are called local anaesthetics. They are used during small surgical operations and tooth extraction. 21. 5. 2 Antibiotics Antibiotics are medicines which are used to kill bacteria, fungi and moulds. The first antibiotic discovered was penicillin which is very effective for pneumonia, bronchitis, sore throat, etc. Ampicillin is a slight modification of penicillin. It has wider applications. Other commonly used antibiotics are streptomycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. 21. 5. 3 Analgesics Analgesics are used for relieving pain. Aspirin, paracetamol, morphine are some examples of analgesics. They must be used only under medical supervision. 21. 5. 4 Antacids Antacids are used to treat acidity in stomach. Digene, ranitidine and omeprazole are some examples of antacids. 21. 5. 5 Antipyretics Antipyretics are the medicines which are used to bring down body temperature in high fever. Their administration leads to perspiration which brings down the temperature. Common examples are aspirin, paracetamol, analgin and phenacetin. In this section you learned about some important types of medicines. However, it must be remembered that medicines hould always be taken on the advice of a doctor. CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 21. 5 1. What is the use of the drug paracetamol? 2. What is the use of ranitidine? 3. Name an antibiotic. 4. Which types of medicines are used for relieving pain? 21. 6 HARMFUL EFFECTS OF MAN-MADE MATERIALS In this lesson you have learnt about various materials that are useful to us. Many of them are obtained from natural resources while a large number of them are man-made. These days the latter are being used extensively. However, after use their disposal becomes a problem. Many of them are toxic in nature and pollute air and water. Some of them are so stable that they are not degraded easily and they get accumulated in the environment. Such materials should be recycled in order to avoid such problems. In the next lesson you will learn about the harmful effects of man-made materials and the related environmental problems in detail. : 106 : Materials in Our Daily Life LET US REVISE Of all the materials that we see around us some are obtained from nature while others are prepared by man. Candles are made from a mixture of paraffin wax and stearic acid. Inks are coloured fluids or pastes that are used for writing or printing. Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of long chain fatty acids while detergents are sodium or potassium salts of long chain sulphonic acids. Detergents can give lather even with hard water whereas soaps cannot. Safety matches have a mixture of potassium chlorate and antimony trisulphide and glue at the head of match sticks and a mixture of red phosphorus and powdered glass on the striking surface. The heat generated when the match stick is struck starts the ignition. Cement is one of the most important building material manufactured from limestone, clay and gypsum. Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand gravel and water. It sets to an extremely hard structure. Glass is prepared by heating a mixture of washing soda, limestone and sand in a furnace. Soda glass is used for manufacture of bottles, ordinary crockery, laboratory apparatus, etc. Hard glass is made by using potassium carbonate in place of sodium carbonate. It can withstand very high temperatures and is used for making laboratory apparatus. Borosilicate glass is sodium aluminium borosilicate and can withstand rapid heating and cooling. It is used for making kitchen and laboratory ware. Flint glass is used for making lenses, prisms, spectacles, etc. Coloured glass is made by adding small quantities of oxides of different metals. Fibre glass is a mass of fine threads of glass used as an insulating material for heat, electricity and sound and reinforcing plastics and rubber. Washing soda (Na2CO3. 10H2O) is prepared by Solvay process. It is used in the manufacture of glass, caustic soda, borax and soap powders. It is used for softening of water, as a laboratory reagent and as a starting material for many sodium compounds. Baking soda (NaHCO3) is the primary product of Solvay process. It is mainly used in baking industry and in fire extinguishers. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and tartaric acid. Bleaching powder (CaOCl2) is prepared by mixing chlorine and slaked lime. It is used for bleaching cotton, linen and wood pulp and for sterilization of water. Plaster of Paris (CaSO4. ?H2O) is prepared by heating gypsum (CaSO4. 2H2O). It is used for making casts and patterns and for plastering the walls, pillars and ceilings and to make ornamental patterns on them. Materials in Our Daily Life : 107 : Polymers are big molecules formed when a large number of small molecules join together. Cotton, wool, terylene, etc. are some polymers. Nylon, polyesters, rubber and plastics are some important polymers. Medicine is a substance used for treating diseases or illness. Anaesthetics, antibiotics, analgesics, antacids and antipyretics are some important types of drugs that are used. TERMINAL EXERCISES A. Multiple choice type questions. Choose the correct answer of the following: 1. The glass that can withstand rapid heating and cooling without breaking is (a) hard (b) soda-lime glass (c) borosilicate (d) flint 2. Novocain is an (a) antipyretic (b) analgesic (c) anaesthetic (d) antibiotic 3. Chloramphenicol is an (a) antibiotic (b) antipyretic (c) antacid (d) analgesic 4. Which of the following is not a raw material required for manufacture of washing soda? (a) Lime stone (b) Ammonia (c) Slaked lime (d) Sodium chloride 5. Which of the following is a man-made material? (a) Glass (b) Wood (c) Leather (d) Silk B. Descriptive type questions. 1. What are candles made of ? 2. What are the basic materials used for the manufacture of soaps? 3. What is concrete? 4. Mention two uses of bleaching powder. 5. Name the two substances used for making nylon. 6. For printing purpose why is ink used in the form of thick paste? 7. How striking the matchstick on the side of the matchbox helps in lighting it? . Why is gypsum added to the powdered clinkers during manufacture of cement? 9. Mention four uses of washing soda. 10. Give two examples each of antibiotics and analgesics. 11. What is an antipyretic? Give two examples. 12. What is vulcanization process? Why is natural rubber vulcanized? 13. List the raw materials required for manufacture of bleaching powder and desc ribe its process of manufacture. 14. How is Plaster of Paris manufactured? Give its two uses. 15. Name three plastics and give one use of each one of them. 16. What is a candle made of? Explain the process of lighting it. 108 : Materials in Our Daily Life 17. Differentiate between soaps and detergents. Why soaps do not form lather with hard water while detergents can? 18. List the raw materials required for the manufacture of cement. Describe the process of manufacture of cement briefly. 19. How is soda-lime glass manufactured? Describe briefly. What changes are made in the raw materials in the manufacture of optical glass and Borosil glass? How is colour imparted to glass? 20. Describe the process of manufacture of washing soda giving appropriate chemical equations. Mention two of its uses. 21. What are the monomeric units of polythene and polyvinyl chloride? Give three uses of each of these. ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 21. 1 1. Natural materials: Any two of the following – wood, silk, cotton, leather and rubber Man-made materials: Any two of the following – synthetic textiles like terylene and nylon, cement, glass, plastics, dyes, soap, detergents, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. Candles are made from mixtures of paraffin wax and stearic acid. Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids. No, because soap is precipitated out as salts of calcium and potassium in hard water. Safety matches Sand and water Borosilicate glass To increase the strength of cement By adding small quantities of different metals Baking soda Solvay process Bleaching powder CaSO4. H2O or CaSO4. 1/2H2O Monomer is a substance whose small molecules combine with one another and make a polymer. Isoprene To make rubber elastic Polyvinyl chloride 2. 3. 4. 5. 21. 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 21. 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 21. 4 1. 2. 3. 4. Materials in Our Daily Life : 109 : 21. 5 1. 2. 3. 4. As an antipyretic or to get relief from fever It is an antacid used to reduce acidity Ampicillin or penicillin Analgin or analgesic GLOSSARY Analgesics: Medicines which are used for relieving pain. Antacids: Medicines which are used to treat acidity in stomach. Antibiotics: Medicines which are used to kill bacteria, fungi and moulds. Antipyretics: Medicines which are used to bring down body temperature in high fever. Bakelite: Phenol-formaldehyde resin made by reacting phenol and formaldehyde. Baking powder: Mixture of baking soda and tartaric acid. Baking soda: Common name of NaHCO3. Bleaching powder: Common name of CaOCl2. Borosilicate glass (Borosil glass): Sodium aluminium borosilicate and can withstand rapid heating and cooling. Concrete: Mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water. Dacron: Polyester prepared by reaction between terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Detergents: Sodium or potassium salts of long chain sulphonic acids. Fibre glass: Mass of fine threads of glass used as an insulating material for heat, electricity and sound and reinforcing plastics and rubber. Flint or optical glass: Lead-potash lime glass which is used for making lenses, prisms, spectacles, etc. General anaesthetics: Those drugs which result in loss of sensation and consciousness in the entire body. Hard glass: Variety of glass that can withstand very high temperatures. Ink: Coloured fluid or a paste, which is used for writing or printing. Local anaesthetics: Drugs which show their effect in a limited area. Man-made materials: Materials which are prepared by man. Medicine: Substance used for treating diseases or illness. Monomers: Small molecules which make a polymer by joining one another. Natural materials: Materials which we get from nature. Nylon: Polymer of small monomeric units called amide (-CO-NH-) i. e. it is a polyamide Plaster of Paris: Common name of CaSO4 ? H2O. : 110 : Materials in Our Daily Life Polymers: Big molecules formed when a large number of small molecules join together. Polythene: Polymer made from ethene (CH2=CH2). Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Polymer is made from the monomer vinyl chloride (CH2=CHCl). Reinforced Concrete Cement (RCC): Concrete that is strengthened by filling it around or over a network of steel rods and allowing it to set. Rubber: Chemically poly-cis-isoprene which is formed from the monomer isoprene. Soaps: Sodium or potassium salts of long chain fatty acids. Synthetic rubber: Made from the monomer butadiene (CH2CH. CH. CH2). Vulcanization: The rocess of heating of rubber with a small amount (1-3%) of sulphur to make it elastic. Washing soda: Common name of Na2CO310H2O

Saturday, October 19, 2019

International Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Terrorism - Essay Example The essay "International Terrorism" talks about the complex aspects of human experiences based on negative features that are imposed on them - terrorism. This is because terrorism captures emotions based on politics, philosophy, psychology, military strategies, and history to bring about negative experiences to the world. The term international terrorism denotes the use of violence by international or foreign parties against civilian populations of another nation in an attempt to cause panic. Those that perpetrate the acts of terrorism are known as terrorists and they operate in covert means, normally, unless their attacks require attention. In order to draw attention or even gain publicity, terror attacks are done overtly and in public with the knowledge of the elite or even security forces. The security forces, in cases of overt attacks, are usually backed into a corner and are unable to take action either due to lack of information or great risks of intervention. International ter rorism requires the use of cell groups to plan and carry out terrorist attacks in foreign nations, where they even recruit members from the home nation. In addition, international terrorism is taking a new form or face that involves the use of loose organization in conducting and executing attacks. This is through self-financed groups, which are part of an international network that works together in isolated cases. The groups thrive on a different basis such as religion to carry out their attacks or even make their voices known. or heard. Such groups include radical Islamists, who use Islam as their religion and claim to be marginalized on a global scale or even have their rights infringed. For this reason, the Islamists carry out attacks in nations that have strong ties with the host nations that oppress them or even those that infringe their rights directly. This can be seen in the case of the September 11 attacks in the year 2001 in the United States, which is an example of an i nternational terrorist attack in the United States, which was executed through suicide attacks aimed at various installations in the nation. A passenger jetliner that was hijacked en route to Los Angeles from Boston was flown into New York’s World Trade Center into one tower while a second plane was flown into the second tower later. The attack was conducted in the presence of the terrorist who were onboard and with his or her own pilots. This one attack is evidence of international terrorist attacks that are believed to originate from radical Islamists from the Middle East and the perpetrator being a Saudi man who was anti-western, Osama bin Laden (United States Institute of Peace, n.d). One of the reasons that international terrorism has escalated is because of the proliferation of weapons that include weapons of mass destruction. These are especially found in the case of Iran and North Korea that are believed to finance and sponsor international terrorism as they have acce ss and run uranium enrichment; for nuclear weapons. The production of these nuclear weapons has also seen new trends in international terrorism, where international terrorists have been noted to attempt at acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons (Perl, 2007). One such international terror attack that used weapons of mass destruction occurred in Kurdistan; and was executed by Iraqis in an attempt to wipe out all Kurdish people that spoke the Kurdish language. The gas caused the death of roughly 5000 civilians and it was seen as a means of multiplying force, where it killed civilians instead of targeted soldiers

Friday, October 18, 2019

Entrepreneur profile brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Entrepreneur profile brief - Essay Example In addition to working towards economic development, this entrepreneur seems to be also very conscious of the environment and with this in mind; he has helped the people of Ranquitte to develop respect towards the environment and to attempt to restore it as much as possible to its pristine state. Durant, while conducting his activities in Haiti also went there as a missionary in an attempt to evangelize as he helped the community get back to its feet. As the head of the mission program in Ranquitte, Durant worked closely with the local people of the community, not only helping them gain materially through the coffee program, but also spiritually through teaching them of the goodness of God. His ability to take on multiple roles in an attempt to improve the lives of the community is highly commendable because it allowed him to help its people get a well-rounded growth (George Fox University, 2009). The story of Tom Durant is highly inspirational because it allows an individual to get a glimpse at the manner in which, despite the massive secularization as well as the high rates of poverty that plague the world, there are still individuals within it who are willing to help others overcome these problems. Durant’s story is one that is full of hope for the people of Haiti and the rest of the world because it shows them that no matter what the odds are in their life, they can still manage to overcome them and become successful. Through his helping the people of Ranquitte to gain self-sufficiency through the marketing and sale of their coffee, Durant, through his entrepreneurship skills, has made it possible for this product to be recognized for the good qualities that it has. Moreover, Durant states that it is because of his involvement in Haiti that he has gained further spiritual growth because the mission program that he initiated has worked beyond his wildest dreams; imp roving the lives of the

IFRS (ADIDAS) VS. US GAAP( nike) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

IFRS (ADIDAS) VS. US GAAP( nike) - Essay Example The generic accounting principles include four types of financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement and retained earnings statement (Nikolai et al, 2009). The balance sheet is one of the core accounting documents produced for all business entities, which provide the financial position of a company, with details on its assets, liabilities and ownership equity, at any given point in time. The income statement is a reflection of the profit and loss details that the entity generated over a particular period of time. Reflecting the operation of the enterprise, profit and loss statements, a term commonly used to describe the income statement, include the revenue generated from sale and the expenses that are incurred over the reporting period used for the document. The cash flow statement is a report that details the various activities undertaken by an entity, linked to investing and financing. Lastly, the statement of retained earnings is a snapshot of the ch anges that have taken place in the earnings of the entity over the reporting period that is in place as part of the accounting policy. The objective of the financial statement is variable to the stakeholder utilising the information. Organizational owners and managers use financial statements as a resource to base strategic decisions on, by assessing the overall operational efficiency of the business. On the other hand, investors look into the reporting data as a way of judging the viability of the institution, especially in context of the security and benefit it would create for any investment. The government bodies would use institutional financial statements within their due diligence and auditing process, to ascertain the declarations made by the entity, especially in relation to taxes and duties (Ding et al, 2007). Furthermore, financial bodies use this form of organizational documentation to decide the security

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Fascist Italy to Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fascist Italy to Nazi Germany - Essay Example This embarrassed Germany to a point of grudge. In the case of Italy, factions who were against its involvement during the First World War blamed its regime for taking part on the costly war that crippled their economy and prestige. However, both German Nazism and Italian Fascism had different goals and treatment on how they run their government and national affairs. Italian Fascism seeks to create an organic state by incorporating all aspects of national society. The focus was an economically self-sustaining and expanding empire with a strong and unified society. This was seen during Benito Mussolini’s initial act to create a strong government by uniting all political factions for national progress. Macdonald (1999) stated that, â€Å"Mussolini set up the Fascist Grand Council to work alongside the government Council of Ministers which included non-Fascists† (p.20). The goal of Italian Fascism was to try to restore Italy’s old glory while expanding its sphere of influence in Europe and its neighboring regions. This resulted to Italy’s early invasion of North Africa and Ethiopia during the opening stages of the Second World War. German Nazism also aims for national development and progress. In the case of Nazism, however, the way toward this goal was through their idea of a purity of race. In the eyes of Nazism under Adolf Hitler, Germany was in ruins because the Jews in Germany never took part in the First World War for Germany. Hitler also considered the Jews, who were mostly prominent businessmen and merchants, to have weakened German economy by making a fortune only for themselves. At the same time, German Nazism also abhorred the Slavic people and communists. Homosexuals and gypsies were looked down upon as a lesser group of people compared to the German populace. Hitler had a special hatred for the Jews though, and this fueled his sense of

See below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

See below - Essay Example It discusses the behaviors portrayed by the corporation. It also discusses and gives suggestions to the ways the corporation has to do to the environment. And finally, the essay gives the most important considerations a corporation has to consider. Having a strong desire for more wealth, possessions and power more than a person’s needs can lead to a person to do things that will harm other people just to satisfy that desire. Being greedy can lead a person to do actions such as sacrificing the safety, happiness and the rights of other people for the sake of satisfying one’s self. Monsanto is a big business that can be found all around the world. It is a corporation that has existed in the year 1901. A 42-year-old, John F. Queeny, whose job is to purchase under the Drug Company of the Meyer brothers started this business. The name was taken from the last name of his wife for the reason that the last name of his wife is well known to other people especially to the Germans that are responsible in supplying goods. During that time, they named their companies using their last names. They had been discovering and manufacturing products in connection to the farms and cattle for fast production that leads them to higher profits. From the very beginning, Monsanto Corporation has been claiming that their main purpose is for the sake of the farmers and for the environment. Their main goal is to help the farmers in every possible way in order to produce more crops. One of their goals is to use as little of the resources such as the soil and water as possible so that these resources will last a long time. But the corporation is the number one violators of their goals. They did the opposite for the sake of higher profits. They torture the farmers for the sake of profits by suing them to court and asked them large amount of money. The amount of money that both parties agreed to pay is not revealed to the public which means that the corporation is only

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Fascist Italy to Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fascist Italy to Nazi Germany - Essay Example This embarrassed Germany to a point of grudge. In the case of Italy, factions who were against its involvement during the First World War blamed its regime for taking part on the costly war that crippled their economy and prestige. However, both German Nazism and Italian Fascism had different goals and treatment on how they run their government and national affairs. Italian Fascism seeks to create an organic state by incorporating all aspects of national society. The focus was an economically self-sustaining and expanding empire with a strong and unified society. This was seen during Benito Mussolini’s initial act to create a strong government by uniting all political factions for national progress. Macdonald (1999) stated that, â€Å"Mussolini set up the Fascist Grand Council to work alongside the government Council of Ministers which included non-Fascists† (p.20). The goal of Italian Fascism was to try to restore Italy’s old glory while expanding its sphere of influence in Europe and its neighboring regions. This resulted to Italy’s early invasion of North Africa and Ethiopia during the opening stages of the Second World War. German Nazism also aims for national development and progress. In the case of Nazism, however, the way toward this goal was through their idea of a purity of race. In the eyes of Nazism under Adolf Hitler, Germany was in ruins because the Jews in Germany never took part in the First World War for Germany. Hitler also considered the Jews, who were mostly prominent businessmen and merchants, to have weakened German economy by making a fortune only for themselves. At the same time, German Nazism also abhorred the Slavic people and communists. Homosexuals and gypsies were looked down upon as a lesser group of people compared to the German populace. Hitler had a special hatred for the Jews though, and this fueled his sense of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Operartional management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Operartional management - Essay Example The case of restaurant managed by Ms Nok Si Leon shows that she is full of innovative and quality improvements ideas, thus some of them will not work in the airport setting. To present a total point of view, critics shall consider channels from the manufacturers' perspective, emphasizing their selection rather than the description of their components. Just the same, it should not be assumed that channels are always selected or devised on a rational basis. Many channels just grow and become habitual and institutionalized. In the future they must be planned more effectively because marketing tasks (which are shaped by technological changes, sociological and psychological factors, new product development, automation, and dynamic global markets) are becoming more complex (Naylor 2002). The proposed two shelf lines will help Nok to meet customers' expectations and different tastes. It should be evident that differences exist between the organization and management of a channel as compared with that of an independent unit. Authority does not flow directly through each of the units from the top down. Resources are owned and allocated by a number of units. Objectives and expectations of units vary; and although interdependence of interests exists, there are also conflicts. The ideal relationship as seen by each member may shackle other members. In such instances, negotiation, bargaining, and requests for cooperation as well as power become tools of coordination. Following Cohen and Roussel (2004) equilibrium in a channel depends on the development of mutually satisfying marketing relationships and roles among manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. The tie that binds and coordinates channel activity is the community of interest and independence that these groups share. Often the relationship is one in which the manufacturer is the primary organization and other channel members are secondary (Naylor 2002). The most ineffective strategy is to divide the restaurant into two areas and "move" it divided line when necessary. It will create a lot of problems for staff and visitors. Basically, restaurants have three channel policy courses available to them -- intensive, limited, or exclusive distribution. Intensive or broad distribution gives maximum exposure; these are convenience items where easy and ready access is important. The problem they pose of widespread market penetration often requires wholesalers. Limited menus permits a choice of dealers more ready to cooperate with a manufacturer and promote his line. This approach permits the concentration of effort on selected outlets, and requires careful planning. Nok should rely on high quality but limited number of food proposed to customers (Naylor 2002). For Nok, channel selection has great bearing on a company's financial requirements and market capability and vice versa. Given the total range of services supplied by a channel (the wholesaler, for example), companies are able to distribute to broader market areas and to expand their production capabilities. As distribution channels change, so do corporate financial requirements and resource positions. Manufacturers may establish a sequential plan for distribution based on their own development. For instance, a small manufacturer with a limited product line, limited finances, and geographically dispersed markets may use the full services of a wholesaler. As the manufacturer grows in financial

In what ways did World War II end the problems of World War I Essay Example for Free

In what ways did World War II end the problems of World War I Essay In the days prior to World War Two, the First World War was referred to as â€Å"the War to end all Wars†. (Devine, 14) Despite this name, only twenty-odd years had passed before the nations of the world once again engaged in armed conflict. The treaty of Versailles and the conditions in Europe precipitated a second large-scale conflict in Europe. (Devine, 16) The conclusion of WWII ended the problems that derived from WWI by ending the Fascist dictatorships of Europe, ending European and Asian imperialism, and shifting military power out of Europe. The Treaty of Versailles created tremendous pressure on Germany, Austria-Hungary, and other nations who bore the blame for the conflict. (Morgan, 18) The economic depression in these nations that resulted from their attempts to pay reparations led to a political climate ripe for the rise of Fascism. (Morgan, 27) The people of nations such as Italy, Germany and Spain were willing to embrace this hyper-nationalist form of government, giving up their freedoms in exchange for the promise of better economic conditions and a return of their respective nations to international prominence. Morgan, 30) The rise of hyper-nationalism in Fascist Germany and Italy was one of the precipitating causes of the Second World War in Europe. Hitler’s Germany began to militarize and â€Å"reclaim† areas of Europe that Hitler declared to be part of the rightful German empire. (Morgan, 108) These regions included all of Austria, and part of the nation of Czechoslovakia, referred to by Hitler a s the Sudetenland (southland). When Germany invaded Poland to return the land to Germany, France and Britain declared war. The results of WWII ended the reign of fascism in Europe. ( Morgan, 117) The personalities around whom the fascist governments were built, Hitler in Germany, and Mussolini in Italy, were killed in the war effort, and their philosophies discredited when the atrocities they committed became public knowledge. (Morgan, 197) Of the Fascists of Europe, only Francisco Franco of Spain, which had remained neutral in the war, survived. (Morgan, 201) After WWII, Germany was divided into a Soviet-controlled Eastern half, and a Republican western half. Nationalist efforts were turned to reunification, rather than conquest. (Morgan, 203) The destruction of the German War machine was absolute, eliminating them as a future threat to stability in Europe. (Morgan, 205) Italy and Japan were similarly disarmed at the conclusion of WWII, making future threats to world stability from these powers unlikely in the extreme. (Morgan, 206) The end of WWII also marked the end of the naked Imperialism that characterized all the major European nations since WWI. Betts, 113) Britain, France, Germany, Japan and other nations granted independence, or protectorate status to their imperial holdings, making self-sovereignty the â€Å"new† goal of international foreign policy. (Betts, 127) Japan was forced to give up the Pacific Islands they had occupied, and withdraw their invasion of China. (Betts, 128) Germany similarly ceded their occupied territories and permitted free choice for the subsequent governments. Betts, 133) One of the world powers that emerged from WWII, the United States, embraced self-determination as the ideal for nations of the world, and began to fight against efforts to engage in imperialist activities on the parts of other nations. (Betts, 144) The conclusion of WWII marked a shift in the dynamic of world conflict. (Levering, 18) During WWI and WWII, dominance on the seas determined a large part of military control. After WWII, nations who had access to weapons of mass destruction became the powers of the World. Levering, 22) For the first time in modern history, the central conflict of the world was not between Britain and Germany or France, but between the United States and the Soviet Union. European powers became pawns in a worldwide power struggle between opposing ideologies. (Levering, 27) The United States used war reconstruction money as a lure to the nations of Europe to shun Communism in favor of republican government. (Levering, 34) After WWII, armed conflict was limited to third-party wars w here one side or the other effectively acted as a proxy for one of the Superpowers. Levering, 46) This was managed to avoid direct conflict between the Superpowers, which could have led to destruction of the entire world through nuclear annihilation. (Levering, 55) As a result, dozens of minor conflicts and a handful of major wars were fought after WWII by indigenous people with military and economic support from the USSR and the United States. (Levering, 58) This scenario played out in countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Cuba, Afghanistan, and many others. (Levering, 75) It is clear that the effects of WWII resolved many of the issues that resulted from WWI. WWII ended European Fascism, eliminated European and Asian imperialism, and permanently shifted the balance of World Power away from Europe. The Treaty of Versailles produced conditions in Europe that made Fascism an attractive and popular option, which played a great role in precipitating WWII. As a result of the unresolved issues of WWI, WWII became the latest â€Å"war to end all wars†. It is hoped by the nations of the world that conflict on the scale of WWII never be repeated in the history of mankind.

Monday, October 14, 2019

A Strong Corporate Brand Communications Essay

A Strong Corporate Brand Communications Essay 3. Explain how you might involve stakeholders in the development of a corporate brand, drawing on at least two instrumental approaches to stakeholder management and incorporatingunderstandings of authenticity in your answer. How would you evaluate the success of their involvement? â€Å"A strong corporate brand acts as a focal point for the attention, interest and activity stakeholders bring to a corporation† (Hatch and Schultz, 2001, P 1046). This essay will suggest that strategies to develop strong and sustainable relationships with stakeholders should at the heart of a brand development strategy that is focussed on enhancing reputation and ultimately the sustainability of a company. It will explain how analysis of stakeholder groups is critical to the success of this process. Two instrumental stakeholder tools will then be used to illustrate how such information may be gathered. The essay will then go on to explain that the information garnered from such an analysis could be used to inform stakeholder engagement strategies and the overall brand development strategy. The essay will conclude with a discussion about how issues with authenticity could jeopardise the development of these relationships and how, in the light of such problems, you can measur e the success and strength of such relationships in order to inform future efforts. Although this is not an essay exploring theories around the process of brand development, it is however important to begin by defining what is meant by a corporate brand if we are to understand how relationships with stakeholders can help in its development. My understanding of corporate branding is highly influenced by the work of Hatch and Schultz (2001) and (2003) and Schultz (2005) who describe a brand as a mindset that captures the essence of an organisations identity and what it stands for. They promote the idea that the focus of building a successful brand should be on developing relationships with all stakeholders, engaging them in defining who the organisation is and what it aspires to be( Hatch, 2005). Corporate branding can be best described as the process of creating, nurturing and sustaining mutually rewarding relationships between company, its employees and external stakeholders (Hatch and Schultz, 2001 and Schultz, 2005).By developing these relationships an organisatio n will be able to understand any incoherent parts of the brand that are weakening development efforts to achieve business goals (Hatch and Schultz, 2003). â€Å"When corporate branding works, it is because it expresses the values and /or sources of desire that attract key stakeholders to the organisation and encourage them to feel as sense of belonging to it. It is this attraction and sense of belonging that affects the decisions and behaviours on which a company is built. A strong corporate brand taps into attractive force and offers symbols that help stakeholders experience and express their value and thereby keep them active† (Hatch and Schultz , 2003, p.P1046). It not just theorists such as Hatch and Schultz (2001) that believe stakeholder relationship building activity is key is achieving a strong corporate identity. In the field of Corporate Communications Cornelissen (2004) stated that developing strong and sustainable stakeholder relationships can establish favourable corporate images and reputations will get these groups to behave in a way that furthers the organisations businesses objectives, such as getting customers to make a purchase or successfully convincing investors to grant financial resources. This essay draws on the research above as a foundation for arguing that the development of relationships with stakeholders should be at the very heart of any successful brand strategy. But how should one begin developing these relationships? The start of constructing any strategy involving the development of relationships with stakeholders should begin with an analysis of who they are, the nature of their stake and the values and beliefs underlying their own decision-making processes (Friedman and Miles, 2006). â€Å"In particular, the compatibility or incompatibility of values, identities, and belief systems between managers in focal organizations and stakeholder decisions-makers, and between different stakeholder groups† (Friedman and Miles, 2006, p.133). Starting from the point that the characteristics of stakeholders need be ascertained before any strategies for engagement pursued it is important to find the tools that allow us to do this. Cornelissen (2004) suggests two possible tools to help with this process: stakeholder mapping and reputation research. These not only uncover the identity of stakeholder groups and their relationships with the organisation but are able to display primary relationships and the patterns of interdependence between them (Cornelissen, 2004). Let us first look at stakeholder mapping. This is an area explored by instrumental stakeholder theory, which suggests how managers should act towards stakeholders if they want to further the interests of an organisation, which can be described as profit maximization and the maximisation of stockholder value( Friedman and Miles, 2006).This type of theorising supports the ideas espoused by Hatch and Schultz (2001), Hatch and Schultz (2003) and Hatch (2005) at the beginning of the essay and for this reason we will look in depth at how two specific instrumental stakeholder theories, developed by Mitchell Angle and Wood (1997) and Frooman (1999), can help organisations get to know more about their stakeholders and how to approach them. I would like to begin with the model developed by Mitchell Agle and Wood (1999) which suggests that different strategic responses to stakeholders can be chosen based on an analysis of the characteristics that these groups exhibit. The major contribution of this theory is its explanation of who stakeholders are and who they arent and why relationships with certain stakeholders should be prioritised over others (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1999) rate stakeholder groups using three criteria, power, legitimacy and urgency and the unique combination of these attributes then leads them to create seven different types of stakeholders, which vary in their level of importance to the organisation and therefore brand development strategy. Frooman (1999) supplements this work by looking at what might happen when there is conflict between a stakeholder group and an organisation and his models explains the strategies employed by stakeholders who want to change corporate policy (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Frooman (1999) suggests that during conflict power is the dominant attribute that will decide the outcome of any conflict, especially when an organisation is unwilling to compromise.   However, he does not define power in the same as Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1999). Instead of power through coercive, utilitarian or economic means (Mitchell, Agle and Wood, 1999), he believes power is defined by resource dependency theory (Frooman, 1999), as made famous by Pfeffer (1972) and Salancik (1979).   Pfeffer (1972) and Salancik (1979), cited in Friedman and Miles (2006), suggest that that it is a companies dependence of external stakeholders for resources that will determine stakeholders power and how they will use it to force their claims to be addressed. Using this as the basis of his thinking Frooman (1999) created a four way model of usage (continues to provide a resource but with strings) or withholding (where a stakeholder group withholds a resource) strategies, which can be executed directly or indirectly, when dependency of the stakeholder resources is low. Using both these two models you could start to create a picture of the identity of stakeholders, the nature of their stake, how to prioritise them and how they would behave when in conflict with the firm. But according to Cornelissen (2004) what is equally important to do at this analysis stage is to identify what reputation the organisation has with the groups you have identified. Although he doesnt present a theoretical model to achieve this he does suggest using practical quantitative and qualitative research techniques, such as focus groups. The result of this work will give the organisation a good idea of what stakeholders think of the organisation and how this matches with the organisations own views of its identity (Cornelissen, 2004). This would then suggest that an organisation uses the knowledge gained during the entire analysis phase to inform the development of focused stakeholder relationship programmes and the brand development strategy as a whole. Cornelissen (2004) suggests that the stakeholder analysis will help organisations understand whether current strategy is capable of dealing with the needs of current stakeholders and, if so, if the suggested direction proposed will deliver the desired results. From here the organisation can decide which stakeholders to address and develop engagement strategies that either change or consolidate their present position with them, according to any mismatches found. A similar process can be used in relation to the brand strategy. Hatch and Schultz (2001) explain that the images stakeholders have of who a company is and what it stands for can become part of what they can the strategic envisioning process. They suggest that the present views, behaviour, values and identi ties of stakeholders are likely to effect the direction of desired change and strategic vision of the organisation. Whether the results of the stakeholder analysis support the organisations current identity can have serious effects on any subsequent strategy as without such alignment efforts could be perceived as inauthentic Hatch and Schultz, 2003). At this point I would like to highlight how the issue of authenticity can affect an organisations assessment of its strategic options. ‘To be authentic commercially is to tap into the ‘geist of a particular group of people so that you, or the claims you make are accepted, trusted, and the consumers you appeal to are convinced (Fachet, 2009). Therefore, stakeholders ‘geist, which should have been identified during the stakeholder analysis, needs to be reflected in the core elements of a brand development strategy if stakeholders are going to engage with the organisation and carry out the desired behaviours needed by the organisation. Authenticity is the opposite to counterfeit and in an increasing unreal world consumers purchase based on how genuine they perceive an offering to be (Gilmore and Pine, 2007). Without this alignment between stakeholder expectations and the brand strategy, efforts are likely to be seen as inauthentic and therefore desired behaviours not o ccur. There is also a second but equally important aspect of authenticity that should be discussed at this stage within the planning process and that is whether the brand development strategy and the values promoted within it match the experience the stakeholder will have of the product, the service or the culture within the organisation. Edwards (2009) explains that authenticity is both communicated by an organisation as well as attributed by the consumers who digest this communication. Therefore, if the brand promise doesnt match reality then an organisation may be danger of being seen as inauthentic. Representation is likely to result in communications and products and the symbols that represent them that arent connected to their original context and by definition inauthentic (Goldman and Papson, 1998, cited in Edwards, 2009). To give an example, if a product or service is positioned as specialist when in reality it is not and the staff are presented as specialists when in fact their kn owledge is just around average then incompatibilities occur and the brand could be perceived as inauthentic. A perceived lack of authenticity is just one of the issues that could affect a brand and therefore it is important that all stakeholder relationships and brand development strategies are continually assessed to determine their impact. Cornelisson (2004) states that tracking and evaluation should be the final element of any strategy, showing how efforts have progressed the organisations goals. In light of what has been discussed in this essay the suggestion is that this should be done in two parts; a brand audit to find out what the brand actually stands for and an analysis of the extent and quality of stakeholder relationships. Keller (2008) developed a model for a brand audit which takes place in two parts; a brand inventory and the brand exploratory. The brand inventory is basically research into what a brand says it is and the exploratory finds out what stakeholders say it is. His model brings these elements together to show the difference between current brand experience and brand promise, if there is any. But equally important is an assessment of the quality of the relationships an organisation has with its key stakeholders. Many theorists have developed criteria by which to assess quality and extent of stakeholder relations, including Strong, Ringer and Taylor (2001), Zoller (1999) and Zadek and Raynard (2002).   However this essay would like to look at unusual approaches that arent covered by the theorists above; the principles developed by the Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999) and the Ladder of Stakeholder Engagement (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Firstly to the principles set out by the Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999). Researchers at this centre developed a list of seven principles of good stakeholder relations, beginning with recognising stakeholders and ending with acknowledging conflicts between their roles as corporate stakeholders and their legal and moral responsibilities to stakeholders. These principles are highly respected within literature on the subject and could therefore provide a useful guidance document for businesses (Friedman and Miles, 2006). It is for this reason that this essay suggests they would be a useful day to day tool to assess quality of engagement, offering guidance for how organisations can continue to improve practice. In contrast (Friedman and Miles, 2006) developed a 12 rung ladder of engagement that looks at the quality of stakeholder relationships from a stakeholder perspective. On the very bottom of the ladder is manipulation and at the very top is stakeholder control. â€Å"This can be used as a guide to match intention and what approach to use as well as moderating intention with the degree of influence that stakeholders have†. (Friedman and Miles, 2006). As demonstrated in this essay strong and sustainable relationships with stakeholders should be at the core of a brand development strategy. Their views and interests should be taken into account throughout every phase of the brand development strategy process; including the analysis, goal setting, and evaluation. Such consideration and engagement will help the brand to successfully enhance its reputation with these groups increasing the likehood of them carrying out the actions desired by the company. References Cornelissen, J. (2004) Corporate Communications: Theory and Practice. London. Sage Publications Ltd. Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999/2002) Principles of Stakeholder Management. Toronto: University of Toronto. Reproduced in 2002, Business Ethics Quarterly, 12/1: 256-64. Fachet, N (2009,) Authentic communications: Breaking the halo of distrust [Internet blog].Available from: http://text100.com/hypertext/2009/06/authentic-communications-breaking-the-halo-of-distrust/> [Accessed December 2009]. Friedman, A. and Miles, S. (2006) Stakeholders: Theory and Practice. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Frooman, J. (1999) Stakeholder influence strategies. Academy of Management Review, 24(2): pp.191-205. Gilmore, J.H. and Pine II, B. J. (2007) Authenticity: What consumers really want. 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