PV Mounting System Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PV Mounting System - Dissertation Example PV panels are installed at permanent angles. The angle is usually predetermined so that there is an optimum solar radiation being received, by the panel, throughout the year. Efficiency can be increased by mounting the PV panels on a double axis, where two panels are mounted in such a way that they face away from each other, at an angle, as shown in figure 1 (Sampson 2009). This is opposed to a single axis mounting where the panel (or panels) is mounted on one side of the mounting structure as shown in figure Double fixed tilt mounting system is usually more expensive than single fixed tilt mounting system because double fixed tilt mounting structures require more materials than their single mounting counterparts do. However, double fixed tilt mounting system results to higher PV performance since the panels’ exposure to solar radiation is higher than in single fixed tilt mounting systems. Azimuth (Sun Tracking) PV Mounting System This mounting system aims at maximizing panel’s exposure to the sun, which results into an increase in power output. It is essentially a combination of the single and doubles axis fixed tilt mounting systems whereby an automatic adjustment system makes a single axis fixed tilt mounting system operate like a double axis mounted fixed tilt mounting system. The automatic adjustment system changes the panel’s angle with respect to the sun’s position, in the sky, and the PV array as shown in figure 3. There are two mounting arrangements under the azimuth mounting system: single axis and double axis tracking system. In the single axis sun tracking system, the panel is adjusted with respect to the sun’s East-West movement only (single axis). On the other hand, in double axis tracking system, the panel is usually adjusted along two axes, the east-west sun’s movement and the seasonal shifts in sun’s position. In other words, the double axis tracking s ystem adjusts the panels with respect to sun’s position in the sky throughout the year (Sampson 2009). Figure 3: Azimuth PV mounting system (Sampson 2009) The azimuth PV mounting system offers power advantages compared to the fixed tilt mounting system although it is much more expensive than the fixed tilt mounting system due to its complexity. Due to their low initial and operation costs, single axis fixed tilt PV mounting systems are often used for home application (Glasnovic and Margeta 2009: 1144). In addition, single axis fixed tilt mounting systems are easy to install because they only require a mounting frame that is tilted at an angle and a PV securing system. However, power output is usually minimal, which may require people to use panels that are of a higher capacity than their domestic needs to ensure that enough power is collected during the exposure time, which is often a fraction of the daylight (Glasnovic and Margeta 2009: 1144). Otherwise, power collected duri ng

Modernism in poetry Essay Example for Free

Modernism in poetry Essay Modernism. It is a direction of poetry, literature and art in general that uses and describes new and distinctive features in the subjects, forms, concepts and styles of literature and the other arts in the early decades of the present century, but especially after World War I. (Abrams 167) More often than not Modernism engages in deliberate and radical break (Abrams 167) with more traditional foundation of art and culture, established since XIX century. Here two poets of modernist age – T. S. Elliot and H. Crane – are compared to T. Hardy and G. M. Hopkins, a pair of contemporary classical poets. I’d like to begin the study with T. S. Elliot, the famous poet whose very name sounds like a synonym to word â€Å"modernism†. Elliot was and is the personification of modernism, and images and verses from his poems are remembered even today, and integrated in today works of literature and fiction. One can remember Steven King’s â€Å"Dark Tower† saga where images of Elliot’s works resurface frequently – in fact, one of King’s volumes of that saga is called â€Å"The Waste Lands†, obviously inspired by Elliot’s . For example, Elliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† had brought us a vision of a man whose world had split in and around himself, a lost person in search of love which can only be destructive and formidable for him. Since he is confined in the abyss of his own consciousness, reality is merely some kind of emotional experience for him. He can still observe the world around him, but psychologically he is alone, in the waste lands of unfertility and spiritual emptiness. Prufrock (the epitome of Elliot himself, or the reader) lets his thoughts and sentiments drift off incoherently. The external world around him, to which he is so sardonic, reflects his inner world, deprived of spiritual serenity. As he cannot get involved in a dialogue with the external world, only through the dramatic monologue can Prufrock whisper his intention : Let us go then, you and I† (Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, 242). Elliot wanted his hero (and the reader) to compare himself with a character of Dante’s â€Å"Inferno†. But while they are alike, their fates are different: While Guido has at least the courage to open up to Dante, Prufrock is too complacent and too inert to make that effort. His only confident can be his alter ego – a distorted reflection of himself in the mirror of outside world. He sees this person, and begs to him for unification – as if there can be an answer different from the one he gives himself†¦ Prufrock’s wisdom of the ages he seems to feel returns to him as cruel mockery. What, indeed, could be the meaning of â€Å"life, universe and everything† (D. Adams), if .. one, settling a pillow, or throwing off a shawl, And turning toward the window, should say: That is not it at all, That is not what I meant, at all. (Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, 245). That Prufrocks mawkish and evasive nature is shattered is delineated in the last ten lines of the poem. As the recurrent images of and references to the sea (silent seas, mermaids, seagirls†) crop up more and more, Prufrocks self-evasion becomes more marked. His psychic para1yis culminates when he realizes that even the mermaids will not do him a favor by singing to him; thus, all his source of possible inspiration fades away. (Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry, 245). He has never rea1ly been a religious man: he cannot, thus, expect Christ to restore him to a potent life, as was Lazarus restored to his. It is no wonder that while Prufrock is felt to be an epitome to all society of his times – so brilliant and so exquisitely empty inside. In modern times, his words had been referenced to in mockery by one of the most horrible machines the human mind had ever invented, Blaine the Mono: â€Å"In the rooms the people come and go. But I doubt that any of them is talking of Michelangelo† (King). Elliot’s other masterpiece, Gerontion, depicts a dream of memory. While Prufrock is at least â€Å"here† (even if he is unsure of his own location in the world), Gerontion’s hero is the time itself, sifted through the sieve of human memory. The observer is neither here not there, but the remains of memory, the dregs of time are spread before him – an enchanting display, but meaningless essentially. Elliot seems to ask – would the dregs of our own memory, if spread before some stranger, mean as little to him as these remains of one’s time mean to us now? All Elliot’s images are dark, broody and disturbing. They imply to ask – is it all? Can there be anything else around us, or are we lost eternally in the world which wasn’t mean for us? And, as Elliot hadn’t answered that questions himself, each reader must substitute his own answers and test their validity on Elliot’s words of man, world and time. Hart Crane is other example of modernist poets, his images are less brooding than Elliot’s and more defined, but the power they wield over us is intensified by their hidden meanings, unseen at first glance. Crane’s â€Å"Black Tambourineâ€Å" reflects on author’s own experience of time spent with some negro workers in a cellar. But the cellar expands in author’s view to the size of the whole world, and its closed door becomes the famous wall of the three Biblical judgments – MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN: â€Å"numbered, weighed and found wanting†. All universe seems to be contained between â€Å"here and now† – the dark cellar with tambourine on the wall – and mystical â€Å"somewhere†, where all human hopes end as â€Å"carcass, quick with flies† (Black Tambourine). â€Å"At Melvilles Tomb† brings dark and melancholy beneath which a memory of forces lingers that were bright and vicious once before – before the Death took its toll, equaling the furious Ahab and unnamed sailor. The image of the sea is indefinite and vague too, for it can be perceived as deep grave, or Death itself, or Sea of Time which will eventually give endless calm to every living being. In all modernist poetry, the concept of such multipart images and veiled references was honed and detailed up to its perfection. Now this is an instrument which is frequently used in literature and other spheres of life, such as advertising, but in times of T. S. Elliot and H. Crane it was a powerful innovation with which readers were stunned literarily. To compare with modernist poetry of Elliot and Crane, classical works by T. Hardy and G. M. Hopkins are selected. The classical English poetry of Thomas Hardy is more structured both in rhythm and meaning than modernist examples of Elliot and Crane. His poetry can be called â€Å"methodic†, for he explains methodically the one symbol which forms a poem. He explains it, details it, brings it before our eyes in maddeningly realistic manner, until the reader not simply understands it, but is enthralled by its vision. â€Å"Neutral tones† brings us a vision of lost love which turned into deadliness – the blank neutrality which opposes love and joy and happiness of life. The feelings deepen further with each stanza – from tranquility to blankness, to melancholy, and finally to utter despair. The concluding stanza forms the moral of the poem, adding to the finality of the sentence – what is lost in time, can never be found again. â€Å"The Darkling Thrush† is an example of more hopeful vision. Dedicated to the coming century, it is full with dark images of definite meaning: the gate as the gate of a new age (or a new Century), frost and Winter as Death itself that comes to all, and the land becomes a body which dies together with Century, for its time has passed. But the mere voice of the thrush changes the picture, illuminating it with some inner light of â€Å"blessed Hope†. And, while the reader (as the man who stands at the gates) is yet unaware of a definite knowledge of that Good Sign that only the bird has, he still accepts the bird’s song as a sign that there is hope for the future. Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins is yet another example of what classics had to offer then. His images are as definite as Hardy’s, if somewhat more fluent, and the moral is present too in his poems. â€Å"Spring and Fall† shows Margaret – a young girl who had realized for the first time that all things in life change and eventually die, that life is not permanent. A child’s mind can grasp concepts at levels they are not aware of, and understand something without ever having it explained. It is simple because of the innocent way the child absorbs the life itself. As an adult, one can see a subject or idea in a completely different way by viewing it through the eyes of a child. In the poem, Margaret looks at death and understands it symbolically, through the death of leaves to her own imminent demise. â€Å"God’s Grandeur† is another example of short and conclusive classical poetry. The tension in scenes of man-made destruction, pictured with vivid detail, is intensified by alliteration. Disturbing images of oozing oil and ever-repeating trod of countless generations result in deep, uncontrolled fear. But the conclusion opposes all said before by references to never-ending nature and God as its creator and protector. It states to us that God will as surely brings life after death and resurrection after destruction, as each day he brings the morning light after the dark of night. From fear of Man to hope in God – that is the meaning of the poem in general. To conclude the work, one should remind that modernist poets had learned to use their images from classical poetry. But, taking the basic elements and images from their predecessors, their works had transcended from single pictures (or contented stories explained to reader part by part) to grandiose intertwined canvases, full of elements and colors, or bottomless abysses of veiled hints and allusions. Certainly, the works of classics had formed the foundation for these magnificent creations of modernist poets, and without them the whole modernism in English literature would not be able to exist or progress. Works Cited Abrams M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Wilson, 1941 Hardy, Thomas. Wessex poems and other verses. New York: Harper, 1898. Hopkins, Gerard Manley. Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins. London: Humphrey Milford, 1918. King, Stephen. The Waste Lands. Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc, 1991. Simon, Marc. The Complete Poems of Hart Crane. New York: Liveright, 1986. The Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry. New York and London:W. W. Norton Company, 1988

Success Essay -- essays research papers

The most important thing in life is thought to be happiness. In order to achieve success you must adjust to every situation with ease. When we use the term successful it does not mean the same as the conventional definition. The definition we are referring to is to be able to overcome hardships, nothing relating to business. Today the world is something of a giant melting pot of people. Communities everywhere are interblended with people from different places and of different backgrounds. Inside these communities there are also many different mental/physical/physiological disorders and/or many people with family problems and work problems. Needless to say today’s society is one that requires a great many different and specialized doctors and therapists to help with the variety of problems which people face.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are not going to go into every problem facing people today, however we will discuss some of the major problems that are faced by the many instead of disorders that affect the few. The first problem that affects everyone at times is stress. Many people do not know that there is good and bad kinds of stress. Good stress is referred to eustress. A very good example of this is when you get a promotion at work. You are happy that you got the better job, however with the job comes new stress, because of the new duties you have to fulfill for that position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The type of stress, which is bad stress, is referred to as distress. People experience this more often then they experience eustress. A good example of distress is when someone you love passes dies. The stress, which you experience, is bad for you. Stress causes many unhealthy effects on the body, such as high blood pressure, increased likelihood of stroke and/or a heart attack.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyday stress is a big problem for many. Most people believe that a little bit of stress daily would be better then a lot of stress all at once. They are very wrong. Little bits of stress everyday build up and end up hurting people much worse than people who experience a lot of stress at once. The only way to describe this would be to use an analogy. If someone was to leave their laundry outside during a storm for one day it would probably be ok when they went back to get it, but if they left their laundry outside more then two weeks the w... ...n this situation will most likely never tell anyone about their plan to do away with themselves. The one’s that are seriously going to commit suicide wont tell anyone for fear that their plan will be foiled and they will still be trapped in their own personal world of hell. It’s an unfortunate thing but you cannot know what another person is thinking if you could you would be able to save many lives but since you cannot you have to look for warning signs. Once you are aware of the warning signs you will be able to adjust to the situation and deal with it rationally. When people are able to improve their coping skills and learn what resources are available to help them feel better emotional and physically depending on the problem. People need to realize that good mental health is a necessity for a person to be successful at other aspects of their lives. There are many disorders that affect people, which prevent them from doing normal things. It would be necessary for some people to see a professional to help them to overcome their disorder and lead them on their way to better mental health and it will help them to be successful throughout their lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Brand and Esprit Essay

America, 1968. Susie and Doug Tompkins are travelling through California in a station wagon filled with homemade clothes. Theirs is an unconventional method of selling – from the back seat of a vehicle – but even their very first customers are delighted, and one of the world’s most successful young fashion brands is born: Esprit. Worldwide success As the Esprit headquarters developed in Europe (Dà ¼sseldorf) and Asia (Hong Kong) in the 70s, the founder company Esprit USA gradually became an entirely self-sufficient company. What began in Germany with young sportswear fashion for women marketed under the name of Esprit de Corp soon became one of the most successful young fashion brands on the European market. The American rights were bought back in April 2002, and since then the Esprit group has been one of few global companies to hold 100% of a brand worldwide. In the first six month of the 2003/04 business year Esprit Holdings Limited achieved consolidated sales of 810 million Euro (per 31.12.03) – an impressive growth of 32% compared to last fiscal year. The Esprit Holdings Limited share price is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange (second listing in London), the Hang Seng index and the MCSI index Hong Kong, as well as the FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong. Excellent products A team of international designers translates the Esprit attributes into regular collections self-confidently, naturally, stylishly and sensually: twelve collections are produced for six order dates per year and product line for Women Collection, Men Casual, Kids, edc youth, Shoes + Accessories and Esprit Sports Women, Men + Kids; the twelve edc and Women Casual collections can be ordered monthly. Four collections are produced a year for Esprit Bodywear and Men Collection. Although the company focuses on the product and price/performance ratio, Esprit also invests continuously in quality and fit – high standards that are also maintained in manufacture. â€Å"Our customers expect us to produce contemporary, high quality and yet affordable goods†, explains Heinz Krogner. â€Å"And not only do we have to do so, but we have to make sure we do so continuously and over a long period of time†. Global image The consistent implementation of the image includes a distinct appearance on the outside, and for years now Esprit’s in-house â€Å"Image office† has been responsible for ensuring that the brand is shown in the same look all over the world. This office is responsible for developing and monitoring every means of communication for advertising, promotional activities and point-of-sale, and co-ordinates and carries out the shoots for Esprit’s current image campaigns – in short, everything that visually represents the Esprit company. The Global Image Office is based in New York. Lifestyle philosophy The lifestyle idea is at the very heart of Esprit’s philosophy. From pure product to overall service strategy: since 1990 successful license partnerships have supported the company on its global development into a lifestyle group. Co-operations with companies with a strong market presence have helped to create what is now a large pool of Esprit licenses. Please see â€Å"US license partners† for more information. Quality first Esprit is an international youthful lifestyle brand offering smart, affordable luxury and bringing newness and style to life. The Group offers 12 product lines encompassing women’s wear, men’s wear, kid’s wear, edc youth as well as shoes and accessories through over 640 directly managed retail stores and over 12,000 wholesale points-of-sale worldwide, occupying over 817,000 square metres directly managed retail space in more than 40 countries. Esprit licenses its logo to third-party licensees that offer products bearing the same Esprit quality and essence to consumers. Esprit also operates the Red Earth cosmetic brand which includes cosmetics, skin care and body care products. â€Å"Penetrating into existing markets while entering new ones.† The Group will continue to penetrate into existing markets and expand newer ones through wholesale distribution channels in the new financial year. Over 200 partnership stores, 500 shop-in-stores and 700 identity corne rs are planned for FY2005/2006. Europe In Europe, partnership stores will be used to gain penetration in core markets such as Germany, Benelux and France where the Esprit brand already has substantial brand presence. Shop-in-stores and identity corners concept with department stores and multi-label retailers will be used to enter new markets in order to minimize capital expenditure requirements. U.K., Italy and Spain will be the newer European markets of focus for FY2005/2006. USA Esprit is faced with difficult times in its US operations. Key department stores have discontinued sale of the brand (Nordstrom is the only major store to carry Esprit and Dillard’s, Macy’s East, Macy’s West and Marshall Field’s have all received their last wholesale shipments), a number of licensing agreements have been put on hold and the brand will stop US distribution of Collection women’s suits and career apparel, as well as the entire men’s wear line. Furthermore, three executives have recently resigned. Having recently reintroduced the brand in the US after an absence of 15 years, Esprit is facing up to the fact that brand recognition is not what it used to be and changes have to be made. The company intents to revise its US strategy, confessing that it had misjudged its popularity there. â€Å"I have overestimated our brand power in America,† said chief executive Heinz Krogner. â€Å"Sixty percent of the women knew our brand, but they didn’t see any relevance. We have made mistakes.† [1] Asia Asia wholesale initiatives for the fiscal year include entering the India market as well as expanding the distribution channels to duty free stores in Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. In November 2005, Esprit announced that it will step up garment sourcing from India. The company plans for a new store in partnership with Madura Garments, part of the Birla Group, and sourcing from India will naturally increase. Although China and Taiwan are still the biggest source of products for Esprit, the company already sources products like shirts and trousers from India. Esprit is increasing its efforts to penetrate the Indian market, with the partnership with Madura Garments marking a beginning to that effort. Stores have already been launched in Mumbai and Bangalore. COO Thomas Johannes Grote told the Economic Times that India would become â€Å"one of the most important markets† for Esprit within the next 10 to 12 years. What do they sell? Esprit Holdings Limited is engaged in the sourcing, retail and wholesale distribution and licensing of quality and lifestyle products designed under the globally recognised Esprit brand name. It has been a listed company in Hong Kong since 1993 and has a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange since December 1998. Up to 2004 the Group has controlled retail space of over 400,000 square meters in more than 40 countries spanning 5 continents. It operates approximately 630 directly managed retail stores and has over 9,700 wholesale outlets. The brand Esprit has been an international lifestyle fashion brand name applied to an extensive range of 12 lines, covering women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, footwear and accessories. Its main line, â€Å"women’s casual† covers the largest segment of the brand’s portfolio (39% of total turnover), appealing to most consumers because of its casual and sportswear for everyday lifestyle. It constitutes the most competitive division of the portfolio. EDC women (13% of total turnover), appeals to trend conscious women through an up-to-date mix of items that fit women’s outgoing lifestyle. Although it is one of the fastest growing segments in the company, it is not doing well considering the competition. This is the segment where Esprit losses the race among big shapers of the industry such as Spanish ZARA and Swedish H&M. Men’s casual (11% of total turnover) provides smart and urban wear for men. The designs combine quality cutting with new fashion highlights and provide the required relaxation fit for the socially conscious after work. Licensed products bearing the Esprit name range from time wear, eyewear, jewel and fragrance, to bedding and other home products. In addition, the Group owns the Red Earth brand name and distributes its cosmetics, skin and body care products. Fashion companies not only sell products, but also identify with their customers through certain values. Esprit has been a pioneer in having a clear identity and a courageous thirst for sharing what they believe in with their public. The following are the main characters within the brand’s identity: The end consumer Esprit is a well-recognized brand, which reaches a very big audience, across 5 continents. In their own words, they are a youthful lifestyle brand that targets customers with young attitude, not age. Although the brand counts with 12 different lines, directed at women, men and children, most customers are women, ranging between 15 and 35 years old. They turn to the brand in search of youthful stylish items that will never go out of fashion. They have simple but refreshing taste. They are looking mostly for stylish, yet comfortable clothes. They appreciate Esprit’s quality clothing, which is at all times at a democratic price. The brand counts with a large number of loyal customers. Its â€Å"e*club†, an online membership club which rewards repeated purchases and offers special promotions and services, has a large audience across the globe. It is impossible for us to know exactly how many people are loyal to Esprit’s core values since the birth of the brand, or how many of their customers even know about the compelling letters to prevent aids and its questioning of the way we shop in this ever more consumerism lifestyle we have seem to engaged. It would be interesting to conduct such a survey before suggesting any concrete communication strategy. How does Esprit deliver customer satisfaction? As we described before, Esprit’s target audience is looking for something stylish, yet not too fashionable. Its customers put quality first, before latest trends. They want their clothes to last, not to be very expensive, and to have a simple yet tasteful touch. They want their clothes to say something about them, something Esprit conveys as well: reliability, comfort, good reputation, seriousness with a little touch of playfulness, trustworthiness, honesty, credibility. Esprit delivers customer satisfaction by not letting its clients down. By representing values its customers like to feel connected to. By being honest and not trying to sell something that it’s not suitable for the customer. Esprit stands for a traditional brand, which has steadily grown by being true to itself, to its values, by not letting other brands’ strategies change its own. Also, by not taking too many risks. And that is what its customers expect: reliable products, at fair prices, which will not imply any mayor risk. Esprit’s shops are comforting and make one feel safe. They are attractive, yet not flashy. Taking into consideration that the brand targets not only teenagers but also grown-ups, the atmosphere has to be more calmed and stable. A regular customer who walks into an Esprit shop knows what they will find there and will never be disappointed. Esprit makes its clients feel like part of a whole. Part of those women in society who are not intimidated by the fast moving market of clothing. Women who do not let the industry tell them what to wear, or to buy products with little quality and at ridiculous prices. That is why they are faithful to Esprit, because it makes them feel safe and confident. Obviously there is a market for these women, considering that Esprit –unlike H&M or ZARA- sells basically the same collection all over the world. How do they attract and retain customers? Esprit lives thanks to a loyal group of customers. However, their constant growth derives from the success in attracting new customers every year. They do so by offering an alternative option to shops like ZARA and H&M, whose quality is lower and atmosphere might be too intimidating for some people. The fact that they sell items for the whole family in one shop also brings them repeated purchases in their different product lines. The fact that they sell the same collection all over the world also makes repeated purchases more plausible. Whether the client is in China, Germany or the United States, they can feel at home when they enter the shop. The brand retains customers by offering a quality product, at the same time as a superior service. Unlike many other clothing shops, at Esprit employees are very attentive and strive for making customers feel comfortable and not only pleased, but delighted. That explains part of the success in keeping such a loyal audience. Esprit also offers discounts and special promotions to loyal customers. Through e*club, its online membership club, Esprit offers credit (e*club points) in their stores for every purchase done through the e*club card. As an e*club member, customers are invited to enjoy special promotions, such as double e*points weeks and special shopping hours. Also, a member of the e*club can have access to other benefits such as free call centre service and personal access to their account balance. Joining the e*club is free. Esprit offers as well the possibility to do online shopping, which allows customers to view the items online and request for the measures and colours they prefer. If they are not satisfied they can always return the merchandise and get their money back, which not many shops are ready to offer yet. Shipping is for free, in those countries where the programme is available. To keep their clients informed, Esprit also offers a regular newsletter, in which they inform of the latest collections and news in the fashion industry. Subscription is for free and for every new entry clients get important discounts.

Marketing Plan for Lords Ice Cream Parlour

TABLE OF CONTENTS *1. 0 EXECUTIVE* SUMMARY ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’, one of the prime ice cream products situated in St. Johns Wood with a good market share is one of the best in that area providing ice cream with fresh taste and modern packaging. It was established in 1998, ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’, at present uses straight-line technology for manufacturing more than twenty three types of premium ice cream in its factory in Swiss Cottage, producing nearly 530 liters of ice cream each day . Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ has a two year marketing plan for current customers as well as its new consumers to attract and satisfy those target groups of consumer. The company wants to increase its market share by 7% and compete with the current and new entrants. For the next two years the company wants to increase its promotional activity. The management has a plan to utilise its one- fourth of its profit for promotional activity. The manag er is also planning to increase its branches in two to three different locations. *3. *0* COMPANY* PROFILE 4. 1 MISSION Mission is the organisation’s reason for existence. The mission describes the organisation’s shared values, beliefs and reason for being. ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ without playing an exception, being committed to achieving the highest quality products and positioning itself as a good brand by gaining the consumer’s trust aligns effectively to its guided mission that echoes-â€Å"The world of great taste†. This includes a dedication to review the existing operations, the evaluations and the creation of the new products by not only manufacturing the highest quality products but also delivering the product by maintaining this high quality. To satisfy the ever-changing needs of the customers, ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ is launching regularly new ice creams and introducing new flavours. Thus in a few words it can be said –‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ is based the relationship with customer. 4. 2 VISION The message from the managing director of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ propagates as: â€Å"I dreamt of a business venture that would have distinct appeal to society for its unique qualities and eventually will become a role model for other business enterprises. This simple but extraordinary quality is â€Å"Be True to The Society. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ as being a very prospective SBU’s which is guided by this similar vision. As a result this key philosophy has earmarked ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ as the most trusted and one of the better companies in the country. † 9. OBJECTIVES Corporate Objectives: To give an insight to the ice cr eam industry, the company and the product line. To make an assessment of the interaction between ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ and its immediate environment and analyse the impact of various trends upon its survival and long-term success. To conduct an investigation of the wide range of strategies pursued by ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ with a view to achieving its objectives. Marketing Objectives: To analyse the marketing strategies for ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ and assess its target consumers and competitors. To regain the 15% of the inactive member by December 2010. To provide an introduction of the strategic aspects of marketing with particular reference to the analysis of marketing mix. To increase the revenue by 12% by December 2010. To increase the market share by 7% by December 2010. To analyse the techniques of segmentation, targeting and positioning of products. To analyse the distribution channels and the role of intermediaries in the distribution network. To develop an appreciation of the need to evolve a promotional mix appropriate to the product. To explain and analyse the role of Marketing Research. To have a clear analysis of the various growth strategies for the market opportunity identification. Research was undertaken by gathering descriptive information from the managers, customers and employees in the form of personal interviews. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis has been emphasised. Both primary and secondary data were obtained through informal interviews with the company and questionnaires to customers. Moreover in cases where managers and customers were unwilling or unable to provide information, observational research played a vital role. It must be added that the report though, tried to give an overall view of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’, it focused on London City as their area of study. Primarydata was first collected by taking in depth interviews of the Marketing Executive and Sales person to have a better insight to the marketing aspects of ice cream. Mostly personal interviews were undertaken since flexibility, quality of data that can be collected, speed of data collection and response rate is extremely high and information seems to be more reliable and effective. Only unbiased, relevant and valuable data of related issues were recorded to ensure a critical evaluation of the marketing techniques and strategies used by ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’. Problems were faced during the interview, as the managers were reluctant to disclose some of the confidential aspects of the organisation. All the data obtained were not always reliable and hence subject to error. Due to the time constraints I could not complete a comprehensive investigation and there were some areas that were left unexplored. In many occasions managers were hesitant to cooperate in providing honest answers. 8. 1 The Marketing Environment No business is large or powerful enough to create major change in the external environment. These factors are generally uncontrollable, thus market managers are basically adapters rather than agents of change. So it is vital for ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ to take these factors into consideration in every step of their decision -making process and day-to-day activities. THE MARKETING ENVIRONMENt {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} The Task Environment ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’s task environment consists of those micro groups in the environment such as suppliers, distributors, customers and competitors. These are interrelated groups that influence managers on a daily basis. SUPPLIERS: From 2010 January the management decided to open two new branches. And two other retail stores are interested to take the product from ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’. The main function of the distribution unit of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ is to create a sequence of effective network so that an important strategic edge over competing channels are created and ensure a continuous flow of its products to the ultimate consumers – target market. The activation of the distribution channels proceeds from their factory and ends at the retail outlets of refrigerated vans. CUSTOMERS: Being the major source of survival and profit, customers form the most important component for an organisation like ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ considers customers as being their life-blood of survival and is taking the maximum innovative efforts that can be utilized for utmost customers’ satisfaction. Customers here can be segmented to family, kids, teenagers of high end, mid end and low end of the market. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ operating in such ever-changing world of tastes and preference pays heed to customers’ choices and their attitudes. They, very keenly take on customers’ advice, try and amend as well as add new dimension to their business in order to ensure survival in this highly competitive industry. COMPETITORS: One of the most important forces that always keep an organisation on guard is its competitors. Competitors are organisations that produce similar goods. In the context of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’, Movenpick, Baskin Robbins, Thorntons and Marine Ices are their competitors. But surprisingly, the marketing management of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ views these local brands as mere participants in the same industry rather than as competitors. The General Environment Economic, technological, socio-cultural, demographic, political and legal, and global forces form the macroeconomic environment that ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ operates in are as follows: ECONOMIC: Economic forces are of concern to businesses involves producing goods and services that people want and pay for, as because the economy is an indicator of the general health and well being of a nation. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ takes into account various economic factors, preferably the rates of inflation, the exchange rate and level of income. The prime reason for such is to have a control over its allocated budget for domestic and imported raw materials. But most importantly alertness of economic variables is necessary to determine ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’s pricing strategy so that all segments of the population can afford to buy their products. One of the most pervasive factors in the environment, the impact of technology is seen as the combination of skills and equipment’s that marketers use in their day-to-day operations. In ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’, use of technology can be seen in terms of the automated cone baking machines, chocolate making machines, injected deep freezers, milk processing machines and others. These innovate machines are able to produce ice creams at a faster rate while not undergoing any sacrifice in the level of quality, and thus their warehouse has capacities in five hundred liters. The socio-cultural environment is made of institutions and other forces that affect social values, perceptions, preferences and behaviour. In the context of a diverse people, ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ has customized its services according to the country's culture. While the producing ice cream, ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ puts strong emphasis in it. DEMOGRAPHIC: The demographic forces are of interest to marketing managers because it involves people and people make up the markets. Demography shows the populations inclinations towards certain social structure and the increase or decrease in certain age groups . For ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ demographic factors are of advantage if it shows an increase in the number children and teenage population (the most lucrative segment for the ice cream industry). POLITICAL AND LEGAL: The formation, maintenance and survival of any organization are dependent on the stability of a country’s political and legal system. A comprehensive analysis of the political and legal factors by ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ helps in ensuring stability in terms of its operations. The legal consideration lies in the awareness of various laws regarding import of raw materials and the like. 8. 2. * Current* Situation Analysis Core Competencies: Among its normal premium and novelty cup, stick and family pack items, chocobar is the most popular among consumers contributing 29% to the total sales, while vanilla, mega, cornelli and macho, each with sales of about 5%, and have also made their distinct places in the minds of the consumers. The company is giving its effort and concentration for some new and modified flavour of ice-cream. The company wants to increase its market share by 7% for which it is introducing some new marketing strategy and it will be implemented from the next year. Market information: ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ is in their 10th year of business. Being an ice-cream parlour in the St. Johns Wood High Street area, its main activity is to attract customer by its variety of ice-cream flavour. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ possesses good information about the market and having a good idea about the consumer trends and the likeability of the consumers. And this information helps them to understand how well they can communicate with their consumers and how better they can be served. Geographic The geographic target for the ice-cream parlour is St. Johns Wood area. Five square kilometre people are targeted. Total targeted population is approximately 13,500 64. 9% are economically active and 35. 1% are economically inactive. A fulltime employee’s individual average income is ? 29,305. 48. 8% are educated and 52. 2% has got no qualification. Behaviour factors Recognize the need to have a good dessert like ice-cream. People likes ice-cream more than any other dessert. Ice cream is the symbol of lifestyle. Market needs: ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ is providing their customers delicious ice-cream and a place for enjoyment. It seeks to offer the following benefits that are important for their customers: Customer’s preference is to get healthy ingredients in their specific flavour. Customers also prefer a better service and attention from the staff. Market Trends: ?Last two years’ consumers has less money in their pocket, so that they are spending less money on dessert and ice-cream. Fitness is very important for the people, that is why people are avoiding ice-cream A big percentage of people are going to pubs and bars rather than coming to the ice-cream parlour. *09. * BCG MATRIX Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix is a framework for highlighting and analyzing product development policy and associated cash flows implications in a firm. The BCG approach is based on the philosophy that a product’s market growth rate and its relative market share are important considerations in determining its marketing strategies. The marketing strategies of ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ is based on the BCG matrix which includes an integration of the firms products into a single overall matrix and an evaluation to determine appropriate strategies for all the different strategic business units (SBUs) of the company itself and the overall portfolio strategies. ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ identifies the BCG matrix as a powerful tool To analyze the current situation of the company which is based on the present and projected market growth rate and proposed market share growth. To determine and classify each product expected future cash contributions and future cash requirements. To examine the competitive position of a product or a product line and the opportunities for improving products contribution to profitability In figure below, which is based on work by the Boston Consulting Group, consist of four quadrants in the grid, which represents distinct categories of SBUs or major products of ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’. The categories differ with respect not only to market growth share and industry growth rate but also on cash generation and needs for appropriate strategies. draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:frame} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} Cash Cow: Cash cow has high market share but low growth rate. Since its inception as a business in 1998, the Construction Company has had a remarkable track record and has grown to be a better co nstruction houses in the country. Long run survival through effective strategies of defending its market share by reinforcing customer loyalty has insured the generation of more cash than can be reinvested profitably in its own operations. As a result cash from the construction company flows out to support other SBUs that needs more resources. Star: Star has high market growth rate and high market share. The Marketing Manager of ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ identified Construction and Ice-cream as their star businesses. A number of prospective factors can be reckoned to as being responsible for both SBUs performance. Both Construction business and Ice-cream occupy a dominant position in the market. Star businesses usually grow very fast and have high prospects for growth. For example, Ice-cream grew by 3. 1% in the last year (2008), compared to their 5%in (2007). Question Mark: Question Mark has high growth rate, low market share. The identification of the marketing division of ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’ as its problem child, has characterized this business to have high prospects for growth but which has not yet achieved strong foothold in an expanding but highly competitive market. This inability to generate cash has resulted in poor profit margins and hence its need to be augmented by heavy investment from outside sources. Dog: According to ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’, no SBU (currently operating) falls under the grid of low market share and low growth rate, that is, the dog. On a concluding note, the long run health of any company depends on having some products that generates cash (and provide acceptable reported profits) and others that use cash to support growth, with no exception to ‘Lord’s Ice-cream Parlour’. Among the indicators of the overall health are the size and vulnerability of the cash cows, the prospects for the stars, the number of problem child, and dogs if many. 10. SWOT Analysis SWOT is the planning exercise used by ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’, which provides a framework for identifying internal strengths and weakness and the external opportunities and threats it faces. WEAKNESS: The major weaknesses of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ comprises of: Incurrence of high-level expenses in the Research and Development (R) sector. High operating and maintenance expenses resulting from the large size of the business. Excessive reliance on foreign suppliers. Entering new related businesses – This is also visible through its new items as Ammo milkshake. Widening the product range. Seeking faster market growth. Exploiting new market segments. Changes in demographic factors. Change in consumer taste: This might result if there is an increased awareness among the health conscious people, which may cause a decline in the purchase of ice cream. Increase in foreign competition. Rise in new or substitute products. Changes in Political factors. 10. THE *Target *AUDIENCE (*Marketing*) The kind of market ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ operates in is characterized by the volatility of its general environment, the dynamism of its competitors and most of all the varying and the inconsistency of needs and buying preferences of the consumers market, which are important consideration guiding their day to day operations. Keeping this in mind, ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ has developed sound marketing programs, which starts with identifying the differences that exists within a market, deciding which segments will be selected and developing specific marketing mixes so as to influence intended customers, and overall perception of the brand, ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ . Market Segmentation ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ has designed various marketing mixes according to the different products needs and preferences with regard to the consumer market and has clustered people with similar needs into selected segments. Domestic Market Segmentation For a consumer-oriented company like ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’, whose main operations rallies around the domestic market, a lion’s share of its resources is devoted towards serving the domestic consumer segments. After thorough analysis, behaviour and demographic segments have been identified as their prime areas of focus. Demographic Segmentation From the viewpoint of an ice cream manufacturing company, demographic segmentation holds importance in terms of its close relation to customer product needs and purchasing behaviour and the ready measurability of variables such as consumers’ age and life cycle and their income. Age: This is the most important component of demographic segmentation. Over the years, ice creams were considered to as being more of a recreational product, but standing on this new century, the effect of globalization has placed ice cream as more of a regularity in our lives. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ has divided its markets in segments according to different age groups such as kids, teenagers, and the family range. Different ages of people are influenced by different flavours of ice cream, different presentations of packaging and different product attributes. Kids incline more towards ice creams, which contains animated and colourful packaging, taste of sweet strawberry, fresh mango, pure vanilla, ripples, hazzle nut coating and crispy flakes. Teenagers prefer low calorie ice cream, more daring and wider range of tastes. Families are influenced more by ice creams that fulfil the general appeal and taste of all the members of the family. Income: Income is the key determinant of consumers buying behaviour. It is the most popular demographic variable for market segmentation. For a larger part of the population to buy the product, it is very important to segment the market in different income groups. This is given utmost importance in London where there is wide variation in the average levels of income. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ has divided the market into three income groups – low-income group, mid-income group and high-income groups. Market Targeting After market segmentation, ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ goes for designing, implementing and maintaining marketing mixes intended to meet the needs of the target groups, resulting in mutually satisfying exchanges. Domestic Market Targeting The two general strategies ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ uses for selecting target markets are differentiated and undifferentiated marketing. DIFFERENTIATED: UNDIFFERENTIATED: Undifferentiated target strategies approach the segment as one big market with no individual segments and thus require a single marketing mix. Chocobar and the newly introduced Kulfi are the prime examples related to successful targeting of the mass market. Chocobar priced at ? 3. 4/-, mini chocobar priced at ? 2. and Kulfi priced at ? 1. 6 with sober colour packages enables ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ to go for mass marketing. Market Positioning Positioning refers to developing a specific marketing mix to influence potential customers overall perception of a brand, product line or organization. The marketing manager of ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ assumes a realistic view of how customers think about their offerings in the market. At the same time, the ma nger also knows how he wants target customers to think about its marketing mix. According to him positioning issues are especially important when a competitor in a market appearsto be very similar, with the ice cream industry being a prime example. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ follows several positioning strategies. Products Attributes Macho – Exquisite Chocobar – Energetic Shell & Core – Metange Lolly – Eager Clown – Animating Mega – Energetic Coffee – Refreshing Ripple – Praiseworthy Pralin – Puissance Cornelli – Dual Usage Occasion: Usually consumers perceive ice cream as an integral part of summer. Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ aims at positioning ice creams to as being a winter item along with its regular summer item image. ‘Lords Ice-cream Parlour’ is trying to position its ice cream as a item for all seasons in other parts of the country like that is perceived in London, through different promotional activities. *11. THE* Marketing Mix There are many possible wa ys to satisfy the needs of target customers. A product can have many different features and quality levels. Service levels can be adjusted. The package can be of various sizes, colors or materials. The brand name and warranty can be changed. Various advertising media – television, newspapers, magazines, radio, and billboard can be used to attract the potential customers. A company’s own sales force or other sales specialist can be used. Different prices can be charged. Price discounts may be given and so on. With so many possible variables, is there any way to help organize all these decisions and simplify the selection marketing mix? The answer is – The customer is surrounded by the four P’s. There are additional three P’s newly invented by the marketer. An important point to note is the customer should be the target of all marketing efforts but it is not the part of the marketing mix. Hence, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ follows this concept and places its customers in the centre. Product: for ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ the Product decisions revolve around developing the right product for the target market and this includes not only the physical unit but also features, brand name, company image, value and many other factors. Apart from maintaining a superior quality through its imported ingredients and bringing regular production consultants from Belgium, Denmark and Holland, the units’ separate R department regularly can analyzes new products through its market research to answer questions as: At what price consumers would like to buy the product. Flavours and essence to be used. Consumers’ feedback. Analyze other markets. ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’s Product line includes distinctive ingredients, as some are vanilla flavour with chocolate hazelnut or milk coating, some may have crispy flakes, others include cashew nut. On the other hand, to provide a taste of refreshment there are flavours including coffee, strawberry, mango, with almonds and ripples. Each of these delicacies has positioned itself as a unique brand in consumer’s mind. These eclectic tastes have been able to exceed consumer’s expectations resulting to delightful consumers and thus to the creation of a powerful company image. Apart from that ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ also can operates through some trolleys for extending its reach to various consumers at different locations as schools, alleys, streets, parks e. . c. Consumers – Availability of scratch cards through purchase of certain flavoured ice creams enables consumers to obtain different types of gifts such as iPod, mp3 player can be achieved by them. Also last year (2008) every purchase of Macho had a Kit Kat free. *PEOPLE*: The management of the ice-cream parlour is very particular about the selection of the people. They are hiring only the mot ivated, energetic and passionate people. The parlour has on job training and skill development continuous activity by which employee can be skilled. But from next year every after three months they are going to arrange a training and motivation program for the improvement of their business. *12. MARKETING* Growth Strategies ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’, like any other company, in order to maintain a stable growth rate, focuses on reviewing the existing operations, the evaluations and the creation of the new products by not only manufacturing the highest quality products but also delivering the product by maintaining this high quality. In seeking growth, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ considers both its market and its products. It then decides whether to continue what it is doing – only do it better – or establish new venture. The product/market growth matrix depicts this option for ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’. The matrix is divided into four possible combinations of old and new products with old and new markets. {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:line} {draw:frame} MARKET PENENTRATION: Here, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ tries to sell more of its present products to its present markets by the help of supporting tactics, which might include spending on price, promotion and packaging. For example, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ regularly alters its ice cream packaging, and provides occasion oriented price cut. MARKET DEVELOPMENT: ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’s market development strategy is evident by its entry to an entirely new area – Marble Arch. In future, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ plans to expand in other parts of London and are undergoing business consultancy of possible expansions in Netherlands. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: Nothing is more important to a company’s long-term survival and growth then the successful introduction of new products. By flipping through ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’sbook of achievements, it is evident that one of prime reasons for success has been due to constant introduction of new products. The exquisite Macho, energetic Mega, which hit the markets around two years back, were and are a real feast for ice cream lovers. The very recently introduced Kulfi has once again placed ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ to as being a people’s brand providing a world of great taste, and which deciphers ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’s drive to maintain satisfaction of all segments of the market. Lords ice-cream parlour’ has, for the time being confined itself only to the ice cream business. Any diversification related businesses would be future-wise. The Marketing Budget {draw:frame} Recommendations In spite of ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’s remarkable success certain loopholes in the marketing aspects has been detected. After my research I came up with some possib le steps and solutions that we would like to state below. Competitors are an important component of the task environment. ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ should pay heed to its potential competitors rather than treating them as mere counterparts. Lords ice-cream parlour’ should involve in backward vertical integration to lower the costs of value creation and lessen its reliance on foreign suppliers. For instance, incidence such as credit crunch may hinder the flow of supplies in the production process when there is excessive dependence on foreign inputs. To enhance the maturity level, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ should undertake the task of sponsoring more social events such as concerts, cricket, football and other such tournaments to retain its popularity in the younger market segments. Emphasize should be given on TV commercials, to capture a greater share of the market. A proper customer help line should be developed to mitigate the further needs of the customer. Conclusion From an extensive marketing analysis of the ideas and marketing concepts at work in the operation of ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’, it is possible to obtain an insight to the essential marketing practices adopted by the company. Adherence to proper marketing strategies in terms of company objectives, paying heed to target consumers and potential and existing competitors, close relationship and liaison with distributors and suppliers ensure substantial market capitalization as indicated by ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’s market share of 63% in the ice cream industry. Evidently by virtue of its unique product attributes, high quality, exquisite and mouth- watering varieties of ice creams, attractive and distinct packaging, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ has been able to ensure marketing excellence and enhance its competitiveness. Today’s fiercely competitive environment compels ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ to pursue the right set of pricing strategies, policies for effective segmentation and targeting, market oriented structures of distribution and retailing, which lies at the heart of the company’s success. Its new sales and distribution flow enables the company to achieve its desired goals. In its quest to create satisfying customer relationship and optimizing the performance of the entire system, ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’ has resorted to a system of timely distribution. With the combination of effective promotional campaign and advertisement in various media, it is able to retain valuable customers and inform them about multiple brands they are offering at present. Appendix This questionnaire is conducted only for educational purposes (For Customers Only) Name: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Profession†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. What is your age group? How long you are coming to this ice-cream parlous? Why have you chosen this place? Do you think ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’done a better job for their customers? What do you think about the product image of ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’? If you are satisfied then which factor- Do you think that ‘Lords ice-cream parlour’is one of the top ice-cream parlous? Manufacturing and Warehousing Capacity: Manufacturing Capacity: 530 liters per day. Warehousing Capacity: Warehouse No: 3 Nos Warehouse: Store Capacity Factory: 1,000 liters Technology and its usage of modern equipment: Machine Supplier: Mark – Italy Tetra pack (Hoyal), Denmark Sabore, Denmark Hass, Austria Machine Model: Free mark 1100, Italy FM 3000, FM 6000, Italy SL 600, Denmark Cone Baking: Hass, Austria Chocolate Making: Macentyre, UK.

Descriptive Essay Essays - Therapy, Psychotherapy, Free Essays

Descriptive Essay Essays - Therapy, Psychotherapy, Free Essays Descriptive Essay My life has been one struggle after another. Dealing with depression was not as easy or as fun as a ride on a slide. It was more like a sickening spin on the merry-go-round; it felt like I was holding on for dear life and spinning so fast my hands were loosing grip. My therapy sessions were a revolving door. I went in and came out, hoping it to be the last, but only to face another session. It all started around the tender age of 13-just getting into my teenage years. I battled with my identity. It felt like I was walking against a strong wind. I knew I was adopted ever since I understood what that meant, but I wasn't happy knowing this. I began going to therapy with my family, only to find myself angrier than a punished child. I attempted suicide twice in that few months, and finally manipulated my parents into taking me out of that therapy. For the next two years, I kept any negative feelings undercover, not opening my shell to anyone. By the beginning of my junior year in high school, I couldn't keep it in. My emotions exploded like an overheated bag of popcorn. More suicide attempts were made. I was taken to our local hospital where I was put in the psychiatric unit and diagnosed with major depression. This news hit me like a bug on a moving car's windshield. I didn't know this was a sickness. I was released and forced to start individual therapy. I became very close to my new therapist-she made me laugh and helped me to solve little problems. Although things were looking better, there were a lot of problems still hovering over me like vultures around road kill. I again tried killing myself and was sent back to the hospital. This time, I was released into an intense therapy group for teenagers. These sessions were every weekday for either four or eight hours. My self-esteem went down, and I seemed to have made more problems for myself-getting into drugs. I made it through nearly two months of this intense therapy, and came out happier and feeling less depressed. I went back to bottling up my anger and sadness in order to stay out of therapy, but a gang rape on me ripped apart the barrier. Once again, I was injuring myself and back in the hospital. I returned to the powerful group therapy with even lower self-esteem than before. Not happy with my appearance, I became anorexic. I lost a lot of weight, and began looking like a starving child from Bosnia. My therapist forced me to slowly start eating again; however, noticing the slightest weight gain led me to eat and then purposely vomit. My therapist caught on to my bulimia and began monitoring my eating before, during and after. I felt trapped. I finally realized if I didn't want to live, I would have succeeded in my suicide attempts. I gradually discovered what I had to live for, and I was sick of being labeled as depressed. I decided I wanted help. Today, I still visit a another therapist every once in a while, and I am currently getting off my medications. I finally feel free; I am no longer struggling to hold on to the slippery bars of the merry-go-round. The revolving door is now a one-way door, and I have left the building. Good-bye, depression. Hello, slide.

вHector and Andromache

After examining the encounter between Hector and Andromache, I gained a better understanding of the relations between men and women in Homeric Greece. On the surface, it seems as though there is nothing unusual about their marriage or the way they interact under the given circumstances. However, after scrutinizing the scene several more times, I was able to infer even more about their relationship. It is clear that Hector and Andromache care very much for each other. From Andromache's perspective, her response to the situation seems natural and justifiable. Even by today's standards, no wife wants to see her husband go off to war. For that reason, it shows that she loves Hector, and even expresses that she needs him, by begging him not to join the front lines in battle. She explains how he is "everything" to her, and that if he were to die, that she and their child would be left with nothing. If Andromache's actions epitomize the role of women in Homeric Greece, then it can be argued that women very much respected and cared for their husbands and loved ones, and felt pain when they lost them. Hector fulfills the male role in this scene by replacing major priorities such as family and love with honor and glory. As Andromache states, Hector is a man possessed by courage, which will only kill him in the end. While he obviously cares for his wife and son, and worries about what will happen to them once he dies, he is still the "protector" above all else. Ironically, fighting and dying with his fellow Trojans seems more important to him than actually staying back with his family to protect them. His courage and fate on the battlefield take precedence over his duty as husband and father at home. This was probably a major characteristic of most men in that society. The scene described in The Iliad is actually very common in present day society. We see this type of situation illuminated every day in real life and in t...

WASHINGTON Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning

WASHINGTON Surname Origin and Last Name Meaning The Washington surname is believed to have originated with the English place name Washington, the name of a parish in Durham, five miles from Gateshead, and also of a parish in Sussex, ten miles from Shoreham. The original bearer of this surname could, therefore, have hailed from either of these places. The Washington place name itself is derived from the Old English personal name wassa, which means hunting, combined with the locative suffix -thn, meaning settlement, homestead. Another possible origin for the place name comes from weis, meaning wash, or the shallow part of a river, plus ing, or a meadow or low ground, and ton, for dun, a hill or town.  Thus the place name Washington could have been used to describe a town located on a wash or creek. Alternate Surname Spellings:  WASHINTON, WASSINGTON, WASSINGETON Surname Origin: English Where the Washington Surname Is Found According to  WorldNames public profiler, the Washington surname is most popular in the United States, especially in the District of Columbia, followed by Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Alabama. Outside of the U.S., the largest numbers of individuals as a percentage of the total population are found in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (most particularly in England). Famous People with the Washington Surname Booker T. Washington - educator and civil rights activistDenzel Washington - American film actorKenny Washington -  one of two black athletes to reintegrate the NFL in 1946 Genealogy Resources for the Surname WASHINGTON Meanings of Common English Surnames: Uncover the meaning of your English last name with this free guide to English surname meanings and origins for the most common English surnames.Washington: the Blackest Name in America: Huffington Post article discussion statistics from the 2000 U.S. census which points to 90% percent of individuals with the Washington surname identifying as African-American, a much higher percentage than with other common last names.Washington Surname DNA Project: The Washington Surname DNA Project originally began as a means for two different Washington family lines to try and determine if they were related through Y-DNA testing. Since that time, additional Washington families have joined the project.  WASHINGTON Family Genealogy Forum: This free message board is focused on descendants of Washington ancestors around the world.FamilySearch - WASHINGTON Genealogy: Search or browse for free access to 1.6 million digitized records and lineage-linked family trees f or the Washington surname on FamilySearch.org, the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. WASHINGTON Surname Mailing List: Free mailing list for researchers of the Washington surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.DistantCousin.com - WASHINGTON Genealogy Family History: Free databases and genealogy links for the last name Washington.The Washington Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Washington surname from the website of Genealogy Today.Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name MeaningsCant find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

'(...) time has emerged as one of the central issues that need to be Essay

'(...) time has emerged as one of the central issues that need to be grappled with in contemporary fiction'(Morrison). Discuss t - Essay Example The title brings out the long time yearning for freedom that the slaves were fighting for. The story being a counteraction on memory allows the reader to seek an intervention in the events of history. This acts as an exploration of the objective of slave narratives in giving history a new meaning and enables the reader to imagine the perspective of history in terms of the present situation. July’s narration of the life in slavery enables the audience to feel the extent of miserable life that they were subjected to. She expresses her statements in a manner that depicts the hatred she has for the whites. She enters into a love affair with the plantation master but the relationship later ends .Levy makes the reader realize the transition between the past and the present. The Long Song informs the descendants of the victims of slavery about the hostile environment which their ancestors had lived in. Levy received many letters of gratitude from the descendants of Emily Godwin who n ever new their slave ancestry. The never change; they permanently stick to be what they are at the time of their occurrence (Levy 2010, pp.321). This means memories can never be rubbed away. Somebody might wish to go off to some world to where nobody can reach. They wish to go to a place, which time does not pass. Unfortunately, such a place does not exist in this world. One might be continuously getting frustrated by the world’s grief, which moves as a function of time and not as a function of somebodies wishes. Time terrifies by the fact that it is a passing factor. One is forced to believe, sincerely, sitting and doing nothing does not really make time to have a break. It even adds the reality of having done nothing. It is rather determined to rush and make history. Years, decades and centuries pass, time increasingly goes longer. The moments keep changing, you wonder if the centuries, decades, years, months, weeks, days, minutes and seconds were spent in the most efficien t and productive ways they possibly could. A continuous rapid transition of what happens today to history that goes forever, a thought that things appear and disappear. Whatever remains of experience continue to take to the traditions to be taken as traditions of different communities. People tend to act in the ways of their ancestors, possibly as a sign of showing them respect. People’s self-consciousness flow in the direction of what happens in the past, the capture and destruction of existing memories by history has received revelation, like the ancestral bond of identity had been dismantled and occurrences ending as if the experience was self-evident. In the book, â€Å"The Long Song† (2010), the essay is trying to reveal the part played by neo-slaves narratives in coming up with and bringing a significant change in history. This is done to close the gap of time by enabling the audience to visualize the past in terms of the present events. The genre has been writte n in the post-abolition era to assert the meaning of historical value of the story about slavery and restore the conscience of slaves as being human beings like anybody else. In this case, history is never used to judge slaves’ rights. The slaves living in Jamaica had a hard experience in the

Transformational corporate leaders are born not made Essay

Transformational corporate leaders are born not made - Essay Example or is of the view that transactional leadership is the most common form of leadership where the focus is on the exchange that occurs between leader and his sub-ordinates. Politicians who promise â€Å"more development,† managers that reward their employees with â€Å"promotions† and classroom teachers, which grade students on their completed work, engage in transactional leadership. According to the definition of transactional leadership, â€Å"it refers to the leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements† (Robbins, pp. 44-51, 2001). However, â€Å"transformational leader are those who inspire followers to transcend their own self-interests and who are capable of having a profound and extraordinary effect on their followers† (Robbins, pp. 25-31, 2001). As the definition implies, transformational leaders have a boarder vision and go one-step further than transactional leaders. These people actually make an effort to engage and develop and connection with their sub-ordinates or followers and then work towards increasing their motivation levels and making them realize their full potential. More importantly, during this process not only the leader transforms his followers but also finds a transformation in him as well. Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most cited examples of tr ansformational leadership. He influenced the Hindus of the South Asia, raised their hopes and demands, made them felt their needs and rights and during this process he ultimately found himself transforming from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to â€Å"Mahatma Gandhi† (Tichy & Devanna, pp. 85-97, 1990). Other examples include A. G. Lafley of Procter & Gamble, Andrea Jung at Avon, Jim McNerney of Boeing and Orin Smith at Starbucks, Steve Jobs founder of Apple Computer, Mary Kay Ash from Mary Kay Ash cosmetics and others (Daft, pp. 41-49, 2007). A study conducted with five corporate leaders, which have performed like transformational

Envalue the Auditor Independence Provisions Essay

Envalue the Auditor Independence Provisions - Essay Example The audit committee and the Charter of Audit usually offers independence of code of ethics and management of the company which assist in guiding the clients, third parties or suppliers on theories and concepts of independence (Federation of European Accountants, 2013). The independence of external auditors signifies freedom from those parties that have increase in the consequence published in the financial statement of the entity. The external auditors should be supported by the Audit committee of the company, and reference should be drawn from the public accounting codes and standards. The external and internal concerns are complicated when the nominally self-regulating divisions of the company offer consulting and auditing services. In order to solve this complication, Sarbanes – Oxley Act of 2002 is a legal solution. In case of statutory audit the most significant principle is regarded as objectivity. Before considering any non-assurance or assurance engagement, audit or en tering into any relationship with the client, the auditor should consider all the threats to their independence that might hinder principle of objectivity (ICISA, 2004). Regulations in the European Union There are various regulations within EU in relation to auditor independence. The major enforcement in case of auditor independence is directed through the Companies Act of 1985, and Companies Act of 1989. The Companies Act of 1985 states that it the accountability of the shareholders to appoint auditors rather than the directors at the annual general meeting. This theory has been stated so that the directors cannot influence the auditors by... This essay summarises the concepts, that are used today in the legal regulatory framework, and identifies the conceptual framework of auditor’s independence. Apart from this the regulations for auditor independence that also are discussed in the essay by the researcher, with respect to European Union, as this will assist in analysing how the auditors can keep their personal interest aside and focus towards an unbiased and flawless audit report. Audit firms and auditor must maintain their independence for the reports of the auditors to be free from any external, personal and organisational impairment. There are various ideas and assumptions present regarding the future development of auditing in context of independence. In US the audit control procedure states that the audit reports should be reviewed by another company once in three years. The researcher mentiones that this essay discussed all those factors which were enough to discuss how auditors can keep aside their persona l objectives and interests in order to support the quotes that have been mentioned at the beginning of this study. Auditors today are like examiners who check the annual performance of the companies in order to assist them in forecasting and decisions making. However, the researcher also concluds that if code of ethics and laws are not followed, then companies would function on wrong guidelines, and there are many examples that can be drawn from the recent financial crisis to describe how faulty judgement can lead to bankruptcy.

Choose ANY project from the pre-modern (pre-1750) period Essay

Choose ANY project from the pre-modern (pre-1750) period - Essay Example The need to construct the Suez Canal therefore became imperative with the growing need for quick transportation to facilitate trade and human transport. A French company took the initiative of constructing the canal and obtained a 99 year concession for the canal. Thereafter, the Suez Canal Company was established with much funding obtained from Europe. Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained the concession in 1854 from Egypt and Sudan in order to build the canal (Farnie 58). He brought together a team of thirteen experts who were to be in charge of overseeing the construction of the canal. Indeed, myriad challenges were anticipated and it was expected that these challenges would be addressed in the course of the process. Surveys were done in Egypt and most of the discussions and deliberations were conducted in Paris. A final unanimous report for the construction was therefore produced detailing all the relevant aspects of the canal that would create any relevance at that time and in the future. The real construction work began at Port Said in Egypt on 25th April 1859 (Karabell 89). In order to provide the much needed labor that was necessary for the excavation work, forced labor was effectively used. Sources estimate that at any given time, up to 30,000 people were working on the project. It is further estimated that a total of 1.5 million, at one time or another, actually worked on the project. Challenges often abound in this process. The excavation work was very difficult and so many workers died in the process. The desert conditions where the workers did most of their work were never favorable in any way for such kind of work. Despite the imperative need for the canal, the British government had always opposed the whole idea behind the canal from the outset. In the course of the project, the British government totally opposed the use of slaves as the main source of labor for the construction of the canal.

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia Dissertation

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example 1.2 Introduction The research report is about the FDI prospects in Saudi Arabia. The researcher has made an attempt to conduct primary research with the help of interviews ad questionnaires to analyse the topic along with an in-depth analysis of some previous researches of the topic. 1.3 Background According to Vazquez, Fournier & Flores (2009, pp.257-270), Saudi Arabia, being a developing country, has a large amount of foreign direct investment. The country’s government has made heavy investments in the infrastructure so that FDI is attracted. The government welcomes FDI as it brings in technology, employment opportunities, trained workforce, makes efficient use of domestic raw materials and enhances economic development. As per Korgstup & Matter (2005), forty five percent of the GDP and 90% of the export earnings are from the petroleum sector. The country’s economic development is also dependent upon 6 million overseas workers. With the signing of the World Trade Orga nization agreement, many opportunities have opened for investment in the country especially in the oil and service sector where the country is concentrating on producing the products rather than exporting raw materials. According to Benbya, Passiante and Belbaly (2004, pp. 201–220)m Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) may be defined as a long-term investment by a foreign direct investor in an enterprise resident in an economy other than that in which the foreign direct investor is based. This involves a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate that together make a transnational corporation (TNC). For such an agreement to be termed as FDI, the parent firm should have the control over the other affiliate. However, Korgstup & Matter (2005) argues, any sort of investment in a foreign land should done carefully as there may be several risks involved and many issues may occur over the course of the investment. For example language and cultural barriers in Saudi Arabia limit the scope of the investment tremendously and therefore the investor should have a through understanding of the market he is venturing. Moreover, there may be differences in business negotiation styles, religion, social norms and etiquettes that may impact the FDI. The report of UNCTAD (2002), on Foreign Direct Investment to the Middle East countries recorded a decrease of 33% dropping in 2002, from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $4.5 billion in 2002, that accounted for approximately 2.8% of total FDI inflow in the Developing Countries. This was mainly due to the regional political unrest, which in turn had an impact on their global business relationships. Moreover, according to Korgstup & Matter (2005) the region along with Saudi Arabia is not a plausible place for foreign investment due to such unrest and investors are seeking new markets for their future investment due to these political vagaries. 1.3 Aims of the Dissertation: 1.3.1 The objectives of the research are to: 1.Identify the various ris ks that a foreign investment faces in Saudi Arabia and how they affect foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment is essential for Saudi Arabia and is essential for the growth of the country. However, there are many problems and difficulties that foreign investors have to face when they invest in Saudi Arabia, which deters new investors to explore this market. In this research an attempt will be made to identify these problems and issues that are causing difficulties for these foreign firms that in turn are affecting foreign direct

The impacts of oil spills on marine and terrestrial ecosystems Research Paper

The impacts of oil spills on marine and terrestrial ecosystems - Research Paper Example In this case, the paper will focus on discussing effects of oil leaks on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems World's marine and terrestrial ecosystems are better understood through the subject of increasing use and efforts aimed at protecting specific marine species and habitats. In fact, these efforts entail designation of certain marine habitats with greater limitations applying to the activities being permitted (Viscusi, 2006). There is also increasing effort to learn about the sources of pollution in marine environment and the measures for the reduction of the amount of pollution. Marine and terrestrial ecosystems pollution refers to the contamination of the lakes and other water bodies by substances that are harmful to the living things. The pollution is associated with many issues among them being deaths of living things like the fish, birds and other animals that use water source (GLIN, 2010). Nevertheless, the pape r will focus on discussing the impact of oil spills on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Oil spills occurs from the ships, leaky underground storage tanks, pipelines and track tankers that consist of petroleum products, which are harmful when ingested by the living organisms in marine and terrestrial ecosystems (World shipping council, 2012). ... Numerous oil spills have been documented through various literatures in both technical and scientific field (Lounsbury, 2003). However, this documentation does not guarantee complete understanding of the effects of oil pollution to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. In fact, indication of the scale and durations regarding these effects is obtained from available information. On the other hand, there is a substantial difficulty presented in the process of balancing the perception and realities involved in the impacts of oil spills. Moreover, this has resulted to polarization of the scientific communities due to their differentiated perceptions concerning the nature of the oil spills impacts. There are groups of scientists who oppose the camps with a side that focuses on quantification of aspects of damages. Other scientists focus on the capacity of the environmental recovery from the adverse impact of these oil spills (University of Michigan, 2006). Nonetheless, the reality relates to the significance of the damages that occur on marine and terrestrial ecosystems due to these oil spills, and ways to derive general information concerning the spills and their effects and longevity. There is a high complexity in the marine and terrestrial ecosystems, which is caused by the fluctuation in species composition, profusion and distribution. However, there is a substantial understanding of the significance of damages caused by the impact of the oil spills (University of Michigan, 2006). For instance, these oil spills can cause a reduction of the breeding success, productivity, diversity and functions of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, there

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia Dissertation

Foreign investment and country risks in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example 1.2 Introduction The research report is about the FDI prospects in Saudi Arabia. The researcher has made an attempt to conduct primary research with the help of interviews ad questionnaires to analyse the topic along with an in-depth analysis of some previous researches of the topic. 1.3 Background According to Vazquez, Fournier & Flores (2009, pp.257-270), Saudi Arabia, being a developing country, has a large amount of foreign direct investment. The country’s government has made heavy investments in the infrastructure so that FDI is attracted. The government welcomes FDI as it brings in technology, employment opportunities, trained workforce, makes efficient use of domestic raw materials and enhances economic development. As per Korgstup & Matter (2005), forty five percent of the GDP and 90% of the export earnings are from the petroleum sector. The country’s economic development is also dependent upon 6 million overseas workers. With the signing of the World Trade Orga nization agreement, many opportunities have opened for investment in the country especially in the oil and service sector where the country is concentrating on producing the products rather than exporting raw materials. According to Benbya, Passiante and Belbaly (2004, pp. 201–220)m Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) may be defined as a long-term investment by a foreign direct investor in an enterprise resident in an economy other than that in which the foreign direct investor is based. This involves a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate that together make a transnational corporation (TNC). For such an agreement to be termed as FDI, the parent firm should have the control over the other affiliate. However, Korgstup & Matter (2005) argues, any sort of investment in a foreign land should done carefully as there may be several risks involved and many issues may occur over the course of the investment. For example language and cultural barriers in Saudi Arabia limit the scope of the investment tremendously and therefore the investor should have a through understanding of the market he is venturing. Moreover, there may be differences in business negotiation styles, religion, social norms and etiquettes that may impact the FDI. The report of UNCTAD (2002), on Foreign Direct Investment to the Middle East countries recorded a decrease of 33% dropping in 2002, from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $4.5 billion in 2002, that accounted for approximately 2.8% of total FDI inflow in the Developing Countries. This was mainly due to the regional political unrest, which in turn had an impact on their global business relationships. Moreover, according to Korgstup & Matter (2005) the region along with Saudi Arabia is not a plausible place for foreign investment due to such unrest and investors are seeking new markets for their future investment due to these political vagaries. 1.3 Aims of the Dissertation: 1.3.1 The objectives of the research are to: 1.Identify the various ris ks that a foreign investment faces in Saudi Arabia and how they affect foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment is essential for Saudi Arabia and is essential for the growth of the country. However, there are many problems and difficulties that foreign investors have to face when they invest in Saudi Arabia, which deters new investors to explore this market. In this research an attempt will be made to identify these problems and issues that are causing difficulties for these foreign firms that in turn are affecting foreign direct

Role play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Role play - Essay Example 1. Have good analytical listening skills. This ability does play a significant role in leadership, for only through listening can one be able to gather as much information as possible. The modern leaders of our society that innovated the prosperity of their organizations, as well as nations, talk less and listen more. This is mainly because in listening to outsiders they can branch out of their comfort zones where everything is alright and learn of the emerging problems being incurred. In my leadership position, I utilize my analytical listening abilities by first surrounding myself with trustworthy individuals who can talk a lot and address problems experienced objectively. From this activity am also able to evaluate all the information that is supplied directly to me and thus be able to analyze how best to use this information. I do not seclude myself to only listening to the positive but majorly listen to the critical information to fully understand the depth of the problem and an alyze how it can be sorted out. 2. Ability to persevere, deal with volatility as well as adapt to changes incurred. Great leaders always create a volatility plan in place in order to implement it, should a volatile season occur. This helps to keep them on the alert and also enhance the chances of the organization dealing with volatility in an appropriate manner. In my experience volatility mainly occurs with investments and the ability to adapt to the new nature of the environment is vital and it should be done with a remembrance of perseverance. I do this in order to be able also to support and help my employees towards enduring volatile seasons of investment. I usually do have very tight plans already drawn up to necessitate some business and changes incurred during these seasons. 3. Can conduct open networking and manage relationships. Technology has transformed the modern ways of networking in business and globally a leader should

Hydrocephalus Disease Essay Example for Free

Hydrocephalus Disease Essay There are many birth defects being discovered all around the world. However, the birth defect I found to be most interesting was hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is one of the single most common birth defects and most people have never heard of it. What happens is, the brain is producing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) normally and fluid is drained from the brain into the spinal canal and is reabsorbed by the body, keeping the amount in the brain balanced. But when normal drainage doesn’t occur, the brain produces too much CSF fluid to be able to drain normally which leads to the build-up of fluid in the ventricles of the brain and causes pressure and enlarging of the head. Hydrocephalic skulls can be found in ancient Egyptian medical literature from 2500 BC to 500 AD but was described more clearly by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates in the 4th century BC. Hydrocephalus may be caused by genetic defects or certain infections during pregnancy. If the mother has infections such as the chicken pox or mumps during pregnancy it makes the risk of the baby having hydrocephalus greater because the infection creates a blockage in the brain which doesn’t allow the CSF fluid to drain properly and when this happens it starts to put pressure on the brain causing the embryos head to enlarge. Some malformations of the brain may cause hydrocephalus such as spinal bifida and dandy-walker syndrome as well. Also it can occur when the ventricles produce too much CSF fluid or when the bloodstream cannot reabsorb the fluid that was produced. â€Å"Each year, 1 in 1,000 children are born and diagnosed with hydrocephalus.† This is fairly large number especially when the latest statistics reveal that a child is born in the U.S. every 8.1 seconds, meaning that a child is born with hydrocephalus every 135 minutes. Many cases of hydrocephalus are most likely detected in the utero or at birth as early as the first trimester. The doctors can somewhat tell whether or not the baby in the utero has hydrocephalus or not by doing multiple ultrasounds throughout the months but it may not show the obstruction precisely. There are limited studies available on the long-term prognosis of those with prenatal hydrocephalus. There aren’t any treatments to treat this birth defect while in the utero but there are some after birth. One of the treatments is called â€Å"Shunting†. Shunt procedures, involve surgically implanting one end of a catheter (flexible tube) into a ventricle of the brain and placing the other end in the abdominal cavity, chambers of the heart, or space around the lungs where fluid is drained and absorbed by the bloodstream. A valve in the shunt system regulates the flow to prevent over-draining and under-draining. This procedure can be quite dramatic because the head circumference can shrink as much a 7-8 centimeters in the first week. However, there are risks such as infection when performing this procedure. Infections occur in 5-10% of shunting operations. Hydrocephalic skulls can be found in ancient Egyptian medical literature from 2500 BC to 500 AD but was described more clearly by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates in the 4th century BC. Hydrocephalus cases were originally described by Hippocrates who believed that this disease was cause by an extra cerebral accumulation of water. Hydrocephalus and its side effects can cause many common side effects such as confusion, loss of vision, headaches, problems driving a car, and diabetes. â€Å"Approximately one third of patients who are treated for hydrocephalus will attain a normal intelligence level (i.e., a mean score of between 80 and 100 points on an IQ test) or higher. These patients are more apt to be self-sufficient and capable of leading a normal life.† Some people have success with the outcome of hydrocephalus and some do not. â€Å"A thorough neuropsychological examination can cost up to $2,000, particularly if the findings are reviewed with you afterwards.† It cost a lot of money just for an examination to be done. But when they are examining you they can help you develop strategies to maximize performance of various tasks and to help make you more conscious about the conditions and its effects. The long-term outlook for a child born with hydrocephalus depends on how serious the problem is and other associated abnormalities. Doctors recommend that children receive follow up care and evaluations to prevent infection and monitor the functions of the shunt. Normal pressure hydrocephalus was found to be significantly more seen in males. It can occur at any age group. With good, early treatment, a normal lifespan with few limitations can be reached. After surgery, trained medicals professionals monitor the patient. Headaches may start to disappear because of the release of pressure on the brain. People may improve quickly or it might take weeks or months to improve and in some patients little or no improvement is possible. The length of time that a person will stay at hospital depends on how fast they recover. Hydrocephalus is a common disease not many people know about and should take time to learn about. It can have some serious side effects if you don’t have it treated right away. There are limited treatments today to cure hydrocephalus but it doesn’t mean people aren’t trying to find more.